Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Energy News Digest for January 4, 2012


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

Governor’s Office Shies Away from Energy-Initiative Battle - Legislature May Not Give Up So Easily (Washington Wire)

Boeing Shuttering Wichita Plant, Sending Tanker Work Here (Seattle Times)

California Clean Air Rules Could ‘Wipe Out’ BC Hydro’s Export Revenue - Carbon cap-and-trade regulations will boost cost to B.C. consumers: economist (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Washington State Republicans Push to Oust Newly Appointed Wildlife Commissioner (Wenatchee World, WA)

Habitat for Humanity Goes Green & Saves New Residents Some Green (USA Today)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • California Clean Air Rules Could ‘Wipe Out’ BC Hydro’s Export Revenue
  • BC Hydro Cuts Costs by Giving Up Luxury Canucks’ Suite
  • Richland City Council Considers 5.1 Percent Electric Rate Increase
  • Idaho Solar Plant Gets Power Bill Reprieve, For Now
  • Privacy Alarm at ‘Smart’ Electric Meters
  • Tennessee Valley Authority Seeks Help Fighting Copper Theft
  • Ohio Quake Linked to Fracking Wastewater Well
  • Connecticut - State Utility Regulators Expected to Reverse Decision & Review Proposed Nu-Nstar Merger
  • North Carolina - Progress Energy & Duke Energy Plan New Merger Filing This Month
  • Washington State Republicans Push to Oust Newly Appointed Wildlife Commissioner
  • Idaho Family Claims Bonneville Power Damaged Wildlife Habitat with Access Road
  • California - Salmon Rebound in Sacramento Valley
  • 20 Tons of Herring Wash Up on Norway Coast
  • Northeast Oregon Snowpack Off to Sluggish Start
  • California - Sierra Snow Survey Finds Hardly Any
  • Last Sewer-Outflow Pollution Worth $1 Billion to Stop?
  • Governor’s Office Shies Away from Energy-Initiative Battle - Legislature May Not Give Up So Easily
  • Oregon Community Wind Finds Seattle Renewable Energy Credit Market
  • Franklin County Canal Hydroelectric Project near Mesa Gets Planners’ OK
  • Is Wind Power Holding Electricity Costs Down?
  • Who Will Pay for Renewable Energy?
  • Editorial - Excess Wind: Keep Those Subsidies Flowing
  • US Forest Service OKs 15-Turbine Vermont Wind Project
  • What’s Up with Google & Biomass Power?
  • Storehouses for Solar Energy Can Step In When the Sun Goes Down
  • Tidal Energy Turbine Set Up In the Sea
  • Habitat for Humanity Goes Green & Saves New Residents Some Green
  • Op/Ed - Snohomish PUD a Leader in Pacific Northwest Energy Efficiency
  • Edison Would’ve Loved New Light Bulb Law
  • Top Ten Winter Energy Saving Tips
  • Climate Change Means Regional Opportunity
  • Retreat of Glaciers Makes Some Climbs Tougher
  • Honda Hybrid Lawsuit: Are New Mileage Labels Misleading?
  • Ohio-Based Broadband Stimulus Projects Delayed by Fiber Cable Shortages
  • Teachers Resist High-Tech Push in Idaho Schools
  • Now Hovering Above Us All: ‘The Cloud’
  • Yahoo Names PayPal’s Thompson as CEO
  • Washington State Redistricting Puts Less of Kitsap in the 35th Legislative District
  • Boeing Shuttering Wichita Plant, Sending Tanker Work Here
  • End of Ethanol Subsidy Could Raise Gas Prices for 2012
  • Port Of Shelton Assigns Commissioner Duties
  • City of Port Angeles Finance Director Placed on Leave over Leave Payouts
  • Mistaken Calls to 9-1-1 on Rise across North Olympic Peninsula
WORD OF THE DAY

Echelon • \ESH-un-lawn\ • Noun - 1: a step like arrangement 2a: one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity b: the individuals at such a level

Nat was well known for his creative methods of avoiding the tough decisions. His trademark line “that’s above my pay-grade, I’ll pass it to the upper echelons,” had eventually been reduced to a well-worn piece of cardboard with the number “1” written in permanent marker. At the merest hint of impending responsibility it flipped up as if it were a hand fan in a blast furnace factory.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

California Clean Air Rules Could ‘Wipe Out’ BC Hydro’s Export Revenue - Carbon cap-and-trade regulations will boost cost to B.C. consumers: economist (Vancouver Sun, BC)

BC Hydro Cuts Costs by Giving Up Luxury Canucks’ Suite (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Richland City Council Considers 5.1 Percent Electric Rate Increase (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Idaho Solar Plant Gets Power Bill Reprieve, For Now (Associated Press)

Privacy Alarm at ‘Smart’ Electric Meters (Courthouse News Service)

Tennessee Valley Authority Seeks Help Fighting Copper Theft (Electric Co-op Today)

Ohio Quake Linked to Fracking Wastewater Well (USA Today)

Connecticut - State Utility Regulators Expected to Reverse Decision & Review Proposed Nu-Nstar Merger (Hartford Courant, CT)

North Carolina - Progress Energy & Duke Energy Plan New Merger Filing This Month (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Washington State Republicans Push to Oust Newly Appointed Wildlife Commissioner (Wenatchee World, WA)

Idaho Family Claims Bonneville Power Damaged Wildlife Habitat with Access Road (Courthouse News Service)

California - Salmon Rebound in Sacramento Valley (Sacramento Bee, CA)

20 Tons of Herring Wash Up on Norway Coast (Yahoo! News)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Northeast Oregon Snowpack Off to Sluggish Start (Baker City Herald, OR)

California - Sierra Snow Survey Finds Hardly Any (SF Chronicle)

Last Sewer-Outflow Pollution Worth $1 Billion to Stop? (Seattle Times)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Governor’s Office Shies Away from Energy-Initiative Battle - Legislature May Not Give Up So Easily (Washington Wire)

Oregon Community Wind Finds Seattle Renewable Energy Credit Market (Earth Techling)

Franklin County Canal Hydroelectric Project near Mesa Gets Planners’ OK (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Is Wind Power Holding Electricity Costs Down? (REVE)

Who Will Pay for Renewable Energy? “…the 2.2 cents per kilowatt-hour tax credit for wind projects makes it cost-efficient for its customers…renewables depend on public policy support to stay price-competitive…” (Energybiz Insider)

Editorial - Excess Wind: Keep Those Subsidies Flowing (Wenatchee World, WA)

US Forest Service OKs 15-Turbine Vermont Wind Project (Associated Press)

What’s Up with Google & Biomass Power? (GigaOM)

Storehouses for Solar Energy Can Step In When the Sun Goes Down (NY Times)


CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Habitat for Humanity Goes Green & Saves New Residents Some Green (USA Today)

Op/Ed - Snohomish PUD a Leader in Pacific Northwest Energy Efficiency (Everett Herald, WA)

Edison Would’ve Loved New Light Bulb Law (Cable News Network)

Top Ten Winter Energy Saving Tips (Province of Ontario)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Change Means Regional Opportunity (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Retreat of Glaciers Makes Some Climbs Tougher (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Honda Hybrid Lawsuit: Are New Mileage Labels Misleading? (Christian Science Monitor)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Ohio-Based Broadband Stimulus Projects Delayed by Fiber Cable Shortages (Fierce Telecom)

Teachers Resist High-Tech Push in Idaho Schools (NY Times)

Now Hovering Above Us All: ‘The Cloud’ (National Public Radio)

Yahoo Names PayPal’s Thompson as CEO (Reuters)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Redistricting Puts Less of Kitsap in the 35th Legislative District (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Boeing Shuttering Wichita Plant, Sending Tanker Work Here (Seattle Times)

End of Ethanol Subsidy Could Raise Gas Prices for 2012 (USA Today)

Port Of Shelton Assigns Commissioner Duties (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

City of Port Angeles Finance Director Placed on Leave over Leave Payouts (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Mistaken Calls to 9-1-1 on Rise across North Olympic Peninsula (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Cat Survives Two Euthanasia Attempts at Utah Shelter

Volkswagen Agrees to Curb Company E-Mail in Off Hours

Polish Art Student Hangs Own Painting in Museum

Is Frankincense Doomed? Trees that produce the substance are in serious decline due to over-harvesting & other environmental factors

SONG OF THE DAY

Apollo 100 - Joy