Monday, September 19, 2011

Energy News Digest for September 19, 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

Controversy Brewing in British Columbia over Renewal of International Columbia River Water Deal (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Wild-Fish Advocates Plan to Sue over Elwha Hatchery (Seattle Times, WA)

Siemens Quitting Nuclear Energy Business (Associated Press)

US Interior Secretary Salazar Offers Support for Yakima Basin Water Projects (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Washington State Casualty Toll Grows in Reno Air Crash (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Controversy Brewing in British Columbia over Renewal of International Columbia River Water Deal
  • Siemens Quitting Nuclear Energy Business
  • New High-Voltage Transmission Line Brings Jobs to the Northwest & Reinforces BPA System
  • Electrician Survives Contact with 4,000 Volts
  • Idaho Power’s New Gas-Fired Electricity Plant on Track for Completion Next Year
  • NW Power & Conservation Council Seeks Comments on Draft ‘State of the Columbia Basin’ Report
  • So Much for Energy Independence as the US Stumbles Toward the Export of Natural Gas
  • Op/Ed – Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Power Cutbacks to Cost Jobs
  • Wild-Fish Advocates Plan to Sue over Elwha Hatchery
  • As Elwha River Dams Come Down, Researchers Stand by to Witness River’s Restoration
  • Even Bureau of Reclamation Celebrates Removal of Two Washington Dams
  • Op/Ed - The Elwha Offers Model of Collaboration & Shrewd Investment
  • Elwha River Dams’ Demise Draws School of Dignitaries, Enthusiasts
  • White Salmon River in Washington State Gets a Cleanup Before Condit Dam is Removed
  • Salmon Moved to Native Waters Before Condit Dam is Breached
  • Idaho - Sawtooth Sockeye Wrap Up: Second-Best Run Since the 1950s
  • Idaho Power Begins Operations To Get Ready For Fall Chinook Spawners In Hells Canyon
  • NOAA To Reconvene Sea Lion Removal Task Force: ‘We Must Address’ All Causes of Salmon Decline
  • US Interior Secretary Salazar Offers Support for Yakima Basin Water Projects
  • Wahkiakum County to Present Arguments for the Ban of Septic Sludge Fertilizer
  • Oregon - Study Looks at Heating Some Baker City Public Buildings with Biomass
  • Montana - Landfill Energy Plant Output Increased
  • Oregon Gets Serious About Wave Energy
  • Wyoming - Solar Energy Powers Casper Nonprofit
  • Wisconsin Oks Permits for Proposed Biomass Plant
  • New York - Wind Farm Project Runs Out of Air
  • Renewable Energy Corporation Terminates Long-Term Wafer Sales Contract with Unnamed Customer
  • United Kingdom - Green Firm’s Fatal Flaw: ‘Blades Liable to Fly Off Our Turbines’
  • Computing Trends Are Reducing Electricity Demand
  • Save a Buck Pull the Plug on Energy Waste
  • Washington State Joins Justice Case against T-Mobile - AT&T Merger
  • Netflix Separates Its DVD, Streaming Businesses
  • Tribal Gas Tax Lawsuit Headed to Washington State Supreme Court
  • Washington State Casualty Toll Grows in Reno Air Crash
  • Tacoma teachers strike keeps schools closed Monday
  • Washington State Pushes Homeowners to Prepare for Wildfires
  • Clearer Views of the Clouds - Weather Service Upgrades Its Regional Radar Technology
  • There Are Killer Bees in the Pacific Northwest?
WORD OF THE DAY

Bioturbation - /ih-NORM uh-tee/ - Noun - The restructuring of sedimentary deposits (as in a lake bottom or seabed) by moving organisms (as worms and burrowing clams)

Bioturbation
Clams and worms love to do it
Dig-Dug arcade game

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Controversy Brewing in British Columbia over Renewal of International Columbia River Water Deal (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Siemens Quitting Nuclear Energy Business (Associated Press)

New High-Voltage Transmission Line Brings Jobs to the Northwest & Reinforces BPA System (Bonneville Power Administration)

Electrician Survives Contact with 4,000 Volts (KING TV, Seattle, WA)

Idaho Power’s New Gas-Fired Electricity Plant on Track for Completion Next Year (Idaho Press-Tribune, Nampa, ID)

NW Power & Conservation Council Seeks Comments on Draft ‘State of the Columbia Basin’ Report (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

So Much for Energy Independence as the US Stumbles Toward the Export of Natural Gas (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Op/Ed – Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Power Cutbacks to Cost Jobs (Knoxville News Sentinel, TN)

ELWHA RIVER REVELATIONS

Wild-Fish Advocates Plan to Sue over Elwha Hatchery (Seattle Times, WA)

As Elwha River Dams Come Down, Researchers Stand by to Witness River’s Restoration (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Even Bureau of Reclamation Celebrates Removal of Two Washington Dams “…Dam removal is not the best option everywhere…but it’s the best option here.” (Idaho Statesman, Boise ID)

Op/Ed - The Elwha Offers Model of Collaboration & Shrewd Investment

Elwha River Dams’ Demise Draws School of Dignitaries, Enthusiasts (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

White Salmon River in Washington State Gets a Cleanup Before Condit Dam is Removed (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Salmon Moved to Native Waters Before Condit Dam is Breached (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Idaho - Sawtooth Sockeye Wrap Up: Second-Best Run Since the 1950s (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

Idaho Power Begins Operations To Get Ready For Fall Chinook Spawners In Hells Canyon (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

NOAA To Reconvene Sea Lion Removal Task Force: ‘We Must Address’ All Causes of Salmon Decline (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

US Interior Secretary Salazar Offers Support for Yakima Basin Water Projects (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Wahkiakum County to Present Arguments for the Ban of Septic Sludge Fertilizer (Longview Daily News, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon - Study Looks at Heating Some Baker City Public Buildings with Biomass (Baker City Herald, OR)

Montana - Landfill Energy Plant Output Increased (Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)

Oregon Gets Serious About Wave Energy (TG Daily)

Wyoming - Solar Energy Powers Casper Nonprofit (Casper Tribune, WY)

Wisconsin Oks Permits for Proposed Biomass Plant (Green Bay Press-Gazette, WI)

New York - Wind Farm Project Runs Out of Air (Buffalo News, NY)

Renewable Energy Corporation Terminates Long-Term Wafer Sales Contract with Unnamed Customer (PV Tech)

United Kingdom - Green Firm’s Fatal Flaw: ‘Blades Liable to Fly Off Our Turbines’ (The Scotsman, UK)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Computing Trends Are Reducing Electricity Demand (Seeking Alpha)

Save a Buck Pull the Plug on Energy Waste (Everett Herald)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State Joins Justice Case against T-Mobile - AT&T Merger (NW Cable News)

Netflix Separates Its DVD, Streaming Businesses (SF Chronicle, CA)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Tribal Gas Tax Lawsuit Headed to Washington State Supreme Court (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Casualty Toll Grows in Reno Air Crash (Associated Press)

Tacoma teachers strike keeps schools closed Monday (KING-TV, Seattle)

Washington State Pushes Homeowners to Prepare for Wildfires (Associated Press)

Clearer Views of the Clouds - Weather Service Upgrades Its Regional Radar Technology (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

There Are Killer Bees in the Pacific Northwest? (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Referees’ Blue Flags Called ‘Sexist’ After Pink Whistle Flap

Female Football Player Is a Pioneer in Vancouver

Dead Bat in Olympia Store’s Halloween Section Was Rabid

The White House Brews Its Own Beer

SONG OF THE DAY

The Jam - Batman Theme