Monday, June 11, 2012

Energy News Digest for June 11, 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

How Hard is it to Dismantle 150 Nuclear Reactors? Europe’s About to Find Out (Washington Post)

After 45 Year Hiatus, Migrating Salmon Return to Upper Deschutes (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Douglas PUD to Seek Two 6-Percent Rate Hikes by 2013 (Wenatchee World, WA)

Arctic Ocean Mega-Algae-Bloom: Scientists’ Eyes Popped & Jaws Dropped (Los Angeles Times, CA)

High Gas Prices Hurt Local Economy (Seattle Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • BPA Transmission Upgrades - Subbing Out Poles to Begin Monday
  • Douglas PUD to Seek Two 6-Percent Rate Hikes by 2013
  • Portland General Electric Solicits Bids for New Power
  • Eagles Knock Out Power in Port Angeles
  • Hydro bill moves forward in U-S House of Representatives
  • Coal’s Share of Generation Drops to 34%
  • How Hard is it to Dismantle 150 Nuclear Reactors? Europe’s About to Find Out
  • Court Forces a Rethinking of Nuclear Fuel Storage
  • Op/Ed - New Mexico Wants Nuclear Waste Repository
  • FERC Gives PJM Ammunition in Dispute over Line Worker’s Injuries
  • Editorial - Natural Gas, by the Book
  • After 45 Year Hiatus, Migrating Salmon Return to Upper Deschutes
  • Study Looks at Fraser River Sockeye Decline, Stresses Competition with Pink Salmon
  • Stillaguamish Tribe Looks at Pharmaceutical Effects on Fish
  • New Life Emerges as Elwha River Dams Come Down
  • A Damned Dam on the Penobscot River
  • Shellfish Harvesting Resumes in Penn Cove after Sinking
  • Warm Temperatures Mean Strong, Cold Rivers
  • Belfair Water System Customers Still Advised to Boil Water
  • Caught on Tape! Undersea Volcano Erupts Off Northwest Coast
  • Record Investment in Renewable Energy in 2011
  • Editorial - A Cloudy Future for the Solar Industry in Idaho? Or Supply & Demand?
  • Vestas CEO Sees U-S Market Down 80 Percent in 2013
  • California Likely to Set Energy Standards for Consumer Electronics
  • Snohomish PUD Nets Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency
  • Out for Blood: Energy Vampires Taking a Bite Out of Companies’ Profits
  • Efficient Water Heater Insulation Puts Dollars Back In Your Pocket – But it Depends
  • Arctic Ocean Mega-Algae-Bloom: Scientists’ Eyes Popped & Jaws Dropped
  • Montana – U-S Senator Tester Takes Concerns over Rural Broadband Internet Access Straight to
  • The U-S Broadband Internet Initiative Involves More Than We Imagined
  • AT&T Working to Kill South Carolina Community Broadband
  • Debunking Rumors of an Internet Takeover
  • Washington State Workers Checking Signatures on Gay Marriage Referendum 74 Petitions
  • Greg Nickels Faces Uphill Battle in Comeback Race for Secretary of State
  • Accountant Accused of Stealing $2.8 Million from Franklin County
  • Wins, Losses with New Olympia City Hall
  • High Gas Prices Hurt Local Economy
  • Washington State Man Accused of Shooting Hitchhiker Writing ‘Kindness’ Book
  • Belfair Water to Hold Hearing on Annexation
  • River Users Say Planned Columbia Bridge Too Low
  • Discrimination Alive & Well In Public Works Projects
WORD OF THE DAY

Beneficent • \bih-NEFF-ih-sent\ • Adjective - 1: doing or producing good; especially: performing acts of kindness & charity 2: beneficial

Beneficent: see United Way

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

BPA Transmission Upgrades - Subbing Out Poles to Begin Monday: The 90-mile-long BPA power line is only three years younger than the Bonneville Dam itself (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

Douglas PUD to Seek Two 6-Percent Rate Hikes by 2013 (Wenatchee World, WA)

Portland General Electric Solicits Bids for New Power (Oregonian, Portland)

Eagles Knock Out Power in Port Angeles (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Hydro bill moves forward in U-S House of Representatives (American public Power Association)

Coal’s Share of Generation Drops to 34% (American Public Power Association)

How Hard is it to Dismantle 150 Nuclear Reactors? Europe’s About to Find Out (Washington Post)

Court Forces a Rethinking of Nuclear Fuel Storage (NY Times)


FERC Gives PJM Ammunition in Dispute over Line Worker’s Injuries (SNL Financial)

Editorial - Natural Gas, by the Book (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

After 45 Year Hiatus, Migrating Salmon Return to Upper Deschutes (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Study Looks at Fraser River Sockeye Decline, Stresses Competition with Pink Salmon (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Stillaguamish Tribe Looks at Pharmaceutical Effects on Fish (Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission)

New Life Emerges as Elwha River Dams Come Down (Seattle Times)

A Damned Dam on the Penobscot River (National Public Radio)

Shellfish Harvesting Resumes in Penn Cove after Sinking (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Warm Temperatures Mean Strong, Cold Rivers (Wenatchee World, WA)

Belfair Water System Customers Still Advised to Boil Water (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Caught on Tape! Undersea Volcano Erupts Off Northwest Coast (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Record Investment in Renewable Energy in 2011 (Associated Press)

Editorial - A Cloudy Future for the Solar Industry in Idaho? Or Supply & Demand? (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

Vestas CEO Sees U-S Market Down 80 Percent in 2013 (Reuters)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California Likely to Set Energy Standards for Consumer Electronics (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Snohomish PUD Nets Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency (Lake Stevens Journal, WA)

Out for Blood: Energy Vampires Taking a Bite Out of Companies’ Profits (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)

Efficient Water Heater Insulation Puts Dollars Back In Your Pocket – But it Depends (Christian Science Monitor)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Arctic Ocean Mega-Algae-Bloom: Scientists’ Eyes Popped & Jaws Dropped (Los Angeles Times, CA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Montana – U-S Senator Tester Takes Concerns over Rural Broadband Internet Access Straight to President (Political News)

The U-S Broadband Internet Initiative Involves More Than We Imagined (Washington Times, DC)

AT&T Working to Kill South Carolina Community Broadband - Despite Being Largely Uninterested in Serving Those Customers (Broadband Reports)

Debunking Rumors of an Internet Takeover (NY Times)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Workers Checking Signatures on Gay Marriage Referendum 74 Petitions (Seattle Times)

Greg Nickels Faces Uphill Battle in Comeback Race for Secretary of State (Seattle Times)

Accountant Accused of Stealing $2.8 Million from Franklin County - Had Criminal Past (Associated Press)

Wins, Losses with New Olympia City Hall - $54 million: It’s nice to have, but not all the promises made during planning have been fulfilled (Olympian, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

High Gas Prices Hurt Local Economy (Seattle Times)

Washington State Man Accused of Shooting Hitchhiker Writing ‘Kindness’ Book (Associated Press)

Belfair Water to Hold Hearing on Annexation (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

River Users Say Planned Columbia Bridge Too Low (Associated Press)

Discrimination Alive & Well In Public Works Projects (KING-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Mister Rogers Goes Viral in PBS Remix Of ‘Garden of Your Mind’

Hungry Jack Syrup Truck Spills onto Buttermilk Pike

Cost to lunch with Warren Buffett: $3.5 million

Cops: Woman Shoplifted & Cooked Meth Inside Wal-Mart

SONG OF THE DAY

Bach – Air (Adaptation of the he second movement from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major)