Monday, June 13, 2011

Energy News Digest for June 13, 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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THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Power Administration Power Exchange Plan Could Save Ratepayers $4 Billion Over 17 Years (Oregonian, Portland)

Bald Eagles’ Predation Decimates Columbia's Salmon-Eating Tern Colony; Cormorants Also Hit Hard (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Lake Aldwell behind Elwha Dam Begins Its Descent (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Sources Say Washington State Governor Gregoire Not Running For Reelection (Associated Press)

Mason County Candidate Filing Over; Lots Drawn (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Bonneville Power Administration Power Exchange Plan Could Save Ratepayers $4 Billion Over 17 Years
  • Full Rivers, Dams Create Abundance of Power
  • Solar Panels for Mason County PUD 3 Ops Center?
  • American Energy Experts Advocate Cascadia Supergrid for Energy Trading
  • White House Plugs for Cleaner, Info-Rich Smart Grid
  • WA State US Senator Maria Cantwell Flexes Muscles over Energy
  • Oregon Department of Justice Accidentally Releases Documents in Department of Energy Case That Judge Prohibited
  • Editorial: BC Hydro Needs More Flexibility in Planning for the Future
  • NRC Chief in Hot Seat for Scrapping Work on Dump
  • Report Blasts Management Style of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman
  • Wisconsin Recognizes Manitoba Hydro Power as a Renewable Source
  • Ohio - Copper Robbers (sic) Risk Lives, Cause Power Outages
  • Bald Eagles’ Predation Decimates Columbia's Salmon-Eating Tern Colony; Cormorants Also Hit Hard
  • Summer Chinook Run Expected to be Best Since 1980, Fishing Starts June 16; Summer Steelhead Moving
  • Legislators Reel in Victory against Sea Lions for Salmon, Fishermen
  • Lake Aldwell behind Elwha Dam Begins Its Descent
  • Op/Ed - Time for Solutions on the Lower Snake River
  • Scottish Salmon are Getting Smaller
  • Killing One Owl Species to Save Another
  • Removal of Olympia-Area Pilings Hasn't Hurt Bat Colony
  • Final Effort to Save Tiny Rabbits from Extinction
  • Geoduck Adventure Could Reach the Bright Lights of Hollywood
  • Activists Search for Tuna Boats Poaching Fish Off Libyan Coast
  • Oregon - Umatilla County to Review Another Draft of Wind Rules
  • Questionable Conclusions from Eagle Collisions with Old Wind Turbines
  • United Kingdom - Commodities: What Happens When the Wind Doesn't Blow?
  • California - Santa Clara's Utility Ranked No. 1 in US by Solar Power Group
  • Saudi Arabia to Become the Saudi Arabia of Solar Electricity
  • Op/Ed - Greenbacks for ‘Green’ Energy
  • Energy Storage: Essential but Elusive Solution for Alternative Fuels
  • Let There be Cheaper Light - With PUD Help, Snohomish Schools Seek to Cut Energy Costs
  • Is LEED the Gold Standard in Green?
  • Washington State University Announces Launch of Online Networking Community for Energy Efficiency Emerging Technology Professionals
  • Maine Yields $769,000 in Greenhouse Gas Auction, State Says
  • Australia - Carbon Price Exposes Costly Global Options
  • Despite Bloom Energy Deal, Utilities See Little Impact of Fuel Cells
  • In a War of Words, Makers of Plastic Bags Go to Court
  • Op/Ed – John Janney of Chelan PUD: Fiber Optics: This is Different
  • Verizon's Future Is In the Clouds
  • Sources Say Washington State Governor Gregoire Not Running For Reelection
  • Inslee Sounds like Candidate at Local Fundraiser
  • Many State Legislators Lack College Degrees
  • Washington State Legislature Average in College Grads, Low in Lawyers
  • Auditor Sonntag's Fights for Accountability Irk Fellow Democrats
  • Machiavelli Is Misunderstood, New Biography Says
  • Mason County Candidate Filing Over; Lots Drawn
  • Scholarship Awarded to Students, Then Promptly Yanked
  • Suspected Central Washington State Metal Thieves Apprehended
  • Washington State Tribes Allowed to Issue Exempt License Plates for Their Vehicles
  • 'Sovereigns' Gaining Attention in Washington State
  • New Olympic National Park Quarter to Launch
  • Will the Last Family Leaving Seattle Please Turn Out the Lights?

WORD OF THE DAY

Cassandra • \kuh-SAND-druh\ • Noun - 1:a daughter of Priam endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated never to be believed 2: one that predicts misfortune or disaster

Castor, the safety testing laboratory’s futurist, was also considered a Cassandra by most of his colleagues. In fact, the “cry wolf” syndrome was ultimately put to rest one sunny, muggy day in July, when Castor told his boss that within 30 seconds he would be hit by an out of control collision test car. “Ha, Ha, that’s a good one Cast---------“

The end.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Power Exchange Plan Could Save Ratepayers $4 Billion Over 17 Years (Oregonian, Portland)

Full Rivers, Dams Create Abundance of Power - The high flows are making more electricity than consumers can use (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

Solar Panels for Mason County PUD 3 Ops Center? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

American Energy Experts Advocate Cascadia Supergrid for Energy Trading (Vancouver Observer, BC)

White House Plugs for Cleaner, Info-Rich Smart Grid (CNET News)

WA State US Senator Maria Cantwell Flexes Muscles over Energy (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Oregon Department of Justice Accidentally Releases Documents in Department of Energy Case That Judge Prohibited (Oregonian, Portland)

Editorial: BC Hydro Needs More Flexibility in Planning for the Future (Edmonton Journal, Alberta)

NRC Chief in Hot Seat for Scrapping Work on Dump (Associated Press)

Report Blasts Management Style of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman (NY Times)

Wisconsin Recognizes Manitoba Hydro Power as a Renewable Source (Winnipeg Free Press, Manitoba)

Ohio - Copper Robbers (sic) Risk Lives, Cause Power Outages (Canton Repository, OH)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Bald Eagles’ Predation Decimates Columbia's Salmon-Eating Tern Colony; Cormorants Also Hit Hard (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Summer Chinook Run Expected to be Best Since 1980, Fishing Starts June 16; Summer Steelhead Moving (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Legislators Reel in Victory against Sea Lions for Salmon, Fishermen (Oregonian, Portland)

Lake Aldwell behind Elwha Dam Begins Its Descent (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Op/Ed - Time for Solutions on the Lower Snake River (American Rivers – see http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/06/09/09greenwire-american-rivers-ceo-is-nominated-for-interior-79219.html in Friday’s news digest for context)

Scottish Salmon are Getting Smaller - Fishermen may have landed a record haul of salmon last year, but the "King of fish" are becoming lighter and smaller because of climate change, according to new research (The Telegraph, UK)

Killing One Owl Species to Save Another (National Public Radio)

Removal of Olympia-Area Pilings Hasn't Hurt Bat Colony - Maternal Woodard Bay fliers appear healthy, if late (Olympian, WA)

Final Effort to Save Tiny Rabbits from Extinction (Associated Press)

Geoduck Adventure Could Reach the Bright Lights of Hollywood (Seattle Times)

Activists Search for Tuna Boats Poaching Fish Off Libyan Coast (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon - Umatilla County to Review Another Draft of Wind Rules (East Oregonian, Pendleton)

Questionable Conclusions from Eagle Collisions with Old Wind Turbines (REVE)

United Kingdom - Commodities: What Happens When the Wind Doesn't Blow? (The Telegraph, UK)

California - Santa Clara's Utility Ranked No. 1 in US by Solar Power Group (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Saudi Arabia to Become the Saudi Arabia of Solar Electricity (Renewable Energy World)

Op/Ed - Greenbacks for ‘Green’ Energy - Lucrative subsidies for renewables amount to crony capitalism (Washington Times, DC)

Energy Storage: Essential but Elusive Solution for Alternative Fuels (CNBC)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Let There be Cheaper Light - With PUD Help, Snohomish Schools Seek to Cut Energy Costs (Everett Herald, WA)

Is LEED the Gold Standard in Green? A lawsuit challenges the claims of the nation’s foremost green building effort — the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (Miller-McCune)

Washington State University Announces Launch of Online Networking Community for Energy Efficiency Emerging Technology Professionals (SF Chronicle)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Maine Yields $769,000 in Greenhouse Gas Auction, State Says (Associated Press)

Australia - Carbon Price Exposes Costly Global Options (The West Australian)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Despite Bloom Energy Deal, Utilities See Little Impact of Fuel Cells (GigaOM)

In a War of Words, Makers of Plastic Bags Go to Court (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Op/Ed – John Janney of Chelan PUD: Fiber Optics: This is Different (Wenatchee World, WA)

Verizon's Future Is In the Clouds (CNN Money)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Sources Say Washington State Governor Gregoire Not Running For Reelection (Associated Press)

Inslee Sounds like Candidate at Local Fundraiser - Many believe he, McKenna will face off in governor race (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Many State Legislators Lack College Degrees (NY Times)

Washington State Legislature Average in College Grads, Low in Lawyers (Seattle Times)

Auditor Sonntag's Fights for Accountability Irk Fellow Democrats (Crosscut Seattle)

Machiavelli Is Misunderstood, New Biography Says (USA Today)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Candidate Filing Over; Lots Drawn (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Scholarship Awarded to Students, Then Promptly Yanked (KING-TV, Seattle)

Suspected Central Washington State Metal Thieves Apprehended (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Washington State Tribes Allowed to Issue Exempt License Plates for Their Vehicles (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

'Sovereigns' Gaining Attention in Washington State (Seattle Times)

New Olympic National Park Quarter to Launch (Associated Press)

Will the Last Family Leaving Seattle Please Turn Out the Lights? Married couples with children…now make up only 13% of Seattle households (Crosscut Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Missing Cat Lived In Home Depot for Months

Volcanic Eruption Could Lead to ‘Complete Collapse of Civilization’: Scientist

Customers Kicked Out as Marie Callender's Shuts Down

Future Norwegian Diplomats Get Black Metal Crash Course

SONG OF THE DAY

Arlo Guthrie - Alice's Restaurant Part 1