Friday, February 4, 2011

Energy News Digest for February 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices: http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Washington State Bill Would Move TransAlta’s Deadline for Changes at Centralia Coal Power Plant - Bill would require using cleaner energy sources by late 2015, rather than 2025 (Olympian, WA)

Energy Northwest Considers Mixed Plutonium Fuel for Columbia Generating Station (Tri-City Herald, WA)

California cap-trade plan dealt blow by San Francisco judge (SF Chronicle)

Columbia River Sturgeon Numbers Decline; Hungry Sea Lions Apparent Cause (Associated Press)

Idaho Wind-Farm Complex Completed - Dozens of new windmills are now spread across 10,000 acres of south-central Idaho (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Washington State Bill Would Move TransAlta’s Deadline for Changes at Centralia Coal Power Plant
·         Energy Northwest Considers Mixed Plutonium Fuel for Columbia Generating Station
·         Repairs Continue After Chehalis Power Blast
·         State Oks Process for Transferring East Jefferson Electrical Service from Puget Sound Energy to PUD
·         Chelan County PUD Might Raise Water Rates, Extend Surcharge
·         Power Lines Across Truck in Issaquah Trap Driver
·         Thousands in New Mexico Without Natural Gas Service
·         Cold Exposes Jumble of Flaws in Texas Electric Policies
·         Report Backs Massive Canadian Oil Sands Pipeline to Gulf of Mexico
·         Ohio – American Electric Power Electricity Rate Plan Has Surprises in Store for Many Customers
·         Columbia River Sturgeon Numbers Decline; Hungry Sea Lions Apparent Cause
·         Op/Ed - Winning the Future: Salmon Country Needs Science & Innovation, Too
·         Western Wolverines Threatened by Climate Change
·         Idaho Wind-Farm Complex Completed
·         Norwegian Solar Energy Firm Renewable Energy Corporation Breaks Ground on Italian Solar Plant
·         McMinnville Water & Light Offers Incentives
·         Penguin Windows Jobs in Vancouver Are Safe for Now
·         California Cap-Trade Plan Dealt Blow by San Francisco Judge
·         United Kingdom Allowed to Restart Spot Carbon Trading
·         Climatologist Claims Climate Change Denier Defamed
·         Area’s First All-Electric Leaf Lands in Olympia
·         Oregon State University’s New Energy Center Makes a Platinum Statement
·         The Root: Trying to Find the Rumored Green Jobs
·         Analysis: US Biodiesel on Life Support, But Smiling
·         Verizon Stops Taking Iphone Pre-Orders After Setting Unspecified ‘Record’
·         Ahead of iPhone, Verizon Says It May Slow Data
·         Speculation of Alliance with Microsoft Lifts Nokia Shares
·         Depletion of Internet Addresses Reflects Wired World
·         Survey: 32% Admit Mooching Neighbor’s Wi-Fi
·         Huge Debt Handcuffs Washington State in Bad Times
·         Seattle Woman Quits Luxembourg Ambassador Job amid Criticism
·         Three-Year-Old Saves Father’s Life
·         Weyerhaeuser Posts Fourth Quarter Profit
·         Panel Rejects Pricey, Innovative Design for Portland-to-Vancouver Bridge
·         Washington State’s Banking Regulator Steps Down to Run San Juan Island Bank
·         Norfolk Pulls Website Similar to Seattle’s
·         Underdog Shelton ‘Climbers Like Role in Bowling Tournament

WORD OF THE DAY

Julienne • \jool-ee-ENN\ • - To slice into thin strips about the size of matchsticks

“Now, this ought to take care of that backlog of ‘Vegematics’ in the store-room,” cackled the opportunistic renewable energy entrepreneur. Looking for a way to make a more readily burned woody biomass processor, the “network marketing” enthusiast decided that julienne wood chips would be just the ticket.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Washington State Bill Would Move TransAlta’s Deadline for Changes at Centralia Coal Power Plant - Bill would require using cleaner energy sources by late 2015, rather than 2025 (Olympian, WA)

Energy Northwest Considers Mixed Plutonium Fuel for Columbia Generating Station (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Repairs Continue After Chehalis Power Blast (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

State Oks Process for Transferring East Jefferson Electrical Service from Puget Sound Energy to PUD (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Chelan County PUD Might Raise Water Rates, Extend Surcharge (Lake Chelan Mirror, WA)

Power Lines Across Truck in Issaquah Trap Driver (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Thousands in New Mexico Without Natural Gas Service (Associated Press)

Cold Exposes Jumble of Flaws in Texas Electric Policies (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, TX)

Report Backs Massive Canadian Oil Sands Pipeline to Gulf of Mexico (Associated Press)

Ohio – American Electric Power Electricity Rate Plan Has Surprises in Store for Many Customers (Business First, Ohio)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia River Sturgeon Numbers Decline; Hungry Sea Lions Apparent Cause (Associated Press)

Op/Ed - Winning the Future: Salmon Country Needs Science & Innovation, Too (Oregonian, Portland – Pay no attention to those return numbers…nothing to see here…move along…)

Western Wolverines Threatened by Climate Change (Los Angeles Times, CA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Idaho Wind-Farm Complex Completed - Dozens of new windmills are now spread across 10,000 acres of south-central Idaho (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

Norwegian Solar Energy Firm Renewable Energy Corporation Breaks Ground on Italian Solar Plant (BusinessGreen)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

McMinnville Water & Light Offers Incentives (Yamhill County News-Register, McMinnville, OR)

Penguin Windows Jobs in Vancouver Are Safe for Now (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Cap-Trade Plan Dealt Blow by San Francisco Judge (SF Chronicle)

United Kingdom Allowed to Restart Spot Carbon Trading - The UK has been cleared to begin spot carbon trading again on Friday after the European Union shut the whole market for two weeks (The Telegraph, UK)

Climatologist Claims Climate Change Denier Defamed Him (Courthouse News Service)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Area’s First All-Electric Leaf Lands in Olympia (Olympian, WA – Small farm & residential charging exchange program anyone?)

Oregon State University’s New Energy Center Makes a Platinum Statement (Oregonian, Portland)

The Root: Trying to Find the Rumored Green Jobs (National Public Radio)

Analysis: US Biodiesel on Life Support, But Smiling (Reuters)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Verizon Stops Taking Iphone Pre-Orders After Setting Unspecified ‘Record’ (Washington Post)

Ahead of iPhone, Verizon Says It May Slow Data (Associated Press)

Speculation of Alliance with Microsoft Lifts Nokia Shares (NY Times)

Depletion of Internet Addresses Reflects Wired World (Reuters)

Survey: 32% Admit Mooching Neighbor’s Wi-Fi (USA Today)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Huge Debt Handcuffs Washington State in Bad Times (Seattle Times)

Seattle Woman Quits Luxembourg Ambassador Job amid Criticism – How bad? Some staffers requested transfers to Iraq & Afghanistan! (KING-TV, Seattle)

GENERAL NEWS

Three-Year-Old Saves Father’s Life (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Weyerhaeuser Posts Fourth Quarter Profit (Associated Press)

Panel Rejects Pricey, Innovative Design for Portland-to-Vancouver Bridge; suggests three cheaper plans (Oregonian, Portland)

Washington State’s Banking Regulator Steps Down to Run San Juan Island Bank (Seattle Times)

Norfolk Pulls Website Similar to Seattle’s (Associated Press)

Underdog Shelton ‘Climbers Like Role in Bowling Tournament (Olympian, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Google Bets $20,000 You Can’t Hack Chrome Internet Browser

Lewis & Clark Law School Password Generates Online “Failure”

Want to be in Sumo? iPhone Application Shows How You Might Look

Parrots Tend to be “Left Handed,” Study Finds

SONG OF THE DAY

Jackson Browne - Lawyers in Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9qrJMTU1O8