Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Energy News Digest for January 31, 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

Bonneville Power Administration project opponent to hold meeting on proposed I-5 corridor route (Oregonian, Portland)

Feds Told to Back Off Pacific Northwest Wind Dispute (Electric Co-op Today)

Reward for Info about Dead Puget Sound Sea Lions (Associated Press)

Oregon’s Snowpack Makes a Dramatic Rebound, Doubling in 16 Days (Oregonian, Portland)

Shelton Prison Officer Surrenders after Chase in Tacoma - Prompted Lockdown at Washington Corrections Center (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • Bonneville Power Administration Project Opponent to Hold Meeting on Proposed I-5 Corridor Route
  • Feds Told to Back Off Pacific Northwest Wind Dispute
  • Op/Ed - Washington View: Power’s Back On Thanks to Hard Work
  • Canada - Smart-Meter Opponents Energized: Provincial Health Officer Says BC Hydro Devices Are Not Dangerous
  • Protesters Sue Tennessee Valley Authority over Costume Ban at Meetings
  • Minnesota Power Makes Deal with Manitoba Hydro – Hydropower to back up wind
  • Illinois Nuclear Reactor Shutdown Probed
  • Massachusetts - Newburyport City Council Urges Halt to Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant Relicensing
  • North Carolina Firm Set to Build Two Nuclear Power Plants
  • Reward for Info about Dead Puget Sound Sea Lions
  • Editorial - Klamath River Dam Removals Should Go Forth
  • Crooked River Irrigation Deal Benefits Farmers & Fish
  • Pacific NW Agencies Try to Head Off Bat Fungus
  • Oregon’s Snowpack Makes a Dramatic Rebound, Doubling in 16 Days
  • Clallam PUD Moves to Change Renewable-Energy Requirements
  • Commerce Department, Siding With SolarWorld, Finds ‘Massive’ Surge of Chinese Solar Panel Shipments Ahead of Potential US Tariffs
  • Avista Wants a New Source of Electricity from Kootenai Electric Co-Op
  • Maine - Clean Energy Coalition Won’t Make Ballot in 2012
  • Green Electricity Finds Few Customers in Massachusetts - Wind farms bring higher NStar bills
  • Illinois Second in Nation for Adding Wind Turbines
  • Editorial - A Misguided Effort to Aid Maryland Wind Projects
  • Ocean Motion Could Produce Nine Percent of US Electricity
  • Run-of-the-River Hydropower Goes With the Flow
  • Germany’s Green Energy Sector: Can It Grow Without Subsidies?
  • Save Money with an Energy Audit
  • Opinions Differ About New Plant Hardiness Map
  • Anti-Diesel Prejudice Eroding Fast in the US
  • Five Solar Power Chargers to Energize Your Gadgets
  • Facebook’s Oregon Data Center Uses as Much Power as the Entire County It’s In
  • Washington State House Committee Approves Gay Marriage Bill
  • Idaho State Treasurer under Fire for Improper Travel Accounting
  • Indiana Welfare Drug Testing Bill Withdrawn after Amended to Include Testing Lawmakers
  • Shelton Prison Officer Surrenders after Chase in Tacoma - Prompted Lockdown at Washington Corrections Center
  • Grays Harbor County Commissioners Oppose Wild Olympics Proposal
  • Fifteen Washington State Counties Are Primary Natural Disaster Areas
  • Two Ratings Agencies Lower Washington State Credit Outlook
  • Forty Two Washington State Lawmakers Ask Feds to Reclassify Marijuana
  • Sequim Legislator Floats Rechargeable-Battery Bill
  • More Northern Lights Sky Shows Coming from Solar Storms
WORD OF THE DAY

Gambol • \GAMM-bull\ • Verb - To skip about in play: frisk, frolic

It never ceased to amaze Tommy about how the simplest pleasures lightened the hearts of his employees. Things like the arrival of the itinerant “tamale lady,” whose presence made many of his grizzled minions gambol about their cubicles like small children. The after lunch torpor was another thing altogether.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Project Opponent to Hold Meeting on Proposed I-5 Corridor Route (Oregonian, Portland)

Feds Told to Back Off Pacific Northwest Wind Dispute (Electric Co-op Today)

Op/Ed - Washington View: Power’s Back On Thanks to Hard Work (Vancouver Columbian, WA – BTW, hundreds of public power line crews & employees were in the soup on this also.)

Canada - Smart-Meter Opponents Energized: Provincial Health Officer Says BC Hydro Devices Are Not Dangerous (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Protesters Sue Tennessee Valley Authority over Costume Ban at Meetings – TVA banned such getups after people protesting a nuclear plant dressed up as zombies (Associated Press)

Minnesota Power Makes Deal with Manitoba Hydro – Hydropower to back up wind (Pioneer Press, St Paul, MN)

Illinois Nuclear Reactor Shutdown Probed (CBS News)

Massachusetts - Newburyport City Council Urges Halt to Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant Relicensing (Newburyport Daily News, MA)

North Carolina Firm Set to Build Two Nuclear Power Plants (Tri-City Herald, WA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Reward for Info about Dead Puget Sound Sea Lions (Associated Press)

Editorial - Klamath River Dam Removals Should Go Forth (SF Chronicle)

Crooked River Irrigation Deal Benefits Farmers & Fish (Oregon Public Radio – Is it the Crooked River (yes) or a crooked deal?)

Pacific NW Agencies Try to Head Off Bat Fungus (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon’s Snowpack Makes a Dramatic Rebound, Doubling in 16 Days (Oregonian, Portland)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Clallam PUD Moves to Change Renewable-Energy Requirements (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Commerce Department, Siding With SolarWorld, Finds ‘Massive’ Surge of Chinese Solar Panel Shipments Ahead of Potential US Tariffs (Oregonian, Portland)

Avista Wants a New Source of Electricity from Kootenai Electric Co-Op (Coeur d’Alene Press, ID)

Maine - Clean Energy Coalition Won’t Make Ballot in 2012 (Lewiston Sun Journal, ME)

Green Electricity Finds Few Customers in Massachusetts - Wind farms bring higher NStar bills (Boston Globe, MA)

Illinois Second in Nation for Adding Wind Turbines (KMOX-TV, St Louis, MO)

Editorial - A Misguided Effort to Aid Maryland Wind Projects (Washington Post)

Ocean Motion Could Produce Nine Percent of US Electricity (MSNBC)

Run-of-the-River Hydropower Goes With the Flow (Renewable Energy World)

Germany’s Green Energy Sector: Can It Grow Without Subsidies? (Christian Science Monitor)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Save Money with an Energy Audit (USA Today)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Opinions Differ About New Plant Hardiness Map (KING-TV, Seattle)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Anti-Diesel Prejudice Eroding Fast in the US (USA Today)

Five Solar Power Chargers to Energize Your Gadgets (USA Today)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Facebook’s Oregon Data Center Uses as Much Power as the Entire County It’s In (Gizmodo)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State House Committee Approves Gay Marriage Bill (Associated Press)

Idaho State Treasurer under Fire for Improper Travel Accounting (Associated Press)

Indiana Welfare Drug Testing Bill Withdrawn after Amended to Include Testing Lawmakers (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton Prison Officer Surrenders after Chase in Tacoma - Prompted Lockdown at Washington Corrections Center (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Grays Harbor County Commissioners Oppose Wild Olympics Proposal (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Fifteen Washington State Counties Are Primary Natural Disaster Areas (Associated Press)

Two Ratings Agencies Lower Washington State Credit Outlook (Associated Press)

Forty Two Washington State Lawmakers Ask Feds to Reclassify Marijuana (Associated Press)

Sequim Legislator Floats Rechargeable-Battery Bill (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

More Northern Lights Sky Shows Coming from Solar Storms (USA Today)

DIVERSIONS

Woman Weds Warehouse amid ‘Gay Marriage’ Furor

Chronicle Takes Viral Marketing to the Sky with Human Planes

Kansas Bill Would Make Toto Breed - Cairn Terrier - Official State Dog

Many Younger Super Bowl Fans Can’t Crunch the Numerals

SONG OF THE DAY

Yolanda Adams - I Believe I Can Fly