Friday, January 21, 2011

Energy News Digest for January 21, 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

Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Could be Delayed Five Years (Longview Daily News, WA)

Pasco Resident Sues Washington State Governor Gregoire over Climate Change (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Is Biomass Clean or Dirty Energy? We Won’t Know for Three Years (Reuters)

Buzz Builds for ‘Clean Energy’ Standard, but Passage Won’t be Easy (NY Times)

Highest Tides of Year This Weekend in Washington State (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Could be Delayed Five Years
·         Bonneville Power Administration Considers Alternatives to New Transmission Line
·         New Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Will Leave Somebody Unhappy
·         Too Much Odor Added to Woodland Natural Gas
·         Idaho Approves Giant Refinery Shipments
·         California - SmartMeter Installation to Begin Soon in San Francisco
·         As Energy Demand Rises, Is Investing in Natural Gas a Good Bet?
·         Buzz Builds for ‘Clean Energy’ Standard, but Passage Won’t be Easy
·         Debate over Financial Risks for Georgia Nuclear Plant
·         In New York University Power Plant, a Collateral Carbon Benefit
·         Virtual Power Plants Set to Potentially Change Power Structure
·         Editorial - Science, Salmon Pose Dilemma
·         Editorial - Salmon, Lawsuits & Stop Farming
·         Bye Bye Blackbird: USDA Acknowledges a Hand in One Mass Bird Death
·         Feathering Their Nests with Plastic, & Getting Ahead
·         Highest Tides of Year This Weekend in Washington State
·         US Army Corps of Engineers Releases Report on Pollution at Bonneville Dam
·         Washington State Coast - NOAA Says Olympic Sanctuary Is Not a Toilet
·         Runoff Turns Elliott Bay into Murky Stew
·         Is Biomass Clean or Dirty Energy? We Won’t Know for Three Years
·         Editorial – Biomass Ruling Delay: Good start, EPA
·         Florida - American Renewables, Rayonier in Biomass Fuel Source Deal
·         California May Slow Oregon Clean Energy Market
·         Fed Grant Will Help Promote Green Energy in Idaho
·         Hydro Energy Making Comeback in Micro Plants
·         Lack of Transmission Lines Is Restricting Wind Power
·         Company Wants Public Utility Status for Wind Power Transmission Project
·         Cape Wind Could Begin Construction This Year
·         Nebraska Utility Skeptical about Wind Power’s Potential
·         Leveraging Wind Power into Nebraskan Data Centers & Jobs
·         Offshore Wind Booming in Europe
·         Herds of Turtles Threatened - Conservation Group Sues to Stop California Solar Plant
·         Idaho - Should ‘Green’ Code be Mandatory?
·         Mayors Scramble to Preserve Block Grant Funding for Energy Projects
·         California Utility Says Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Burning Out Faster Than Expected
·         Snohomish PUD Tips for Protecting Water Pipes
·         Pasco Resident Sues Washington State Governor Gregoire over Climate Change
·         Climate Study Hugely Flawed - Food Shortages, Rising Temperature Miscalculated
·         Experts Criticize Evidence Used to Diagnose a Suspected Leak at One of the World’s Largest Carbon Dioxide Storage Sites
·         Love Affair with Fireplace Cools with Health Concerns
·         EPA Approves More Ethanol in Fuel for Cars
·         Green Jobs Continue to Grow Amid the Economic Downturn
·         After Cutting Value of Life, EPA Ditching the Term
·         Hardware Upgrade Takes Down AT&T Wireless Service in Seattle
·         Verizon Challenges FCC Rules on Net Neutrality
·         TV Broadcasters Resist FCC Proposal to Surrender More Airwaves
·         Washington State Court: Out-of-State Companies Subject to B&O Tax
·         Oregon, Washington Consider Public Records Overhaul
·         Washington State Public Records Agency a Tough Sell - What’s the cost?
·         A Path Is Sought for States to Escape Their Debt Burdens
·         Five Reasons Why Investors Shouldn’t Fear Muni Bonds
·         Heavy Rain Ahead Pushes Up Landslide Danger
·         Unemployment Rate Up Slightly in Mason County
·         Part of South Kitsap Fire District May Merge into North Mason
·         New Superintendent Appointed at Washington Corrections Center
·         Illegal tree harvests bring arrests in Lower Chehalis Forest
·         Canadian Carbon-Composite Manufacturer Coming to Bremerton
·         SR 18 Cost Overruns - Audit Finds State Transportation Department Grossly Mismanaged Taxpayer Funds
·         Cantwell: Air Force Must Answer Questions about Tanker Flub

WORD OF THE DAY

Soupçon • \SOOP-sawn \ • Noun - A little bit: trace

“Ahh that was a GREAT bowl of soup. Absolutely outstanding,” the florid-faced admiral barked as his split pea soup was whisked away by the white-gloved cabin boy. During the succeeding technical discussion about an upcoming amphibious assault, the fresh faced lieutenant heard nothing…fascinated as he was of the soupçon of green peas that remained at the corners of the Admiral’s mouth. “And what’s your opinion of your duties tomorrow night Barkely,” the superior officer shouted. “Pease porridge!” was the wide-eyed underling’s involuntary response.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Could be Delayed Five Years (Longview Daily News, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Considers Alternatives to New Transmission Line (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

New Bonneville Power Administration Transmission Line Will Leave Somebody Unhappy (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Too Much Odor Added to Woodland Natural Gas (Associated Press)

Idaho Approves Giant Refinery Shipments (NY Times)

California - SmartMeter Installation to Begin Soon in San Francisco (SF Chronicle)

As Energy Demand Rises, Is Investing in Natural Gas a Good Bet? (USA Today)

Buzz Builds for ‘Clean Energy’ Standard, but Passage Won’t be Easy (NY Times)

Debate over Financial Risks for Georgia Nuclear Plant (Associated Press)

In New York University Power Plant, a Collateral Carbon Benefit (NY Times)

Virtual Power Plants Set to Potentially Change Power Structure (Renewable Energy World)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Editorial - Science, Salmon Pose Dilemma (The World, Coos Bay, OR)

Editorial - Salmon, Lawsuits & Stop Farming (Wenatchee World, WA)

Bye Bye Blackbird: USDA Acknowledges a Hand in One Mass Bird Death (Christian Science Monitor)

Feathering Their Nests with Plastic, & Getting Ahead (NY Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Highest Tides of Year This Weekend in Washington State (Associated Press)

US Army Corps of Engineers Releases Report on Pollution at Bonneville Dam (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Washington State Coast - NOAA Says Olympic Sanctuary Is Not a Toilet (Courthouse News Service)

Runoff Turns Elliott Bay into Murky Stew (Seattle Times)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Is Biomass Clean or Dirty Energy? We Won’t Know for Three Years (Reuters)

Editorial – Biomass Ruling Delay: Good start, EPA (Baker City Herald, OR)

Florida - American Renewables, Rayonier in Biomass Deal: For supply of fuel for a 100MW power plant due to begin 2013 commercial operation in Gainesville, Florida (Jacksonville Business Journal)

California May Slow Oregon Clean Energy Market (Portland Business Journal)

Fed Grant Will Help Promote Green Energy in Idaho (Associated Press)

Hydro Energy Making Comeback in Micro Plants (Denver Business Journal)

Lack of Transmission Lines Is Restricting Wind Power (NY Times)

Company Wants Public Utility Status for Wind Power Transmission Project (Associated Press)

Cape Wind Could Begin Construction This Year (Brockton Enterprise, MA)

Nebraska Utility Skeptical about Wind Power’s Potential (Scottsbluff Star-Herald, NE)

Leveraging Wind Power into Nebraskan Data Centers & Jobs (PR Newswire)

Offshore Wind Booming in Europe (Renewable Energy World)

Herds of Turtles Threatened - Conservation Group Sues to Stop California Solar Plant (Reuters)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Idaho - Should ‘Green’ Code be Mandatory? Ketchum City Council reviews new building regulations (Idaho Mountain Express & Guide, Sun Valley)

Mayors Scramble to Preserve Block Grant Funding for Energy Projects (NY Times)

California Utility Says Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Burning Out Faster Than Expected (Consumer Reports)

Snohomish PUD Tips for Protecting Water Pipes (Edmonds Beacon, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Pasco Resident Sues Washington State Governor Gregoire over Climate Change (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Climate Study Hugely Flawed - Food Shortages, Rising Temperature Miscalculated (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

Experts Criticize Evidence Used to Diagnose a Suspected Leak at One of the World’s Largest Carbon Dioxide Storage Sites (Scientific American)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Love Affair with Fireplace Cools with Health Concerns (Seattle Times)

EPA Approves More Ethanol in Fuel for Cars (Washington Post)

Green Jobs Continue to Grow Amid the Economic Downturn (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

After Cutting Value of Life, EPA Ditching the Term (Associated Press)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Hardware Upgrade Takes Down AT&T Wireless Service in Seattle (KING-TV, Seattle)

Verizon Challenges FCC Rules on Net Neutrality (Washington Post)

TV Broadcasters Resist FCC Proposal to Surrender More Airwaves (Washington Post)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Court: Out-of-State Companies Subject to B&O Tax (Associated Press)

Oregon, Washington Consider Public Records Overhaul (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Washington State Public Records Agency a Tough Sell - What’s the cost? Tight budget creates critics (Olympian, WA)

A Path Is Sought for States to Escape Their Debt Burdens - including pensions promised to retired public workers (NY Times)

Five Reasons Why Investors Shouldn’t Fear Muni Bonds (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Heavy Rain Ahead Pushes Up Landslide Danger (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Unemployment Rate Up Slightly in Mason County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Part of South Kitsap Fire District May Merge into North Mason (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

New Superintendent Appointed at Washington Corrections Center (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Illegal tree harvests bring arrests in Lower Chehalis Forest (Olympian, WA)

Canadian Carbon-Composite Manufacturer Coming to Bremerton (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

SR 18 Cost Overruns - Audit Finds State Transportation Department Grossly Mismanaged Taxpayer Funds (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Cantwell: Air Force Must Answer Questions about Tanker Flub (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

DIVERSIONS

Would You Eat a Lion-Meat Taco?

Baby Yoga: The Internet’s Latest Petrifying Craze

Missing Daypack Makes Its Way Back to Oregon via Paris Cabbie

Jersey Error Makes Roosevelt High Team the Rough “Ryders”

SONG OF THE DAY

The American Breed - Bend Me Shape Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku3BcEgjzgE