Thursday, July 28, 2011

Energy News Digest for July 28, 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

Bonneville Power Administration to Raise Rates, Cowlitz PUD Could Follow Suit (Longview Daily News, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Price Hike to Increase Clallam County Consumer Energy Costs (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Power Upgrade Made Way for Facebook’s Second Prineville Data Center (Oregonian, Portland)

States Nervously Watch Debt-Ceiling Impasse (USA Today)

Olympic Peninsula Poised for Next, Big Quake? (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Bonneville Power Administration to Raise Rates, Cowlitz PUD Could Follow Suit
  • Bonneville Power Administration Price Hike to Increase Clallam County Consumer Energy Costs
  • Montana - PSC Finalizes Rate Increase of About 6% for MDU Electric Customers in E. Montana
  • Utah - Utility, Agencies Reach Initial Deal on Electric Rate Hikes
  • BPA Agrees to $3 Billion Settlement
  • Layoff Notices for Up to 1,200 Hanford Workers
  • Despite Troubled Past, Hydro Remains Dominant Renewable Energy Source in West
  • China’s Three Gorges Project: A Huge Dam with Big Troubles
  • China’s Farmers See Hope in Effort to Stem Soil Erosion Caused by Three Gorges Dam
  • Clark Public Utilities Adopts Rate Changes for Streetlights
  • Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for July 26, 2011
  • US Power Companies See Mixed Economic Picture
  • Steve Snyder to Retire as TransAlta CEO, COO Dawn Farrell to Succeed
  • House Backs Dem Plan on Endangered Species
  • Feds Launch New Plan to Conserve Sage Grouse Habitat
  • Idaho Fish & Game Meeting Draws Crowd of Wolf Foes
  • Are Grizzly Bears Back in Washington?
  • Baker River Fish Trap Broken: Has Delayed Transporting Sockeye to Baker Lake Fishery
  • Colville Tribes Freezing Part of Salmon Catch
  • Clallam County PUD Letter Seeks to Set Record Straight on Carlsborg Sewer
  • Tribal Canoe Journey & Science Connect in Salish Sea
  • Poll: Californians Favor More Alternative Energy
  • Op/Ed - Wind Questions Still Have No Answers
  • Florida - Energy Conservation Rules Rolled Back by Florida Regulators
  • Florida Power & Light Cuts Rates for Job Creators
  • Sequim Quality Inn Retains ENERGY STAR™ Award
  • Smart Meters Save Homeowners Energy
  • US & Europe Battle over Carbon Fees for Airlines
  • Going Green: Unlimited Hydroplanes to Switch to Bio-Fuels in 2012
  • South Carolina - BMW Looks to Hydrogen. Not For Car; for Factory
  • Put Down the Firewood! NY Cracks Down on Campers, Loggers in Bid to Stop Destructive Ash Borer
  • Power Upgrade Made Way for Facebook’s Second Prineville Data Center
  • Cable Companies to Give Clues on Internet Impact
  • Amazon Headcount Continues to Swell Via Acquisitions, Distribution Centers
  • Google Insider’s Account Sheds New Light on Internet Giant
  • Technology Group Urges Feds to Embrace Cloud
  • States Nervously Watch Debt-Ceiling Impasse
  • Research Desk: Will Congressmen Get Paid?
  • Olympic Peninsula Poised for Next, Big Quake?
  • ‘A Betrayal of Trust’: Former County Treasurer’s Cashier Stole Up to $793,595, Jury Finds
  • Microsoft Use of Low-Tax Havens Drives Down Tax Bill
  • Rural US Disappearing? Population Share Hits Low’
  • Group Tries to Kill Title IX in High School
  • “Like a Poodle on a Leash” Earth Shares Its Orbit with Tiny Asteroid
  • Longtime Mariners Vendor ‘Rick the Peanut Guy’ Dies

WORD OF THE DAY

Gallivant • \GALL-uh-vant\ • Verb - 1: to go about usually ostentatiously or indiscreetly with members of the opposite sex 2: to travel, roam, or move about for pleasure

The cobwebs of his misty daydream drifted away from the corners of his mind like a waning thunderstorm over a vast, waving field of Midwest wheat. Walter Mitty was being called back from his “Virginia Mayo” daydream by his hulking, matronly supervisor. “Gallivanting around the countryside with that blond strumpet again,” she bellowed into his ringing ear. “Get back to work, or you’ll be daydreaming about the unemployment line.” I he had known the true feelings of his boss, he probably would have preferred the jobless queue.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration to Raise Rates, Cowlitz PUD Could Follow Suit (Longview Daily News, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Price Hike to Increase Clallam County Consumer Energy Costs (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Montana - PSC Finalizes Rate Increase of About 6% for MDU Electric Customers in E. Montana (Billings Gazette, MT)

Utah - Utility, Agencies Reach Initial Deal on Electric Rate Hikes (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

BPA Agrees to $3 Billion Settlement (Oregon Public Radio - Guarantees Public Power Subsidies for Private Utilities; still waitin’ on that thank you note.)

Layoff Notices for Up to 1,200 Hanford Workers (Associated Press)

Despite Troubled Past, Hydro Remains Dominant Renewable Energy Source in West (New West)

China’s Three Gorges Project: A Huge Dam with Big Troubles (Christian Science Monitor)

China’s Farmers See Hope in Effort to Stem Soil Erosion Caused by Three Gorges Dam (Christian Science Monitor)

Clark Public Utilities Adopts Rate Changes for Streetlights (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for July 26, 2011 (Mason County PUD No. 3)

US Power Companies See Mixed Economic Picture (Reuters)

Steve Snyder to Retire as TransAlta CEO, COO Dawn Farrell to Succeed (Electric Light & Power)

FISH & WILDLIFE

House Backs Dem Plan on Endangered Species (Associated Press)

Feds Launch New Plan to Conserve Sage Grouse Habitat (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Idaho Fish & Game Meeting Draws Crowd of Wolf Foes (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Are Grizzly Bears Back in Washington? (KING-TV, Seattle)

Baker River Fish Trap Broken: Has Delayed Transporting Sockeye to Baker Lake Fishery (Seattle Times)

Colville Tribes Freezing Part of Salmon Catch (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Clallam County PUD Letter Seeks to Set Record Straight on Carlsborg Sewer (Sequim Gazette, WA)

Tribal Canoe Journey & Science Connect in Salish Sea (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Poll: Californians Favor More Alternative Energy (SF Chronicle)

Op/Ed - Wind Questions Still Have No Answers (Hermiston Herald, OR)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Florida - Energy Conservation Rules Rolled Back by Florida Regulators (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Florida Power & Light Cuts Rates for Job Creators (South Florida Business Journal)

Sequim Quality Inn Retains ENERGY STAR™ Award (Sequim Gazette, WA)

Smart Meters Save Homeowners Energy - While the rollout of smart meter technology in some areas has been controversial, a new survey suggests that the vast majority of customers are happy with the results (The Daily Green)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

US & Europe Battle over Carbon Fees for Airlines (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Going Green: Unlimited Hydroplanes to Switch to Bio-Fuels in 2012 (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

South Carolina - BMW Looks to Hydrogen. Not For Car; for Factory. (Christian Science Monitor)

Put Down the Firewood! NY Cracks Down on Campers, Loggers in Bid to Stop Destructive Ash Borer (Washington Post)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Power Upgrade Made Way for Facebook’s Second Prineville Data Center (Oregonian, Portland)

Cable Companies to Give Clues on Internet Impact - Are people really cancelling cable to watch TV & movies from the Internet instead? (Associated Press)

Amazon Headcount Continues to Swell Via Acquisitions, Distribution Centers (Techflash)

Google Insider’s Account Sheds New Light on Internet Giant (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Technology Group Urges Feds to Embrace Cloud (Bloomberg News)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

States Nervously Watch Debt-Ceiling Impasse (USA Today)

Research Desk: Will Congressmen Get Paid? (Washington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

Olympic Peninsula Poised for Next, Big Quake? (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

‘A Betrayal of Trust’: Former County Treasurer’s Cashier Stole Up to $793,595, Jury Finds (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Microsoft Use of Low-Tax Havens Drives Down Tax Bill (Reuters)

Rural US Disappearing? Population Share Hits Low’ (Seattle Times)

Group Tries to Kill Title IX in High School (Courthouse News Service)

“Like a Poodle on a Leash” Earth Shares Its Orbit with Tiny Asteroid (Associated Press)

Longtime Mariners Vendor ‘Rick the Peanut Guy’ Dies (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Man Found Inside Chimney Identified After 27 Years

White House ‘Rickrolls’ Twitter Followers?

Nanaimo Thrift Store Workers Find Big Pile of Cash Amid Books

Holy Molar! Madonna Sighted On a Bicuspid

SONG OF THE DAY

Chim Chim Cher-ee – Dick Van Dyke (Mary Poppins)