Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Energy News Digest for August 30, 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

College Study Finds Warmer, Drier Weather across Olympic Peninsula in 30-Year Span (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Six Transient Orca Whales Visit Sound, Attract Illegal Attention (Olympian, WA)

More Than Half of Irene Power Outages Are Fixed (Associated Press)

Would Burying Power Lines Reduce Power Outages? (National Public Radio)
Snohomish PUD Drilling for Geothermal Power (Puget Sound Business Journal)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • More Than Half of Irene Power Outages Are Fixed
  • Thunderstorm Winds Shear Kootenai Power Poles
  • Would Burying Power Lines Reduce Power Outages?
  • Oregon - City of Bandon to Increase Electric Rates by Five Percent
  • Consultant Asks Grant County PUD to Adjust Reserves
  • $12 Billion May Not be Enough to Finish Hanford Vitrification Plant
  • British Columbia - Hydro Boss: Province to Abandon Power Push
  • Federal Safety Panel Chairman Faults PG&E, Regulators in Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion
  • Texas State Senator Faults Power Industry for Rolling Blackout Threat
  • Gov’t Boosts Inspection at Virginia Reactors near Quake
  • Germany Dims Nuclear Plants, but Hopes to Keep Lights On
  • Six Transient Orca Whales Visit Sound, Attract Illegal Attention
  • Lake Cle Elum Fish Ladder Clears Hurdle
  • Shocking Trout to Protect Them
  • ‘Smart Collar’ in the Works to Manage Wildlife Better
  • Much Cleaner Water in Chehalis River Basin
  • Vice President of Engineering Firm Appointed to Columbia River Gorge Commission
  • Snohomish PUD Drilling for Geothermal Power
  • City of Spokane OKs Waste-to-Energy Deal
  • SoloPower Leases 225,250 Square Feet in North Portland
  • Business Booms at British Columbia Bioenergy Project
  • California Pushes Wind & Geothermal Energy
  • Wind Farm Worker Crushed When Bulldozer Rolls Over
  • Texas - Wind Turbine Erupts Into Flames Southwest Of Abilene
  • First Solar: California’s Renewable Initiative Is “Fabulously Successful”
  • Arizona Utilities Not the Only Ones Getting High Interest in Incentives
  • Nevada Cooperative Joins California ISO, Opening Path for More Renewable Power
  • Germany-Greece in Talks over Massive Solar Project
  • North Mason School District Completes Energy & Water-Saving Projects
  • Op/Ed - Saving a Little Energy Now Adds Up Later
  • Energy-Efficient Homes Seem to Sell Faster, Fetch Higher Prices
  • Do ‘Green Buildings’ Come With a Higher Price Tag?
  • News Release - New Apartment? New Opportunities to Save on Electric Costs
  • College Study Finds Warmer, Drier Weather across Olympic Peninsula in 30-Year Span
  • Editorial - Like Weather, Science Changes
  • NASA Scientist Says Obama Will Be ‘Greenwashing’ About Climate Change if He Approves Keystone XL Pipeline
  • Editorial - A Hotter Utah
  • Report: Oregon Will Have 33,000 Electric Vehicle Chargers by 2017
  • Cantwell Urges Farmers to Sign Up to Grow Jet Fuel Crop
  • Panda Poop May Be a Treasure Trove of Microbes for Making Biofuel
  • Governments Cut Computing Costs in the Cloud
  • After Dramatic Growth, Ashburn Expects Even More Data Centers
  • Internet Advertisers Begin Offering New Do Not Track Icon
  • CalPERS Drops Fitch from Suit over Investment Ratings
  • PIMCO Says Betting Against US Debt Was a Mistake
  • Mason County Sets Out Commissioner Replacement Process for District Three Position
  • Hidden Earthquake Faults Revealed at Mount Hood, Oregon
  • State Audit Reveals Embezzlement at University of Washington
  • Deadlines to Upgrade Street Signs Throughout the Country Eliminated

WORD OF THE DAY

Puissant • \PWIH-sawnt\ • Adjective - Having puissance: powerful

Franklin was smug about his new composting company, conveniently located on one of the busiest downtown blocks of his hometown tourist community. Unfortunately for him, and the adjacent food court, the puissant aroma of his piles of varied and sundry souvenir bags of exotic manures were not the draw that was expected on a hot, humid Labor Day weekend.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

More Than Half of Irene Power Outages Are Fixed (Associated Press)

Thunderstorm Winds Shear Kootenai Power Poles (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Would Burying Power Lines Reduce Power Outages? (National Public Radio)

Oregon - City of Bandon to Increase Electric Rates by Five Percent (Bandon Western World, OR)

Consultant Asks Grant County PUD to Adjust Reserves (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

$12 Billion May Not be Enough to Finish Hanford Vitrification Plant (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

British Columbia - Hydro Boss: Province to Abandon Power Push: Revamped self-sufficiency plan could save ‘hundreds of millions’ (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Federal Safety Panel Chairman Faults PG&E, Regulators in Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion (Associated Press)

Texas State Senator Faults Power Industry for Rolling Blackout Threat (KPRC-TV, Houston, TX)

Gov’t Boosts Inspection at Virginia Reactors near Quake (Associated Press)

Germany Dims Nuclear Plants, but Hopes to Keep Lights On (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Six Transient Orca Whales Visit Sound, Attract Illegal Attention (Olympian, WA)

Lake Cle Elum Fish Ladder Clears Hurdle (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Shocking Trout to Protect Them (NY Times)

‘Smart Collar’ in the Works to Manage Wildlife Better (NY Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Much Cleaner Water in Chehalis River Basin (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Vice President of Engineering Firm Appointed to Columbia River Gorge Commission (Oregonian, Portland)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Snohomish PUD Drilling for Geothermal Power (Puget Sound Business Journal)

City of Spokane OKs Waste-to-Energy Deal (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

SoloPower Leases 225,250 Square Feet in North Portland (Oregonian, Portland)

Business Booms at British Columbia Bioenergy Project “…studies…show emissions results that are as good as, or better than, natural gas….” (Vancouver Sun, BC)

California Pushes Wind & Geothermal Energy (Courthouse News Service)

Wind Farm Worker Crushed When Bulldozer Rolls Over (KTVU-TV, Oakland, CA)

Texas - Wind Turbine Erupts Into Flames Southwest Of Abilene (KTXS-TV, Abilene, TX)

First Solar: California’s Renewable Initiative Is “Fabulously Successful” (Forbes Magazine)

Arizona Utilities Not the Only Ones Getting High Interest in Incentives (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)

Nevada Cooperative Joins California ISO, Opening Path for More Renewable Power (Electric Light & Power)

Germany-Greece in Talks over Massive Solar Project (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

North Mason School District Completes Energy & Water-Saving Projects

Op/Ed - Saving a Little Energy Now Adds Up Later (Longview Daily News, WA)

Energy-Efficient Homes Seem to Sell Faster, Fetch Higher Prices (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Do ‘Green Buildings’ Come With a Higher Price Tag? (Christian Science Monitor)

News Release - New Apartment? New Opportunities to Save on Electric Costs (PR Newswire)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

College Study Finds Warmer, Drier Weather across Olympic Peninsula in 30-Year Span (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Editorial - Like Weather, Science Changes (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

NASA Scientist Says Obama Will Be ‘Greenwashing’ About Climate Change if He Approves Keystone XL Pipeline (NY Times)

Editorial - A Hotter Utah (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Report: Oregon Will Have 33,000 Electric Vehicle Chargers by 2017 (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Cantwell Urges Farmers to Sign Up to Grow Jet Fuel Crop (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Panda Poop May Be a Treasure Trove of Microbes for Making Biofuel (Renewable Energy World)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Governments Cut Computing Costs in the Cloud (USA Today)

After Dramatic Growth, Ashburn Expects Even More Data Centers (Washington Post)

Internet Advertisers Begin Offering New Do Not Track Icon (USA Today)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

CalPERS Drops Fitch from Suit over Investment Ratings (Sacramento Bee, CA)

PIMCO Says Betting Against US Debt Was a Mistake (Reuters)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Sets Out Commissioner Replacement Process for District Three Position (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Hidden Earthquake Faults Revealed at Mount Hood, Oregon (Oregonian, Portland)

State Audit Reveals Embezzlement at University of Washington (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Deadlines to Upgrade Street Signs Throughout the Country Eliminated (USA Today)

DIVERSIONS

Drunken Burglar Didn’t Realize Home He Was Breaking Into Was Sheriff’s

Prevention: Evidence of Heart Benefits from Chocolate

JP Patches Makes One of Last Appearances Saturday

Earthquake Helps ‘Cure’ Man’s Deafness

SONG OF THE DAY

Hot Chocolate – Every 1’s a Winner