Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Energy News Digest for June 29, 2010

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

British Columbia Man Held in Mason County in Death of Five-Year-Old Stepdaughter (Seattle Times)

State of Oregon Proposes New Options for Shutdown of Portland General Electric Coal Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

Hundreds of Aging British Columbia Dams Pose Safety Risk - Many are abandoned & could cause death & destruction if they fail, report says (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Power Line Issues Tangle Up Governors’ Meeting (Associated Press)

Lake Washington Sockeye Returns on the Rise (Seattle Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         State of Oregon Proposes New Options for Shutdown of Portland General Electric Coal Plant
·         Portland General Electric PGE ‘Disappointed’ by Options for Plant Closure
·         Power Line Issues Tangle Up Governors’ Meeting
·         Stealing Steel: Law, Price Shift Spur New Trend
·         Op/Ed - Grant PUD Power Is Oversold
·         Grant PUD Releases Idea Sketches for Crescent Bar Island
·         Hundreds of Aging British Columbia Dams Pose Safety Risk
·         Cracks Repaired, Ohio Nuclear Plant Restarts
·         Energy Co’s Use Ballot Initiatives, Other Tools to Fight for Continued Market Dominance
·         Power Problems Reported in New York
·         Ohio - Hydroelectric Project to Help Power Hamilton
·         Lake Washington Sockeye Returns on the Rise
·         Clallam PUD Objections a Roadblock for Watershed Plan
·         Oregon - The Once & Future Marsh: In Bandon, a Salt Marsh is Re-Engineered
·         California Faces Grid Challenge to Implement 33% Aim
·         Editorial - California’s Renewable energy: Pass SB 722
·         United Kingdom - Green Setback for UK as British Power Supplied by Renewable Sources Falls
·         Manure-Powered Electricity Generator Planned for Lynden
·         Michigan - Traverse City Light & Power Scraps Plan for Biomass Plant, Opts for Gas
·         Massachusetts - Proposed Palmer Renewal Energy Springfield Biomass Plant Gets Cold Reception at Public Hearing
·         United Kingdom – Scots Jobs ‘At Risk’ as Fears Grow over Biomass Plants’ Appetite for Wood
·         California Solar Start-Up Rakes in Capital
·         Georgia Shuns East Coast Wind Power Group
·         Small Wind Picks Up Even as Economy Turns Down
·         Editorial - Regrettable, but Necessary Delay for Energy Efficiency Standards
·         Cisco Enters Home Smart-Grid Fray with Energy Display
·         Why Climate Stumps Even the Brightest Scientists
·         Washington State to Get $1.3 Million for Electric Highway
·         US Broadband Numbers Don’t Lie, They Just Confuse
·         In Faulty-Computer Suit, Window to Dell Decline
·         Cell Phone Industry Attacks San Francisco’s Ruling on Handset Radiation
·         Judge Says No to Gregoire Request on Health Care Lawsuit
·         Washington Governor to Travel to DC to Ask for Budget Help
·         What Worries Washington State’s Chief Economist
·         British Columbia Man Held in Mason County in Death of Five-Year-Old Stepdaughter
·         Family of Girl Killed by Father near Lake Cushman Releases Statement
·         Shelton - Fire in Dust Collection System at Simpson Lumber Mill
·         Nalley Valley Bridge Error Poorly Handled, DOT Chief Says
·         Some Sobering Fourth of July Injury & Fire Statistics

WORD OF THE DAY

Scuttlebutt • \SKUTT-ul-butt\ • noun - Rumor, gossip

WORD ORIGIN, FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER - Nowadays, office workers catch up on the latest scuttlebutt around the water cooler, and when they do, they are continuing a long-standing (although not necessarily honorable) tradition. That kind of gossip sharing probably also occurred on the sailing ships of yore. Back in the early 1800s, the cask containing a ship’s daily supply of freshwater was called a “scuttlebutt”; that name was later applied to a drinking fountain on a ship or at a naval installation. By the early 20th century, the term for the water source was also applied to the gossip and rumors generated around it, and the latest chatter has been called “scuttlebutt” ever since.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

State of Oregon Proposes New Options for Shutdown of Portland General Electric Coal Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

Portland General Electric PGE ‘Disappointed’ by Options for Plant Closure (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Power Line Issues Tangle Up Governors’ Meeting (Associated Press)

Stealing Steel: Law, Price Shift Spur New Trend - Thieves transition from copper to heavy metal (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Op/Ed - Grant PUD Power Is Oversold (Wenatchee World, WA)

Grant PUD Releases Idea Sketches for Crescent Bar Island (Wenatchee World, WA)

Hundreds of Aging British Columbia Dams Pose Safety Risk - Many are abandoned & could cause death & destruction if they fail, report says (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Cracks Repaired, Ohio Nuclear Plant Restarts (Associated Press)

Energy Co’s Use Ballot Initiatives, Other Tools to Fight for Continued Market Dominance - California voters rejected one utility-sponsored ballot initiative, but fights are brewing across the country (Solve Climate)

Power Problems Reported in New York (NY Times)

Ohio - Hydroelectric Project to Help Power Hamilton (Business Courier of Cincinnati)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Lake Washington Sockeye Returns on the Rise (Seattle Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Clallam PUD Objections a Roadblock for Watershed Plan - Instream flows & water availability at issue (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Oregon - The Once & Future Marsh: in Bandon, a Salt Marsh is Re-Engineered (Oregonian, Portland)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California Faces Grid Challenge to Implement 33% Aim (Wind Power Monthly)

Editorial - California’s Renewable energy: Pass SB 722 - A state Senate bill mandating that California get 33% of its power from renewable sources by 2020 fails year after year. This year’s bill shouldn’t suffer the same fate (Los Angeles Times, CA)

United Kingdom - Green Setback for UK as British Power Supplied by Renewable Sources Falls (The Guardian, UK)

Manure-Powered Electricity Generator Planned for Lynden (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Michigan - Traverse City Light & Power Scraps Plan for Biomass Plant, Opts for Gas (Bloomberg News)

Massachusetts - Proposed Palmer Renewal Energy Springfield Biomass Plant Gets Cold Reception at Public Hearing (Springfield Republican, MA)

United Kingdom – Scots Jobs ‘At Risk’ as Fears Grow over Biomass Plants’ Appetite for Wood (Scotsman, UK)

California Solar Start-Up Rakes in Capital (NY Times)

Georgia Shuns East Coast Wind Power Group (Associated Press)

Small Wind Picks Up Even as Economy Turns Down (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Editorial - Regrettable, but Necessary Delay for Energy Efficiency Standards (Olympian, WA)

Cisco Enters Home Smart-Grid Fray with Energy Display (CNET News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Why Climate Stumps Even the Brightest Scientists (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington State to Get $1.3 Million for Electric Highway (Associated Press)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

US Broadband Numbers Don’t Lie, They Just Confuse (Nat’l Public Radio)

In Faulty-Computer Suit, Window to Dell Decline (NY Times)

Cell Phone Industry Attacks San Francisco’s Ruling on Handset Radiation (Washington Post)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Judge Says No to Gregoire Request on Health Care Lawsuit (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Washington Governor to Travel to DC to Ask for Budget Help (Associated Press)

What Worries Washington State’s Chief Economist (Seattle Times)

GENERAL NEWS

British Columbia Man Held in Mason County in Death of Five-Year-Old Stepdaughter (Seattle Times)

Family of Girl Killed by Father near Lake Cushman Releases Statement (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Shelton - Fire in Dust Collection System at Simpson Lumber Mill (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Nalley Valley Bridge Error Poorly Handled, DOT Chief Says (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)


DIVERSIONS

Camouflage Wearing Bow Hunters Marry in Tree

6-Year-Old Girl Put on No-Fly List

Marilyn Monroe Chest X-Rays Sell for $45K

Newly Rescued Chihuahua Takes ‘Ugliest Dog’ Title

SONG OF THE DAY

ABC - Poison Arrow