Thursday, April 26, 2012

Energy News Digest for April 26, 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

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

True Colors? - Judge James Redden: ‘We Need to Take Those (Snake River) Dams Down’ (Oregonian, Portland)

EPA Official Spoke of ‘Crucifying’ Polluters (NY Times)

Unintended Consequences - Renewable Portfolio Standards Could Cost Oregon Jobs (Energybiz)

Pacific Gas & Electric Employee Who Spied on SmartMeter Activists Had Support of Management: CPUC Probe (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Possible Thundershowers, Ice Pellet Showers Today (KING-TV, Seattle)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Employee Who Spied on SmartMeter Activists Had Support of Management
  • California Critters - Diablo Canyon Nuclear Reactor Gets Unwelcome Guests
  • Oregon Governor Calls for Sweeping Review of Planned Coal Exports from Northwest Ports
  • PPL Montana Sues EPA to Prevent Disclosure of Colstrip Plant Information
  • Public Split over Elimination of US Energy Subsidies, Poll Finds
  • Energy Northwest: Board Picks State Legislator Tim Sheldon of Potlatch for Board
  • Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for April 24, 2012
  • Brewer Seeks Re-Election to Grant County PUD Commission
  • Book Art Hides Transformer Outside Everett Library
  • TransAlta Profit Falls in Tough Pricing Environment
  • US Natural Gas Supplies Grew Last Week
  • True Colors? - Judge James Redden: ‘We Need to Take Those (Snake River) Dams Down’
  • Snake River Dams Should Go, Says Judge Now Off the Case
  • Fish Fight - Fishermen Nearly Pulled Overboard by Sea Lion
  • Pacific Northwest Tribes Celebrates New Treaty Fishing Access Site on Columbia River
  • Communications Towers - A Lethal Beacon for Migrating Birds
  • Rising Columbia River Could Approach Flood Stage This Weekend
  • Unintended Consequences - Renewable Portfolio Standards Could Cost Oregon Jobs
  • Reaching for Excellence – “…Renewable energy is the political & policy challenge of the day for Bonneville Power Administration…”
  • Indiana - Damaged Wind Turbine Still Under Investigation
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Cancels Nevada Geothermal Power Contract Approval Request
  • Donald Trump Demands Scotland Nix Wind Turbines
  • On Our Radar: Urban Energy Patterns
  • EPA Official Spoke of ‘Crucifying’ Polluters
  • Activists Urge Discovery Channel to Acknowledge Climate Change Science
  • Antarctic Ice Melting From Warm Water Below
  • Snake Oil Energy Salesmen & Green Bamboozlers
  • Cloud Computing: Legal Standards Up in the Air
  • Hubbub over Content Rights Greets Google Drive
  • Congressional Bill Would Bar Feds from Banning Gov’t Travel to Reno, Vegas
  • Possible Thundershowers, Ice Pellet Showers Today
  • Average Gas Prices Keep Falling in Washington State
  • Two Mason County Schools Getting Achievement Awards
  • Washington State Experts Form Strategies for Tsunami Debris Arrival
WORD OF THE DAY

Unabashed • \un-uh-BASHT\ • adjective - Not disconcerted: undisguised, unapologetic.

Methinks that a certain retiring federal judge who still has some connection with a certain salmon vs. dams lawsuit would be a little less unabashed about his personal opinion about dam removal while said legal tussles continue.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Pacific Gas & Electric Employee Who Spied on SmartMeter Activists Had Support of Management: CPUC Probe (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

California - Diablo Canyon Nuclear Reactor Gets Unwelcome Guests - Screens used to filter seawater used as coolant are being clogged by small ocean creatures called salp (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Oregon Governor Calls for Sweeping Review of Planned Coal Exports from Northwest Ports (Oregonian, Portland)

PPL Montana Sues EPA to Prevent Disclosure of Colstrip Plant Information (SNL Financial)

Public Split over Elimination of US Energy Subsidies, Poll Finds (Oregonian, Portland)

Energy Northwest: Board Picks State Legislator Tim Sheldon of Potlatch for Board (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for April 24, 2012 (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Brewer Seeks Re-Election to Grant County PUD Commission (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Book Art Hides Transformer Outside Everett Library (Associated Press)

TransAlta Profit Falls in Tough Pricing Environment (Reuters)

US Natural Gas Supplies Grew Last Week (Associated Press)

FISH & WILDLIFE

True Colors? - Judge James Redden: ‘We Need to Take Those (Snake River) Dams Down’ (Oregonian, Portland)

Snake River Dams Should Go, Says Judge Now Off the Case (Seattle Times)

Fish Fight - Fishermen Nearly Pulled Overboard by Sea Lion (KPTV-TV, Portland, OR)

Pacific Northwest Tribes Celebrates New Treaty Fishing Access Site on Columbia River (Associated Press)

Communications Towers - A Lethal Beacon for Migrating Birds (NY Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Rising Columbia River Could Approach Flood Stage This Weekend (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Unintended Consequences - Renewable Portfolio Standards Could Cost Oregon Jobs (Energybiz)

Reaching for Excellence – “…Renewable energy is the political & policy challenge of the day for Bonneville Power Administration…” (EnergyBiz)

Indiana - Damaged Wind Turbine Still Under Investigation (Wane-TV, Ft Wayne, IN)

Pacific Gas & Electric Cancels Nevada Geothermal Power Contract Approval Request (Dow Jones Newswire)

Donald Trump Demands Scotland Nix Wind Turbines (Bloomberg Businessweek)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

On Our Radar: Urban Energy Patterns (NY Times)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

EPA Official Spoke of ‘Crucifying’ Polluters (NY Times)

Activists Urge Discovery Channel to Acknowledge Climate Change Science (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Antarctic Ice Melting From Warm Water Below (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Snake Oil Energy Salesmen & Green Bamboozlers (GigaOM)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Cloud Computing: Legal Standards Up in the Air (Christian Science Monitor)

Hubbub over Content Rights Greets Google Drive (Associated Press)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Congressional Bill Would Bar Feds from Banning Gov’t Travel to Reno, Vegas (USA Today)

GENERAL NEWS

Possible Thundershowers, Ice Pellet Showers Today (KING-TV, Seattle)

Average Gas Prices Keep Falling in Washington State (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Two Mason County Schools Getting Achievement Awards (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Washington State Experts Form Strategies for Tsunami Debris Arrival (KING-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

‘Star Trek’ to Return as a TV Series?

Meteorites Found in California Along Path of Fireball

Boring & Dull: Oregon & Scottish Towns Now Sisters

Asteroid Mining: Jon Stewart & Renowned Astrophysicist Weigh In

SONG OF THE DAY

Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way (I LOVE this song’s intro!)