Monday, August 29, 2011

Energy News Digest for August 29, 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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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Energy Northwest: Draft Study Finds No License Extension Concerns for Nuclear Power Plant (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Corps of Engineers to Build Island in Oregon’s Malheur Lake to Lure Salmon-Eating Caspian Terns Away from The Columbia River (Oregonian, Portland)

Issue of Vancouver, Washington Biomass Plant Will Get a Public Hearing (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Oregon - Morrow County Decides Against Enforcing State Noise Requirements on Willow Creek Wind Project (Oregonian, Portland)

California Panel Reaffirms Carbon Trading Program (Los Angeles Times, CA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Energy Northwest: Draft Study Finds No License Extension Concerns for Nuclear Power Plant
  • Wind-Vs-Water Dispute Heads to Federal Court
  • Oregon - Vandals Blamed for South Willamette Valley Power Outage
  • Washington State Gathering Comments on Wells Dam Water Quality
  • Federal Grant Aids Salish-Kootenai Tribes in Preparing to Acquire Flathead River’s Kerr Dam
  • Colorado - Boulder Learning from Portland's Attempt at Municipalization
  • Grant County PUD Customers Testify Against Rate Increases
  • Avista Agrees To Settlement of Idaho Rate Increase Request
  • Clean Energy Future of Oregon Depends on Conservation, Renewables & Smart Grid, Says Report
  • Mason County PUD 3 to Conduct Tree Trimming on Tahuya River Drive
  • Man Electrocuted Trying to Save New York Child
  • Ohio Landlord Pleads No Contest in Four Tenant Deaths
  • Nuclear Power Plants for Settlements on the Moon & Mars
  • Corps of Engineers to Build Island in Oregon’s Malheur Lake to Lure Salmon-Eating Caspian Terns Away from The Columbia River
  • Killing Sea Lions to Save Salmon, Again
  • Concerns Raised Over Hood Canal’s Tarboo Creek Salmon
  • Editorial - A Salmon Stream Worth Protecting
  • Elwha Dam Removal Celebration Plans Swinging Into Place
  • Elwha River Hatchery to Hurt Recovery, Critics Say
  • Editorial - Punching Holes in the Concrete: The Northwest is about to witness the largest dam removals in US history
  • Op/Ed - Long-Awaited Recovery Plan: Restoring Salmon & Steelhead in the Willamette
  • Hells Canyon to be Loaded with Fall Chinook Hatchery Surplus; Bag Limit Six Daily, None On Jacks
  • British Columbia Whalewatchers Attack Starvation Claim
  • Efforts to Clean Up Puget Sound Get a New Push
  • Seattle Ratepayers Will Foot $500K Bill to Remove $1.8M Rain Gardens That Didn't Work
  • Oregon Begins Allowing Graywater Irrigation in 2012
  • Issue of Vancouver, Washington Biomass Plant Will Get a Public Hearing
  • Oregon - Morrow County Decides Against Enforcing State Noise Requirements on Willow Creek Wind Project
  • California - Altamont Pass Wind Farm Gets Major Upgrade
  • Wind Farms Under Fire for Bird Kills
  • Texas Wind Energy Fails, Again
  • Regs Run Amok: SMUD's 'Solar Highways' Face Many Regulatory Speed Bumps
  • Renewable Energy Corporation to Continue Shutdown of Norwegian Manufacturing Plants
  • Down on the Farm: Nuts to Renewable Energy
  • Energy Concerns Up Front as Obama Seeks Closer Relationship with Tribes
  • Grants Turn on New Light Bulbs in North Central Washington School Districts
  • How Much Money Can New Lighting Save Your Business?
  • News Release - Idaho Falls Power Selects Elster for AMI Smart Grid Project
  • Residents Cut Energy Bills 11% in Smart Meter Test
  • Strange Bedfellows Back Bill Using Mortgages to Spur Energy Retrofits
  • California Panel Reaffirms Carbon Trading Program
  • Carbon Capture, Without the Coal
  • Seattle Among First to Try Capturing Sewer Pipe Heat for Buildings
  • Sewage-Powered Hydrogen Fueling Station Opens in California
  • Ultra-Green Office Building Breaking Ground
  • Grant County - iFiber Builds New Studio for Channel 1
  • Verizon Touts $94M Washington State Investment in 2011
  • Diversity Lacking In Washington State Government, Analysis Finds
  • Hurricane Irene Damage Could Reach Billions
  • NOAA Weather Satellites Are in Jeopardy
  • Prisons Ask Facebook to Disable Inmate Accounts

WORD OF THE DAY

Potentate • \POTE-tun-tate\ • Noun - Ruler, sovereign; broadly: one who wields great power or sway

“Now THIS is the crown of kings,” crowed the vain potentate after the huge, 150 pound, jewel encrusted coronet was lowered carefully over his brow. “Nod yes if you like it, milord,” whispered the goldsmith into the imperial ear. One nod was all it took to end the short reign of “Oswald the Pencil Neck.” (Some Foley artists would say that twisting fresh celery would give the appropriate sound effect. Others would opt for snapping dry bamboo.)

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Energy Northwest: Draft Study Finds No License Extension Concerns for Nuclear Power Plant (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Wind-Vs-Water Dispute Heads to Federal Court (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Oregon - Vandals Blamed for South Willamette Valley Power Outage (Associated Press)

Washington State Gathering Comments on Wells Dam Water Quality (Wenatchee World, WA)

Federal Grant Aids Salish-Kootenai Tribes in Preparing to Acquire Flathead River’s Kerr Dam (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Colorado - Boulder Learning from Portland's Attempt at Municipalization: Oregon city offers lessons on energy through failed bid to municipalize (Boulder Daily Camera, CO)

Grant County PUD Customers Testify Against Rate Increases (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Avista Agrees To Settlement of Idaho Rate Increase Request (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Clean Energy Future of Oregon Depends on Conservation, Renewables & Smart Grid, Says Report (Oregonian, Portland)

Mason County PUD 3 to Conduct Tree Trimming on Tahuya River Drive - Project Begins August 29th. (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Man Electrocuted Trying to Save New York Child (Associated Press)

Ohio Landlord Pleads No Contest in Four Tenant Deaths - Overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from a generator…in a rental home that didn't have heat or electricity (Associated Press)

Nuclear Power Plants for Settlements on the Moon & Mars (ZD Net)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Corps of Engineers to Build Island in Oregon’s Malheur Lake to Lure Salmon-Eating Caspian Terns Away from The Columbia River (Oregonian, Portland)

Killing Sea Lions to Save Salmon, Again (NY Times)

Concerns Raised Over Hood Canal’s Tarboo Creek Salmon (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Editorial - A Salmon Stream Worth Protecting (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Elwha Dam Removal Celebration Plans Swinging Into Place (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Elwha River Hatchery to Hurt Recovery, Critics Say (Seattle Times)

Editorial - Punching Holes in the Concrete: The Northwest is about to witness the largest dam removals in US history (Oregonian, Portland)

Op/Ed - Long-Awaited Recovery Plan: Restoring Salmon & Steelhead in the Willamette (Oregonian, Portland)

Hells Canyon to be Loaded with Fall Chinook Hatchery Surplus; Bag Limit Six Daily, None On Jacks (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

British Columbia Whalewatchers Attack Starvation Claim (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Efforts to Clean Up Puget Sound Get a New Push (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Seattle Ratepayers Will Foot $500K Bill to Remove $1.8M Rain Gardens That Didn't Work (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Oregon Begins Allowing Graywater Irrigation in 2012 (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110826/UPDATE/110826004/1001

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Issue of Vancouver, Washington Biomass Plant Will Get a Public Hearing (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Oregon - Morrow County Decides Against Enforcing State Noise Requirements on Willow Creek Wind Project (Oregonian, Portland)

California - Altamont Pass Wind Farm Gets Major Upgrade (Santa Cruz Sentinel, CA)

Wind Farms Under Fire for Bird Kills (Washington Post)

Texas Wind Energy Fails, Again (National Review Online)

Regs Run Amok: SMUD's 'Solar Highways' Face Many Regulatory Speed Bumps (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Renewable Energy Corporation to Continue Shutdown of Norwegian Manufacturing Plants through End of 2011 _...silicon production in the US…would continue to run at full capacity…” (PV Tech)

Down on the Farm: Nuts to Renewable Energy (KQED Radio, San Francisco, CA)

Energy Concerns Up Front as Obama Seeks Closer Relationship with Tribes (NY Times)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Grants Turn on New Light Bulbs in North Central Washington School Districts (Wenatchee World, WA)

How Much Money Can New Lighting Save Your Business? (Renewable Energy World)

News Release - Idaho Falls Power Selects Elster for AMI Smart Grid Project

Residents Cut Energy Bills 11% in Smart Meter Test (PC World)

Strange Bedfellows Back Bill Using Mortgages to Spur Energy Retrofits (NY Times)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Panel Reaffirms Carbon Trading Program (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Carbon Capture, Without the Coal (Midwest Energy News)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Seattle Among First to Try Capturing Sewer Pipe Heat for Buildings (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Sewage-Powered Hydrogen Fueling Station Opens in California (PC World)

Ultra-Green Office Building Breaking Ground (Seattle Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Grant County - iFiber Builds New Studio for Channel 1 (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Verizon Touts $94M Washington State Investment in 2011 (Puget Sound Business Journal)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Diversity Lacking In Washington State Government, Analysis Finds (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Hurricane Irene Damage Could Reach Billions (Associated Press)

NOAA Weather Satellites Are in Jeopardy - Critical Satellite to Hurricane Forecasts to Die in 2016 (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Prisons Ask Facebook to Disable Inmate Accounts (KING-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Hoquiam Rite Aid Greets First Shoplifter During Grand Opening

Slippery Thieves Net Trout Catch in Hatchery Heist

Man Accused Of Stuffing Snakes In Shorts

Buy $1M Engagement Ring From Costco?

SONG OF THE DAY

Gary Lewis & the Playboys - This Diamond Ring