Thursday, July 14, 2011

Energy News Digest for July 14, 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

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

‘Clean Coal’ Demo Put on Hold for Lack of Climate Policy (Associated Press)

Data Centers May Double Umatilla Electric Power Rates - Customers would foot the bill for jump to large utility (East Oregonian, Pendleton)

Oregon’s Global Warming Commission Advocates Carbon Taxes (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Douglas PUD to Chip in for Fiber Connections (Wenatchee World, WA)

Port of Longview Seeks Investors for Solar Power Project (Longview Daily News, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Data Centers May Double Umatilla Electric Power Rates
  • A Dark Side to Inviting Data Centers to Your Community
  • ‘Clean Coal’ Demo Put on Hold for Lack of Climate Policy
  • Clark Public Utilities Receives JD Power & Associates Recognition for Electric Utilities Four Years in a Row
  • Clark Public Utilities Ranked Tops in West in Customer Satisfaction
  • Sacramento Municipal Utility District Second in Western Satisfaction Survey
  • City of Vancouver Sued over Bonneville Power Administration Stormwater Bills
  • Federal Agency Withdraws Plan for Montana, Idaho Power Line Route
  • Montana-Dakota Utilities Power Line Route Approved by North Dakota PSC
  • Path Appears Clear for Oil Pipeline from Canada
  • July 15 & 16 – Mason PUD 3 Online Bill Pay Unavailable During System & Security Upgrades
  • New York - If Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Closes, Plenty of Challenges
  • Tennessee Valley Authority Forced to Defend Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
  • Upper Columbia River Region Opens for Sockeye Fishing
  • Petitioners Oppose White River Salmon Rearing Pond Plan
  • Fishing for Dollars: Anglers Earn $1.2 Million for Pike Minnows
  • Port of Longview Seeks Investors for Solar Power Project
  • Oregon Wind Farms Seek End to Springtime Shutdowns
  • Wind Speeds Elevated Across the US in Second Quarter of 2011
  • Nebraska - The Big Potential of Small Scale Hydropower
  • Marysville Schools Get Rebate for Energy Conservation
  • Oregon’s Global Warming Commission Advocates Carbon Taxes
  • Climate Change to Guide Dam Plans, Managers Say
  • City of Seattle Spends More than $1M on Nissan Leaf Fleet
  • Manson Man Runs Pickup Truck on Apple Ethanol
  • Town Requires Filipino Couples to Plant Trees Before Marrying
  • Douglas PUD to Chip in for Fiber Connections
  • Emissions from Microsoft, Dell Data Centers’ Backup Generation Worry Residents
  • Fisher Plaza, Home to KOMO News, Up for Sale
  • Google+ Gains Members on Limited Invites
  • Let’s Talk About the Broadband-Cap Gap
  • FCC Plans to Crack Down on Phone Bill Mystery Fees
  • Wi-Fi–Hacking Neighbor from Hell Sentenced to 18 Years
  • Debt Ceiling: Moody’s Puts US on Notice
  • Costco, Kemper Freeman & SEIU Putting Money on Initiatives
  • Shelton’s Sanderson Field Hosts Landing of Boeing 737
  • Tolls, Tolls, Tolls: Western Washington Drivers Will Probably See More
  • California - Sierra Pacific Steps Up Sawmill Operations
  • Olympia Anarchist’s Rental Home Vandalized Amid Photo Controversy
  • Legislators Miss the Sonics, Want NBA Team for Seattle Area

WORD OF THE DAY

Chasten • \CHASE-sun\ • Verb - 1: to correct by punishment or suffering: discipline; also: purify 2a: to prune (as a work or style of art) of excess, pretense, or falsity: refine b: to cause to be more humble or restrained: subdue

Chastened for wrongs
Criminal seeks forgiveness
Past stands in the way

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Data Centers May Double Umatilla Electric Power Rates - Customers would foot the bill for jump to large utility (East Oregonian, Pendleton)

A Dark Side to Inviting Data Centers to Your Community (ZD Net News)

‘Clean Coal’ Demo Put on Hold for Lack of Climate Policy (Associated Press)

Clark Public Utilities Receives JD Power & Associates Recognition for Electric Utilities Four Years in a Row - Customer-owned Utility Ranked Highest in Class for Customer Satisfaction (Clark Public Utilities)

Clark Public Utilities Ranked Tops in West in Customer Satisfaction (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Second in Western Satisfaction Survey (Sacramento Bee, CA)

City of Vancouver Sued over Bonneville Power Administration Stormwater Bills - Feds say charges a tax, city maintains they’re legitimate fee (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Federal Agency Withdraws Plan for Montana, Idaho Power Line Route (Native American Times)

Montana-Dakota Utilities Power Line Route Approved by North Dakota PSC (Electric Light & Power)

Path Appears Clear for Oil Pipeline from Canada (Seattle Times)

July 15 & 16 – Mason PUD 3 Online Bill Pay Unavailable During System & Security Upgrades (Mason County PUD No. 3)

NUCLEAR SCIENCE READING ROOM

New York - If Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Closes, Plenty of Challenges “…experts are skeptical that new generators or transmission lines could be built…quickly in the New York …cumbersome regulatory environment…” (NY Times)

Tennessee Valley Authority Forced to Defend Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (Memphis Business Journal)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Upper Columbia River Region Opens for Sockeye Fishing “…the Columbia River sockeye return has surpassed preseason expectation…” (Seattle Times)

Petitioners Oppose White River Salmon Rearing Pond Plan - Conservationists say fish program will do damage to pristine waters (Wenatchee World, WA)

Fishing for Dollars: Anglers Earn $1.2 Million for Pike Minnows (South Lincoln County News, Waldport, OR)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Port of Longview Seeks Investors for Solar Power Project (Longview Daily News, WA)

Oregon Wind Farms Seek End to Springtime Shutdowns (Associated Press)

Wind Speeds Elevated Across the US in Second Quarter of 2011 (Renewable Energy World)

Nebraska - The Big Potential of Small Scale Hydropower (York News-Times, NE)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Marysville Schools Get Rebate for Energy Conservation (Everett Herald, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Oregon’s Global Warming Commission Advocates Carbon Taxes (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Climate Change to Guide Dam Plans, Managers Say (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

City of Seattle Spends More than $1M on Nissan Leaf Fleet (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Manson Man Runs Pickup Truck on Apple Ethanol (Seattle Times)

Town Requires Filipino Couples to Plant Trees Before Marrying (Gulf Times, United Arab Emirates)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Douglas PUD to Chip in for Fiber Connections (Wenatchee World, WA)

Emissions from Microsoft, Dell Data Centers’ Backup Generation Worry Residents (PC World)

Fisher Plaza, Home to KOMO News, Up for Sale (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Google+ Gains Members on Limited Invites (USA Today)

Let’s Talk About the Broadband-Cap Gap (GigaOM)

FCC Plans to Crack Down on Phone Bill Mystery Fees (Associated Press)

Wi-Fi–Hacking Neighbor from Hell Sentenced to 18 Years (Wired Magazine – Note some PG 13 content)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Debt Ceiling: Moody’s Puts US on Notice (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Costco, Kemper Freeman & SEIU Putting Money on Initiatives (Seattle Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton’s Sanderson Field Hosts Landing of Boeing 737 – Plan to be parted out by Aero Controls (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Tolls, Tolls, Tolls: Western Washington Drivers Will Probably See More (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

California - Sierra Pacific Steps Up Sawmill Operations (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Olympia Anarchist’s Rental Home Vandalized Amid Photo Controversy (Seattle Times)

Legislators Miss the Sonics, Want NBA Team for Seattle Area (Puget Sound Business Journal)

DIVERSIONS

Man Tests Law by Claiming to be a `Pastafarian’

Blind Dog Gets Its Own Guide Dog

Lucky Black Cat Survives 20-Story Plunge

Lawsuit: Chase Bank Declared Florida Woman Dead

SONG OF THE DAY

Dean Martin - That’s Amore