Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Energy News Digest for March 5, 2013


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.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD (JUST BECAUSE I CAN)

Energy News Digest word cloud for March 5, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Power Administration Revises Policy for Managing Seasonal Power Oversupply (Bonneville Power Administration)

Mixed Reactions to Moniz for Energy Secretary (The Energy Collective)

Huge Puget Sound Pink Salmon Run of 6.2-Million Is Just a Part of What Should Be a Blissful Summer Fishing Season (Seattle Times, WA)

Oregon Geothermal Plant Producing More Energy Than Expected (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Facebook Responds to Criticisms of Newsfeed, Says It’s Algorithms Are Designed to Keep Users Happy (GigaOM)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Bonneville Power Administration Revises Policy for Managing Seasonal Power Oversupply
  • Mixed Reactions to Moniz for Energy Secretary
  • Obama’s EPA, Energy Picks: Gregoire Left out in the Cold
  • Montana – City of Great Falls May Be Off Hook for Power Plant Expenses
  • Grays Harbor PUD Commissioners Take Questions from Protesters
  • Franklin PUD Receives “Achievement of Excellence in Financial Reporting Award”
  • Wanted: Innovators, Researchers & Partners to Advance Northwest Energy Solutions
  • Tennessee’s Rural Electric Cooperatives Target Poll (sic) Attachment Bill
  • Texas Electricity Will Be in Tight Supply This Summer, ERCOT Warns
  • Op/Ed - Your Electric Bills Are Going Up
  • Huge Puget Sound Pink Salmon Run of 6.2-Million Is Just a Part of What Should Be a Blissful Summer Fishing Season
  • Oregon Updates List of Dams That Block Fish
  • D-C Circuit Upholds Endangered Species Act Listing of Polar Bear
  • As Portland Sewers Get Replaced, Some Residents Will Face Steep Connection Fees
  • Oregon Geothermal Plant Producing More Energy Than Expected
  • Power Plants Burning Old Tires to Make Electricity in Several Michigan Cities Prompt Concerns
  • Solar Makers Turn a Laser-Like Focus on Boosting the Efficiency of Solar Cells
  • Palo Alto Goes ‘Carbon Neutral’ with Electricity - Including Hydroelectricity
  • Richland Looking to Update Street Lights
  • Cree Launches an LED Bulb for Under $10
  • Why Smart Grid Education is Crucial
  • Appliances Aren’t Just Big Boxes Sitting in the Corner Anymore
  • Volcanic Eruptions Might Lessen Greenhouse Effects
  • Global Warming Could Help Arctic Shipping
  • Washington State Lawmaker Backpedals After Saying Cyclists Pollute by Breathing
  • High-Tech House Looks Like it Was Designed by Dr. Suess
  • Top Tech Companies Plug into Renewable Power, Including Hydroelectricity
  • Utah Broadband - Do Two ‘No’ Votes to Fund UTOPIA Signal Trouble for Agency?
  • Internet Domain Scam Targeting Small Business Owners
  • Georgia’s Ridiculous Anti-Broadband Bill Moves Forward - Despite Criticism From Locals, Industry Giants
  • Facebook Responds to Criticisms of Newsfeed, Says It’s Algorithms Are Designed to Keep Users Happy
  • Facebook’s Advertising Strategy Cannot Win
  • Unplugged: Got Social? To Succeed, Companies Better
  • Interior Secretary’s Confirmation Hits Snags over Proposed Road in Alaska
  • Rural Tax Break Bill Dies in Washington State Senate
  • Body Found in Steamboat Island Area Woods Identified as Seattle Woman
  • Demand for Western Lumber Increases, While Log Supply is Tight
  • Energy Secretary Nominee No Stranger to Hanford Tank Leaks
  • Number of Applicants Delays Washington State’s Announcement of Marijuana Consultant
  • Mason County’s Annual Science Fair March 16

WORD OF THE DAY

Allusion • \uh-LOO-zhun\ • Noun - 1: an implied or indirect reference especially in literature; also: the use of such references 2: the act of making an indirect reference to something: the act of alluding to something

The proofreader smirked as she swiped the tip of her red ball-point pen profusely across the feeble reportage of the newspaper’s cub reporter. “Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the local basketball five appears to have saved the job of their coach by winning the last game of the season,” the article gushed. “What the allusion lacked,” mused the proofreader, “was the fact that the local pro team went 1-81; a record for futility.”

Happy National Grammar Day - 20 Awful Grammar Mishaps to Make You Feel Smarter

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Revises Policy for Managing Seasonal Power Oversupply (Bonneville Power Administration)

Mixed Reactions to Moniz for Energy Secretary (The Energy Collective)

Obama’s EPA, Energy Picks: Gregoire Left out in the Cold (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

Montana – City of Great Falls May Be Off Hook for Power Plant Expenses (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

Grays Harbor PUD Commissioners Take Questions from Protesters (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Franklin PUD Receives “Achievement of Excellence in Financial Reporting Award” (Franklin County PUD, Pasco, WA)

Wanted: Innovators, Researchers & Partners to Advance Northwest Energy Solutions (Bonneville Power Administration)

Tennessee’s Rural Electric Cooperatives Target Poll (sic) Attachment Bill (Associated Press)

Texas Electricity Will Be in Tight Supply This Summer, ERCOT Warns (Dallas Business Journal, TX)

Op/Ed - Your Electric Bills Are Going Up (Washington Times, DC)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Huge Puget Sound Pink Salmon Run of 6.2-Million Is Just a Part of What Should Be a Blissful Summer Fishing Season (Seattle Times, WA)

Oregon Updates List of Dams That Block Fish (Associated Press)

D-C Circuit Upholds Endangered Species Act Listing of Polar Bear (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

As Portland Sewers Get Replaced, Some Residents Will Face Steep Connection Fees (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Geothermal Plant Producing More Energy Than Expected (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Power Plants Burning Old Tires to Make Electricity in Several Michigan Cities Prompt Concerns (Associated Press)

Solar Makers Turn a Laser-Like Focus on Boosting the Efficiency of Solar Cells (GigaOM)

Palo Alto Goes ‘Carbon Neutral’ with Electricity “…wind farms, solar energy, renewable gas captured from landfills and hydro-electric generation…” (Palo Alto Online, CA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Richland Looking to Update Street Lights (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Cree Launches an LED Bulb for Under $10 (GigaOM)

Why Smart Grid Education is Crucial (Electric Co-op Today)

Appliances Aren’t Just Big Boxes Sitting in the Corner Anymore (OvenInfo)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Volcanic Eruptions Might Lessen Greenhouse Effects (Christian Science Monitor)

Global Warming Could Help Arctic Shipping (USA Today)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington State Lawmaker Backpedals After Saying Cyclists Pollute by Breathing (Reuters)

High-Tech House Looks Like it Was Designed by Dr. Suess (Curbed)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Top Tech Companies Plug into Renewable Power - Including Hydroelectricity “…46% of the energy used by Microsoft’s Redmond, Wash., campus comes from hydroelectricity, and most of the power for its data center in Quincy, Wash., is from hydropower generated in the Columbia River Basin. That alone put Microsoft in the No. 3 spot on the EPA’s top 50 green companies in 2012…” (Computerworld)

Utah Broadband - Do Two ‘No’ Votes to Fund UTOPIA Signal Trouble for Agency? (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

Internet Domain Scam Targeting Small Business Owners (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Georgia’s Ridiculous Anti-Broadband Bill Moves Forward - Despite Criticism From Locals, Industry Giants (Broadband Reports)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook Responds to Criticisms of Newsfeed, Says It’s Algorithms Are Designed to Keep Users Happy (GigaOM)

Facebook’s Advertising Strategy Cannot Win (USA Today)

Unplugged: Got Social? To Succeed, Companies Better (USA Today)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Interior Secretary’s Confirmation Hits Snags over Proposed Road in Alaska (National Public Radio)

Rural Tax Break Bill Dies in Washington State Senate (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Body Found in Steamboat Island Area Woods Identified as Seattle Woman (Olympian, WA)

Demand for Western Lumber Increases, While Log Supply is Tight (Northwest Public Radio)

Energy Secretary Nominee No Stranger to Hanford Tank Leaks (Northwest Public Radio)

Number of Applicants Delays Washington State’s Announcement of Marijuana Consultant (Associated Press)

Mason County’s Annual Science Fair March 16 (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Crazy for Patsy Cline: Still Popular 50 Years after Her Death

Anheuser-Busch Mocks Alcohol Content Claims

$1,800 ATM Mistake: Delaware Student Returns Cash to Bank

Tobacco Firms Save $1 Billion Using Cat-Litter Filler in Cigars

SONG OF THE DAY

Patsy Cline - Faded Love

Patsy Cline - Crazy

The Late Show with David Letterman - Willie Nelson Meets Patsy Cline