Friday, May 4, 2012

Energy News Digest for May 4, 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

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

EPA E-Mails on Anti-Pollution Rules Reveal Agency’s Frustration with White House (Washington Post)

Southern Oregon University Dorms Strain Ashland Conservation Program - Green features eligible for $180,000 in rebates, leaving little for other, smaller projects in city (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)

Irrigation District, Bonneville Power Administration Partner to Recharge Aquifer (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)

Feds Set New Drilling Rules for Hydraulic Fracturing (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Democratic Senate Leader Lisa Brown Will Not Seek Reelection – Story touches on Initiative 937 (PubliCola)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Feds Set New Drilling Rules for Hydraulic Fracturing
  • Wyoming - Federal Coal Sales in Powder River Basin Draw Suit
  • Bonneville Power Administration; Montana-to-Washington Transmission System Upgrade Project EIS
  • Ted Simpson, Clallam Public Utility District Commissioner Eyes Re-Election
  • Landmarks: Nine Mile Falls Dam at Core of Enclave
  • ‘Bridges Being Built’ By BPA’s Personnel Exchange with Tribes
  • Minneapolis Hydro Plant Shows Existing Dam Potential
  • Ohio - License Hearing on Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plan Planned May 18
  • Class Calls New Jersey Utility Come-On a Scam
  • Final Alternative Site Dedicated to Replace Drowned Celilo Falls & Other Lost Fisheries
  • Op/Ed - Balancing Power Needs & The Environment: What James Redden Says on Salmon Recovery Still Matters
  • Irrigation District, Bonneville Power Administration Partner to Recharge Aquifer
  • Managing the Wind
  • How Wind Power Fits into Our Energy Diet
  • Colorado - Vestas Workers Could Learn Fate by Summer
  • First Solar Restructuring Leads to Loss of $449 Million
  • Few Businesses Buying Solar Panels
  • China is Stealing America’s Solar Manufacturing Industry. Should We Fight Back Or Rejoice?
  • Southern Oregon University Dorms Strain Ashland Conservation Program
  • Pacific Light Lands $3 Million for LED Technology
  • Mason County PUD 3 Energy Conservation Featured on KMAS
  • A Power Hungry Generation
  • EPA E-Mails on Anti-Pollution Rules Reveal Agency’s Frustration with White House
  • British Columbia Rethinks Its Pioneering Carbon Tax
  • Greenland Losing Ice Fast, But Not Runaway Pace
  • Plant-Based Biofuels Expand With Tech Advances
  • Charitable Bottled Water Comes to Portland
  • Broadcasters Withdraw “White Spaces” Challenge
  • USDA Accepting Broadband Grant Applications
  • Finding the Broadband Pipes for Rural Telemedicine
  • It’s Not Easy Being Green: Data Center Edition
  • Criticism Rains Down Over Cloud Data Centers
  • Democratic Senate Leader Lisa Brown Will Not Seek Reelection – Story touches on Initiative 937
  • Washington State Senate Majority Leader Stepping Down, May Run Statewide in Future
  • Washington State Senate - Billig Announces for Brown Seat
  • Women suing Washington State AG McKenna over Federal Health Care Law
  • Dicks & Murray Drop Portion of Wild Olympics Proposal, Close in on Legislation
  • Goodbye La Nina: Will Drought, Hurricanes Also Go?
  • Almost $1 Million Found in Storage in Oregon in Navy Scam Case
  • Hood Canal School Selects New Superintendent: Shawn Batstone
  • Federal Lawmakers Push for Vote to Limit Post Office Closures
  • Manhole Lid Theft is on the Rise
  • A Stunning, New Social Media Tactic: Handwritten Notes
WORD OF THE DAY

Bon Vivant • \bahn-vee-VAHNT\ • Noun - A person having cultivated, refined, & sociable tastes especially in respect to food & drink.

Like a blind kingdom where a one-eyed man is king, Derwent was considered the backwater town’s bon vivant: just because he drank his beer from a glass and not the bottle. “Fancy,” mused the bartender whenever he carefully poured the amber-colored brew for his customer, “next thing you’ll know he’ll want it cold.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Feds Set New Drilling Rules for Hydraulic Fracturing (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Wyoming - Federal Coal Sales in Powder River Basin Draw Suit (Associated Press)

Bonneville Power Administration; Montana-to-Washington Transmission System Upgrade Project EIS (Zecco)

Ted Simpson, Clallam Public Utility District Commissioner Eyes Re-Election (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Landmarks: Nine Mile Falls Dam at Core of Enclave - Brick cottages housed workers at hydro plant (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

‘Bridges Being Built’ By BPA’s Personnel Exchange with Tribes (Bonneville Power Administration)

Minneapolis Hydro Plant Shows Existing Dam Potential (Midwest Energy News)

Ohio - License Hearing on Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plan Planned May 18 (Toledo Blade, OH)

Class Calls New Jersey Utility Come-On a Scam (Courthouse News Service)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Final Alternative Site Dedicated to Replace Drowned Celilo Falls & Other Lost Fisheries (Indian Country Today Media Network)

Op/Ed - Balancing Power Needs & The Environment: What James Redden Says on Salmon Recovery Still Matters (Oregonian, Portland)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Irrigation District, Bonneville Power Administration Partner to Recharge Aquifer (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)

Managing the Wind (Renewable Energy World)

How Wind Power Fits into Our Energy Diet (Grist Online – the reaching for a metaphor edition)

Colorado - Vestas Workers Could Learn Fate by Summer (Pueblo Chieftain, CO)

First Solar Restructuring Leads to Loss of $449 Million (Associated Press)

Few Businesses Buying Solar Panels (Austin Business Journal, TX)

China is Stealing America’s Solar Manufacturing Industry. Should We Fight Back Or Rejoice? (Slate Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Southern Oregon University Dorms Strain Ashland Conservation Program - Green features eligible for $180,000 in rebates, leaving little for other, smaller projects in city (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)

Pacific Light Lands $3 Million for LED Technology (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Mason County PUD 3 Energy Conservation Featured on KMAS (Mason County PUD No. 3)

A Power Hungry Generation - Few generations have been as dependent on electricity as Gen Y, however new research has found the energy conservation message might not be getting through (Phys.Org)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

EPA E-Mails on Anti-Pollution Rules Reveal Agency’s Frustration with White House (Washington Post)

British Columbia Rethinks Its Pioneering Carbon Tax (National Geographic Magazine)

Greenland Losing Ice Fast, But Not Runaway Pace (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Plant-Based Biofuels Expand With Tech Advances (USA Today)

Charitable Bottled Water Comes to Portland (Sustainable Business Oregon)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Broadcasters Withdraw “White Spaces” Challenge (Reuters)

USDA Accepting Broadband Grant Applications (Western Farm Press)

Finding the Broadband Pipes for Rural Telemedicine (Search Health IT)

It’s Not Easy Being Green: Data Center Edition (GigaOM)

Criticism Rains Down Over Cloud Data Centers (Renewable Energy World)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Democratic Senate Leader Lisa Brown Will Not Seek Reelection – Story touches on Initiative 937 (PubliCola)

Washington State Senate Majority Leader Stepping Down, May Run Statewide in Future (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Washington State Senate - Billig Announces for Brown Seat (Associated Press)

Women suing Washington State AG McKenna over Federal Health Care Law (KING-TV, Seattle)

GENERAL NEWS

Dicks & Murray Drop Portion of Wild Olympics Proposal, Close in on Legislation (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Goodbye La Nina: Will Drought, Hurricanes Also Go? (Associated Press)

Almost $1 Million Found in Storage in Oregon in Navy Scam Case (Oregonian, Portland)

Hood Canal School Selects New Superintendent: Shawn Batstone (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Federal Lawmakers Push for Vote to Limit Post Office Closures (Reuters)

Manhole Lid Theft is on the Rise (NY Times)

A Stunning, New Social Media Tactic: Handwritten Notes (NY Times)

DIVERSIONS

Frozen Cows Stuck in Cabin Will Be Carved Up Rather Than Exploded

Lost parakeet tells Japanese police its home address

Canada’s Last Penny to be Produced Today

Ohio deputy gets fired for making inmates dance

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beach Boys - Dance, Dance, Dance