Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Energy News Digest for December 19, 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

Mason County PUD 1 Power Outage Update 11:00am (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Cell Tower Workers Stuck On Steens Mountain Rescued (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Idaho Public Utilities Commission Sets New Rules for Alternative Energy Projects (Idaho Press-Tribune, Nampa, ID)

Washington State Department of Ecology Offers New Water Rights — For a Fee (Wenatchee World, WA)

Washington's unemployment rate drops below 8 percent (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • Mason County PUD 1 Power Outage Update 11:00am
  • Mason County PUD No. 1 Website and Outage information
  • Mason County PUD 3 Linemen Restore Electricity to Kamilche-Area Customers
  • Power Back on in Richland for All But Five Customers
  • Lake Wenatchee – Plain Storm Update
  • Prevent Your Tree from Getting Knocked Down in a Storm
  • Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber Releases Ten-Year Energy Action Plan
  • Share the Warmth Keeps Lights On for Grant County PUD Customers
  • News Release - Landis+Gyr, Central Lincoln PUD Sign Agreement for Dynamic Voltage Management Project
  • Protecting the Grid against Solar Storms
  • Exploring a Proposed Carbon Diet for American Power Plants
  • Washington State Department of Ecology Offers New Water Rights — For a Fee
  • Idaho Public Utilities Commission Sets New Rules for Alternative Energy Projects
  • Idaho PUC's New Rules Could Be Bad News for Large Wind Projects
  • California - Solar Power Adds to Nonusers' Costs
  • The Hidden Pain Points Holding Back Solar
  • Three Money Managers See LED Industry Shining in 2013; Their Stock Picks
  • Glowing Surfaces Will Replace Traditional Light Bulbs
  • Record-High Tides Wash in Prospects for More in Future
  • Washington State Recycling Rate Hits Nearly 51 Percent
  • Portland Ecodistricts Move Ahead under City Guidance
  • Cell Tower Workers Stuck On Steens Mountain Rescued
  • Oregon Courts Mysterious 'Project Azalea,' Said to be a Massive Computer Chip Factory
  • Chelan County PUD Fiber System Work Will Keep Network Viable
  • Yes, Of Course The Broadband Companies Are Gouging You With Data Caps
  • Outgoing Washington State Governor Proposes New Fuel Tax to Fund Education
  • City of Port Angeles Expects to Save Thousands with New Employee Time System
  • Washington's unemployment rate drops below 8 percent
  • 20 To 22 Inches of Snow at Mason County’s Skokomish Park
  • Large Dock, Possibly Tsunami Debris, Found on Beach Near LaPush
  • South Puget Sound Gas Prices Lowest Since Winter of 2011
  • New High School Needed, North Mason School Officials Say
  • Oregon - Christmas Lights Caused Milwaukie House Fire, Investigators Say
  • Report: States Losing Ground in Emergency Preparedness

WORD OF THE DAY

Quadrate • \KWAH-drayt\ • adjective - Being square or approximately square

Alejandro, the beat poet who lurked in the coffee houses of Eagle Butte, South Dakota was the “fresh voice of a new generation,” trumpeted the local weekly newspaper. His prose was a bit less exciting than described:

Those quadrant fat-cats;
Drinkin’ their golden milk in their ivory towers;
They don’t know my pain, searing in my ears and eyes;
Turn down those commercials man;
Peace out.

(Great; now my ears are bleeding. Think Michael O'Donoghue's ‘Steel Needles’ gag from Saturday Night Live)

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Mason County PUD 1 Power Outage Update 11:00am (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Mason County PUD No. 1 Website and Outage information

Mason County PUD 3 Linemen Restore Electricity to Kamilche-Area Customers (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Power Back on in Richland for All But Five Customers (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Lake Wenatchee – Plain Storm Update (North Central Washington TV)

Prevent Your Tree from Getting Knocked Down in a Storm (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber Releases Ten-Year Energy Action Plan (Oregonian, Portland)

Share the Warmth Keeps Lights On for Grant County PUD Customers (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

News Release - Landis+Gyr, Central Lincoln PUD Sign Agreement for Dynamic Voltage Management Project (Yahoo! Finance)

Protecting the Grid against Solar Storms (Energy Collective)

Exploring a Proposed Carbon Diet for American Power Plants (NY Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Washington State Department of Ecology Offers New Water Rights — For a Fee (Wenatchee World, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Idaho Public Utilities Commission Sets New Rules for Alternative Energy Projects (Idaho Press-Tribune, Nampa, ID)

Idaho PUC's New Rules Could Be Bad News for Large Wind Projects (North American Wind Power)

California - Solar Power Adds to Nonusers' Costs (SF Chronicle)

The Hidden Pain Points Holding Back Solar (GigaOM)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Three Money Managers See LED Industry Shining in 2013; Their Stock Picks (Forbes Magazine)

Glowing Surfaces Will Replace Traditional Light Bulbs (Mashable)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Record-High Tides Wash in Prospects for More in Future (Seattle Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington State Recycling Rate Hits Nearly 51 Percent (Associated Press)

Portland Ecodistricts Move Ahead under City Guidance (Sustainable Business Oregon)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Cell Tower Workers Stuck On Steens Mountain Rescued (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Oregon Courts Mysterious 'Project Azalea,' Said to be a Massive Computer Chip Factory (Oregonian, Portland)

Chelan County PUD Fiber System Work Will Keep Network Viable (North Central Washington TV)

Yes, Of Course The Broadband Companies Are Gouging You With Data Caps (Forbes Magazine)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Outgoing Washington State Governor Proposes New Fuel Tax to Fund Education (KING-TV, Seattle)

City of Port Angeles Expects to Save Thousands with New Employee Time System (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington's unemployment rate drops below 8 percent (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

20 To 22 Inches of Snow at Mason County’s Skokomish Park (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Large Dock, Possibly Tsunami Debris, Found on Beach Near LaPush (KING-TV, Seattle)

South Puget Sound Gas Prices Lowest Since Winter of 2011 (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

New High School Needed, North Mason School Officials Say (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Oregon - Christmas Lights Caused Milwaukie House Fire, Investigators Say (Oregonian, Portland)

Report: States Losing Ground in Emergency Preparedness (USA Today)

DIVERSIONS

Christmas Tree Breaks through Roof of Man's House, But Not Really

Oh, Sweet: Canadian Police Arrest three in $20M Maple Syrup Heist, Five Others Still at Large

Watch People Light a Frozen Lake on Fire (PG-13 due to sophomoric humor references to bodily functions)

Eagle on video snatches kid in park -- or does it?

SONG OF THE DAY

Bill Withers- 'Ain't No Sunshine

Sting & David Sanborn - Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone