Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Energy News Digest for August 1, 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

Power Restored in India after World’s Worst Blackout, Cause Unclear (Christian Science Monitor)

High Stakes in Thurston County Public Utility District Commission Race - Winner to play role in decision to use public power (Olympian, WA)

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Claim of Native Alaskan Fishing Rights (Courthouse News Service)

Snohomish PUD, Starbucks to Test Energy Efficiency Motivators (Everett Herald Business Journal, WA)

Amber Alert Issued for 16-Year-Old Shelton Girl (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Power Restored in India after World’s Worst Blackout, Cause Unclear
  • India Power Outage Spotlights Energy Planning Failure
  • Energy Experts Say Blackout Like India’s is Unlikely In U-S
  • High Stakes in Thurston County Public Utility District Commission Race
  • Avista Proposes Big Rate Reduction in Idaho
  • Fitch Rates Energy Northwest Bonds ‘AA’
  • Okanogan PUD’s Electrical Revenue Lags Predictions
  • Ambre Energy’s Coal Export Plan from Columbia River Ports Gets Muddier with Countersuit
  • Ailing California Nuclear Power Plant Maps Comeback
  • San Bruno Lawsuits: Pacific Gas & Electric Knew Bad Records Posed a Danger to Public, Engineer Says
  • Texas’ Wholesale Electricity Price Cap Increases this Week
  • Pepco’s Storm Response Inadequate, Most D-C Residents Say in Poll
  • Pepco Tried Different Strategies with Derecho
  • Arizona, Utilities Fight EPA Plan to Reduce Power-Plant Haze
  • Ontario Consumers Pay Millions to Subsidize Electricity Exports
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Claim of Native Alaskan Fishing Rights
  • British Columbia Fish Farm Quarantined after Virus Discovered
  • Bird Flu Has Mutated & Is Killing Baby Seals, Scientists Discover
  • Massachusetts - Dam Removal a Step Toward River Renewal
  • Skagit County PUD is Set to Work on a New Waterline
  • Environmentalists Oppose Wakeboard Park in the Columbia River Gorge
  • Vestas Surges on Deal with Creditors as Shipments Rise
  • Vermont Wind Facility Seeks Permit for Bat Deaths
  • Small Wind Profile: Two Wind Turbines Supply Electricity to U-S Border Station
  • The Most Important Clean-Energy Vote This Year Is in Michigan
  • Snohomish PUD, Starbucks to Test Energy Efficiency Motivators
  • A Guide to Greening Your Business that is Quick, Sophisticated, & Free
  • California Prepares for Harsh Realities of Changing Climate
  • Amid a Devastating Drought, Does It Still Make Sense to Use Corn for Fuel?
  • AAA Charging Up Roadside Assistance for Electric-Vehicle Drivers
  • Microsoft Axes Hotmail, Introduces Outlook.com
  • Kansas City Google Fiber Rallies Take Off Running
  • Amazon Pitches Better-Than-Ever Cloud Deals
  • In U-S Broadband, Cable is Eating the Bells’ Lunch
  • Amber Alert Issued for 16-Year-Old Shelton Girl
  • Firefighters Battle Shelton Structure Fire on Arcadia Ave
  • More Than 100 Tribes Gather at Squaxin Island Tribal Center
  • Mason General Hospital Dedication & Open House Today
  • Concrete Plants Sold to Miles Sand & Gravel in Bankruptcy Proceeding
  • Washington State Ranks Fourth Ii Nation for Boat Theft
  • Mason County Forest Festival Court Wins Award at Seafair
  • Marysville Woman Gets Prison for Part in Obit Burglary
  • Lifeguard Gets $2,600 Bill after Oregon Rescue
WORD OF THE DAY

Melancholy • \ MULL-un-koll-lee\ • Noun - 1a: an abnormal state attributed to an excess of black bile and characterized by irascibility or depression b: black bile c: melancholia 2a: depression of spirits: dejection b: a pensive mood

“Melancholy baby,” crooned the small town talent to the diminutive gathering in the basement of the local Masonic Lodge. Squeezing every sad tear out of the audience, he left them limp with emotion with the final stanza “Smile, my honey dear, while I kiss away each tear; Or else I shall be melancholy too.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Power Restored in India after World’s Worst Blackout, Cause Unclear (Christian Science Monitor)

India Power Outage Spotlights Energy Planning Failure (National Geographic)

Energy Experts Say Blackout Like India’s is Unlikely In U-S (USA Today)

High Stakes in Thurston County Public Utility District Commission Race - Winner to play role in decision to use public power (Olympian, WA)

Avista Proposes Big Rate Reduction in Idaho (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Fitch Rates Energy Northwest Bonds ‘AA’ (Yahoo! Finance)

Okanogan PUD’s Electrical Revenue Lags Predictions (Omak Chronicle, WA)

Ambre Energy’s Coal Export Plan from Columbia River Ports Gets Muddier with Countersuit (Oregonian, Portland)

Ailing California Nuclear Power Plant Maps Comeback (USA Today)

San Bruno Lawsuits: Pacific Gas & Electric Knew Bad Records Posed a Danger to Public, Engineer Says (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Texas’ Wholesale Electricity Price Cap Increases this Week (Houston Business Journal, TX)

Pepco’s Storm Response Inadequate, Most D-C Residents Say in Poll (Washington Post)

Pepco Tried Different Strategies with Derecho (WTOP Radio, Washington, D-C)

Arizona, Utilities Fight EPA Plan to Reduce Power-Plant Haze (Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, AZ)

Ontario Consumers Pay Millions to Subsidize Electricity Exports (Toronto Star, Ontario)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Claim of Native Alaskan Fishing Rights (Courthouse News Service)

British Columbia Fish Farm Quarantined after Virus Discovered - Clayoquot Sound facility’s outbreak is the company’s third this year (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Bird Flu Has Mutated & Is Killing Baby Seals, Scientists Discover (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

Massachusetts - Dam Removal a Step Toward River Renewal (Boston Globe, MA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Skagit County PUD is Set to Work on a New Waterline (KAPS Radio, Mount Vernon, WA)

Environmentalists Oppose Wakeboard Park in the Columbia River Gorge (Bend Bulletin, OR)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Vestas Surges on Deal with Creditors as Shipments Rise (Bloomberg News)

Vermont Wind Facility Seeks Permit for Bat Deaths (Burlington Free Press, VT)

Small Wind Profile: Two Wind Turbines Supply Electricity to U.S. Border Station (Renewable Energy World)

The Most Important Clean-Energy Vote This Year Is in Michigan (Grist Online)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Snohomish PUD, Starbucks to Test Energy Efficiency Motivators (Everett Herald Business Journal, WA)

A Guide to Greening Your Business that is Quick, Sophisticated, & Free (Forbes Magazine)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Prepares for Harsh Realities of Changing Climate (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Amid a Devastating Drought, Does It Still Make Sense to Use Corn for Fuel? (Washington Post)

AAA Charging Up Roadside Assistance for Electric-Vehicle Drivers (Oregonian, Portland)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Microsoft Axes Hotmail, Introduces Outlook.com (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

Kansas City Google Fiber Rallies Take Off Running - 20% of Neighborhoods Have Already Met Goals (Broadband Reports)

Amazon Pitches Better-Than-Ever Cloud Deals (GigaOM)

In U-S Broadband, Cable is Eating the Bells’ Lunch (GigaOM)

GENERAL NEWS

Amber Alert Issued for 16-Year-Old Shelton Girl (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Firefighters Battle Shelton Structure Fire on Arcadia Ave (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

More Than 100 Tribes Gather at Squaxin Island Tribal Center (Olympian, WA)

Mason General Hospital Dedication & Open House Today (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Concrete Plants Sold to Miles Sand & Gravel in Bankruptcy Proceeding (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Washington State Ranks Fourth Ii Nation for Boat Theft (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Mason County Forest Festival Court Wins Award at Seafair (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Marysville Woman Gets Prison for Part in Obit Burglary - Receives the maximum term for thefts from homes while family members were attending funerals (Everett Herald, WA)

Lifeguard Gets $2,600 Bill after Oregon Rescue (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

What Is a ‘Blue Moon’ Anyway? August 31 will arrive with a blue moon, and it won’t happen again for three years

Flags from Apollo Moon Landings Still Standing, New Photos Reveal

Impatient Woman Pepper-Sprays Elderly Woman

Maine Goat Becomes YouTube Sensation

SONG OF THE DAY

Judy Garland – Zing Went the Strings of My Heart

Trammps – Zing Went the Strings of My Heart