Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Energy News Digest for January 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.

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Obama Wants Billions More Put in ‘Clean Energy’ (SF Chronicle)

Obama Pushes Expanding High-Speed Wireless Service (NY Times)

Oregon - Horizon Wind Goes for Next Step in Blues: Some aren’t happy about wind company’s idea to put turbines in mountains (East Oregonian, Pendleton)

New York - Con Ed Manager Charged with Taking $4 Million in Kickbacks (NY Times)

Timber Industry Challenges Spotted Owl Plan (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Portland General Electric Seeks Third Party to Help Buy Power
·         US Forest Service Restores Power to Most Customers at Eastern End of Spirit Lake Highway
·         Grays Harbor PUD Announces New Board Meeting Schedule
·         Analyst: Northeast Utility Deal Hits Bump with Connecticut Review
·         Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May be Overstated
·         New York - Con Ed Manager Charged with Taking $4 Million in Kickbacks
·         News Whiz - Midwest ISO Proposition Reveals $1.6 Billion in Benefits to Regio
·         Timber Industry Challenges Spotted Owl Plan
·         Lawmakers, Ecology Look for Water Solutions
·         An Update on the Nestle Water in Cascade Locks
·         Obama Wants Billions More Put in ‘Clean Energy’
·         Why Green Energy Still Needs Uncle Sam’s Help
·         Statement on State of the Union Address from National Hydropower Association
·         Oregon - Horizon Wind Goes for Next Step in Blue Mountains
·         Canada - Ontario Paid to Give Power Away to Quebec, U.S.
·         South Carolina Farmer Uses Chicken Waste to Start Energy Project
·         Senate Republicans Lay Down Markers in Bid to Block EPA Climate Rules
·         United Kingdom - Melting Arctic Ice Melt Will Bring Freezing Winters Say Scientists
·         Could Climate Change Have Led to the Fall of Rome?
·         Obama Nixes Oil Subsidies, Touts Biofuels & Electric Cars
·         City of Portland Considers Technology Watchdog
·         Red-Hot Fireplace Glass Called ‘Insidious’ Hazard
·         Obama Pushes Expanding High-Speed Wireless Service
·         Google Hiring >100 in Seattle, Watch Out Microsoft
·         Yahoo to Let 140 Employees Go
·         Hello, Big Brother: Digital Sensors Are Watching Us
·         Kinect & the Power of Big Broadband
·         Editorial - Alarming Language in Proposed Public Records Reforms
·         Editorial – Change in Public Notice? Raid on Public Rights
·         Washington State Lawmakers Propose $30 Car-Tab Fee to Fund Transit
·         Bill Would Legalize Pot Sales in Washington Liquor Stores
·         Kitsap County Wants Most Urban Areas Annexed into Cities Within Five Years
·         Family: Girl Killed in Shootout Was Missing Runaway
·         Alleged Mason Lurings Not ‘Sinister’ - Simply ‘an elderly man trying to do good deeds’
·         Kimberly-Clark to Sell Everett Mills
·         Email Snafu a ‘Catastrophe’ for Island County Prosecutor
·         States’ Lawmakers Turn Attention to the Dangers of Distracted Pedestrians
·         Class 4A, 3A, 2A State Volleyball Tourneys Coming to Lacey, Olympia
·         Olympia City Council Oks $4,500 for New City Hall Art - ‘Essence of Olympia’

WORD OF THE DAY

Infernal • \inn-FERN-null\ • adjective - 1: of or relating to a nether world of the dead 2a: of or relating to hell b: hellish, diabolical 3: damnable

“Great,” fumed Abercrombie.” You can open the hearing aid to take the batteries out, but this infernal device has such a tiny battery compartment that you have a terrible time putting the new ones in.” “What’s that you say” shrieked his nearby wife.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Portland General Electric Seeks Third Party to Help Buy Power (Portland Business Journal)

US Forest Service Restores Power to Most Customers at Eastern End of Spirit Lake Highway (Longview Daily News, WA)

Grays Harbor PUD Announces New Board Meeting Schedule (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Analyst: Northeast Utility Deal Hits Bump with Connecticut Review (Associated Press)

Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May be Overstated (ProPublica)

New York - Con Ed Manager Charged with Taking $4 Million in Kickbacks (NY Times)

News Whiz - Midwest ISO Proposition Reveals $1.6 Billion in Benefits to Region (Electric Light & Power)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Timber Industry Challenges Spotted Owl Plan (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Lawmakers, Ecology Look for Water Solutions (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

An Update on the Nestle Water in Cascade Locks (Salem Weekly, OR)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Obama Wants Billions More Put in ‘Clean Energy’ (SF Chronicle)

Why Green Energy Still Needs Uncle Sam’s Help (CNN Money)

Statement on President Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director, National Hydropower Association (Renewable Energy World)

Oregon - Horizon Wind Goes for Next Step in Blues: Some aren’t happy about wind company’s idea to put turbines in mountains (East Oregonian, Pendleton)

Canada - Ontario Paid to Give Power Away to Quebec, U.S. (CTV, Toronto, Canada)

South Carolina Farmer Uses Chicken Waste to Start Energy Project (WBTW-TV, Florence, SC)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Senate Republicans Lay Down Markers in Bid to Block EPA Climate Rules (The Hill)

United Kingdom - Melting Arctic Ice Melt Will Bring Freezing Winters Say Scientists (The Mirror, UK)

Could Climate Change Have Led to the Fall of Rome? (National Public Radio)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Obama Nixes Oil Subsidies, Touts Biofuels & Electric Cars (USA Today)

City of Portland Considers Technology Watchdog (Portland Business Journal)

Red-Hot Fireplace Glass Called ‘Insidious’ Hazard (SF Chronicle)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Obama Pushes Expanding High-Speed Wireless Service (NY Times)

Google Hiring >100 in Seattle, Watch Out Microsoft (Seattle Times)

Yahoo to Let 140 Employees Go (NY Times)

Hello, Big Brother: Digital Sensors Are Watching Us (USA Today)

Kinect & the Power of Big Broadband (GigaOM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Editorial - Alarming Language in Proposed Public Records Reforms (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Editorial – Change in Public Notice? Raid on Public Rights (Port Townsend Leader)

Washington State Lawmakers Propose $30 Car-Tab Fee to Fund Transit (Seattle Times)

Bill Would Legalize Pot Sales in Washington Liquor Stores (KING-TV, Seattle)

Kitsap County Wants Most Urban Areas Annexed into Cities Within Five Years (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Family: Girl Killed in Shootout Was Missing Runaway (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Alleged Mason Lurings Not ‘Sinister’ - Simply ‘an elderly man trying to do good deeds’ (Olympian, WA)

Kimberly-Clark to Sell Everett Mills (Everett Herald, WA)

Email Snafu a ‘Catastrophe’ for Island County Prosecutor (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

States’ Lawmakers Turn Attention to the Dangers of Distracted Pedestrians (NY Times)

Class 4A, 3A, 2A State Volleyball Tourneys Coming to Lacey, Olympia (Seattle Times)

Olympia City Council Oks $4,500 for New City Hall Art - ‘Essence of Olympia’: So Far, $24,505 Spent on Artwork After Early Missteps in Process (Olympian, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Vibrant Pink Selected as Color of the Year

Taco Bell Defends Its Mixture of Seasoned Meat

Pet or Paramour? Many Say Pet - Unmarried More Likely to Choose Pet over Mate

No App for This: Croc Gulps Phone, Starts Ringing

SONG OF THE DAY

John Mellencamp - Little Pink Houses