Monday, August 2, 2010

Energy News Digest for August 2, 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

Mason PUD 3 Signs Contract for Construction of Johns Prairie Operations Center (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Sockeye Salmon Run Sets Record for Columbia River (Oregonian, Portland)

Oregon - Turbines Too Loud? Here, Take $5,000 (NY Times)

US Says It’s Committed to Cutting Greenhouse Gases (Associated Press)

Belfair’s Water District Padlocks Fire Hydrants (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Mason PUD 3 Signs Contract for Construction of Johns Prairie Operations Center
·         California - New Rules Make It Harder for Pacific Gas & Electric to Shut Off Service
·         Windows Power Grid Worm is Just the Beginning
·         Second Quarter Shows TransAlta Returning to Profit
·         Op/Ed - Shale Gas: Hope for Our Energy Future
·         Op/Ed - Who Should Pay for ‘Smart’ Electricity in Maryland?
·         A Benchmark of Progress, Electrical Grid Fails Iraqis
·         Sockeye Salmon Run Sets Record for Columbia River
·         Record Sockeye Run Is a Boon for Small Town of Brewster
·         Editorial - Sockeye, Fantastic
·         Elwha River’s Coming Dam Removal Has Scientists Flooded With Unknowns
·         Court Decision Allowing Deeper Lake Roosevelt Drawdowns Appealed to the Ninth Circuit
·         Oregon - Rocky Mountain Goats Released at Base of Mt. Jefferson
·         Logging Plan for Willamette National Forest Suspended After Spotted Owls Move Closer
·         Congress - McMorris Rodgers Introduces Legislation to Shed Light on Endangered Species Act Compliance Costs
·         Ruckelshaus retires from Puget Sound Leadership Council
·         Army Corps Sets $44M Fixes for Howard Hanson Dam
·         Acidification Threatens Wide Swath of Sea Life
·         Louisiana Marshes Damaged by Oil, But Surprisingly Resilient
·         Oregon - Turbines Too Loud? Here, Take $5,000
·         Oregon - Reaping the Wind; ‘Community Wind’ takes a village
·         Cape Wind Drops Power Price
·         Vestas Shakes Up Portland Exec Team
·         Canada - California Dreamin’ for Green Power Sales
·         Iowa - Lightning Strike Burns Down Wind Turbine
·         Bigger Blades & Better Designs in Wind Energy
·         New York – Veterans’ Hospital to Get New Biomass Energy System, Thanks to Stimulus Funds
·         Coal to Biomass - Burning Ohio Trees at Burger Sets Fire to Debate
·         Vermont - Montpelier Biomass Energy Project Moves Forward
·         Massachusetts Solar Panel Incentives Prompts National Company to Offer Installation Without Upfront Investment
·         Richland Senior Center Going Ductless
·         North Carolina - Duke Energy Wants OK to Share Home Usage Data With Neighbors
·         Green-Financing Suspension Hits San Francisco Programs
·         Green Building Supplier Sees Growing Market in Colleges, Hospitals
·         US Says It’s Committed to Cutting Greenhouse Gases
·         What’s Next on Climate Change?
·         EPA’s Global Warming Authority under Fire from All Sides
·         Cap-&-Trade Failure Leaves Utilities Waiting on Energy Policy
·         Climate Change Prolongs Interior Alaska Growing Season
·         Plugging in the Electric Car
·         Biofuels Left Out as Automakers Go Electric
·         For Pocono, Solar Power & Safety Improvements
·         Vermont Is Wiring Itself with Fiber Because Nobody Else Will
·         Idaho Broadband efforts back on waiting list
·         Op/Ed - The Corporate Deal to Control Your Internet
·         Six Cool Innovations for the Data Center
·         Technology Races to Meet Tide of Data
·         Mason County Candidates’ Forum Tuesday Night at Olympic College Shelton
·         Washington Secretary of State Predicts 38 Percent Turnout in Primary
·         Mason County Seeks Help in Identifying Bank Robber
·         Belfair’s Water District Padlocks Fire Hydrants
·         Hazy Skies Creating Spectacular Sunsets in Western Washington
·         Montana Twisters Are More Frequent, Powerful in 2010
·         Cowlitz Bank Closed, Sold to Heritage Bank
·         KVI Ex-Employee Sentenced for Rigging Radio Contest
·         North Mason Chamber Names Interim President & CEO

WORD OF THE DAY

En masse • \on-MASS\ • adverb - In a body: as a whole

Like the sheep they were, the group of unshorn ruminants followed the bell-wether en masse to their first shearing of the year. “Where are we going?” bleated Anabelle to her herd mate. “I dunno,” replied Gertie. “Someone said there was a fashion statement to be made today. I just hope it’s not a clipper cut like I had last year; it makes me look fat.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Mason PUD 3 Signs Contract for Construction of Johns Prairie Operations Center (Mason County PUD No. 3)

California - New Rules Make It Harder for Pacific Gas & Electric to Shut Off Service (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Windows Power Grid Worm is Just the Beginning (Earth2Tech)

Second Quarter Shows TransAlta Returning to Profit (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Op/Ed - Shale Gas: Hope for Our Energy Future (Washington Post)

Op/Ed - Who Should Pay for ‘Smart’ Electricity in Maryland? (Washington Post)

A Benchmark of Progress, Electrical Grid Fails Iraqis (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sockeye Salmon Run Sets Record for Columbia River (Oregonian, Portland)

Record Sockeye Run Is a Boon for Small Town of Brewster (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Editorial - Sockeye, Fantastic (Wenatchee World, WA)

Elwha River’s Coming Dam Removal Has Scientists Flooded With Unknowns (Seattle Times)

Court Decision Allowing Deeper Lake Roosevelt Drawdowns Appealed to the Ninth Circuit (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Oregon - Rocky Mountain Goats Released at Base of Mt. Jefferson (Oregonian, Portland)

Logging Plan for Willamette National Forest Suspended After Spotted Owls Move Closer (Associated Press)

Congress - McMorris Rodgers Introduces Legislation to Shed Light on Endangered Species Act Compliance Costs (Trading Markets)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Ruckelshaus retires from Puget Sound Leadership Council (Associated Press)

Army Corps Sets $44M Fixes for Howard Hanson Dam (Associated Press)

Acidification Threatens Wide Swath of Sea Life (Seattle Times)

Louisiana Marshes Damaged by Oil, But Surprisingly Resilient (USA Today)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon - Turbines Too Loud? Here, Take $5,000 (NY Times)

Oregon - Reaping the Wind; ‘Community Wind’ takes a village (Dalles Chronicle, OR)

Cape Wind Drops Power Price (Boston Business Journal)

Vestas Shakes Up Portland Exec Team (Portland Business Journal)

Canada - California Dreamin’ “…The Clean Energy Act was approved…to enable B.C. to become an exporter of renewable energy to the United States…” (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Iowa - Lightning Strike Burns Down Wind Turbine (Sioux City Journal, IA)

Bigger Blades & Better Designs in Wind Energy (Renewable Energy World)

New York – Veterans’ Hospital to Get New Biomass Energy System, Thanks to Stimulus Funds (Messenger Post, Canandaigua, NY)

Coal to Biomass - Burning Ohio Trees at Burger Sets Fire to Debate (Akron Beacon-Journal, OH)

Vermont - Montpelier Biomass Energy Project Moves Forward (Montpelier Times-Srgus, VT)

Massachusetts Solar Panel Incentives Prompts National Company to Offer Installation Without Upfront Investment (Springfield Republican, MA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Richland Senior Center Going Ductless (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

North Carolina - Duke Energy Wants OK to Share Home Usage Data With Neighbors (Triangle Business Journal)

Green-Financing Suspension Hits San Francisco Programs (San Francisco Examiner, CA)

Green Building Supplier Sees Growing Market in Colleges, Hospitals (The Business Review - Albany, NY)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

US Says It’s Committed to Cutting Greenhouse Gases (Associated Press)

What’s Next on Climate Change? (KPLU Radio, Tacoma, WA)

EPA’s Global Warming Authority under Fire from All Sides (Politico)

Cap-&-Trade Failure Leaves Utilities Waiting on Energy Policy (Bismarck Tribune, ND)

Climate Change Prolongs Interior Alaska Growing Season (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Plugging in the Electric Car (Nat’l Public Radio)

Biofuels Left Out as Automakers Go Electric (SF Chronicle)

For Pocono, Solar Power & Safety Improvements (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Vermont Is Wiring Itself with Fiber Because Nobody Else Will (Broadband Reports)

Idaho Broadband efforts back on waiting list (Bonner County Daily Bee, Sandpoint ID)

Op/Ed - The Corporate Deal to Control Your Internet (Seattle Times)

Six Cool Innovations for the Data Center (ComputerWorld)

Technology Races to Meet Tide of Data (NY Times)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Mason County Candidates’ Forum Tuesday Night at Olympic College Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington Secretary of State Predicts 38 Percent Turnout in Primary (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Seeks Help in Identifying Bank Robber (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Belfair’s Water District Padlocks Fire Hydrants (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Hazy Skies Creating Spectacular Sunsets in Western Washington (KING-TV, Seattle)

Montana Twisters Are More Frequent, Powerful in 2010 (Billings Gazette, MT)

Cowlitz Bank Closed, Sold to Heritage Bank (Portland Business Journal)

KVI Ex-Employee Sentenced for Rigging Radio Contest (Seattle Times)

North Mason Chamber Names Interim President & CEO (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Northwest Wienerfest: Big Event, Little Dogs - Hundreds assemble for the love of dachshunds

Comic Book Buff Selling Rare Copy of Batman No. 1

De Niro, Brooklyn, India on last Roll of Kodachrome Slide Film

Bottom-Shaking Employee Wins Workers’ Comp Appeal

SONG OF THE DAY

Paul Simon - Kodachrome