Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Energy News Digest for March 21, 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

More Pacific Northwest Earthquakes than Usual? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Power Supplier Bonneville Power Administration Still Talking with Columbia Falls Aluminum “…”If we take a loss it’s spread throughout the region, ultimately affecting all of Bonneville’s power users, Wright said…” (Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)

Editorial - Altering Washington State’s Clean Energy Law Highlights Its Many Flaws (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Plans to Kill Salmon-Eating Sea Lions on Hold Again (Associated Press)

‘No Budget, No Bills’ Decree Puts Washington State Legislators’ Work in Limbo (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Power Supplier Bonneville Power Administration Still Talking with Columbia Falls Aluminum
  • Bonneville Power Administration Remains a Low-Cost Source of Energy Based on Hydropower
  • Oregon – Eugene Water & Electric Board Approves Rate Increase of 5.5%
  • Subcommittee Questions Obama Admin’s BOR & PMA Budgets that Could Increase Electricity Rates & Decrease Water Deliveries
  • Chu Uses Power Marketing Administrations to Implement Green Agenda
  • Fitch Affirms Grays Harbor PUD Electric Revenue Bonds at ‘A’; Outlook Stable
  • Grant County PUD - Tom Flint Announces Re-Election Bid
  • Proposed Coal Terminal Discussed in Bellingham
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Seeks To Offset Fine for San Bruno Disaster
  • As Reactors Age, the Money to Close Them Lags
  • Hawaii - Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Kauai Smart Electric Meter Installations
  • Construction, Energy Industries Report Difficulty Finding Qualified Workers
  • Access to Energy: Necessary But Not Sufficient to Cut Poverty
  • Corporate Fitness Co-op Style
  • Plans to Kill Salmon-Eating Sea Lions on Hold Again
  • How It Works: How Do You Track Wild Salmon?
  • Rush of Freedom for Elwha River as Dam Comes Down
  • Citizens Concerned Grays Harbor Shellfish District a “Cash Cow” for County
  • Aveda Institute Portland to Host Fashion Fundraiser for Columbia River Restoration
  • Counties Team Up to Help Sell Yakima River Basin Water Plan
  • US Supreme Court Sides with Idaho Couple - EPA Compliance Orders Aren’t Lawsuit-Proof
  • Editorial - Altering Washington State’s Clean Energy Law Highlights Its Many Flaws
  • Montana - NorthWestern Energy Moves Forward on Spion Kop Wind Project
  • Wind Industry Should Mull Tax Credit Phase-Out, Baucus Says
  • Feds: No Wave-Catching for California Energy Company
  • Can Tariff on Chinese Solar Cells & Panels Save US Manufacturers Like Oregon’s SolarWorld?
  • Op/Ed - The Florida GOP Loves Solyndra, & Expensive Energy
  • Energy Detectives Program Teaches Kids How to Conserve Resources
  • LEED 2012 Proposal Fails Lumber Industry, says FSC
  • USGS Experts Address Questions about Glacier National Park
  • Energy Monitoring Device Lets Dad Bust Up Rager from 500 Miles Away
  • ‘Bag Monster’ Invades Port Townsend City Hall in Support of Plastic Bag Ban
  • Our National Broadband Plan is a Two-Year-Old Dunce
  • Hungry for Data: LEED Targets Data Centers
  • New iPad Hotter than iPad 2, But Not in a Good Way
  • ‘No Budget, No Bills’ Decree Puts Washington State Legislators’ Work in Limbo
  • One in Three Employers Lacks Orientation Program for New Hires
  • More Pacific Northwest Earthquakes than Usual?
  • Belfair Official’s Unusual Contract Has Locals Shaking Their Heads
  • State Auditor: Mason County Emergency Communications Center Financially at Risk
  • Wire Thieves Stealing Entire Bleachers from Aberdeen Park
  • Next Step in Port of Shelton Timber Harvest: Updating Forest Management Plan
  • Grays Harbor County Courthouse Attack Occurred on Centennial of Tornow Killings
  • Tacoma Dome: Gift Means Roof Can Be Cleaned
  • Seattle among the Most Stressed Out Cities, Says Study
  • Seattle Makes List of ‘Smart Cities’
WORD OF THE DAY

Élan • \ay-LAWN\ • Noun - Vigorous spirit or enthusiasm

A perfect lyric to describe élan comes from Stevie Winwood’s “Back in the High Life Again”: We will drink and dance with one hand free…

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Power Supplier Bonneville Power Administration Still Talking with Columbia Falls Aluminum “…”If we take a loss it’s spread throughout the region, ultimately affecting all of Bonneville’s power users, Wright said…” (Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)

Bonneville Power Administration Remains a Low-Cost Source of Energy Based on Hydropower (Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)

Oregon – Eugene Water & Electric Board Approves Rate Increase of 5.5% (KMTR-TV, Eugene, OR)

Subcommittee Questions Obama Admin’s BOR & PMA Budgets that Could Increase Electricity Rates & Decrease Water Deliveries (US House Natural Resources Committee, Washington, DC)

Chu Uses Power Marketing Administrations to Implement Green Agenda (Heritage Foundation - Not that the Heritage Foundation thinks that selling electricity at cost is a good thing to begin with…)

Fitch Affirms Grays Harbor PUD Electric Revenue Bonds at ‘A’; Outlook Stable (Yahoo! Business)

Grant County PUD - Tom Flint Announces Re-Election Bid (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Proposed Coal Terminal Discussed in Bellingham (KING-TV, Seattle)

Pacific Gas & Electric Seeks To Offset Fine for San Bruno Disaster (SF Chronicle)

As Reactors Age, the Money to Close Them Lags (NY Times)

Hawaii - Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Kauai Smart Electric Meter Installations (Pacific Business News, HI)

Construction, Energy Industries Report Difficulty Finding Qualified Workers (South Sound Business Examiner)

Access to Energy: Necessary But Not Sufficient to Cut Poverty (Christian Science Monitor)

Corporate Fitness Co-op Style (Electric Co-op Today)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Plans to Kill Salmon-Eating Sea Lions on Hold Again (Associated Press)

How It Works: How Do You Track Wild Salmon? (Popular Science)

Rush of Freedom for Elwha River as Dam Comes Down (Seattle Times)

Citizens Concerned Grays Harbor Shellfish District a “Cash Cow” for County (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Aveda Institute Portland to Host Fashion Fundraiser for Columbia River Restoration (Oregonian, Portland)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Counties Team Up to Help Sell Yakima River Basin Water Plan (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

US Supreme Court Sides with Idaho Couple - EPA Compliance Orders Aren’t Lawsuit-Proof (Courthouse News Service)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Editorial - Altering Washington State’s Clean Energy Law Highlights Its Many Flaws (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Montana - NorthWestern Energy Moves Forward on Spion Kop Wind Project (Electric Light & Power)

Wind Industry Should Mull Tax Credit Phase-Out, Baucus Says (Bloomberg News)

Feds: No Wave-Catching for California Energy Company - Plan had stiff opposition from surfers, fishermen & environmental groups (Associated Press)

Can Tariff on Chinese Solar Cells & Panels Save US Manufacturers Like Oregon’s SolarWorld? (Oregonian, Portland)

Op/Ed - The Florida GOP Loves Solyndra, and Expensive Energy (Forbes Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Detectives Program Teaches Kids How to Conserve Resources (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

LEED 2012 Proposal Fails Lumber Industry, says FSC (Wood Working Network)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

USGS Experts Address Questions about Glacier National Park (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Energy Monitoring Device Lets Dad Bust Up Rager from 500 Miles Away (Grist Online)

‘Bag Monster’ Invades Port Townsend City Hall in Support of Plastic Bag Ban (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Our National Broadband Plan is a Two-Year-Old Dunce - FCC Ignored Competitive Problems to Focus on Adoption & Failed (Broadband Reports)

Hungry for Data: LEED Targets Data Centers (The Energy Collective)

New iPad Hotter than iPad 2, But Not in a Good Way (Dallas Business Journal, TX)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

‘No Budget, No Bills’ Decree Puts Washington State Legislators’ Work in Limbo (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

One in Three Employers Lacks Orientation Program for New Hires (South Sound Business Examiner)

GENERAL NEWS

More Pacific Northwest Earthquakes than Usual? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Belfair Official’s Unusual Contract Has Locals Shaking Their Heads (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

State Auditor: Mason County Emergency Communications Center Financially at Risk (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Wire Thieves Stealing Entire Bleachers from Aberdeen Park (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Next Step in Port of Shelton Timber Harvest: Updating Forest Management Plan (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Grays Harbor County Courthouse Attack Occurred on Centennial of Tornow Killings (Aberdeen Daily News, WA)

Tacoma Dome: Gift Means Roof Can Be Cleaned (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Seattle among the Most Stressed Out Cities, Says Study (KING-TV, Seattle)

Seattle Makes List of ‘Smart Cities’ (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Human Gets Top of Head Cut Off by Robot, Survives

New Hampshire Woman Sued for Planting Flowers in Her Front Yard

Margaret Thatcher Pocketed Ronald Reagan’s Doodles at Ottawa Summit, Files Say

Strict Dress Code - Florida Law Firm Fires Workers for Wearing Orange

SONG OF THE DAY

Steve Winwood - Back In the High Life Again