Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Energy News Digest for July 26, 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

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

After Clipping Power Line - Autopsy Set For Pilot Killed In Chelan-Area Chopper Crash (Wenatchee World, WA)

Hydropower Dam Removal Ramps Up in the Northwest This Fall (Oregonian, Portland)

Chehalis Power Dropping(s) Into Greenhouse Gas Reduction Project (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Tortoises vs Solar Power in the Mojave Desert (KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA)

Local Governments Brace for Unknown Fallout from Debt Stalemate (Northwest Public Radio)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • After Clipping Power Line - Autopsy Set For Pilot Killed In Chelan-Area Chopper Crash
  • California - Power Provider Shutting Five Contra Costa Plants
  • Wind Complaint Overblown - National Electric Cooperative Association Says FERC Should Dismiss Case
  • New Transmission Lines: Coming to an Area Near You?
  • Bainbridge Utility Ratepayers Get Rare Win in Legal Battle with City
  • Biting the Bullet, Vermont Yankee Orders Fuel
  • US Department Of Energy Cites Savannah River Nuclear for Safety Violations
  • Tennessee Awaits Tons of German Nuclear Waste
  • East Africa Drought Reaches Kenya’s Electricity Grid
  • Hydropower Dam Removal Ramps Up in the Northwest This Fall
  • Dozens of Fish Die in Richland Irrigation Pond
  • Giant Palouse Earthworm Doesn’t Qualify for Endangered Species Act Protection
  • Disease Resistant Oregon & Washington State Whitebark Pines Tested
  • Banking On New Wetlands When Old Ones Vanish
  • Two States Protect Lake Tahoe, But One Eyes Changes
  • Op/Ed - Scooping Pet Poop Protects Puget Sound
  • Chehalis Power Dropping(s) Into Greenhouse Gas Reduction Project
  • Tortoises vs Solar Power in the Mojave Desert
  • Kansas - Wind Projects’ Costs Irk Utilities in Nine-State Pool
  • Cooperative South Dakota Wind Farm Nets 600 Local Owners
  • California Governor Pushes Renewable Energy Goal at UCLA Conference
  • Loch Ness Water Monster - Hydro Power Scheme to Go on Stream Three Years After Opening
  • Analysis: Ontario Green Energy Plan Feels the Heat
  • Pacific Energy Concepts Turns a Profit While Focusing on Conservation
  • Growing Number of States Paying Utilities to Meet Energy Efficiency Goals
  • National Energy Conference in Salt Lake Brings Attention to Utah’s Outdated Home Codes
  • Maryland - Baltimore Gas & Electric Pushed Air-Conditioner Cutoff Plan Too Far
  • Study: Saving Owls & Salmon Also Stores Carbon
  • Time Running out to Change California’s Cap-And-Trade Program
  • Scientists Warn That Fires Could Consume Yellowstone Forests
  • State’s Green Idea for RV Waste Costly to Taxpayers
  • Editorial - An Ex-Greenpeacer’s Praise of Forestry
  • Do Your Part: Consider Environment Before Firing Up Grill
  • Black Hole Has 140 Trillion Times More Water than Earth’s Oceans
  • State of the Internet: What Are the Fastest Cities in the World
  • Sour Blackberries - RIM Cuts 2,000 Jobs. Can the Company Bounce Back?
  • Apple Considering Hulu Bid
  • Local Governments Brace for Unknown Fallout from Debt Stalemate
  • Democrats Dems Challenge Washington State Initiative Curbing Tax Increases
  • Oregon Congressman Wu Resigns: How is His Replacement Elected?
  • Here’s the Post Office Closure List for Washington State
  • Belfair Water District Dinged in Records Request Case
  • Distracted Driver Hits Woman at Lakewood Gas Station
  • Really? The Claim: Air-Conditioning Can Cause Colds

WORD OF THE DAY

Grotesque • \grow-TESK\ • Adjective - 1: fanciful, bizarre 2: absurdly incongruous 3: departing markedly from the natural, the expected, or the typical

The darkness hung over the huge square before the Notre Dame cathedral, enveloping Vic with despair and woe as if a black, stifling blanket was thrown across the dome of the sky, blotting out all stars and the watery, waning moon. Vic’s novel was going nowhere until he imagined the grotesque gargoyles of the imposing church hoarsely whispering “sanctuary…sanctuary” directly to him…and him alone.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

After Clipping Power Line - Autopsy Set For Pilot Killed In Chelan-Area Chopper Crash (Wenatchee World, WA)

California - Power Provider Shutting Five Contra Costa Plants (Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, CA)

Wind Complaint Overblown - National Electric Cooperative Association Says FERC Should Dismiss Case (Electric Cooperatives Today)

New Transmission Lines: Coming to an Area Near You? (Forbes Magazine)

Bainbridge Utility Ratepayers Get Rare Win in Legal Battle with City (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Biting the Bullet, Vermont Yankee Orders Fuel (NY Times)

US Department Of Energy Cites Savannah River Nuclear for Safety Violations (Electric Light & Power)

Tennessee Awaits Tons of German Nuclear Waste (National Public Radio)

East Africa Drought Reaches Kenya’s Electricity Grid (Christian Science Monitor)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Hydropower Dam Removal Ramps Up in the Northwest This Fall (Oregonian, Portland)

Dozens of Fish Die in Richland Irrigation Pond (Associated Press)

Giant Palouse Earthworm Doesn’t Qualify for Endangered Species Act Protection (Oregonian, Portland)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Disease Resistant Oregon & Washington State Whitebark Pines Tested (Associated Press)

Banking On New Wetlands When Old Ones Vanish (Northwest Public Radio)

Two States Protect Lake Tahoe, But One Eyes Changes (National Public Radio)

Op/Ed - Scooping Pet Poop Protects Puget Sound (Olympian, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Chehalis Power Dropping(s) Into Greenhouse Gas Reduction Project (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Tortoises vs Solar Power in the Mojave Desert (KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA)

Kansas - Wind Projects’ Costs Irk Utilities in Nine-State Pool (Wichita Eagle, KS)

Cooperative South Dakota Wind Farm Nets 600 Local Owners (Clean Technica)

California Governor Pushes Renewable Energy Goal at UCLA Conference (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Loch Ness Water Monster - Hydro Power Scheme to Go on Stream Three Years After Opening (The Scotsman, UK)

Analysis: Ontario Green Energy Plan Feels the Heat - An ambitious plan to feed renewable energy into the power grid…is under fire & could flame out altogether in the autumn (Reuters)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Pacific Energy Concepts Turns a Profit While Focusing on Conservation (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Growing Number of States Paying Utilities to Meet Energy Efficiency Goals (Solve Climate)

National Energy Conference in Salt Lake Brings Attention to Utah’s Outdated Home Codes (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

Maryland - Baltimore Gas & Electric Pushed Air-Conditioner Cutoff Plan Too Far (Baltimore Sun, MD)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Study: Saving Owls & Salmon Also Stores Carbon (Associated Press)

Time Running out to Change California’s Cap-And-Trade Program (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

Scientists Warn That Fires Could Consume Yellowstone Forests (USA Today)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

State’s Green Idea for RV Waste Costly to Taxpayers (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Editorial - An Ex-Greenpeacer’s Praise of Forestry (Seattle Times)

Do Your Part: Consider Environment Before Firing Up Grill (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Black Hole Has 140 Trillion Times More Water than Earth’s Oceans (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

State of the Internet: What Are the Fastest Cities in the World (GigaOM)

Sour Blackberries - RIM Cuts 2,000 Jobs. Can the Company Bounce Back? (Christian Science Monitor)

Apple Considering Hulu Bid (USA Today)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Local Governments Brace for Unknown Fallout from Debt Stalemate (Northwest Public Radio)

Democrats Dems Challenge Washington State Initiative Curbing Tax Increases (Associated Press)

Oregon Congressman Wu Resigns: How is His Replacement Elected? (Oregonian, Portland)

GENERAL NEWS

39 Post Offices May be Closed in Washington (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Here’s the Post Office Closure List for Washington State (US Postal Service)

Belfair Water District Dinged in Records Request Case (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Distracted Driver Hits Woman at Lakewood Gas Station (Olympian, WA)

Really? The Claim: Air-Conditioning Can Cause Colds (NY Times)

DIVERSIONS

Fight over Dish Washing Gets Dirty in North Kelso Home

Seattle Among the Most Social Cities, Tacoma Among the Least

Washington State Store Brews Harry Potter-Style ‘Butter Beer’

South African Man Wakes After 21 Hours In Morgue Fridge

SONG OF THE DAY

10CC - Dreadlock Holiday