Friday, February 17, 2012

Energy News Digest for February 17, 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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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Congress Deals Major Blow to Wind Power Industry (Everett Herald, WA)

Energy Complaints Rise to Top of Washington State Consumer Complaint List (South Sound Business Examiner)

The FBI Might Cut Off the Internet for Millions of People on March 8th (Gizmodo)

Supreme Court Sides with Landowners on Mason Conservation District Fee (Olympian, WA)

Winter Storm Moving Through Washington (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Energy Complaints Rise to Top of Washington State Consumer Complaint List
  • Monsanto Takes On Idaho Utilities in Disclosure Fight
  • Energy Secretary Says Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Schedule Might Slip
  • BC Hydro Bills to Jump by Seven Per Cent This April
  • Bonneville Power Administration’s Bethany Tree-Cutting Damage Expected to Cost Thousands of Dollars to Replace
  • Groups to File Suit to Block Georgia Nuclear Plant
  • Sam Houston Electric Coop Automates Outage Response
  • Ruling Halts Grant PUD White River Fish Plan - Utility Studying Option to Appeal
  • Cowlitz River Smelt Run Brings Gulls Galore to Lexington Church
  • Groups Consider Program to Bolster Klamath Basin Coho Growth
  • Congressional Panel Seeks More Tree Cutting on Public Land
  • Bainbridge Council Revives Water Utility Debate
  • Bill Dispute Could Leave Suncadia Resort near Cle Elum without Running Water
  • Op/Ed - Welcome to Puget Sound, Mr. President: Environmental Work in Progress
  • Congress Deals Major Blow to Wind Power Industry
  • Congress’s Failure to Renew Tax Credit for Wind Production Has Ramifications for Oregon
  • California - New Push to Replace 255 Windmills with 50 Faster Turbines
  • Club for Growth Criticizes Congressional Solyndra Critic Upton
  • Lack of Power Lines Prevents New Offshore Wind Farms in Germany
  • United Kingdom - Analysis: Pumped Storage is Vital Part of Scotland’s Renewables Futur
  • Obama Bypasses Congress Again on Climate Change
  • Microsoft Takes Flak for Donating Software to Think Tank Skeptical of Climate Change
  • City Grids May Not be Ready for Electric Cars
  • The FBI Might Cut Off the Internet for Millions of People on March 8th
  • White Space Broadband Dodges a Bullet - Compromise Language Keeps FCC Authority Intact
  • Congress to Sell Public Airwaves to Pay Benefits
  • Clearwire Says it May Need to Raise More Money
  • March Madness Games No Longer Free Online for All
  • Post Office Closings May Increase Rural Isolation, Economic Disparity
  • Supreme Court Sides with Landowners on Mason Conservation District Fee
  • Winter Storm Moving Through Washington
  • Get Ready for Steady Climb in Gas Prices
  • Army Accuses Private of $630K in Equipment Theft
  • Occupy Tacoma Encampment’s Power is Out, Probably for Good
  • Flu Season Off to Latest Start in Decades
  • Mild Winter May Help Boost the Economy
  • ‘Piggyback Bandit’ Banned from High School Sports
  • Teen Is First Female to Win Iowa State Wrestling Match
WORD OF THE DAY

Neophilia • \nee-uh-FILL-lee-uh\ • Noun - Love of or enthusiasm for what is new or novel

Neophilia
See the line at Apple store
So sad, no bathrooms

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Energy Complaints Rise to Top of Washington State Consumer Complaint List (South Sound Business Examiner)

Monsanto Takes On Idaho Utilities in Disclosure Fight (Idaho Press Tribune, Nampa)

Energy Secretary Says Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Schedule Might Slip (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

BC Hydro Bills to Jump by Seven Per Cent This April (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Bonneville Power Administration’s Bethany Tree-Cutting Damage Expected to Cost Thousands of Dollars to Replace (Oregonian, Portland)

Groups to File Suit to Block Georgia Nuclear Plant (Associated Press)

Sam Houston Electric Coop Automates Outage Response (Fierce Energy)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Ruling Halts Grant PUD White River Fish Plan - Utility Studying Option to Appeal (Wenatchee World, WA)

Cowlitz River Smelt Run Brings Gulls Galore to Lexington Church (Longview Daily News, WA)

Groups Consider Program to Bolster Klamath Basin Coho Growth (Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Congressional Panel Seeks More Tree Cutting on Public Land (Associated Press)

Bainbridge Council Revives Water Utility Debate (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Bill Dispute Could Leave Suncadia Resort near Cle Elum without Running Water (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Op/Ed - Welcome to Puget Sound, Mr. President: Environmental Work in Progress

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Congress Deals Major Blow to Wind Power Industry (Everett Herald, WA)

Congress’s Failure to Renew Tax Credit for Wind Production Has Ramifications for Oregon (Oregonian, Portland)

California - New Push to Replace 255 Windmills with 50 Faster Turbines (KTVU-TV, San Jose, CA)

Club for Growth Criticizes Congressional Solyndra Critic Upton (USA Today)

Lack of Power Lines Prevents New Offshore Wind Farms in Germany (Oye Times)

United Kingdom - Analysis: Pumped Storage is Vital Part of Scotland’s Renewables Future (The Scotsman, UK)
http://www.scotsman.com/news/analysis_pumped_storage_is_vital_part_of_scotland_s_renewables_future_1_2122524

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Obama Bypasses Congress Again on Climate Change (USA Today)

Microsoft Takes Flak for Donating Software to Think Tank Skeptical of Climate Change (Seattle Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

City Grids May Not be Ready for Electric Cars - The Nation’s Grid Is Ready: Your neighborhood’s power supply might be another story (Chicago Tribune, IL)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The FBI Might Cut Off the Internet for Millions of People on March 8th (Gizmodo)

White Space Broadband Dodges a Bullet - Compromise Language Keeps FCC Authority Intact (Broadband Reports)

Congress to Sell Public Airwaves to Pay Benefits (NY Times)

Clearwire Says it May Need to Raise More Money (Associated Press)

March Madness Games No Longer Free Online for All (USA Today)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Post Office Closings May Increase Rural Isolation, Economic Disparity (Washington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

Supreme Court Sides with Landowners on Mason Conservation District Fee (Olympian, WA)

Winter Storm Moving Through Washington (Associated Press)

Get Ready for Steady Climb in Gas Prices (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Army Accuses Private of $630K in Equipment Theft (Associated Press)

Occupy Tacoma Encampment’s Power is Out, Probably for Good (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Flu Season Off to Latest Start in Decades (Associated Press)

Mild Winter May Help Boost the Economy (USA Today)

‘Piggyback Bandit’ Banned from High School Sports (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Teen Is First Female to Win Iowa State Wrestling Match (USA Today)

DIVERSIONS

‘The Check is in the Mail’ Could Soon Be a Legal Excuse

Drinking Vodka Makes You Talk More Better

Wow! Some Words Are, Like, Really Old!

Petco Sued for ‘Accidentally Cutting Puppy’s Ear Off Then Gluing it Back On’

SONG OF THE DAY

The Bee Gees – ‘Words’