Friday, April 27, 2012

Energy News Digest for April 27, 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

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

House Appropriations Bill Would Block Proposed Changes to Power Marketing Administrations; Senate Calls for Public Process (American Public Power Association)

Congressional Committee Hears How Energy Secretary’s Directives Could Raise Electricity Rates & Override Regional Energy Successes (US House Natural Resources Committee)

Congressman Hastings Statement on Judge Redden’s Admitted Bias to Destroy Snake River Dams (US House Natural Resources Committee)

Washington among Greenest States to Own an Electric Car – Hydroelectric & nuclear power sources make fueling electric cars less environmentally impactful (CNN Money)

KING 5 Story Prompts Governor to Call for Criminal Investigation of Minority Hiring Program (KING-TV, Seattle)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • House Appropriations Bill Would Block Proposed Changes to Power Marketing Administrations; Senate Calls for Public Process
  • Congressional Committee Hears How Energy Secretary’s Directives Could Raise Electricity Rates & Override Regional Energy Successes
  • Alaska - Rowdy Crowd Takes Electric Company to Task over High Energy Costs in Fairbanks
  • Natural Gas Is on a Roll, Executive Declares
  • Sierra Club Challenges Maryland Natural Gas Terminal
  • Make Your Co-op the Safest Possible
  • Will The Stars Align for Small Nuclear Reactors?
  • Massachusetts - NRC Director Backs Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant License
  • Ohio - Politics Stands in the Way of Nuclear Plant’s Future
  • FERC Standards Identify Critical Cyber Assets
  • A Kenyan Woman Stands Up Against a Massive Dam Project
  • Now Off Case, Judge Weighs In on Dams
  • Congressman Hastings Statement on Judge Redden’s Admitted Bias to Destroy Snake River Dams
  • Salmon-Gobbling Cormorants to Join Sea Lions on Hit List?
  • Agencies, Tribe Join to Track Strength of Once-Abundant Smelt Runs, Now Listed As Threatened
  • Editorial - Mixed Signals over Puget Sound Salmon
  • The Salton Sea Is Shrinking, & the California Supreme Court Isn’t Helping
  • Saga of California’s Salton Sea: A Tragic Chapter Ahead?
  • Texas - Despite Budget Cuts & Army Base Expansion, Trying to Save Energy
  • Sacramento Municipal Utility District Offers Incentive to Recycle That Old Fridge or Freezer
  • Washington among Greenest States to Own an Electric Car
  • Hydrogen - Battle over Clean Energy Stations in California
  • Rackspace Customers Focusing on Doing Business with ‘Green’ Companies
  • What if Broadband Can’t Save Your Economy? Create a New One
  • Why Mobile Data Is Such a Cash Cow for Carriers
  • KING 5 Story Prompts Governor to Call for Criminal Investigation of Minority Hiring Program
  • 911 Tapes Released from Cushman Shooting
  • Mild Fire Season Predicted For Much of the Pacific Northwest
  • Costa Exits North Mason Chamber Post
  • Longview Man Accused of Using Crane to Steal Dredging Equipment
  • Explosions ‘New Territory’ for Beetle-Ravaged Lumber Industry
WORD OF THE DAY

Patagium • \putt-TAY-jee-um\ • Noun - 1: the fold of skin connecting the forelimbs and hind limbs of some tetrapods (as flying squirrels) 2: the fold of skin in front of the main segments of a bird’s wing.

“Flying Squirrel Man” was looking for his first real super hero adventure. Predictably, his first adventure was to find a cool costume that would accommodate his patagium without revealing his “naughty bits.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

House Appropriations Bill Would Block Proposed Changes to Power Marketing Administrations; Senate Calls for Public Process (American Public Power Association)

Congressional Committee Hears How Energy Secretary’s Directives Could Raise Electricity Rates & Override Regional Energy Successes (US House Natural Resources Committee)

Alaska - Rowdy Crowd Takes Electric Company to Task over High Energy Costs in Fairbanks (Fairbanks Daily News Miner, AK)
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/18366156/article-Rowdy-crowd-takes-electric-company-to-task-over-high-energy-costs-in-Fairbanks

Natural Gas Is on a Roll, Executive Declares (NY Times)

Sierra Club Challenges Maryland Natural Gas Terminal (Associated Press)

Make Your Co-op the Safest Possible - “…Every injury that you have is the failure of your safety program in that instance…” (Electric Co-op Today)

Will The Stars Align for Small Nuclear Reactors? (NY Times)

Massachusetts - NRC Director Backs Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant License (Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, MA)

Ohio - Politics Stands in the Way of Nuclear Plant’s Future (USA Today)

FERC Standards Identify Critical Cyber Assets (Courthouse News Service)

A Kenyan Woman Stands Up Against a Massive Dam Project (Christian Science Monitor)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Now Off Case, Judge Weighs In on Dams (NY Times)

Congressman Hastings Statement on Judge Redden’s Admitted Bias to Destroy Snake River Dams (US House Natural Resources Committee)

Salmon-Gobbling Cormorants to Join Sea Lions on Hit List? (Associated Press)

Agencies, Tribe Join to Track Strength of Once-Abundant Smelt Runs, Now Listed As Threatened (Oregonian, Portland)

Editorial - Mixed Signals over Puget Sound Salmon (Olympian, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

The Salton Sea Is Shrinking, & the California Supreme Court Isn’t Helping (TIME Magazine)

Saga of California’s Salton Sea: A Tragic Chapter Ahead? (Christian Science Monitor)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Texas - Despite Budget Cuts & Army Base Expansion, Trying to Save Energy (NY Times)

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Offers Incentive to Recycle That Old Fridge or Freezer (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington among Greenest States to Own an Electric Car – Hydroelectric & nuclear power sources make fueling electric cars less environmentally impactful (CNN Money)

Hydrogen - Battle over Clean Energy Stations in California (Courthouse News Service)

Rackspace Customers Focusing on Doing Business with ‘Green’ Companies (San Antonio Business Journal, TX)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

What if Broadband Can’t Save Your Economy? Create a New One (GigaOM)

Why Mobile Data Is Such a Cash Cow for Carriers (NY Times)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

KING 5 Story Prompts Governor to Call for Criminal Investigation of Minority Hiring Program (KING-TV, Seattle)

GENERAL NEWS

911 Tapes Released from Cushman Shooting (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Mild Fire Season Predicted For Much of the Pacific Northwest (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Costa Exits North Mason Chamber Post (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Longview Man Accused of Using Crane to Steal Dredging Equipment (Longview Daily News, WA)

Explosions ‘New Territory’ for Beetle-Ravaged Lumber Industry (Vancouver Sun, BC)

DIVERSIONS

Now You Can Eat Eggs in the Shape of Washington State

Calling Portlandia - A Place for Old City Chickens, Outside the Kitchen Pot

Connecticut High School Claims Record for Most Twins

Oklahoma Woman allegedly calls in bomb threat over $14 electric bill

SONG OF THE DAY

Fantasy – Earth Wind & Fire