Friday, November 5, 2010

Energy News Digest for November 5, 2010

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices: http://twitter.com/energydigest

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

Standard Time Returns: Set the Clock Back Saturday (Associated Press)

US Senator Murray of Washington State Wins 4th Term (Associated Press)

Bonneville Power Administration Unmoved by Pleas to Reconsider Power Line Site (Longview Daily News, WA)

Stakes High in Resolving Yakima Basin Water Issues (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Vermont-Yankee - An Uncertain Nuclear Countdown (NY Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Bonneville Power Administration Unmoved by Pleas to Reconsider Power Line Site
·         Bonneville Power Administration Chief Stands by Decision to Rule Out Oregon Route
·         Clallam PUD’s Electricity Costs Upped Eight Percent Dec. 1
·         Energy Northwest Trying to Improve; Low Rating from Nuclear Non-Profit
·         Giant Melter Has Flat Tire on Way to Hanford Vitrification Plant
·         Vermont-Yankee - An Uncertain Nuclear Countdown
·         Two Mason PUD 3 Officials Receive Community Recognition for Service
·         Avista Contributes $10,000 to its ‘Project Share’ in Honor of Employees
·         Oregon - Bradwood Landing Decision May Affect Other Liquefied Natural Gas Projects
·         Natural Gas Pipes Safe in Oregon, Operators Tell PUC
·         Pacific Gas & Electric: California Pipeline Blast May Cost Utility $1 Billion
·         California - Bogus Natural Blast Victim Wanted It All, Prosecutors Say
·         British Petroleum Defends ‘F’ Ratings on Alaska Oil Pipelines
·         Detroit – ‘Hookup Guys’ Illegally Connecting Electricity to Homes
·         United Kingdom Says Power Reform Will be Biggest Thing Since Privatization
·         Judge Reduces License Revocation & Fine against Shellfish Company
·         Snohomish County Hatchery Tour Shows Our Role in Salmon Cycle
·         Conservation Area Trestle Coming Out at Woodard Bay
·         Elwha Dams’ History Highlight of Park Lecture Series
·         Stakes High in Resolving Yakima Basin Water Issues
·         One Last Scoop Creates Deeper Columbia River
·         Water Quality Is Defined by the ‘Standards’ We Use
·         Voters Want to Continue with Klamath River Basin Restoration Agreement
·         Alaska Gets Green Light for Water Pollution Permit Authority
·         White House - Gibbs Plugs Renewable Electricity Standard
·         Turbines Could Tap the Mississippi’s Power
·         Homeowner Says She Has the First Rubber Roof in the Tri-Cities
·         Micron Technology Installs LED Lights in Idaho Supermarket
·         Optimum Energy Names New CEO – Frey Formerly with WorldWide Packets
·         You Built the WWW & 777; Now Build a Brain for the Smart Grid
·         Carbon Dioxide Outburst Spurred Warming 40 Million Years Ago
·         Op/Ed - Integra CEO Questions CenturyLink, Qwest Merger
·         Clearwire Adds 1.23 Million New Subscribers
·         Clearwire Cuts 15% of Staff
·         Qwest Bleeds DSL, But Sees VDSL User Spike
·         Cable Subscribers Flee, But Is the Internet to Blame?
·         Nielsen Says Its Web Traffic Data Is Flawed
·         Call Center Jobs Move from Outsourcing to ‘Insourcing’
·         Internet Privacy Could be Priority in Next Congress
·         US Senator Murray of Washington State Wins 4th Term
·         Dems Lead Three Key Washington State Senate Races; Majority at Stake
·         Republicans Hastings, McMorris Rodgers to Get Top House Assignments
·         US Representative Norm Dicks: ‘Bloodbath’ Looming over Government Spending
·         Tim Sheldon is on It - Liquor Store Privatization Debate Lives on in Legislature
·         Standard Time Returns: Set the Clock Back Saturday
·         Missing Mason County Teen Girl Found Safe
·         Mason County - Federal Funds Awarded to Replace Hunter Bridge
·         Washington Moves to Tighten Driver’s License Requirements
·         Board of Pharmacy Oks Rule Allowing for ‘Conscientious’ Refusals
·         High Gas Prices Likely to Effect Holiday Spending This Year
·         Heritage Bank Stock Jumps Nearly 10%
·         Trees Hold Dangers for Deer Hunters
·         Close Encounter with Comet Hartley 2 Sets NASA Astir

WORD OF THE DAY

Emaciated • \ih-MAY-shee-ate-ed\ • verb - Wasted away physically 1: Loss of flesh so as to become very thin 2: to be feeble

The thin, pinch-faced clerk heaved a deep sigh. It was either pay $250 for a prime parking spot from his emaciated bank account, or walk ten blocks from a free public lot that had feeble lighting, and heavily cracked pavement…weeds fighting their way to the thin winter sunshine. “I guess that we’ll have to make that a ‘parking lot’ issue until we pay off our loan on the new car,” he told his imposing, virago-like wife. “Hmmph,” she snorted. “Looks like the only thing you got out of that management training were some fancy buzz-words.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Unmoved by Pleas to Reconsider Power Line Site (Longview Daily News, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Chief Stands by Decision to Rule Out Oregon Route -
Meeting on proposed power line draws crowd of 400 (Vancouver Columbian, WA – looks like the meeting was sponsored by Diet Pepsi & Aquafina! Nice product placement)

Clallam PUD’s Electricity Costs Upped Eight Percent Dec. 1 (Sequim Gazette, WA)

Energy Northwest Trying to Improve; Low Rating from Nuclear Non-Profit (Oregon Public Radio)

Giant Melter Has Flat Tire on Way to Hanford Vitrification Plant (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Vermont-Yankee - An Uncertain Nuclear Countdown (NY Times)

Two Mason PUD 3 Officials Receive Community Recognition for Service - Shelton Newspaper’s Reader’s Choice Awards (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Avista Contributes $10,000 to its ‘Project Share’ in Honor of Employees (Electric Energy Online)

Oregon - Bradwood Landing Decision May Affect Other Liquefied Natural Gas Projects (Oregon Public Radio)

Natural Gas Pipes Safe in Oregon, Operators Tell PUC (Oregonian, Portland)

Pacific Gas & Electric: California Pipeline Blast May Cost Utility $1 Billion (Associated Press)

California - Bogus Natural Blast Victim Wanted It All, Prosecutors Say (SF Chronicle)

British Petroleum Defends ‘F’ Ratings on Alaska Oil Pipelines (Associated Press)

Detroit – ‘Hookup Guys’ Illegally Connecting Electricity to Homes (WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI)

United Kingdom Says Power Reform Will be Biggest Thing Since Privatization (Bloomberg News)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Judge Reduces License Revocation & Fine against Shellfish Company (NW Public Radio)

Snohomish County Hatchery Tour Shows Our Role in Salmon Cycle (Everett Herald, WA)

Conservation Area Trestle Coming Out at Woodard Bay - Bat colony, other habitat make removal challenging (Olympian, WA)

Elwha Dams’ History Highlight of Park Lecture Series (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Stakes High in Resolving Yakima Basin Water Issues (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

One Last Scoop Creates Deeper Columbia River (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Water Quality Is Defined by the ‘Standards’ We Use (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Voters Want to Continue with Klamath River Basin Restoration Agreement (Oregon Public Radio)

Alaska Gets Green Light for Water Pollution Permit Authority (Courthouse News Service)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

White House - Gibbs Plugs Renewable Electricity Standard (The Hill)

Turbines Could Tap the Mississippi’s Power - Underwater turbines could harness a massive amount of energy; but could cause problems for boat navigation (MIT Technology Review)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Homeowner Says She Has the First Rubber Roof in the Tri-Cities (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Micron Technology Installs LED Lights in Idaho Supermarket (Associated Press)

Optimum Energy Names New CEO – Frey Formerly with WorldWide Packets (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

You Built the WWW & 777; Now Build a Brain for the Smart Grid (TechFlash – Seattle)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Carbon Dioxide Outburst Spurred Warming 40 Million Years Ago (USA Today)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Op/Ed - Integra CEO Questions CenturyLink, Qwest Merger (Seattle Times)

Clearwire Adds 1.23 Million New Subscribers - Though company cash concerns are beginning to escalate (Broadband Reports)

Clearwire Cuts 15% of Staff (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Qwest Bleeds DSL, But Sees VDSL User Spike - Apparently network upgrades are important after all (Broadband Reports)

Cable Subscribers Flee, But Is the Internet to Blame? (Associated Press)

Nielsen Says Its Web Traffic Data Is Flawed (Associated Press)

Call Center Jobs Move from Outsourcing to ‘Insourcing’ (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Internet Privacy Could be Priority in Next Congress (Washington Post)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

US Senator Murray of Washington State Wins 4th Term (Associated Press)

Dems Lead Three Key Washington State Senate Races; Majority at Stake (Associated Press)

Republicans Hastings, McMorris Rodgers to Get Top House Assignments (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

US Representative Norm Dicks: ‘Bloodbath’ Looming over Government Spending (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Tim Sheldon is on It - Liquor Store Privatization Debate Lives on in Legislature (NW Public Radio)

GENERAL NEWS

Standard Time Returns: Set the Clock Back Saturday (Associated Press)

Missing Mason County Teen Girl Found Safe (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Mason County - Federal Funds Awarded to Replace Hunter Bridge (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington Moves to Tighten Driver’s License Requirements (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Board of Pharmacy Oks Rule Allowing for ‘Conscientious’ Refusals (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

High Gas Prices Likely to Effect Holiday Spending This Year (Christian Science Monitor)

Heritage Bank Stock Jumps Nearly 10% (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Trees Hold Dangers for Deer Hunters (USA Today)

Close Encounter with Comet Hartley 2 Sets NASA Astir (NY Times – Neat Picture)

DIVERSIONS

Nuns Sell Honus Wagner Card for $262,000

Most Popular Baby Names in Washington State Are...

Yo-Yo Experts String Kids Along in Sherwood Afterschool Program

The First Action Hero - Hollywood mythologized him as ‘Lawrence of Arabia,’ but the real T. E. Lawrence was bigger than that. In fact, he may have been the original worldwide media celebrity (Note: contains PG-13 material)

SONG OF THE DAY

Lawrence of Arabia (Overture) - Maurice Jarre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuxHLzwlDY4