Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Energy News Digest for January 10, 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

Dismal December One of Pacific Northwest’s Driest in Recent History (Wenatchee World, WA)

Public Hearing Coming on Grant PUD’s White River Fish Project (Wenatchee World, WA)

Copper Theft, Technical Glitch Result in Avista Outages in Coeur d’Alene (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Oregon Health Division Validates Some Concerns about Wind Farm Noise (Oregonian, Portland)

Bulk of Tsunami Debris from Japan Expected in 2013 - Multiple Fields of Wreckage Reported in Pacific Ocean (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Copper Theft, Technical Glitch Result in Avista Outages in Coeur d’Alene
  • Hoku Corp. Subsidiary Files Formal Complaint with Idaho PUC over Electricity Dispute
  • Southern Montana Co-op Members Rage Against Bankruptcy Attorney
  • California - State Regulators Want to Make Safety Key to Setting Utility Rates
  • Hoquiam Man Saves Five from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
  • Alcoa Posts Loss on Fewer Orders & Lower Prices
  • Czech Grid Operator Says German Renewable Power Flow Overloaded Network
  • Public Hearing Coming on Grant PUD’s White River Fish Project
  • Steelhead Season Shortened on Washington State’s Rivers
  • Northwest Coho Draft Recovery Plan Available
  • Giant Norwegian Fish Farm Company Sues BC-Based Activist for Defamation
  • Canadian Fish Farm Proposal Gets $800,000 Boost from Federal Government
  • Dismal December One of Pacific Northwest’s Driest in Recent History
  • Ski Lodge May Get to Turn Sewage into Snow
  • Oregon Health Division Validates Some Concerns about Wind Farm Noise
  • SolarWorld Turns Hillsboro Plant into Solar Showcase
  • California on Target to Early RPS Goals
  • Vermont - Critic Says Utilities Sell Renewable Energy Credits Out of State, Double Count Value of “Green” Electricity
  • Biomass & Electricity, Part 2
  • Electronic Atlas Maps US Renewable Energy Resources
  • United Kingdom - Wind Farm to be Built at Site of Decisive English Civil War Battle
  • Germany’s Solar Identity Crisis
  • US Beats Expectations Saving Energy
  • An Energy-Saving Socket Concept That’s Not for the Easily Startled
  • Songbirds as a Casualty of Warming
  • A Fine for Not Using a Biofuel That Doesn’t Exist
  • Wave Cable Buying Broadstripe in Port Townsend (
  • Amazon Plans Major Tennessee Expansion
  • New Flood of Domain Names May Swamp Verisign
  • Tech Gets Its Day in Congress as Online Piracy Fight Continues
  • Opponent of Same-Sex Marriage Files Initiative
  • Tacoma Human Rights Director Spends $14,000 in Office Remodel
  • Bulk of Tsunami Debris from Japan Expected in 2013 - Multiple Fields of Wreckage Reported in Pacific Ocean
  • La Center Boy Who Collapsed at Basketball Practice Dies
  • Washington State Supreme Court to Hear Case on Wenatchee Arena Debt
  • Olympia Teen Sentenced for Skimming Credit Card Information
  • E-Payments Rapidly Phasing Out Paper Checks as an Option
WORD OF THE DAY

Capuchin • \KAPP-yuh-shun\ • Noun – 1: capitalized: a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin forming since 1529 an austere branch of the first order of St. Francis of Assisi engaged in missionary work and preaching 2: a hooded cloak for women 3: any of a genus (Cebus) of South and Central American monkeys; especially: one (C. capucinus) with the hair on its crown resembling a monk’s cowl

The hurdy gurdy man was starting to regret the cappuccino treat for his normally well-mannered capuchin monkey. Coins meant for his sustenance flew into the air like popcorn as soon as they were dropped in the monkey’s tin cup…not to mention the jittery chattering of the jazzed up little critter.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Copper Theft, Technical Glitch Result in Avista Outages in Coeur d’Alene (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Hoku Corp. Subsidiary Files Formal Complaint with Idaho PUC over Electricity Dispute (Pacific Business Journal, HI)

Southern Montana Co-op Members Rage Against Bankruptcy Attorney (Wall Street Journal)

California - State Regulators Want to Make Safety Key to Setting Utility Rates (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Hoquiam Man Saves Five from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (KING-TV, Seattle)

Alcoa Posts Loss on Fewer Orders & Lower Prices (Associated Press)

Czech Grid Operator Says German Renewable Power Flow Overloaded Network “…The near-emergency situation in the network was mainly caused by excessive power output from German wind farms on windy days…” (Bloomberg Businessweek)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Public Hearing Coming on Grant PUD’s White River Fish Project (Wenatchee World, WA)

Steelhead Season Shortened on Washington State’s Rivers (KING-TV, Seattle)

Northwest Coho Draft Recovery Plan Available (Courthouse News Service)

Giant Norwegian Fish Farm Company Sues BC-Based Activist for Defamation (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Canadian Fish Farm Proposal Gets $800,000 Boost from Federal Government (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Dismal December One of Pacific Northwest’s Driest in Recent History (Wenatchee World, WA)

Ski Lodge May Get to Turn Sewage into Snow (Courthouse News Service)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Health Division Validates Some Concerns about Wind Farm Noise (Oregonian, Portland)

SolarWorld Turns Hillsboro Plant into Solar Showcase (Sustainable Business Oregon)

California on Target to Early RPS Goals (EnergyBiz Insider)

Vermont - Critic Says Utilities Sell Renewable Energy Credits Out of State, Double Count Value of “Green” Electricity (Vermont Digger)

Biomass & Electricity, Part 2 (NY Times)

Electronic Atlas Maps US Renewable Energy Resources – Wow! Lots of Renewable Hydropower in the Pacific Northwest! (Environmental Expert)

United Kingdom - Wind Farm to be Built at Site of Decisive English Civil War Battle (The Telegraph, UK)

Germany’s Solar Identity Crisis (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

US Beats Expectations Saving Energy (Renewable Energy World)

An Energy-Saving Socket Concept That’s Not for the Easily Startled (Mother Nature Network)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Songbirds as a Casualty of Warming (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

A Fine for Not Using a Biofuel That Doesn’t Exist (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Wave Cable Buying Broadstripe in Port Townsend (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Amazon Plans Major Tennessee Expansion (Associated Press)

New Flood of Domain Names May Swamp Verisign (Washington Business Journal, DC)

Tech Gets Its Day in Congress as Online Piracy Fight Continues (GigaOM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Opponent of Same-Sex Marriage Files Initiative (Associated Press)

Tacoma Human Rights Director Spends $14,000 in Office Remodel (KING-TV, Seattle)

GENERAL NEWS

Bulk of Tsunami Debris from Japan Expected in 2013 - Multiple Fields of Wreckage Reported in Pacific Ocean (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

La Center Boy Who Collapsed at Basketball Practice Dies (Associated Press)

Washington State Supreme Court to Hear Case on Wenatchee Arena Debt (Associated Press)

Olympia Teen Sentenced for Skimming Credit Card Information (Olympian, WA)

E-Payments Rapidly Phasing Out Paper Checks as an Option (USA Today)

DIVERSIONS

Best Beer in the World … From a Seattle Convenience Store?

An Important Lesson in Bathroom Etiquette

TripAdvisor Abandons List of Dirtiest Hotels

Smart unveils pint-sized pickup

SONG OF THE DAY

Elton John - Candle in the Wind (Acoustic)