Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Energy News Digest for August 4, 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

Google’s Secret Thirst for Electrical Power - How much electricity does Google use to power its servers in the Dalles? (Oregon Business)

PacifiCorp & Portland General Electric Team Up In Effort to Build New Power Lines (Oregonian, Portland)

Neighbors Want to Vote on Shelton Biomass Facility (KING-TV, Seattle)

Aberdeen Lumber Mill Sells Biomass Electricity to Grays Harbor PUD (Olympian, WA)

Belfair’s Fire Hydrants Now Under Lock & Key, to Fire Crews’ Dismay (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Google’s Secret Thirst for Electrical Power
·         PacifiCorp & Portland General Electric Team Up In Effort to Build New Power Lines
·         Suspected Drunken Driver Plows into Onalaska Power Station
·         Clark Public Utility Commissioners Weigh Rate Hike
·         Chelan PUD Sales Forecast Better But Still Bad
·         Janney to Fill Top Spot at Chelan PUD
·         August 17-18 – Planned Power Outage for Mason County PUD No. 3 Customers Served by Collins Lake & Union River Substations
·         Oregon - Firm Begins Building Controversial Ruby Pipeline
·         Pacific Gas & Electric’s Second Quarter Profit Drops 14%
·         New Threat: Hackers Look to Take over Power Plants
·         Feds Say Common Security Holes Leave Energy Grid Vulnerable
·         Energy Bill a No-Go in the Senate
·         Oregon Limits Dredges for Gold in Salmon Streams
·         Lamprey Species Once Thought Extinct Returns to Oregon Lake
·         Alaska’s Unique Dipnet Fishing Tradition Thrives
·         Editorial - Oregon Lottery Proceeds: Should Parks, Salmon Always be First In Line?
·         Sea Otter Population Declines 3.6 Percent Along California Coast
·         NOAA Awards Puget Sound Algal Research
·         Neighbors Want to Vote on Shelton Biomass Facility
·         Mason County Biomass - Port of Shelton Releases Draft Leases with ADAGE
·         Aberdeen Lumber Mill Sells Biomass Electricity to Grays Harbor PUD
·         Port Townsend - Biomass energy meeting set Aug. 6-7
·         Oregon Business Groups Unite to Save Incentives for Renewable Energy
·         Oregon Coast Wave Energy Park Clears Hurdle
·         Wind Turbine Prices Remain Low
·         Oregon Community Develops Wind Farm
·         BrightSource Solar Plant in Mojave Desert Clears California Hurdle
·         Constellation Sells Stake in California Geothermal Plant
·         Top Green Power Purchasers
·         Op/Ed - New Energy Economy Requires New Uses of Our Public Lands
·         Tracking the East Coast & West Coast NIMBY boundaries
·         Electric Co-ops Launch Nationwide Smart Grid Demonstration Project
·         Judge Orders Rewording of Initiative to Suspend California Climate Change Law
·         EPA Left to Pick Up Climate Change Where Congress Dropped the Debate
·         Western Climate Initiative - Big Guns in the Wild West
·         Breeding Trees to be Better Biofuel
·         Portland Advocates Tout Potential of $75 Million Sustainability Center
·         Prison: Going Green Saves Green
·         Intel Settles Claim That It Tried to Stifle Competition
·         Qwest’s Second Quarter Profit Drops 26%; Land Lines Down 10.5%
·         The Future of Broadband - in Tasmania
·         No Special Session, for Now - Gregoire Says Fed Money Eases Budget
·         State to Look at Agencies’ Overtime to Offset Day Off
·         Washington House Dems to Wait on Simpson Chairmanship Decision
·         Director of Washington State Prisons Retires
·         Rep. McMorris Rodgers Announces She’s Pregnant
·         Belfair’s Fire Hydrants Now Under Lock & Key, to Fire Crews’ Dismay
·         Olympia City Hall Damage From Arson May Hit $3 Million
·         Cooler Coastal Waters Could Mean Rougher Winter for Pacific Northwest
·         Honolulu Wants Out of Deal to Ship Trash to Washington
·         Rio Tinto’s Alcan Cable Unit Closing Oregon Plant

WORD OF THE DAY

Pulchritude • \PULL-kruh-tood\ • noun - Physical comeliness

All the men in the room heaved a dreamy sigh as Melanie paraded through the office. Besides being the nicest person you’d ever want to meet on this earth, her pulchritude was often a distraction to the opposite sex; which is why she was forbidden to visit the metal shop on the third floor.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Google’s Secret Thirst for Electrical Power - How much electricity does Google use to power its servers in the Dalles? (Oregon Business)

PacifiCorp & Portland General Electric Team Up In Effort to Build New Power Lines (Oregonian, Portland)

Suspected Drunken Driver Plows into Onalaska Power Station (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Clark Public Utility Commissioners Weigh Rate Hike (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Chelan PUD Sales Forecast Better But Still Bad (Wenatchee World, WA – bad headline…bad…bad…)

Janney to Fill Top Spot at Chelan PUD (Wenatchee World, WA)

August 17-18 – Planned Power Outage for Mason County PUD No. 3 Customers Served by Collins Lake & Union River Substations (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Oregon - Firm Begins Building Controversial Ruby Pipeline (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Pacific Gas & Electric’s Second Quarter Profit Drops 14% (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal)

New Threat: Hackers Look to Take over Power Plants (Associated Press)

Feds Say Common Security Holes Leave Energy Grid Vulnerable (CNET News)

Energy Bill a No-Go in the Senate (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon Limits Dredges for Gold in Salmon Streams (Associated Press)

Lamprey Species Once Thought Extinct Returns to Oregon Lake (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Alaska’s Unique Dipnet Fishing Tradition Thrives (Associated Press)

Editorial - Oregon Lottery Proceeds: Should Parks, Salmon Always be First In Line? (Oregonian, Portland)

Sea Otter Population Declines 3.6 Percent Along California Coast (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

NOAA Awards Puget Sound Algal Research (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Neighbors Want to Vote on Shelton Biomass Facility (KING-TV, Seattle)

Mason County Biomass - Port of Shelton Releases Draft Leases with ADAGE (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Aberdeen Lumber Mill Sells Biomass Electricity to Grays Harbor PUD (Olympian, WA)

Port Townsend - Biomass energy meeting set Aug. 6-7 (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Oregon Business Groups Unite to Save Incentives for Renewable Energy (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Oregon Coast Wave Energy Park Clears Hurdle (Portland Business Journal)

Wind Turbine Prices Remain Low (Renewable Energy World)

Oregon Community Develops Wind Farm (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)

BrightSource Solar Plant in Mojave Desert Clears California Hurdle (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Constellation Sells Stake in California Geothermal Plant (Baltimore Business Journal)

Top Green Power Purchasers (Renewable Energy World)

Op/Ed - New Energy Economy Requires New Uses of Our Public Lands (Denver Business Journal)

Tracking the East Coast & West Coast NIMBY boundaries (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Electric Co-ops Launch Nationwide Smart Grid Demonstration Project (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Judge Orders Rewording of Initiative to Suspend California Climate Change Law (Sacramento Bee, CA)

EPA Left to Pick Up Climate Change Where Congress Dropped the Debate (Washington Post)

Western Climate Initiative - Big Guns in the Wild West (Renewable Energy World)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Breeding Trees to be Better Biofuel (Tyee)

Portland Advocates Tout Potential of $75 Million Sustainability Center (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Prison: Going Green Saves Green - Some of the biggest improvements have involved harnessing technology to increase efficiency (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Intel Settles Claim That It Tried to Stifle Competition (NY Times)

Qwest’s Second Quarter Profit Drops 26%; Land Lines Down 10.5% (Denver Business Journal)

The Future of Broadband - in Tasmania (NY Times)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

No Special Session, for Now - Gregoire Says Fed Money Eases Budget (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

State to Look at Agencies’ Overtime to Offset Day Off (Olympian, WA)

Washington House Dems to Wait on Simpson Chairmanship Decision – He’s charged in a domestic dispute case (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Director of Washington State Prisons Retires (Northwest Public Radio)

Rep. McMorris Rodgers Announces She’s Pregnant (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Belfair’s Fire Hydrants Now Under Lock & Key, to Fire Crews’ Dismay (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Olympia City Hall Damage From Arson May Hit $3 Million – Months-long delay expected for new site to open while crews repair effects of smoke, soot (Olympian, WA)

Cooler Coastal Waters Could Mean Rougher Winter for Pacific Northwest (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Honolulu Wants Out of Deal to Ship Trash to Washington (Associated Press)

Rio Tinto’s Alcan Cable Unit Closing Oregon Plant (Associated Press)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Eastern Washington University to Start Installing Red Artificial Turf (Seattle Times)

John Aylesworth, a ‘Hee-Haw’ Creator, Dies at 81

British Columbia Court Slaps Injunction on University of Victoria’s Planned Bunny Massacre

Man Calls 911 for Ride to Liquor Store

SONG OF THE DAY

Buck Owens - Tiger by the Tail