Tuesday, February 22, 2011

800th Post - Energy News Digest for February 22, 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

Six Inches of Puget Sound Area Snow Possible (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Grays Harbor County Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant OK to Expand (Associated Press)

Cowlitz Falls Dam Offline Since January - The heavy storm that slammed into east Lewis County in mid-January did more than leave the area’s roads awash (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Washington State’s Climate Change Efforts Fall Short - Collapse of Cap-&-Trade System Makes 2020 Goal Unlikely (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Wind Power Battles to Stay an Economic Bright Spot in Idaho - Despite a few setbacks, some Idaho developers have a shot at keeping a tax break they say is boosting jobs (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Grays Harbor County Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant OK to Expand
·         Cowlitz Falls Dam Offline Since January
·         Jefferson PUD Meets Tuesday on Puget Sound Energy Contracts, Agreements
·         Yakama Power Gains in Its Bid to Compete
·         Closing TransAlta - Coal-Fired Plant Is Not in Our State’s Future
·         Op/Ed - Facts, Not Hysteria, Are Needed in Coal Debate
·         Op/Ed - Closure of Power Plant Not Based on Realities
·         Mason PUD 3 Receives International Financial Reporting Award - Sixth Straight Award
·         NorthWestern Energy Planning Montana Systems Upgrade
·         Texas Power Failures Thrust Deregulation into Public Glare
·         Alaska - Kenai Plant Closure Could Disrupt Gas Flow
·         Westinghouse Announces Small Modular Nuclear Reactor
·         Dynegy’s Top Management to Resign in Wake of Failed Deals
·         New Twist in Georgia Electricity Co-op’s Troubles
·         Utility Overcharged Homeowners by $11,000 after Getting Their Meter Mixed Up
·         Along the Columbia, Concerns for Salmon & Energy Production
·         Arkansas - Fish Hatchery Crisis Brewing; US Fish & Wildlife Service Wants to Stop Funding
·         This University Is About Salmon - And More
·         18.90 Pound Hatchery Chinook Wins Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby
·         State Requires Shoreline Programs to Incorporate Geoduck Farming Standards
·         Mayors from Oakville to Aberdeen: Dump Levies for Dams
·         Are FEMA Maps Useful?
·         Danger Pent Up Behind Aging Dams
·         Feds Want to Expand Willapa Refuge
·         Capitol Land Trust Grows with Region’s Generosity
·         Olympic Peninsula Water Company with Only Seven Customers Charged with 105 Violations
·         Wind Power Battles to Stay an Economic Bright Spot in Idaho
·         Oregon Governor’s Biomass Strategy Faces Hurdles
·         Port Angeles - Biomass CHP Project for US Paper Mill
·         California - Utilities’ Renewable Energy Pacts Expensive “…contracts that will cost them over $6 billion more than they would otherwise pay…”
·         Small-Scale Hydropower Sees More Interest in Wyoming
·         South Dakota - Wind Industry Wants Safety Law Changed
·         Canada - Northern New Brunswick Wind Turbines Frozen Solid
·         Oregon - SolarWorld leader Bob Beisner Leaving Oregon for California Job
·         A Lease on Solar Panels? Some States Pitch In
·         Do Your Part: Use Electricity Wisely, Lessen Unsafe Waste
·         California Builder to Lure Buyers with Energy Bill Savings
·         Light Future: Vermont Towns Turning to LED Lights
·         Washington State’s Climate Change Efforts Fall Short
·         Washington’s Greenhouse Emissions on the Decline “…inventory treats biofuels as if they have no impact on the climate…”
·         Study: Sea Level Rise to Swamp Coastal Cities by 2100
·         Pump & Dump Scheme in Global Warming
·         Climate Change Extending Ragweed Season, Hay Fever Misery, Study Finds
·         National Project to Install Hundreds of Electric Charging Stations in Oregon
·         Green Roof Collapses in Illinois
·         Renewable Energy at Risk - Scientists Call for New Sources of Critical Elements
·         Weather Radar Clutter Is Boon to Study Birds, Bugs & Bats
·         Oregon - Personal Telco Deploys MetroFi’s Old Wi-Fi Gear in North Portland
·         WiMax Should Reach 1 Billion by 2012
·         Wealthiest in Washington, DC Area Get Best High-Speed Internet Values, Study Says
·         Banned from the Internet for Life?
·         One Gig - Home Internet May Get Even Faster in South Korea
·         Thousands Rally Under Capitol Dome in Olympia to Show Union Solidarity
·         Cutoff Day Dooms Dozens of Measures in Washington Legislature
·         Washington Governor Gregoire Vetoes Pay Cut, Data Center Hold
·         Bills in Olympia Seek to Rein in Records ‘Fishing’
·         Washington Senate Panel Approves Bill to ‘Modernize’ Initiative Process
·         Congressman David Wu Tells Good Morning America: I Have Regrets, Sought Mental Help
·         Six Inches of Puget Sound Area Snow Possible
·         Winter Storm Watch Issued for Parts of Region for Midweek Storm
·         Four American Hostages, Two from Seattle, Killed by Pirates, US Says
·         Washington Congressman in New Zealand at Time of Earthquake
·         Washington State Lands Commissioner Seeks to Raise Logging Fees
·         787 Dreamliner Teaches Boeing Costly Lesson on Outsourcing

WORD OF THE DAY

Brummagem • \BRUM-uh-jumm\ • Adjective - Not genuine: spurious; also: cheaply showy: tawdry

The tinker had an eye for genuine articles…and could spot the various brummagem trinkets hawked at the community fair as “treasures from afar.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Grays Harbor County Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant OK to Expand (Associated Press)

Cowlitz Falls Dam Offline Since January - The heavy storm that slammed into east Lewis County in mid-January did more than leave the area’s roads awash (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Jefferson PUD Meets Tuesday on Puget Sound Energy Contracts, Agreements (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Yakama Power Gains in Its Bid to Compete (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
Closing TransAlta - Coal-Fired Plant Is Not in Our State’s Future, & Senate Bill Offers Best Compromise (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Op/Ed - Facts, Not Hysteria, Are Needed in Coal Debate (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal)

Op/Ed - Closure of Power Plant Not Based on Realities (Olympian, WA)

Mason PUD 3 Receives International Financial Reporting Award - Sixth Straight Award (Mason County PUD 3)

NorthWestern Energy Planning Montana Systems Upgrade (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

Texas Power Failures Thrust Deregulation into Public Glare (NY Times)

Alaska - Kenai Plant Closure Could Disrupt Gas Flow (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

Westinghouse Announces Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (Electric Light & Power)

Dynegy’s Top Management to Resign in Wake of Failed Deals (NY Times)

New Twist in Georgia Electricity Co-op’s Troubles (Courthouse News Service)

Utility Overcharged Homeowners by $11,000 after Getting Their Meter Mixed Up (Consumerist)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Along the Columbia, Concerns for Salmon & Energy Production (NY Times)

Arkansas - Fish Hatchery Crisis Brewing; US Fish & Wildlife Service Wants to Stop Funding (Baxter Bulletin, AR)

This University Is About Salmon - And More (The Olympian, WA)

18.90 Pound Hatchery Chinook Wins Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby (Seattle Times)

State Requires Shoreline Programs to Incorporate Geoduck Farming Standards (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mayors from Oakville to Aberdeen: Dump Levies for Dams (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Are FEMA Maps Useful? Chehalis River - Their purpose is to stop development that contributes to flooding (Olympian, WA)

Danger Pent Up Behind Aging Dams (NY Times)

Feds Want to Expand Willapa Refuge (Associated Press)

Capitol Land Trust Grows with Region’s Generosity (Olympian, WA)

Olympic Peninsula Water Company with Only Seven Customers Charged with 105 Violations, Fined (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wind Power Battles to Stay an Economic Bright Spot in Idaho - Despite a few setbacks, some Idaho developers have a shot at keeping a tax break they say is boosting jobs (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

Oregon Governor’s Biomass Strategy Faces Hurdles (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

Port Angeles - Biomass CHP Project for US Paper Mill (Power Gen Worldwide)\

California - Utilities’ Renewable Energy Pacts Expensive “…contracts that will cost them over $6 billion more than they would otherwise pay…” (SF Chronicle)

Small-Scale Hydropower Sees More Interest in Wyoming (Casper Star Tribune, WY)

South Dakota - Wind Industry Wants Safety Law Changed: Group says it is too costly to alter existing towers (Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, SD)

Canada - Northern New Brunswick Wind Turbines Frozen Solid (Global-TV, Montreal)

Oregon - SolarWorld leader Bob Beisner Leaving Oregon for California Job (Oregonian, Portland)

A Lease on Solar Panels? Some States Pitch In (National Public Radio)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Do Your Part: Use Electricity Wisely, Lessen Unsafe Waste (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

California Builder to Lure Buyers with Energy Bill Savings (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Light Future: Vermont Towns Turning to LED Lights (Burlington Free Press, VT)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State’s Climate Change Efforts Fall Short - Collapse of Cap-&-Trade System Makes 2020 Goal Unlikely (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Washington’s Greenhouse Emissions on the Decline “…inventory treats biofuels as if they have no impact on the climate…” (KUOW Radio, Seattle)

Study: Sea Level Rise to Swamp Coastal Cities by 2100 (USA Today)

Pump & Dump Scheme in Global Warming (Courthouse News Service)

Climate Change Extending Ragweed Season, Hay Fever Misery, Study Finds (LA Times, CA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

National Project to Install Hundreds of Electric Charging Stations in Oregon (Oregonian, Portland)

Green Roof Collapses in Illinois (NY Times)

Renewable Energy at Risk - Scientists Call for New Sources of Critical Elements (NY Times)

Weather Radar Clutter Is Boon to Study Birds, Bugs & Bats (USA Today)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Oregon - Personal Telco Deploys MetroFi’s Old Wi-Fi Gear in North Portland (Oregonian, Portland)

WiMax Should Reach 1 Billion by 2012 (Broadband Reports)

Wealthiest in Washington, DC Area Get Best High-Speed Internet Values, Study Says (Washington Post)

Banned from the Internet for Life? (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

One Gig - Home Internet May Get Even Faster in South Korea (NY Times)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Thousands Rally Under Capitol Dome in Olympia to Show Union Solidarity (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Cutoff Day Dooms Dozens of Measures in Washington Legislature (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Washington Governor Gregoire Vetoes Pay Cut, Data Center Hold (Olympian, WA)

Bills in Olympia Seek to Rein in Records ‘Fishing’ - Public agencies are begging the state Legislature to grant them relief from a seemingly unlikely culprit: the state Public Records Act (Seattle Times)

Washington Senate Panel Approves Bill to ‘Modernize’ Initiative Process (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Congressman David Wu Tells Good Morning America: I Have Regrets, Sought Mental Help (Oregonian, Portland)

GENERAL NEWS

Six Inches of Puget Sound Area Snow Possible (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Winter Storm Watch Issued for Parts of Region for Midweek Storm (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Four American Hostages, Two from Seattle, Killed by Pirates, US Says (Associated Press)

Washington Congressman in New Zealand at Time of Earthquake (KING-TV, Seattle)

Washington State Lands Commissioner Seeks to Raise Logging Fees (Seattle Times)

787 Dreamliner Teaches Boeing Costly Lesson on Outsourcing (Los Angeles Times, CA)

DIVERSIONS

Alice Cooper: The Original Shock Rocker

Sorry, America: Canada & Australia Have the Most Livable Cities in the World

Couple Names Baby after Resort Following Frantic, Early Delivery

Brits to Weigh Permanent Switch to Daylight Time (Associated Press)

SONG OF THE DAY

Alice Cooper - No More Mr. Nice Guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIe6rXmsUwk