Thursday, December 16, 2010

Energy News Digest for December 16, 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.

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Montana - Speculation Ramps Up over Potential Columbia Falls Aluminum Reopening (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)

Shelton’s Oakland Bay Sediment Passes Test - Levels Don’t Threaten Health, Sediment Study Finds (Olympian, WA)

Oregon, City of Portland Don’t Meet Ambitious Goals to Power with Renewable Sources (Oregonian, Portland)

Big Salmon Runs Predicted on the Columbia River (Everett Herald, WA)

Canada - Wood Power Poles a Quake Risk for Vancouver - Fires (could be) sparked by hundreds of transformers perched atop wooden power poles (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Montana - Speculation Ramps Up over Potential Columbia Falls Aluminum Reopening
·         Explosion Blows Off Seattle Utility Hole Covers, Cuts Power
·         Seattle City Light Finds More Dangerous Light Poles
·         Cowlitz County PUD Commission Approves Utility Rate Increase
·         Chelan PUD Debt Pay-Down Quotas Approved
·         Mason County PUD 3 won’t raise its rates
·         Oregon - Bradbury, Ferrioli Spar over Northwest Power Council
·         Canada - Wood Power Poles a Quake Risk for Vancouver
·         Vermont - Hardwick Electric $1.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme Went Undetected for Ten Years
·         No Coal-Fired Power Plants in Denver Area
·         Stuxnet ‘Virus’ Could be Altered to Attack US Facilities, Report Warns
·         Big Salmon Runs Predicted on the Columbia River
·         California Smelt - How to Choose Between Fish & Farmers?
·         Some Steller Sea Lions May Lose Protection
·         Wolverines Making Comeback in Washington State?
·         Shelton’s Oakland Bay Sediment Passes Test - Levels Don’t Threaten Health, Sediment Study Finds
·         Editorial - United Effort Can Create a Better Shelton Waterfront
·         Columbia Crest Estates Developer Reaches Cowlitz PUD Power Deal to Keep Water Service
·         About 20 Carlsborg Residents Voice Opposition to Proposed Sewer
·         Oregon, City of Portland Don’t Meet Ambitious Goals to Power with Renewable Sources
·         University of Washington: Admiralty Inlet an Ideal Spot for Tidal Power
·         China’s Push into Wind Worries US Industry
·         A New Way to Buy Some Wind Power
·         New Mexico - Neighbors Come to Near Blows over Wind Turbines
·         California - Capital’s Greenleaf Power Buys South State’s Largest Biomass Power Plant
·         California - New Life Possible for Modesto Irrigation District Bio-Energy Plant
·         Everett - Third Tour Stop Added to Pacific West Biomass Conference
·         Pacific Gas & Electric May Receive Millions for Unverified Energy Savings
·         California to Adopt ‘Cap & Trade’ to Combat Climate Change
·         Mummified Forest Provides Climate Change Clues
·         Proposal Would Ban Plastic Bags in Grocery, Retail Stores in Oregon, Charge Nickel for Paper
·         Study: Utah Can Step Up as Renewable Energy Leader
·         Washington Department of Ecology, Residents Discuss Data Center Generators
·         US Broadband Speed Lags Behind
·         Broadband Prices Dropping, Just Not in US
·         In Defense of the National Broadband Plan
·         Did Your Town Get Google Fiber? Google’s Not Telling Yet
·         Gregoire Proposes Deep Cuts to Washington State Programs
·         Spending Bill “Studded with Earmarks” from Murray, Dicks
·         Mason County Unemployment Rate Increases in November
·         Federal Reports Show Throughout the Northwest Levees Appear Lacking
·         Wire Theft Leaves Tacoma Bridge Unable to Open for Ships
·         Washington State to Get $425,000 from Dannon Lawsuit
·         DirecTV Settles with Washington, Other States for $14.3 Million
·         Washington Trying to Collect Pot (Marijuana) Sales Tax
·         Pothole Repairs Cause Rut for City of Seattle

WORD OF THE DAY

Vermicular • \verr-MICK-yuh-lerr\ • adjective - 1: resembling a worm in form or motion 2: of, relating to, or caused by worms

Noodles are funny
Vermicular in their shape
Slurp them with gusto

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Montana - Speculation Ramps Up over Potential Columbia Falls Aluminum Reopening (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)

Explosion Blows Off Seattle Utility Hole Covers, Cuts Power (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

Seattle City Light Finds More Dangerous Light Poles (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Cowlitz County PUD Commission Approves Utility Rate Increase (Longview Daily News, WA)

Chelan PUD Debt Pay-Down Quotas Approved (Wenatchee World, WA)

Mason County PUD 3 won’t raise its rates - Approved a $53.5 million budget for 2011 that does not include a rate hike for electric customers (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Oregon - Bradbury, Ferrioli Spar over Northwest Power Council (Oregonian, Portland)

Canada - Wood Power Poles a Quake Risk for Vancouver - Fires (could be) sparked by hundreds of transformers perched atop wooden power poles (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Vermont - Hardwick Electric $1.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme Went Undetected for Ten Years (Burlington Free Press, VT)

No Coal-Fired Power Plants in Denver Area - State regulators issued written orders Wednesday that would leave no coal-burning power plants in the Denver area after 2017 (Associated Press)

Stuxnet ‘Virus’ Could be Altered to Attack US Facilities, Report Warns (Christian Science Monitor)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Big Salmon Runs Predicted on the Columbia River (Everett Herald, WA)

California Smelt - How to Choose Between Fish & Farmers? (NY Times)

Some Steller Sea Lions May Lose Protection - Petitions submitted by the states of Oregon, Washington & Alaska (Courthouse News Service)

Wolverines Making Comeback in Washington State? (KING-TV, Seattle)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Shelton’s Oakland Bay Sediment Passes Test - Levels Don’t Threaten Health, Sediment Study Finds (Olympian, WA)

Editorial - United Effort Can Create a Better Shelton Waterfront (Olympian, WA)

Columbia Crest Estates Developer Reaches Cowlitz PUD Power Deal to Keep Water Service (Longview Daily News, WA)

About 20 Carlsborg Residents Voice Opposition to Proposed Sewer (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon, City of Portland Don’t Meet Ambitious Goals to Power with Renewable Sources (Oregonian, Portland)

University of Washington: Admiralty Inlet an Ideal Spot for Tidal Power (Bloomberg News)

China’s Push into Wind Worries US Industry (NY Times)

A New Way to Buy Some Wind Power - Millions of people think about buying solar cells for their roofs, but far fewer would consider owning a wind turbine (NY Times)

New Mexico - Neighbors Come to Near Blows over Wind Turbines (Technorati)

California - Capital’s Greenleaf Power Buys South State’s Largest Biomass Power Plant (Sacramento Bee, CA)

California - New Life Possible for Modesto Irrigation District Bio-Energy Plant (Modesto Bee, CA)

Everett - Third Tour Stop Added to Pacific West Biomass Conference (Biomass Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Pacific Gas & Electric May Receive Millions for Unverified Energy Savings (San Francisco Bay Guardian, CA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California to Adopt ‘Cap & Trade’ to Combat Climate Change (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Mummified Forest Provides Climate Change Clues (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Proposal Would Ban Plastic Bags in Grocery, Retail Stores in Oregon, Charge Nickel for Paper (Oregonian, Portland)

Study: Utah Can Step Up as Renewable Energy Leader (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington Department of Ecology, Residents Discuss Data Center Generators (Columbia Basin Bulletin, Moses Lake, WA)

US Broadband Speed Lags Behind (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Broadband Prices Dropping, Just Not in US - Competition lowers residential broadband prices. Who knew? (Broadband Reports)

In Defense of the National Broadband Plan (GigaOM)

Did Your Town Get Google Fiber? Google’s Not Telling Yet (GigaOM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Gregoire Proposes Deep Cuts to Washington State Programs (KING-TV, Seattle)

Spending Bill “Studded with Earmarks” from Murray, Dicks (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Unemployment Rate Increases in November (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Federal Reports Show Throughout the Northwest Levees Appear Lacking (Oregonian, Portland)

Wire Theft Leaves Tacoma Bridge Unable to Open for Ships (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Washington State to Get $425,000 from Dannon Lawsuit (Olympian, WA)

DirecTV Settles with Washington, Other States for $14.3 Million (Associated Press)

Washington Trying to Collect Pot (Marijuana) Sales Tax (Associated Press)

Pothole Repairs Cause Rut for City of Seattle (KING-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Holy Human Head: French Retiree Had King Henri IV’s Mummified Remains in His Garage

The Great Vegas Strip Heist: $1.5 Million in Chips Stolen, No Shots Fired

New Fairway Hazard - Geese Leave Their Mark on Golf Course

SONG OF THE DAY

Kenny Loggins - I’m Alright (From Caddyshack)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCXy5SkdO30