Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Energy News Digest for November 30, 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

Storm bringing gusty winds, rain & snow to Western Washington (KING-TV, Seattle)

Integrating Wind & Water Power, an Increasingly Tough Balancing Act – Mason PUD 3, Flathead Electric, Milton-Freewater featured (NY Times)

Seattle City Light Workers Sue Seattle, Allege Anti-Gay Retaliation (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Five Year Fishing Moratorium Proposed for Elwha River (Associated Press)

Editorial - Route Aside, Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Vital to Region (Longview Daily News, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Freak Windstorm Knocks Out Power in East Clallam County
·         Integrating Wind & Water Power, an Increasingly Tough Balancing Act
·         Editorial - Route Aside, Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Vital to Region
·         Seattle City Light Workers Sue Seattle, Allege Anti-Gay Retaliation
·         Woman to Sue Seattle City Light over Dog’s Electrocution
·         Oregon Iron Works of Vancouver Finished with John Day Dam Gate
·         Free Mason County PUD 3 Calendars for 2011 Now Available
·         Pump Failure Shuts Down Connecticut Nuclear Power Plant
·         Breaking Away from Coal
·         Florida - Whistleblower Fallout over Asbestos Safety
·         Five Year Fishing Moratorium Proposed for Elwha River
·         EPA Not Enforcing Restrictions on Pesticide Use Near Northwest Salmon Streams, Suit Charges
·         Study Says Fish Hatcheries Contribute $2 Billion to West’s Economy
·         The Sea Otter’s Fate in California
·         Sage-Grouse Map Could Help Avoid Wind Farm Fights
·         Oregonians Fight Willamette River Dredge Fill at Hayden Island
·         Cause of Skagit PUD Water Main Break Unknown, 1.5 Million Gallons Spilled
·         Duke Completes 51-Megawatt Wind Farm in Colorado
·         Wisconsin - Xcel Halts Biomass Plant in Ashland:
·         Texas - Climate Plan Comes with $6.2 Million Cost to City of Austin
·         On Our Radar: US Senators Seek Extension of Clean Power Grants
·         New York - Homeowners Slow to Turn on Green Power
·         United Kingdom Likely to Miss Green Energy Targets
·         Solar, Wind Made Up 80% of German Capacity Installed Last Year
·         California Energy-Saving Standards under Scrutiny
·         One Scientist’s Hobby: Recreating the Ice Age
·         Dayton, WA Lights Up Street, Park with Green Energy
·         GM to Hire 1,000 to Boost Electric Vehicle Efforts
·         Forget Net Neutrality, Comcast Might Break the Web
·         Arizona Authorities Clear Centurylink, Qwest Deal
·         WikiLeaks Says It Was Under Powerful Cyberattack
·         Gregoire Wants Legislature to Balance Budget Quickly
·         Computer Work Delays WA Unemployment Checks Two Days
·         Jeanette Hayner, Political Trailblazer, Dies
·         Storm bringing gusty winds, rain & snow to Western Washington
·         Flood Advisory Continues for the Skokomish River
·         Hoodsport Woman Dies after Heart Attack & Crash on 101 at Dayton-Airport Road
·         Arson Fire Destroys Shelton House
·         Tumwater Call Center Fire Leaves Jobs at Risk
·         Ore. Terror Suspect Pleads Innocent in Car Bomb Plot
·         Fuel - Pump Prices Fall with the Onset of Winter Months
·         Port Townsend Radio Stations Looking Forward to First Broadcasts
·         Gold Search under Study in Okanogan County
·         Christmas Tree Farms May be Thing of the Past

WORD OF THE DAY

Frenetic • \frih-NET-ick\ • Adjective - Frenzied, frantic.

The small terrier ran at a frenetic pace, up and down the stairs, showing its joy at the return of its master…after a one minute absence.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Freak Windstorm Knocks Out Power in East Clallam County (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Integrating Wind & Water Power, an Increasingly Tough Balancing Act – Mason PUD 3, Flathead Electric, Milton-Freewater featured (NY Times)

Editorial - Route Aside, Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Vital to Region (Longview Daily News, WA)

Seattle City Light Workers Sue Seattle, Allege Anti-Gay Retaliation (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Woman to Sue Seattle City Light over Dog’s Electrocution (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Oregon Iron Works of Vancouver Finished with John Day Dam Gate (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Free Mason County PUD 3 Calendars for 2011 Now Available (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Pump Failure Shuts Down Connecticut Nuclear Power Plant (Associated Press)

Breaking Away from Coal (NY Times)

Florida - Whistleblower Fallout over Asbestos Safety: County to Address Rift at Wiscon Utilities Office - In the spring, county utilities workers were called out for what seemed like a routine pipe repair, but it turned out to be something more (Tampa Tribune, FL)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Five Year Fishing Moratorium Proposed for Elwha River (Associated Press)

EPA Not Enforcing Restrictions on Pesticide Use Near Northwest Salmon Streams, Suit Charges (Oregonian, Portland)

Study Says Fish Hatcheries Contribute $2 Billion to West’s Economy (New West)

The Sea Otter’s Fate in California (NY Times)

Sage-Grouse Map Could Help Avoid Wind Farm Fights (Reuters)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregonians Fight Willamette River Dredge Fill at Hayden Island (Courthouse News Service)

Cause of Skagit PUD Water Main Break Unknown, 1.5 Million Gallons Spilled (Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Duke Completes 51-Megawatt Wind Farm in Colorado (Bloomberg Businessweek)

Wisconsin - Xcel Halts Biomass Plant in Ashland: Sharp increase in costs of gasification plant cited (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, WI)

Texas - Climate Plan Comes with $6.2 Million Cost to City of Austin - City departments must use only renewable energy by 2012, according to landmark 2007 climate plan (Austin American Statesman, TX)

On Our Radar: US Senators Seek Extension of Clean Power Grants (NY Times)

New York - Homeowners Slow to Turn on Green Power (Albany Times-Union, NY)

United Kingdom Likely to Miss Green Energy Targets (Reuters)

Solar, Wind Made Up 80% of German Capacity Installed Last Year (Bloomberg News)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California Energy-Saving Standards under Scrutiny (Bloomberg News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

One Scientist’s Hobby: Recreating the Ice Age (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Dayton, WA Lights Up Street, Park with Green Energy (Tri-City Herald, WA)

GM to Hire 1,000 to Boost Electric Vehicle Efforts (USA Today)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Forget Net Neutrality, Comcast Might Break the Web (GigaOM)

Arizona Authorities Clear Centurylink, Qwest Deal (Bloomberg News)

WikiLeaks Says It Was Under Powerful Cyberattack (Associated Press)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Gregoire Wants Legislature to Balance Budget Quickly (KING-TV, Seattle)

Computer Work Delays WA Unemployment Checks Two Days (Associated Press)

Jeanette Hayner, Political Trailblazer, Dies (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Storm bringing gusty winds, rain & snow to Western Washington (KING-TV, Seattle)

Flood Advisory Continues for the Skokomish River (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Hoodsport Woman Dies after Heart Attack & Crash on 101 at Dayton-Airport Road (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Arson Fire Destroys Shelton House (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Tumwater Call Center Fire Leaves Jobs at Risk - Nearly 600 employees have the option to shuttle to Federal Way (Olympian, WA)

Ore. Terror Suspect Pleads Innocent in Car Bomb Plot (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Fuel - Pump Prices Fall with the Onset of Winter Months (Associated Press)

Port Townsend Radio Stations Looking Forward to First Broadcasts (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Gold Search under Study in Okanogan County (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Christmas Tree Farms May be Thing of the Past (KING-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Electrician Stuns Art World with Trove of Picassos

“Nutty Narrows” Sandbaggers Help Restore Squirrels’ Safe Passage near Longview Civic Center

Head of Washington State Potato Group Ends All-Spud Diet

Man Charged for Dropping Cruise Ship Anchor

Pennsylvania Woman Rescued from Pickup Stuck in Tree Top

SONG OF THE DAY

Jimmy Buffett - Son of a Son of a Sailor