Thursday, February 16, 2012

Energy News Digest for February 16, 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.

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THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Climate Science Attack Machine Took Donations from Major Corporations (The Guardian, UK)

Oregon State University Gets $600K to Study Wind Power’s Effect On Birds, Bats (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Local Timber Voices Weigh in on Bonneville Power Administration Project - Transmission line concerns operations large & small (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

FCC Plans to Nix Wireless Network that May Jam GPS (Associated Press)

Northern Pike Flourish in Columbia River Tributary; Washington Cracks Down (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Local Timber Voices Weigh in on Bonneville Power Administration Project
  • Theft of $20,000 from Snohomish PUD Safe Remains a Mystery
  • Temporary Stint for Security Guard at Cowlitz PUD Lobby About to End
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Opt-Out of SmartMeters Underway
  • Alaska - Rural Power Providers Back More Help for Struggling Ratepayers
  • J.D. Power & Associates Reports: Overall Satisfaction Among Business Customers of Electric Utilities Increases Notably, but Satisfaction Lags Among Businesses That Spend the Least on Electricity
  • Sacramento Municipal Utility District Ties for No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction
  • Avista Corp. Reports Financial Results for Fiscal Year & Fourth Quarter 2011
  • NorthWestern Energy Reports 2011 Financial Results
  • Meter-Maker Itron to Purchase Mississippi Tech Company for $100 Million
  • US Natural Gas Supplies Shrank Last Week
  • Northern Pike Flourish in Columbia River Tributary; Washington Cracks Down
  • Environmentalists Raise Alarm on Dam Removals
  • The Robot Fish That Led to Better Dam Designs
  • Beyond Salmon & the Spotted Owl
  • Scientists See Big ‘Scientific Event’ as Pacific Whales Turn Up Far from Home
  • Snowpack Shoots Up
  • Will Taxpayers Be Taken for a Ride on New Washington State Irrigation Plans?
  • Editorial - Water, Trees & Politics
  • Op/Ed - Where the Colorado Runs Dry
  • Oregon State University Gets $600K to Study Wind Power’s Effect on Birds, Bats
  • Hydro, Wind Power Seek Peace in Northwest
  • Many Jobs May be Gone with the Wind Energy Credit
  • Renewable Energy Battle: Wind vs. Solar
  • US Solar Industry Divided over Trade Action against China
  • Op/Ed - Wind Energy: Iowa Model for Success
  • Greenpeace demands more clean power from Duke Energy
  • Solar Power: Cheap Electricity for World’s Poor
  • More New Homes Conserve Energy
  • Home Economics: Easy Ways to Cut Electricity Costs
  • Snohomish PUD Pushes Conservation Efforts
  • Thurston County Puget Sound Energy Customers Can Get Free Energy-Efficiency Upgrades in 2012
  • You’ll Be Ashamed to Fill These Vintage-Inspired Fridges with Junk Food
  • Climate Science Attack Machine Took Donations from Major Corporations
  • Leak Offers Glimpse of Campaign against Climate Science
  • Can a Prius Increase Global Warming?
  • Electric-Car Subsidies Would to Go to Automakers
  • Murray, Cantwell at Ramparts - Green Voter Group
  • FCC Plans to Nix Wireless Network that May Jam GPS
  • FCC Bars the Use of Airwaves for a Broadband Plan
  • Seattle’s Sabey Corp - A Tower’s New Owner Hears the Hum of Data
  • More Free Wi-Fi Coming to Downtown Victoria
  • Poll: McKenna Opens 9-Point Lead on Inslee in Washington State Governor’s Race
  • Powell Family Backing Off Cemetery Decision
  • Possible New Evidence in Lindsey Baum Case
  • Former Port of Shelton Commissioner Convicted of DUI
  • Tension at Belfair Water District Continues
  • White House Initiative to Discuss Indian Education in Shelton
  • Decision Reversed on Shelton Hills Rezone
  • Recent Extreme Weather Impacted 80% of Americans
  • Officials: Eastern Europe’s Cold Snap Kills More Than 600
  • Three Charged with Stealing $15K in Gold from Olympia Dental Office
WORD OF THE DAY

Abnegate • \ABB-nih-gate\ • Verb - 1: deny, renounce 2: surrender, relinquish

“OK buddy, let’s have it,” demanded the supervisor to the dejected cube dweller. Bronc had to abnegate his miniature helicopter after repeated complaints from the punk rocker element in the “C” wing of the call center. Constant buzzing of their super-glue enhanced Mohawk hair creations had resulted in outbreaks of shingles, shouting, and floor shaking bouts of Ian Drury’s “Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘N Roll.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Local Timber Voices Weigh in on Bonneville Power Administration Project - Transmission line concerns operations large & small (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Theft of $20,000 from Snohomish PUD Safe Remains a Mystery (Everett Herald, WA)

Temporary Stint for Security Guard at Cowlitz PUD Lobby About to End (Longview Daily News, WA)

Pacific Gas & Electric Opt-Out of SmartMeters Underway (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Alaska - Rural Power Providers Back More Help for Struggling Ratepayers (Juneau Empire, AK)

J.D. Power & Associates Reports: Overall Satisfaction Among Business Customers of Electric Utilities Increases Notably, but Satisfaction Lags Among Businesses That Spend the Least on Electricity (MarketWatch)

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Ties for No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction (Saccramento Business Journal, CA)

Avista Corp. Reports Financial Results for Fiscal Year & Fourth Quarter 2011 (MarketWatch)

NorthWestern Energy Reports 2011 Financial Results (MarketWatch)

Meter-Maker Itron to Purchase Mississippi Tech Company for $100 Million (Seattle Times)

US Natural Gas Supplies Shrank Last Week (Associated Press)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Northern Pike Flourish in Columbia River Tributary; Washington Cracks Down (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Environmentalists Raise Alarm on Dam Removals (Courthouse News Service)

The Robot Fish That Led to Better Dam Designs (Popular Mechanics)

Beyond Salmon & the Spotted Owl - Other Northwest plant, animal species on the edge (Portland Tribune, OR)

Scientists See Big ‘Scientific Event’ as Pacific Whales Turn Up Far from Home (McClatchy Newspapers)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Snowpack Shoots Up (Wenatchee World, WA)

Will Taxpayers Be Taken for a Ride on New Washington State Irrigation Plans? (Grist Online)

Editorial - Water, Trees & Politics “…Columbia River, though…bill would require the state Water Resources Department to ‘aggressively pursue’ more irrigation water from the Columbia for agriculture uses…” (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Op/Ed - Where the Colorado Runs Dry (NY Times)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon State University Gets $600K to Study Wind Power’s Effect on Birds, Bats (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Hydro, Wind Power Seek Peace in Northwest (Earth Techling)

Many Jobs May be Gone with the Wind Energy Credit (National Public Radio)

Renewable Energy Battle: Wind vs. Solar (Motley Fool)

US Solar Industry Divided over Trade Action against China (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Op/Ed - Wind Energy: Iowa Model for Success (Politico)

Greenpeace Demands More Clean Power from Duke Energy (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

Solar Power: Cheap Electricity for World’s Poor (Christian Science Monitor)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

More New Homes Conserve Energy (USA Today)

Home Economics: Easy Ways to Cut Electricity Costs (Seattle Times)

Snohomish PUD Pushes Conservation Efforts (Snohomish County Business Journal, WA)

Thurston County Puget Sound Energy Customers Can Get Free Energy-Efficiency Upgrades in 2012 (Olympian, WA)

You’ll Be Ashamed to Fill These Vintage-Inspired Fridges with Junk Food (Gizmodo)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Science Attack Machine Took Donations from Major Corporations (The Guardian, UK)

Leak Offers Glimpse of Campaign against Climate Science (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Can a Prius Increase Global Warming? Some argue that driving fuel-efficient cars will actually encourage people to drive more, boosting carbon emissions & hastening climate change (Christian Science Monitor)

Electric-Car Subsidies Would to Go to Automakers (NY Times)

Murray, Cantwell at Ramparts - Green Voter Group (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Plans to Nix Wireless Network that May Jam GPS (Associated Press)

FCC Bars the Use of Airwaves for a Broadband Plan (NY Times)

Seattle’s Sabey Corp - A Tower’s New Owner Hears the Hum of Data (NY Times)

More Free Wi-Fi Coming to Downtown Victoria (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Poll: McKenna Opens 9-Point Lead on Inslee in Washington State Governor’s Race (Seattle Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Powell Family Backing Off Cemetery Decision – Wanted to bury father near murdered children (Associated Press)

Possible New Evidence in Lindsey Baum Case (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Former Port of Shelton Commissioner Convicted of DUI (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Tension at Belfair Water District Continues (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

White House Initiative to Discuss Indian Education in Shelton (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Decision Reversed on Shelton Hills Rezone

Recent Extreme Weather Impacted 80% of Americans (USA Today)

Officials: Eastern Europe’s Cold Snap Kills More Than 600 (USA Today)

Three Charged with Stealing $15K in Gold from Olympia Dental Office (Olympian, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Man Emerges Alive after 20-Ton Boulder Drops on His Car

Chocolate Shortage May be Looming, Says Scientific American Report (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Pennsylvania Judge Busted for Dismissing Her Own Traffic Tickets

Man Eating ‘Triple Bypass’ Burger at Heart Attack Grill Suffers Heart Attack

SONG OF THE DAY

Jimmy Buffett - Cheeseburger in Paradise