Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Energy News Digest for May 15, 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

Columbia Spring Chinook Salmon Run Downgraded by a Third - Tribal Commercial Sales Begin To Public (Oregonian, Portland)

Puget Sound Energy - Higher Natural Gas, Electricity Rates Starting Monday (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

FERC audit cites NERC for variety of shortcomings; NERC contests findings (American Public Power Association)

Dam Fight Grows; Skykomish on List of At-Risk Rivers (Everett Herald, WA)

Drivers Fill Up With Pain as State Gas Prices Soar - Largely fueled by the aftermath of a fire at Washington’s biggest refinery & scheduled maintenance at other West Coast refineries (Seattle Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Puget Sound Energy - Higher Natural Gas, Electricity Rates Starting Monday
  • FERC Audit Cites NERC for Variety of Shortcomings; NERC Contests Findings
  • Energy Northwest New Environmental Classification
  • Electrical Fire, Bypassed Meter - Fire Crews Find Pot Grow after Seattle Restaurant Fire
  • Editorial - Power Up: Healy Plant’s Air Permit Shouldn’t Be an Issue
  • EWU Economist Headed to Avista; Barcus Retiring
  • California - Pacific Gas & Electric Execs Would Be subject To Fines under Bill
  • Tennessee Valley Authority Plans to Boost Prices Again in June
  • Georgia - A Higher Price Tag for a Nuclear Project
  • Massachusetts - Conventional Utility Companies, ‘Munis’ Have Different Criteria in Determining Rates
  • North Dakota Becomes No. 2 Oil Producing State, Trailing Only Texas
  • Security at Co-ops Goes High Tech
  • Message Received - Americans Have Low Tolerance for Power Outages, Survey Finds
  • Columbia Spring Chinook Salmon Run Downgraded by a Third
  • Portland Court Hearing on Hazing Hungry Sea Lions
  • Protecting Eagles vs. Accommodating Indian Religious Freedoms
  • Dam Fight Grows; Skykomish on List of At-Risk Rivers
  • Marysville Solar Builder Silicon Energy Adds New Line
  • Lots of Solar Power May Reduce, Not Increase, Electricity Prices
  • BPA Official to Discuss Wind Issues on Tuesday in the Tri Cities
  • Google-backed offshore wind power line gets Interior Department OK
  • With Canal Hydropower, Still Waters Make Electricity
  • Massachusetts - Newton Switching to Clean Energy
  • Americans Support National Clean-Energy Standard
  • Seattle Lighting Startup Makes LED Color More Natural, Using Sand
  • Texans to Get Reprieve on Paying Sales Taxes for Energy-Efficient Appliances
  • Cracking the Smart Energy Market
  • Upkeep of Air Conditioners Lowers Summer Electric Bills
  • Natural-Gas Plans Could Alter British Columbia’s Climate-Change Goals
  • Obscure-But-Awesome Energy Law Getting Shivved by Natural Gas Lobby
  • Milk Waste Leaves Big Carbon Footprint
  • An Environmental Crusader’s Newest Goal: Congress
  • 9.5 Percent Increase - Comcast to Raise Rates for Basic Cable Service
  • Broadcasters, FCC in Spectrum Turf War
  • Report: Amazon Hiring More Than 1,000 People for Seattle Offices
  • Poll: Half of Americans Call Facebook a Fad
  • United Kingdom - Broadband Users Getting 42 Per Cent Lower Speed than Advertised
  • Washington State’s US Senate Race Overshadowed by Gubernatorial Match-Up
  • Six Seek to Succeed Reed as Secretary of State
  • Sheldon to Seek Third Term as Mason County Commissioner
  • Mason County Elections Page
  • Op/Ed - Three Cheers for the Wenatchee Arena Default
  • Drivers Fill Up With Pain as State Gas Prices Soar
  • Fatal Crash on Mikkelsen Road
  • Faith-Healing Parents Acquitted of Murder
  • Both Sides Reluctantly Accepting Newest Wild Olympics Proposal
  • Yes, That’s a Flying Salmon - Alaska Airlines Has Come Up with Another Big Fuselage Fish
WORD OF THE DAY

Jumble • \JUM-bull\ • Noun - 1a: a mass of things mingled together without order or plan: hodgepodge b: a state of confusion

A jumble today
Jackstraws thrown on a table
Don’t disturb the sticks

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Puget Sound Energy - Higher Natural Gas, Electricity Rates Starting Monday (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

FERC Audit Cites NERC for Variety of Shortcomings; NERC Contests Findings (American Public Power Association)

Energy Northwest New Environmental Classification (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Electrical Fire, Bypassed Meter - Fire Crews Find Pot Grow after Seattle Restaurant Fire (Associated Press)

Editorial - Power Up: Healy Plant’s Air Permit Shouldn’t Be an Issue (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK)

EWU Economist Headed to Avista; Barcus Retiring (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

California - Pacific Gas & Electric Execs Would Be subject To Fines under Bill: Executives would be personally responsible for corporate wrongdoing

Tennessee Valley Authority Plans to Boost Prices Again in June (Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN)

Georgia - A Higher Price Tag for a Nuclear Project (NY Times)

Massachusetts - Conventional Utility Companies, ‘Munis’ Have Different Criteria in Determining Rates (Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise, MA)

North Dakota Becomes No. 2 Oil Producing State, Trailing Only Texas (Grand Forks Herald, ND)

Security at Co-ops Goes High Tech (Electric Co-op Today)

Message Received - Americans Have Low Tolerance for Power Outages, Survey Finds (American Public Power Association)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia Spring Chinook Salmon Run Downgraded by a Third - Tribal Commercial Sales Begin To Public (Oregonian, Portland)

Portland Court Hearing on Hazing Hungry Sea Lions (Associated Press)

Protecting Eagles vs. Accommodating Indian Religious Freedoms (Seattle Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Dam Fight Grows; Skykomish on List of At-Risk Rivers (Everett Herald, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Marysville Solar Builder Silicon Energy Adds New Line (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Lots of Solar Power May Reduce, Not Increase, Electricity Prices (Renewable Energy World)

BPA Official to Discuss Wind Issues on Tuesday in the Tri Cities (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Google-backed offshore wind power line gets Interior Department OK (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

With Canal Hydropower, Still Waters Make Electricity (Clean Technica)

Massachusetts - Newton Switching to Clean Energy (Boston Herald, MA)

Americans Support National Clean-Energy Standard: Study - Average US citizen is willing to pay 13 percent more (Phys.Org)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Seattle Lighting Startup Makes LED Color More Natural, Using Sand (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Texans to Get Reprieve on Paying Sales Taxes for Energy-Efficient Appliances (Dallas Business Journal, TX)

Cracking the Smart Energy Market (NY Times)

Upkeep of Air Conditioners Lowers Summer Electric Bills (Wichita Falls Times Record, TX)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Natural-Gas Plans Could Alter British Columbia’s Climate-Change Goals (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Obscure-But-Awesome Energy Law Getting Shivved by Natural Gas Lobby (Grist Online)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Milk Waste Leaves Big Carbon Footprint (New Zealand Herald)

An Environmental Crusader’s Newest Goal: Congress (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

9.5 Percent Increase - Comcast to Raise Rates for Basic Cable Service (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Broadcasters, FCC in Spectrum Turf War (Politico)

Report: Amazon Hiring More Than 1,000 People for Seattle Offices (KCPQ TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

Poll: Half of Americans Call Facebook a Fad (Associated Press)

United Kingdom - Broadband Users Getting 42 Per Cent Lower Speed than Advertised (Expert Reviews)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State’s US Senate Race Overshadowed by Gubernatorial Match-Up (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Six Seek to Succeed Reed as Secretary of State (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Sheldon to Seek Third Term as Mason County Commissioner (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Mason County Elections Page (Mason County Auditor)

Op/Ed - Three Cheers for the Wenatchee Arena Default (Seattle Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Drivers Fill Up With Pain as State Gas Prices Soar - Largely fueled by the aftermath of a fire at Washington’s biggest refinery & scheduled maintenance at other West Coast refineries (Seattle Times)

Fatal Crash on Mikkelsen Road (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Faith-Healing Parents Acquitted of Murder (Associated Press)

Both Sides Reluctantly Accepting Newest Wild Olympics Proposal (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Yes, That’s a Flying Salmon - Alaska Airlines Has Come Up with Another Big Fuselage Fish (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Puyallup Brothers’ Solar Jacket Is Finalists in Buffett Business Contest

Egyptian Man Declared Dead but Wakes Up Before Funeral

White Buffalo Bull Being Donated to Texas Ranch

Top Baby Names of 2011: Sophia, Jacob And... Briella?

SONG OF THE DAY

Linda Ronstadt - Ooh Baby Baby