Friday, September 23, 2011

Energy News Digest for September 23, 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

Washington State Governor Gregoire Calls Special Session Seeking 23 Percent Budget Cut (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Washington Nuclear Power Plant Coming Back Online (Seattle Times)

Federal Bill Backs Disclosure of Pacific Northwest Salmon-Saving Costs (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

REC Silicon May Expand Moses Lake Factory Further – Grant County PUD’s Biggest Power User (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Brightwater Plant is Built to Save Energy in Addition to Treating Wastewater (Everett Herald, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • Washington Nuclear Power Plant Coming Back Online
  • Oregon - Backers of Coos Bay Liquefied Natural Gas Site to Apply for Federal Export License
  • Coal-Export Plans Turn Into a Running Battle
  • Oregon – City of Ashland Electric Rates to Rise 4%
  • Montana - Beartooth Co-Op Board Vote Could Affect Great Falls Power Plant
  • Vancouver Man Electrocuted at Job Site Identified
  • Sacramento Municipal Utility District Refinances to Save $70 Million
  • Mary Kunkle Appointed Grant PUD Treasurer
  • Op/Ed - Power Poles Take a Beating: Attaching posters, birdhouses, etc. is illegal, dangerous
  • Scale Model of Mothballed Satsop Nuclear Reactor Building May Get Restored
  • Threats to BC Hydro Wildly Exaggerated
  • Utilities Feel Pinched by Growing Home Foreclosures
  • US Senate Urged to Include New Commitment to Hydro in Jobs Legislation
  • Gas-Fired Power to Still Edge Out Coal despite Attack on EPA Rules: Panel
  • AT&T Offers Smart Meters with Pre-Paid Data Plans for Utilities
  • $1 Million - Peco Trimming Trees in Philadelphia
  • Federal Bill Backs Disclosure of Pacific Northwest Salmon-Saving Costs
  • Chelan PUD Meets Fish Survival Goals
  • Lower Deschutes River Continues an Amazing Fishing Season
  • Big King Salmon Return to Reign in Elwha
  • Environmental Group Says FEMA Policies in Puget Sound Harm Salmon
  • Environmental Impact Statement for Removal of Klamath Dams in Oregon, California Released
  • Removal of Four Klamath Dams Would Lift Salmon Count, Studies Find
  • King County Opening $1.8 Billion Sewage Treatment Plant
  • Brightwater Opens This Weekend, Costs Under Fire
  • Belfair Side Sewer Permits Available from Mason County
  • Legislative Audit Criticizes Puget Sound Partnership
  • Who’ll Catch the Rain? Rain Barrels Are Great, But Oregon’s Ready to Cease the Cistern
  • REC Silicon May Expand Moses Lake Factory Further – Grant County PUD’s Biggest Power User
  • Big Solar Project at TRAC in Pasco
  • SolarCity to Put Solar on 60 More California Wal-Mart Stores
  • First Solar Falls for Seventh Day After Loan Guarantee Failure
  • Lessons on Solyndra & Clean Energy Development
  • Lake Stevens High’s Solar Panel to Generate Power, Learning Opportunities
  • Bonneville Power Administration Catching Up on Wind Power Integration
  • Constellation to Test Biomass in Two California Power Plants
  • Brightwater Plant is Built to Save Energy in Addition to Treating Wastewater
  • Puget Sound Energy Electric Customers Hit the Energy-Saving Lottery
  • Clark County’s Free Heat Duct Inspection Expands
  • Flathead Electric Co-op Members Help Determine Best Ways to Reduce Energy Use & Costs
  • Why Saving Energy Use in Buildings Is Easier Said Than Done
  • US Energy Secretary Urges Countries to Make Faster Progress on Storing Carbon Dioxide
  • Do Economists All Favour a Carbon Tax?
  • Grant Aims to Take Region’s Clean Technology Global
  • Examining the Cost to Portlanders of the Oregon Sustainability Center
  • Biowalls, iPads, Sheep Vie in Solar Decathlon
  • Comcast to Raise Clark County Cable, Internet Rates in November
  • National Broadband Map Updated - Still Omits Real-World Speeds, Price
  • Clearwire Talking With AT&T, Verizon about Wireless Accord
  • Op/Ed - FCC Must Protect Consumer in Telecom Reforms
  • Feds: Trio Hacked Wi-Fi or Burglarized 50 Seattle-Area Firms
  • US Senators Question Google Over Favoring Its Own Services
  • Google+ is Open to the Public, But is Anyone Using It?
  • Washington State Governor Gregoire Calls Special Session Seeking 23 Percent Budget Cut
  • Washington State Cuts Cutting Board Over Costs
  • Port of Olympia Commissioner Davis Seeks 35th District Legislative Office
  • State-By-State: Benefits Available to State Legislators
  • Editorial - Sonntag Defender of Accessible Government
  • US Senator Cantwell: Hero in Book on Obama Heavies
  • Contract Ratified; Tacoma Teacher Strike Over
  • Meteorologists Get New Coastal Radar Dome, Just in Time for Fall
  • Mason County Commissioner Applicants Move Forward
  • Zoning Change Could Pave Way for Major New Belfair Development
  • Belfair Loses a Landmark as Crazy Eric’s Calls It Quits
  • Hundreds of Washington’s Bridges Tagged Structurally Deficient
  • Listing of Deficient Bridges by County
  • Seattle Safe from Dead Satellite Expected to Hit Earth
  • Centralia Newspaper Will Drop to Three Print Editions Per Week
  • Captain Clark’s Descendants Make Amends to Chinook Tribe


WORD OF THE DAY

Lagniappe • \LANN-yapp\ • Noun - A small gift given a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase; broadly: something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure

The hordes of “prize locusts” descended on the local utility’s county fair booth. The ferocity of the prize hunters was intensified by the popular hand fans that were being distributed wholesale in the 100 degree heat of the summer event. Some wit at the exit crafted an unexpected lagniappe for the attendees, a trick water bucket for unsuspecting fairgoers. It cooled them off…but also heated them up. Many were not amused.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Washington Nuclear Power Plant Coming Back Online (Seattle Times)

Oregon - Backers of Coos Bay Liquefied Natural Gas Site to Apply for Federal Export License (Oregonian, Portland)

Coal-Export Plans Turn Into a Running Battle (Crosscut Seattle)

Oregon – City of Ashland Electric Rates to Rise 4%: Council approves increase which kicks in Oct. 20 (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)

Montana - Beartooth Co-Op Board Vote Could Affect Great Falls Power Plant (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

Vancouver Man Electrocuted at Job Site Identified (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Refinances to Save $70 Million (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

Mary Kunkle Appointed Grant PUD Treasurer (Columbia Basin Herald, WA)

Op/Ed - Power Poles Take a Beating: Attaching posters, birdhouses, etc. is illegal, dangerous (Blue Mountain Eagle, Grant County, OR)

Scale Model of Mothballed Satsop Nuclear Reactor Building May Get Restored (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Threats to BC Hydro Wildly Exaggerated (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)


US Senate Urged to Include New Commitment to Hydro in Jobs Legislation (Water Power Magazine)

Gas-Fired Power to Still Edge Out Coal despite Attack on EPA Rules: Panel (Platts)

AT&T Offers Smart Meters with Pre-Paid Data Plans for Utilities (Electric Light & Power)

$1 Million - Peco Trimming Trees in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA – That’s it?)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Federal Bill Backs Disclosure of Pacific Northwest Salmon-Saving Costs (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Chelan PUD Meets Fish Survival Goals (Wenatchee World, WA)

Lower Deschutes River Continues an Amazing Fishing Season (Oregonian, Portland)

Big King Salmon Return to Reign in Elwha (Seattle Times)

Environmental Group Says FEMA Policies in Puget Sound Harm Salmon (Associated Press)


Removal of Four Klamath Dams Would Lift Salmon Count, Studies Find (Los Angeles Times, CA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

King County Opening $1.8 Billion Sewage Treatment Plant (Associated Press)

Brightwater Opens This Weekend, Costs Under Fire (Seattle Times)

Belfair Side Sewer Permits Available from Mason County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Legislative Audit Criticizes Puget Sound Partnership (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Who’ll Catch the Rain? Rain Barrels Are Great, But Oregon’s Ready to Cease the Cistern (Sightline Daily)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

REC Silicon May Expand Moses Lake Factory Further – Grant County PUD’s Biggest Power User (Puget Sound Business Journal)



First Solar Falls for Seventh Day After Loan Guarantee Failure (Bloomberg)

Lessons on Solyndra & Clean Energy Development (SF Chronicle)

Lake Stevens High’s Solar Panel to Generate Power, Learning Opportunities (Everett Herald, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Catching Up on Wind Power Integration (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Constellation to Test Biomass in Two California Power Plants (Brighter Energy)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY


Puget Sound Energy Electric Customers Hit the Energy-Saving Lottery (Market Watch)



Why Saving Energy Use in Buildings Is Easier Said Than Done (NY Times)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT


Do Economists All Favour a Carbon Tax? (Economist Magazine)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Grant Aims to Take Region’s Clean Technology Global (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Examining the Cost to Portlanders of the Oregon Sustainability Center (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Biowalls, iPads, Sheep Vie in Solar Decathlon (USA Today)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast to Raise Clark County Cable, Internet Rates in November (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

National Broadband Map Updated - Still Omits Real-World Speeds, Price (Broadband Reports)

Clearwire Talking With AT&T, Verizon about Wireless Accord (Bloomberg)

Op/Ed - FCC Must Protect Consumer in Telecom Reforms


US Senators Question Google Over Favoring Its Own Services (Bloomberg News)

Google+ is Open to the Public, But is Anyone Using It? (Christian Science Monitor)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Governor Gregoire Calls Special Session Seeking 23 Percent Budget Cut (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Washington State Cuts Cutting Board Over Costs (KING-TV, Seattle)

Port of Olympia Commissioner Davis Seeks 35th District Legislative Office (Olympian, WA)

State-By-State: Benefits Available to State Legislators (USA Today)

Editorial - Sonntag Defender of Accessible Government (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

US Senator Cantwell: Hero in Book on Obama Heavies (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

GENERAL NEWS

Contract Ratified; Tacoma Teacher Strike Over (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Meteorologists Get New Coastal Radar Dome, Just in Time for Fall (Seattle Times)

Mason County Commissioner Applicants Move Forward (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Zoning Change Could Pave Way for Major New Belfair Development (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Belfair Loses a Landmark as Crazy Eric’s Calls It Quits (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Hundreds of Washington’s Bridges Tagged Structurally Deficient (KING-TV, Seattle)

Listing of Deficient Bridges by County (WashPirg)

Seattle Safe from Dead Satellite Expected to Hit Earth (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Centralia Newspaper Will Drop to Three Print Editions Per Week (Longview Daily News, WA)

Captain Clark’s Descendants Make Amends to Chinook Tribe (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Spiders Are Out & Looking For Love

PETA Wants Parents to Rethink Taking Their Kids Fishing

$16 Muffins at a Justice Department Conference? Hilton Worldwide Says Not. Overall Price of $39,360

On This Day: Richard Nixon Delivers “Checkers Speech”

SONG OF THE DAY

Henry Mancini - Moon River (From “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”)