Thursday, July 26, 2012

Energy News Digest for July 26, 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

Sierra Club to Sue Puget Sound Energy for Violations at Montana Coal Power Plant (KING-TV, Seattle)

FCC to Spend $115 Million on Rural Broadband Subsidies (USA Today)

Did the Huge Greenland Glacier Break Apart Because of Global Warming? Maybe Not (Christian Science Monitor)

Election Year Politics Snag Wyoming Wind Tower Plant (Casper Star Tribune, WY)

California, Federal Officials Reveal Water-Tunnel Plan (Seattle Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Sierra Club to Sue Puget Sound Energy for Violations at Montana Coal Power Plant
  • Poll Finds Support for Northwest Coal Export Projects, But Many Are Undecided
  • Op/Ed - Should Thurston County Switch To A Public Power System? Pro: It will keep control & money here at home
  • Op/Ed - Mason County PUD Officials Oppose DOE’s Directive on Power Marketing Administrations
  • Canadian Op/Ed - Existing Dams Can Provide Renewable, Cheap Power: Columbia River is an underutilized resource
  • Classic Alaska Resource Battle Brewing over Wood-Tikchik Hydropower
  • China’s Three Gorges Dam handles record flow
  • Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for July 24, 2012 – PUD declares warehouse on “K” street as surplus; “Negative pricing” for electrical generators may have local rate implication; PUD 3 contributes to Northwest RiverPartners education program; Downtown Shelton payment center to be site of new telecommunications colocation facility
  • Montana-Alberta Wind Power Line Seen Nearing Completion
  • U-S Natural Gas Supplies Grew Last Week
  • Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U-S Grid Buckling
  • Steelhead Run a Sign of Elwha Dam Removal’s Success
  • California, Federal Officials Reveal Water-Tunnel Plan
  • Election Year Politics Snag Wyoming Wind Tower Plant
  • U-S Senate Finance Panel Members to Huddle on Fate of Extenders
  • Efforts Heat Up to Bring Solar to Mukilteo
  • China Solar Makers Decry Trade Spat, Urge Dialogue
  • Garbage Today, Co-op Power Tomorrow
  • Did the Huge Greenland Glacier Break Apart Because of Global Warming? Maybe Not
  • A Climate & Energy Stalemate
  • Controversial ‘Deep Green’ Seattle Building Moves Forward
  • FCC to Spend $115 Million on Rural Broadband Subsidies
  • Broadband Access Remains Scarce in Rural U-S Despite FCC Efforts
  • Twitter Goes Down, Company at Work on Fix
  • Watch What Apple’s OS Update Did to One Network’s Traffic
  • Cable Still Dominates Least Popular Company List - While CenturyLink is the Worst Ranked Phone Company
  • Church Steeples Doubling As Cellphone Towers
  • Oregon Revenue Employees Disciplined over $2.1 Million Tax Refund Mistake
  • Public Employee Benefits Board - Many Washington State Workers’ Health Premiums to Drop
  • Shelton Man Arrested after Hit-and-run near McCleary
  • Mason Area Fair & Rodeo Friday, Saturday & Sunday
  • Pacific Northwest Tribes Paddling Canoes to Olympia for Potlatch
  • King & Snohomish County Garbage Pickup Halted as Waste Management Strike Spreads
  • Drought to Push up Prices for Meat, Dairy, Eggs in 2013
  • More Drama in Town Of Pacific as City Clerk, Cops Fired
WORD OF THE DAY

Vanward • \VAN-werd\ • Adjective - Located in the vanguard: advanced

“Dude, you are an absolute peacock in that suit,” shrilled the ‘Men’s Storage Locker’ salesman to the dubious customer. Although he wanted to be among the vanward fashion crowd, Barty was unsure that a horizontal pinstripe suit was the way to go.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Sierra Club to Sue Puget Sound Energy for Violations at Montana Coal Power Plant (KING-TV, Seattle)

Poll Finds Support for Northwest Coal Export Projects, But Many Are Undecided (Northwest Public Radio)

Op/Ed - Should Thurston County Switch To A Public Power System? Pro: It will keep control & money here at home (Olympian, WA)

Op/Ed - Mason County PUD Officials Oppose DOE’s Directive on Power Marketing Administrations (American Public Power Association)

Canadian Op/Ed - Existing Dams Can Provide Renewable, Cheap Power: Columbia River is an underutilized resource (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Classic Alaska Resource Battle Brewing over Wood-Tikchik Hydropower (Alaska Dispatch)

China’s Three Gorges Dam handles record flow (Associated Press)

Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for July 24, 2012 – PUD declares warehouse on “K” street as surplus; “Negative pricing” for electrical generators may have local rate implication; PUD 3 contributes to Northwest RiverPartners education program; Downtown Shelton payment center to be site of new telecommunications colocation facility (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Montana-Alberta Wind Power Line Seen Nearing Completion (ReCharge News)

U-S Natural Gas Supplies Grew Last Week (Associated Press)

Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U-S Grid Buckling (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Steelhead Run a Sign of Elwha Dam Removal’s Success (KING-TV, Seattle)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

California, Federal Officials Reveal Water-Tunnel Plan (Seattle Times)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Election Year Politics Snag Wyoming Wind Tower Plant (Casper Star Tribune, WY)

U-S Senate Finance Panel Members to Huddle on Fate of Extenders (Governors’ Wind Energy)

Efforts Heat Up to Bring Solar to Mukilteo (Mukilteo Beacon, WA)

China Solar Makers Decry Trade Spat, Urge Dialogue (Associated Press)

Garbage Today, Co-op Power Tomorrow (Electric Co-op Today)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Did the Huge Greenland Glacier Break Apart Because of Global Warming? Maybe Not (Christian Science Monitor)

A Climate & Energy Stalemate (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Controversial ‘Deep Green’ Seattle Building Moves Forward (Seattle Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC to Spend $115 Million on Rural Broadband Subsidies (USA Today)

Broadband Access Remains Scarce in Rural U-S Despite FCC Efforts (E-Week)

Twitter Goes Down, Company at Work on Fix (C/Net News)

Watch What Apple’s OS Update Did to One Network’s Traffic (GigaOM)

Cable Still Dominates Least Popular Company List - While CenturyLink is the Worst Ranked Phone Company (Broadband Reports)

Church Steeples Doubling As Cellphone Towers (National Public Radio)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Oregon Revenue Employees Disciplined over $2.1 Million Tax Refund Mistake (Northwest Public Radio)

Public Employee Benefits Board - Many Washington State Workers’ Health Premiums to Drop (Olympian, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton Man Arrested after Hit-and-run near McCleary (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Mason Area Fair & Rodeo Friday, Saturday & Sunday (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Pacific Northwest Tribes Paddling Canoes to Olympia for Potlatch (Associated Press)

King & Snohomish County Garbage Pickup Halted as Waste Management Strike Spreads (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Drought to Push up Prices for Meat, Dairy, Eggs in 2013 - USDA sees 4 to 5 percent increase in price for beef (Associated Press)

More Drama in Town Of Pacific as City Clerk, Cops Fired (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Drivers Befuddled By Area of Bermuda Triangle Parking That Renders Car Remotes Useless

In New Mexico, Daredevil Skydives from 18 Miles above Earth

Adventures in Deep Fat Frying - Iowa State Fair Vendor Offering Double Bacon Corn Dogs

$140 Sewer Bill Turns into Foreclosure Notice & $50,000 Tab for Homeowner - Private companies buy up existing debts from local governments and then pursue the responsible parties, charging interest and fees

SONG OF THE DAY

Jigsaw - Sky High