Thursday, October 21, 2010

Energy News Digest for October 21, 2010

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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.

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Changing Weather: Weekend Storm Forecast for Pacific Northwest (Associated Press)

Natural Gas Prices Tumble to 52-Week Low (Associated Press)

Author Says WPPSS Still Has Lessons for Energy Industry (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Alaska - Geothermal Project Sends Utility Cooperative into Chapter 11 (Renewable Energy World)

Mason County Commissioners Approve Salary Increases for Some Department Heads -Suspend Increases for Other Elected Officials (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • Natural Gas Prices Tumble to 52-Week Low
  • Natural Gas Stocks Grow More than Expected
  • Author Says WPPSS Still Has Lessons for Energy Industry
  • Have Your Say (last night) on Proposed Pacific Power 21 Percent Rate Hike
  • Is Coal Power Headed for a Downsizing in US?
  • North American Electric Reliability Corporation Releases Long-Term Reliability Assessment
  • Chelan PUD to Launch Paperless Billing
  • Detroit Homeowner Shoots Man Believed to be Stealing Electricity
  • Judge Tells US Department of the Interior to Clarify Polar Bear Status
  • California - Sea Lion Shooter Gets 30 Days and $51,000 Fine
  • Seven Alternatives Discussed for Union River Estuary Restoration at Johnson Farm
  • Haze Pollution from Forest-Clearing Fires Forces Malaysia School Closures
  • Alaska - Geothermal Project Sends Utility Cooperative into Chapter 11
  • US Approves 5th Solar Plant on Western Public Land
  • Mirrored Solar Dishes to March across California Desert
  • Wisconsin - Wausau Approves Height Exceptions for Biomass Project
  • Hot Air? White House Takes Credit for Bush-Era Wind Farm Jobs
  • Tidal Power: The Next Wave?
  • Midwest Research Institute Finds Renewable Energy across the Road — In Chicken Manure
  • Utah Lawmakers Take a Pass on New Home Energy Standards
  • Editorial - Moving Past Cap And Trade
  • Corvallis Earns EPA Green Power Community of the Year Award
  • Spokane Agency Offers Seminars on Proper Wood Burning
  • Editorial - Alaska: Clean Air and the Cost of Freedom
  • Would Extending Tax on Bottled Water Save Energy, Create Jobs?
  • Vilsack Announces Biomass Subsidies for Non-Woody, Perennial Crops
  • Making British Columbia a Green Jobs Machine
  • Google to Build a Test 1 Gbps Network in Stanford
  • FCC Wants Broadcasters' Unused Spectrum to Help Meet Growing Wireless Demand
  • Pennsylvania - Elderly Couple in Providence Township Wants Comcast to Bury Cable Line
  • Mason County Commissioners Approve Salary Increases for Some Department Heads
  • Editorial – Washington State Legislature: Bring Back Sheldon, Finn, and Add Newcomer Griffey in the 35th
  • Eight Current & Former Officials Accused of Looting Small California City Headed to Court
  • It Keeps on Comin’ - California City in Pay Scandal Misspent Affordable-House Money
  • Changing Weather: Weekend Storm Forecast for Pacific Northwest
  • Winter to Slam Pacific Northwest As South Stays Warm and Dry
  • Toyota Recalling 1.53 Million Cars Globally
  • Lt. Governor Brad Owen to Lead Trade Mission to Taiwan
  • Washington Slips in Ranking of Popular States
  • Milken Ranking: Olympia-Area Falls to 36 from 7
  • Crystal Cathedral Teeters on the Edge of Bankruptcy

WORD OF THE DAY

Dystopia • \diss-TOPE-ee-uh\ • Noun - An imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives 2: anti-utopia

Anticipated utopia turned to dystopia. See the Twilight Zone’s “Time Enough at Last,” featuring Burgess Meredith: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Enough_at_Last

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Natural Gas Prices Tumble to 52-Week Low (Associated Press)

Natural Gas Stocks Grow More than Expected (Associated Press)

Author Says WPPSS Still Has Lessons for Energy Industry (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Have Your Say (last night) on Proposed Pacific Power 21 Percent Rate Hike (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Is Coal Power Headed for a Downsizing in US? (Christian Science Monitor)

North American Electric Reliability Corporation Releases Long-Term Reliability Assessment (Electric Energy Online)

Chelan PUD to Launch Paperless Billing (Wenatchee World, WA)

Detroit Homeowner Shoots Man Believed to be Stealing Electricity (Detroit News, MI)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Judge Tells US Department of the Interior to Clarify Polar Bear Status (Associated Press)

California - Sea Lion Shooter Gets 30 Days and $51,000 Fine (SF Chronicle)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Seven Alternatives Discussed for Union River Estuary Restoration at Johnson Farm (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Haze Pollution from Forest-Clearing Fires Forces Malaysia School Closures (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Alaska - Geothermal Project Sends Utility Cooperative into Chapter 11 (Renewable Energy World)

US Approves 5th Solar Plant on Western Public Land (NY Times)

Mirrored Solar Dishes to March across California Desert (Environmental News Service)

Wisconsin - Wausau Approves Height Exceptions for Biomass Project (Wausau Daily Herald, WI)

Hot Air? White House Takes Credit for Bush-Era Wind Farm Jobs - Administration claims 50,000 jobs created, but many projects were completed before funds were handed out (MSNBC)

Tidal Power: The Next Wave? (NY Times – Or the next NIMBY target?)

Midwest Research Institute Finds Renewable Energy across the Road — In Chicken Manure (Kansas City Star, MO)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Utah Lawmakers Take a Pass on New Home Energy Standards (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Editorial - Moving Past Cap And Trade (Boston Globe, MA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Corvallis Earns EPA Green Power Community of the Year Award (Corvallis Gazette-Times, OR)

Spokane Agency Offers Seminars on Proper Wood Burning (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Editorial - Alaska: Clean Air and the Cost of Freedom “…they didn't want government dictating to them what could come out of the smokestacks atop their homes…” (Alaska Dispatch)

Would Extending Tax on Bottled Water Save Energy, Create Jobs? (Seattle Times)

Vilsack Announces Biomass Subsidies for Non-Woody, Perennial Crops (Des Moines Register, IA)

Making British Columbia a Green Jobs Machine - No fossil fuels, zero carbon emissions, better employment (The Tyee, BC)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google to Build a Test 1 Gbps Network in Stanford (GigaOM)

FCC Wants Broadcasters' Unused Spectrum to Help Meet Growing Wireless Demand (Washington Post)

Pennsylvania - Elderly Couple in Providence Township Wants Comcast to Bury Cable Line (Lancaster New Era, PA)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Mason County Commissioners Approve Salary Increases for Some Department Heads -Suspend Increases for Other Elected Officials (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Editorial – Washington State Legislature: Bring Back Sheldon, Finn, and Add Newcomer Griffey in the 35th (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Eight Current & Former Officials Accused of Looting Small California City Headed to Court (Associated Press)

It Keeps on Comin’ - California City in Pay Scandal Misspent Affordable-House Money (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Changing Weather: Weekend Storm Forecast for Pacific Northwest (Associated Press)

Winter to Slam Pacific Northwest As South Stays Warm and Dry (USA Today)

Toyota Recalling 1.53 Million Cars Globally (Associated Press)

Lt. Governor Brad Owen to Lead Trade Mission to Taiwan (Associated Press)

Washington Slips in Ranking of Popular States – From 6th to 10th (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Milken Ranking: Olympia-Area Falls to 36 from 7 (Olympian, WA)

Crystal Cathedral Teeters on the Edge of Bankruptcy (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Hate Long, Rambling Speeches? Try Pecha-Kucha (Nat’l Public Radio)

Comet Hartley 2 Visible to the Naked Eye

Starved Horse Survives, Inspires With Spirit

SONG OF THE DAY

Adam Levine & Alicia Keys- Wild Horses