Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Energy News Digest for December 4, 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

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Rainfall & Slide Danger - Special Weather Statement Issued by NWS Seattle

California Lacks Strategy on Alternative Energy, Report Says - Using more renewable sources could mean high bills for electrical customers & damage to the environment (Los Angeles Times, CA)

California Energy Price Manipulation Continues on Two Fronts (Santa Monica Mirror, CA)

Project to Recharge Aquifers with Columbia River Water (Northwest Public Radio)

Oregon - Clatsop County Commissioners Organizing Rally in Salem to Support of Gillnetters (Coast River Business Journal, Astoria, OR)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • California Energy Price Manipulation Continues on Two Fronts
  • New Jersey’s Largest Utility Sees Sandy Costs Up to $300 Million
  • Spate of Harsh Weather in New England Shifts Sentiment on Trees
  • California - Coroner Identifies Pacific Gas & Electric Worker Who Died in West Sacramento Crash
  • Are Westgate Residents More in the Dark?
  • Students’ Options Sprout from Science Technology Engineering & Math Curriculum
  • Public Power Utilities Declare Ratepayer Concerns as Number One Issue in 2013, Tantalus Says
  • Yucca Mountain is Dead. Long Live Yucca Mountain!
  • Oregon - Clatsop County Commissioners Organizing Rally in Salem to Support of Gillnetters
  • Columbia River Gill Net Plan Vote Is Set Friday in Portland
  • Fast-Growing Salmon May Never Wind Up on Your Plate
  • Project to Recharge Aquifers with Columbia River Water
  • High Court Says Government Can Be Liable for Flooding from Government-Owned Dams
  • California Lacks Strategy on Alternative Energy, Report Says - Using more renewable sources could mean high bills for electrical customers & damage to the environment
  • Outlook for Offshore Wind: Dark & Stormy
  • Denmark Moves to Cool Its Red-Hot Solar Energy Market
  • City of Seattle’s LED Streetlight Improvements Enhance Public Safety
  • New Plastic Lighting Saves Energy. Goodbye, Fluorescent Lights?
  • Tree Power - How Many Pounds of Carbon Dioxide Does a Forest Absorb In a Typical Year
  • Nurseryman Plants Clones of Long-Dead Redwoods, Sequoias in Oregon
  • Weekend’s Dump Truck’s Mishaps Shows Vulnerability of East Jefferson Telecommunications
  • Payment in Lieu of Taxes - Bremerton City Council Swallows Hard over ‘Temporary’ Utility Fees
  • City of Olympia May Ban Homeless from Its Hall
  • Rainfall & Slide Danger - Special Weather Statement Issued by NWS Seattle
  • Stormy Night on Tap As Next Weather System Blows Through
  • Elma Robbery Suspects from Shelton
  • One Killed, One Injured in Olympia Tavern Stabbing
  • Mason County Adopts 2013 Budget
  • Are You Ready for Washington’s New Carbon Monoxide Detector Law?

WORD OF THE DAY

Scumble • \SKUM-bull\ • Verb - 1a: to make (as color or a painting) less brilliant by covering with a thin coat of opaque or semi opaque color applied with a nearly dry brush b: to apply (a color) in this manner 2: to soften the lines or colors of (a drawing) by rubbing lightly

“Class, today we’ll be practicing shading in our pencil drawings using blending stumps,” chirped the short, bright-eyed art instructor to her dullard elective students. “Your efforts to effectively scumble your drawings to get the best effect will have an impact on your final grade.”

(Yawn…need more coffee to wipe away the cobwebs)

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

California Energy Price Manipulation Continues on Two Fronts (Santa Monica Mirror, CA)

New Jersey’s Largest Utility Sees Sandy Costs Up to $300 Million (Associated Press)

Spate of Harsh Weather in New England Shifts Sentiment on Trees (NY Times)

California - Coroner Identifies Pacific Gas & Electric Worker Who Died in West Sacramento Crash (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Are Westgate Residents More in the Dark? (My Edmonds News, WA)

Students’ Options Sprout from Science Technology Engineering & Math Curriculum (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Public Power Utilities Declare Ratepayer Concerns as Number One Issue in 2013, Tantalus Says (Electric Energy Online)

Yucca Mountain is Dead. Long Live Yucca Mountain! (The Energy Collective)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon - Clatsop County Commissioners Organizing Rally in Salem to Support of Gillnetters (Coast River Business Journal, Astoria, OR)

Columbia River Gill Net Plan Vote Is Set Friday in Portland (Salem Statesman-Review, OR)

Fast-Growing Salmon May Never Wind Up on Your Plate (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Project to Recharge Aquifers with Columbia River Water (Northwest Public Radio)

High Court Says Government Can Be Liable for Flooding from Government-Owned Dams (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California Lacks Strategy on Alternative Energy, Report Says - Using more renewable sources could mean high bills for electrical customers & damage to the environment (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Outlook for Offshore Wind: Dark & Stormy (NY Times)

Denmark Moves to Cool Its Red-Hot Solar Energy Market (Forbes Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

City of Seattle’s LED Streetlight Improvements Enhance Public Safety (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

New Plastic Lighting Saves Energy. Goodbye, Fluorescent Lights? (Christian Science Monitor)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Tree Power - How Many Pounds of Carbon Dioxide Does a Forest Absorb In a Typical Year (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Nurseryman Plants Clones of Long-Dead Redwoods, Sequoias in Oregon (Associated Press)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Weekend’s Dump Truck’s Mishaps Shows Vulnerability of East Jefferson Telecommunications (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Payment in Lieu of Taxes - Bremerton City Council Swallows Hard over ‘Temporary’ Utility Fees (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

City of Olympia May Ban Homeless from Its Hall (Olympian, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Rainfall & Slide Danger - Special Weather Statement Issued by NWS Seattle

Stormy Night on Tap As Next Weather System Blows Through (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Elma Robbery Suspects from Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

One Killed, One Injured in Olympia Tavern Stabbing (Olympian, WA)

Mason County Adopts 2013 Budget (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

Are You Ready for Washington’s New Carbon Monoxide Detector Law? (KING-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

Teen Bragging Online About Pulling Off Bank Robbery Must’ve Thought No One Watches YouTube

Whisky Saves Man’s Eyesight after Being Blinded by Vodka

It Takes 20 Seconds Before People Get Annoyed About Waiting for the Elevator

Bremerton Man Accused of Slipping Meth to Wife, Hoping to Addict Her

SONG OF THE DAY

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - Blinded by the Light (“…wrapped up like a deuce, another runner in the night…”

Blinded By the Light - Bruce Springsteen