Monday, July 2, 2012

Energy News Digest for July 2, 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

Summer Storms Leave 2 Million People without Electricity (Christian Science Monitor)

Mason County PUD 3 Restores Electricity to 1,400 Harstine Island Customers (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Bonneville Power Administration Delays Release of Southwest Washington Transmission Line Analysis (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Pacific Northwest's Top Federal Fisheries Cop Removed from Office (Seattle Times)

North Central Washington’s Public Utility Districts Balk at Backing NoaNet Expansion (Wenatchee World, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Summer Storms Leave 2 Million People without Electricity
  • Pepco, Dominion & Baltimore Gas & Electric Cite Severity of Storm in Explaining Long Recovery
  • Mason County PUD 3 Restores Electricity to 1,400 Harstine Island Customers
  • Power Restored to Harstine Island
  • Bonneville Power Administration Delays Release of Southwest Washington Transmission Line Analysis
  • Op/Ed – Montana Power Line Upgrade Would Boost State's Energy Economy
  • Coal Power Taking Back Seat to Hydroelectric & Wind Generators
  • Centralia City Light Switches to New Substation
  • Scammers Target Pacific Power's Spanish-Speaking Customers
  • Editorial - Good Audit: Asotin County PUD "Pitches Perfect Game"
  • Op/Ed – British Columbia: Electricity Needed to Fill Demand Gap
  • New York City - Con Ed Curtails Services After Talks Break Down
  • In Japan, First Reactor Is Restarted Since Quake
  • Editorial - The Dam Boom in the Amazon
  • U-S Energy Department Awards nLight $1 Million Grant
  • Pacific Northwest's Top Federal Fisheries Cop Removed from Office
  • Western Washington State Tribes Say Tribal Fishing Rights at Risk
  • Dividing the Catch: Controversial Quota System Results in Fewer Fish Being Discarded at Sea
  • Summer Raises Risk for Bacteria in Oysters
  • California - Environmentalists Fight Drakes Bay Oyster Company’s Bid to Extend Its National Park Service Lease at Point Reyes National Seashore
  • Groups Fight Development in Columbia Gorge
  • Hawaii’s Hoku Corporation Running Out of Cash, Considering Bankruptcy
  • Idaho Public Utilities Commission, Solar Developer at Odds
  • New York State Encouraging Big Renewables
  • Vestas 'No Comment' on Sale Speculation
  • Global Trial Shows LED Street Lighting Delivers Up To 85% Energy Savings
  • Climate Shift Creates Conditions for 'Super Fire' in Northern California
  • EPA Official Who Resigned Over ‘Crucify’ Comment Joins Sierra Club
  • Bag O’ Bacteria - You Could be Holding More than Groceries in that Reusable Shopping Bag
  • North Central Washington’s Public Utility Districts Balk at Backing NoaNet Expansion
  • Violent Storm Disrupts Amazon Data Center, Life in Internet Cloud
  • Leap Second Causes Internet Glitches
  • Cloud Leaves Some Tech Giants Seeking a Silver Lining
  • Copier Overcharges - Deal Will Return $4 Million to Washington State Agencies
  • Washington’s Secretary of State Hopefuls Have Different Visions for Post
  • Pacific Northwest Braces for 1.5 Million-Ton Onslaught of Tsunami Debris
  • Metal Thieves Black Out Regional Traffic Network
  • Mason County Being Sued over Garbage Contracts
  • City of Shelton to Hire Flooding Consultant
  • UPDATE: Car Crash at Mason County PUD 3 Building in Downtown Shelton
  • More Cities Scaling Back or Eliminating Fireworks Displays
  • AAA: Average Price of Gasoline in Washington $3.64
WORD OF THE DAY

Poltroon • \pawl-TROON\ • Noun - A spiritless coward: craven

Paltroon or maroon
Don’t get on Bugs Bunny’s list
There’s no way you’ll win

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Summer Storms Leave 2 Million People without Electricity (Christian Science Monitor)

Pepco, Dominion & Baltimore Gas & Electric Cite Severity of Storm in Explaining Long Recovery (Washington Post)

Mason County PUD 3 Restores Electricity to 1,400 Harstine Island Customers (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Power Restored to Harstine Island (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Delays Release of Southwest Washington Transmission Line Analysis (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Op/Ed – Montana Power Line Upgrade Would Boost State's Energy Economy (Billings Gazette, MT)

Coal Power Taking Back Seat to Hydroelectric & Wind Generators (Helena Independent Record, MT)

Centralia City Light Switches to New Substation (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Scammers Target Pacific Power's Spanish-Speaking Customers (Oregonian, Portland)

Editorial - Good Audit: Asotin County PUD "Pitches Perfect Game" (Lewistown Tribune, ID)

Op/Ed – British Columbia: Electricity Needed to Fill Demand Gap (Nanaimo Bulletin)

New York City - Con Ed Curtails Services After Talks Break Down (NY Times)

In Japan, First Reactor Is Restarted Since Quake (NY Times)

Editorial - The Dam Boom in the Amazon (NY Times)

U-S Energy Department Awards nLight $1 Million Grant (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pacific Northwest's Top Federal Fisheries Cop Removed from Office (Seattle Times)

Western Washington State Tribes Say Tribal Fishing Rights at Risk (Associated Press)

Dividing the Catch: Controversial Quota System Results in Fewer Fish Being Discarded at Sea (Seattle Times)

Summer Raises Risk for Bacteria in Oysters (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

California - Environmentalists Fight Drakes Bay Oyster Company’s Bid to Extend Its National Park Service Lease at Point Reyes National Seashore (Sacramento Bee, CA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Groups Fight Development in Columbia Gorge (Courthouse News Service)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Hawaii’s Hoku Corporation Running Out of Cash, Considering Bankruptcy (Pacific Business Journal, HI)

Idaho Public Utilities Commission, Solar Developer at Odds (Fierce Energy)

New York State Encouraging Big Renewables (Renewable Energy World)

Vestas 'No Comment' on Sale Speculation (Wind Power Monthly)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Global Trial Shows LED Street Lighting Delivers Up To 85% Energy Savings “...High capital cost and a dearth of effective financing approaches continue to be barriers to market maturity…” (Forbes Magazine)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Shift Creates Conditions for 'Super Fire' in Northern California (Modesto Bee, CA)

EPA Official Who Resigned Over ‘Crucify’ Comment Joins Sierra Club (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Plastic-Bag Ban Catches Some Seattle Shoppers by Surprise (Seattle Times)

Bag O’ Bacteria - You Could be Holding More than Groceries in that Reusable Shopping Bag (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

North Central Washington’s Public Utility Districts Balk at Backing NoaNet Expansion (Wenatchee World, WA)

Violent Storm Disrupts Amazon Data Center, Life in Internet Cloud - The interruption has underlined how businesses and consumers are increasingly exposed to unforeseen risks and disruptions as they embrace life in the Internet cloud (Seattle Times)

Leap Second Causes Internet Glitches (USA Today)

Cloud Leaves Some Tech Giants Seeking a Silver Lining (NY Times)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Copier Overcharges - Deal Will Return $4 Million to Washington State Agencies (Olympian, WA)

Washington’s Secretary of State Hopefuls Have Different Visions for Post (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Pacific Northwest Braces for 1.5 Million-Ton Onslaught of Tsunami Debris (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Metal Thieves Black Out Regional Traffic Network - Cut cable leaves state unable to provide traveler info (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Mason County Being Sued over Garbage Contracts (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

City of Shelton to Hire Flooding Consultant (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

UPDATE: Car Crash at Mason County PUD 3 Building in Downtown Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

More Cities Scaling Back or Eliminating Fireworks Displays (USA Today)

AAA: Average Price of Gasoline in Washington $3.64 (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Global Helium Shortage Threatens to Deflate Holiday Parades, Parties (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Oops: Vancouver Gas Station Sells Gas for 35 Cents per Gallon

July 1 Brings New, Sometimes Quirky Laws

Eagle Snatches Lake Padden Fisherman's Catch Right Off His Line

SONG OF THE DAY

Five Man Electrical Band – Signs