Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Energy News Digest for January 4, 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.

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Four More Dangerous Electrical Structures Found in Seattle (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Columbia & Snake River Shippers Seek Port of Portland Subsidies While Locks Are Repaired (Associated Press)

Microsoft Says Lost Hotmail E-Mails Now Restored (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Canada - Bald Eagles Forced from Feeding Grounds by Poor Chum Runs (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

California - San Joaquin Valley Utilities & Firms Work to Meet Green Energy Mandates - “It doesn’t pencil out without the subsidies.” (Modesto Bee, CA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Four More Dangerous Electrical Structures Found in Seattle
·         California - 14-Year-Old Driver Survives Crash, Killed by Live Wire
·         Grant PUD’s Smallest Rate Hike Goes to Residential Customers
·         Editorial – Oregon’s Sudden Energy Shift Comes at a High Cost
·         Bainbridge Considers Requiring Backup Generators for Gas Pumps
·         Montana - Southern Montana Electric Proposes Customer-Owned Cooperative with Electric City Power
·         Mason PUD 3 Commission Announces 2011 Regular Meeting Schedule
·         Gordon Thomas Honeywell LLP Welcomes Partners Eric Lee Christensen & Durham C. McCormick, Jr.
·         California - San Bruno Natural Gas Blast: Feds Urge Pacific Gas & Electric to Verify Records
·         California - New Natural Gas Plant to Aid in Integrating Energy from Solar, Wind
·         Mississippi Utility Sues Railroad over Monopoly
·         Utilities Seek Fresh Talent for Smart Grids
·         Editorial - Penalize Pepco for Poor Performance in Delivering Electrical Service
·         2011 Hydropower Outlook
·         Canada - Bald Eagles Forced from Feeding Grounds by Poor Chum Runs
·         Buzzkill: USA’s Bumblebee Population Declining
·         Blackbird Mystery Deepens: More Birds Fall from Sky in Louisiana
·         Columbia & Snake River Shippers Seek Port of Portland Subsidies While Locks Are Repaired
·         Clean Air Agency Bans Burning in Thurston County Wood Stoves, Fireplaces
·         California - San Joaquin Valley Utilities & Firms Work to Meet Green Energy Mandates
·         Wind Industry Outlines Priorities for This Year
·         US Interior Urges Iberdrola to Cut Size of California Wind Farm
·         Push for Turbines in Connecticut Hampered by a Lack of ... Wind
·         Gresham Plans Unique Hydro Energy Project Using Sewage Plant Outfall Pipes
·         While Communities Fight Biomass Plants, Congress Pays to Build Them
·         Maine - Colby College Goes to Biomass Heat
·         Connecticut - Outdoor Furnaces Facing Possible Ban
·         New York - Turning the East River’s Flow into Electricity
·         Wisconsin - Madison Plant to Recycle Coating from Solar Panels
·         For Sale: Student-Built Energy-Efficient Home
·         Richland Company Wants to Install Charging Stations for Electric Cars
·         In 24 States, be Careful How You Throw Away Your Old Computer
·         Microsoft Says Lost Hotmail E-Mails Now Restored
·         More on State Plan for Qwest-CenturyLink Merger
·         Firefox Dethrones IE in Europe, But Its Real Battle is with Chrome
·         Could Verizon Steal Apple’s Thunder?
·         Wi-Fi Hotspots, Only Going to Get Hotter
·         Ceiling Lights in Minnesota Send Coded Internet Data
·         BIAW Names Losey to Replace Mccabe as Leader
·         Editorial - Power Shift Looming for Department of Fish & Wildlife
·         Strained States Turning to Laws to Curb Labor Unions
·         Shelton Woman Killed in Car Crash on Agate Road
·         More People Moved Out of Washington State Last Year than into the State

WORD OF THE DAY

Disquisition • \disk-kwah-ZISH-un\ • Noun – A formal inquiry into or discussion of a subject

Brenda was asked to present a brief disquisition on the Bonneville Power Administration’s “small farm and residential exchange program.” Two hours later she was still droning on. “I thought you said this was going to be a short presentation,” huffed the moderator. “So far, it is,” was her tart rejoinder.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Four More Dangerous Electrical Structures Found in Seattle (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

California - 14-Year-Old Driver Survives Crash, Killed by Live Wire (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Grant PUD’s Smallest Rate Hike Goes to Residential Customers (Wenatchee World, WA)

Editorial – Oregon’s Sudden Energy Shift Comes at a High Cost (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)

Bainbridge Considers Requiring Backup Generators for Gas Pumps (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Montana - Southern Montana Electric Proposes Customer-Owned Cooperative with Electric City Power (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

Mason PUD 3 Commission Announces 2011 Regular Meeting Schedule (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Gordon Thomas Honeywell LLP Welcomes Partners Eric Lee Christensen & Durham C. McCormick, Jr. (PR Newswire)

California - San Bruno Natural Gas Blast: Feds Urge Pacific Gas & Electric to Verify Records (SF Chronicle)

California - New Natural Gas Plant to Aid in Integrating Energy from Solar, Wind (Solar Home & Business Journal)

Mississippi Utility Sues Railroad over Monopoly - claims the railroad uses a monopoly over coal deliveries to inflate costs (Associated Press)

Utilities Seek Fresh Talent for Smart Grids (NY Times)

Editorial - Penalize Pepco for Poor Performance in Delivering Electrical Service (Washington Post)

2011 Hydropower Outlook (Renewable Energy World)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Canada - Bald Eagles Forced from Feeding Grounds by Poor Chum Runs (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Buzzkill: USA’s Bumblebee Population Declining (USA Today)

Blackbird Mystery Deepens: More Birds Fall from Sky in Louisiana (Christian Science Monitor)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Columbia & Snake River Shippers Seek Port of Portland Subsidies While Locks Are Repaired (Associated Press)

Clean Air Agency Bans Burning in Thurston County Wood Stoves, Fireplaces (Olympian, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California - San Joaquin Valley Utilities & Firms Work to Meet Green Energy Mandates - “It doesn’t pencil out without the subsidies.” (Modesto Bee, CA)

Wind Industry Outlines Priorities for This Year - Includes tax incentives for wind energy & a renewable electricity standard (The Hill)

US Interior Urges Iberdrola to Cut Size of California Wind Farm (Platts)

Push for Turbines in Connecticut Hampered by a Lack of ... Wind (Republican American, Waterbury, CT)

Gresham Plans Unique Hydro Energy Project Using Sewage Plant Outfall Pipes (Sustainable Business Oregon)

While Communities Fight Biomass Plants, Congress Pays to Build Them (Huffington Post)

Maine - Colby College Goes to Biomass Heat (Associated Press)

Connecticut - Outdoor Furnaces Facing Possible Ban (Connecticut Mirror, Hartford)

New York - Turning the East River’s Flow into Electricity (NY Times)

Wisconsin - Madison Plant to Recycle Coating from Solar Panels (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

For Sale: Student-Built Energy-Efficient Home - Omak students give construction curriculum a workout (Wenatchee World, WA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Richland Company Wants to Install Charging Stations for Electric Cars (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

In 24 States, be Careful How You Throw Away Your Old Computer (USA Today)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Microsoft Says Lost Hotmail E-Mails Now Restored (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

More on State Plan for Qwest-CenturyLink Merger (Seattle Times)

Firefox Dethrones IE in Europe, But Its Real Battle is with Chrome (GigaOM)

Could Verizon Steal Apple’s Thunder? (SF Chronicle)

Wi-Fi Hotspots, Only Going to Get Hotter (GigaOM)

Ceiling Lights in Minnesota Send Coded Internet Data (Washington Post)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

BIAW Names Losey to Replace Mccabe as Leader (Olympian, WA)

Editorial - Power Shift Looming for Department of Fish & Wildlife (Longview Daily News, WA)

Strained States Turning to Laws to Curb Labor Unions (NY Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton Woman Killed in Car Crash on Agate Road (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

More People Moved Out of Washington State Last Year than into the State (Puget Sound Business Journal)

DIVERSIONS

“Chicken Poop” Tops List of Beauty Products with Ugly Names

Florida Man Says He’ll Live in Lions’ Den for 30 Days

Man Sues College after It Rejects Son Following $40K Donation

SONG OF THE DAY

The Tokens – The Lion Sleeps Tonight