Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Energy News Digest for March 9, 2011

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

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

High Wind Warning for Pacific County (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Thieves Steal Copper from Mason County PUD 3 (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Port Angeles to Begin Installing ‘Smart’ Electricity Meters in May (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Congressman Hastings Makes Another Run After Gluttonous Sea Lions (Associated Press)

Portland General Electric Moving Forward on Biomass Testing for Boardman (Sustainable Business Oregon)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Thieves Steal Copper from Mason County PUD 3
·         Port Angeles to Begin Installing ‘Smart’ Electricity Meters in May
·         Puget Sound Energy Crew Inadvertently Knocks Out Power to 2,100 Tumwater Customers
·         Mason PUD 3 Ops Center Rising Like Stonehenge
·         Could Smart Electric Meters be A Dumb Idea?
·         Policies & Regulations: What’s So Hard about Licensing a Pumped-Storage Project?
·         Electrical Dangers Highlighted At Magic Show For First Graders
·         Sun Powers Granite Falls Kids & Their Cars
·         Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ on - Fracking Has Added another Problem
·         Medical Professionals Rallying Against Coal
·         Duke CEO: Indiana E-Mails “May Suggest” Improper Contact
·         Rising Temperature in Fraser River Affecting Salmon Population
·         Lower Deschutes River in Oregon to Open for Spring Chinook Fishing
·         Congressman Hastings Makes Another Run After Gluttonous Sea Lions
·         Bill Would Allow Tribes to Kill Salmon-Eating Sea Lions
·         Huge Fish Kill Fills a Marina Near Los Angeles
·         Portland General Electric Moving Forward on Biomass Testing for Boardman
·         Wind Is Delivering Economic Benefits to British Columbia
·         Wind Energy’s Overblown Prospects
·         Op/Ed - Pricey (Renewable) Power in the Mix
·         New Report Reveals Renewable Energy’s “Minor Role” in Australian Electricity Prices
·         Chelan County PUD Continues to Improve Conservation; So Far One of the Best Years
·         How Smart Is ‘Power Smart’, BC Hydro’s Try at Saving Energy?
·         On Our Radar: $2 Billion Carbon Bill for European Airlines
·         Oregon - Definition of ‘Sustainable’ Expands: Speakers Emphasize New Methods of ‘Going Green’
·         Still, 70 % is a Big Number - Now It’s Just 70 Percent, Chelan PUD Decides
·         Fewer Customers Can Access Fiber Optics, New Math Shows
·         High Wind Warning for Pacific County
·         Shelton Man Injured on Bremerton Bridge Job Dies
·         It’s Official - President Obama Nominates Gary Locke for Ambassador to China
·         Shelton Man with Snake Lobbies Against Narrowed ‘Service Animal’ Definition
·         Starbucks Celebrates Turning 40 with New Logo, Coffee, Sweets
·         NW Today: Vancouver UFO Identified as Kite with Lights

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Thieves Steal Copper from Mason County PUD 3 (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Port Angeles to Begin Installing ‘Smart’ Electricity Meters in May (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Puget Sound Energy Crew Inadvertently Knocks Out Power to 2,100 Tumwater Customers (Olympian, WA)

Mason PUD 3 Ops Center Rising Like Stonehenge (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Could Smart Electric Meters be A Dumb Idea? (USA Today)

Policies & Regulations: What’s So Hard about Licensing a Pumped-Storage Project? (HydroWorld)

Electrical Dangers Highlighted At Magic Show for First Graders (WRDW-TV, Augusta, GA)

Sun Powers Granite Falls Kids & Their Cars (Everett Herald, WA)

Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ on - Fracking Has Added another Problem (Motley Fool)

Medical Professionals Rallying Against Coal (Associated Press)

Duke CEO: Indiana e-mails “may suggest” improper contact (Charlotte Observer, NC)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Rising Temperature in Fraser River Affecting Salmon Population (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Lower Deschutes River in Oregon to Open for Spring Chinook Fishing (Seattle Times)

Congressman Hastings Makes Another Run After Gluttonous Sea Lions (Associated Press)

Bill Would Allow Tribes to Kill Salmon-Eating Sea Lions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Huge Fish Kill Fills a Marina Near Los Angeles (NY Times)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Portland General Electric Moving Forward on Biomass Testing for Boardman (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Wind Is Delivering Economic Benefits to British Columbia (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Wind Energy’s Overblown Prospects (Forbes Magazine)

Op/Ed - Pricey (Renewable) Power in the Mix (Raleigh News Observer, NC)

New Report Reveals Renewable Energy’s “Minor Role” in Australian Electricity Prices (Energy Matters)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Chelan County PUD Continues to Improve Conservation; So Far One of the Best Years (NCW-TV)

How Smart Is ‘Power Smart’, BC Hydro’s Try at Saving Energy? (The Tyee, Canada)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

On Our Radar: $2 Billion Carbon Bill for European Airlines (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon - Definition of ‘Sustainable’ Expands: Speakers Emphasize New Methods of ‘Going Green’ (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110309/NEWS/103090413/Definition-sustainable-expands

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Still, 70 % is a Big Number - Now It’s Just 70 Percent, Chelan PUD Decides
Fewer Customers Can Access Fiber Optics, New Math Shows (Wenatchee World, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

High Wind Warning for Pacific County (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Shelton Man Injured on Bremerton Bridge Job Dies (Associated Press)

It’s Official - President Obama Nominates Gary Locke for Ambassador to China (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Shelton Man with Snake Lobbies Against Narrowed ‘Service Animal’ Definition (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Starbucks Celebrates Turning 40 with New Logo, Coffee, Sweets (Seattle Times)

NW Today: Vancouver UFO Identified as Kite with Lights (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

DIVERSIONS

King’s Speech Producer’s Toddler Drops Oscar Statuette

Exposed! Bank Robber Busted by Forgotten, Um, Human Waste - 27-Year-Old, Accomplice Hid Inside Bank Vault for 3 Days

Pot Growers Use Alligator to Protect Stash

Rising Cotton Costs Make Paper Money More Expensive to Print

SONG OF THE DAY

The Kinks - Hollywood Blvd/Celluloid Heroes (I love playing this on the ukulele!)