Thursday, January 3, 2013

Energy News Digest for January 3, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Electrical Usage Dropping Nationwide (Albuquerque Business First, NM)

Civilla Named to Kitsap PUD Post - To Replace Retiring Lee Caldwell (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

After Switch from Whatcom PUD - Ferndale Residents Unhappy with New Water Supply (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Two Billion Dollars - MidAmerican to Buy Two California Solar Power Projects (Associated Press)

Green Power Biofuels Plant Evicted from Big Pasco Industrial Park (Tri-City Herald, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Electrical Usage Dropping Nationwide
  • Civilla Named to Kitsap PUD Post - To Replace Retiring Lee Caldwell
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Attributes Higher California Rates to Grid Modernization, Renewables
  • Alaska Electric Co-ops Prep for Gas Shortage
  • Florida - Boy Shoots Transmission Line, Causes Power Outage
  • Hubris Alert - Despite Doubts, Pepco Confident It Is Ready for Next Storm
  • Utility Associations Urge Feds to Exercise Caution on Standards for Geomagnetic Disturbances
  • Winter Steelhead Fishing Improve in Lewis & Cowlitz Rivers
  • Elwha Dam-Removal Project Held Back as Silt Estimate Too Low
  • After Switch from Whatcom PUD - Ferndale Residents Unhappy with New Water Supply
  • Chesapeake Bay’s Health Improving Slightly, Report Says
  • Extraordinary Snowfall Needed to Relieve Midwest Drought
  • Two Billion Dollars - MidAmerican to Buy Two California Solar Power Projects
  • Wind Power Changes Landscape in Multiple Ways
  • California Rules Phased In for Lower-Watt Bulbs
  • Oregon - Energy-Saving Street Lights Coming to Clackamas County
  • Montana Agency Closer to Adopting Energy-Saving Building Standards
  • Global Warming Threatens U-S Ski Industry, But Oregon Unscathed
  • Op/Ed – Maintain Washington State’s Transportation Network with a Carbon Tax
  • Green Power Biofuels Plant Evicted from Big Pasco Industrial Park
  • Tigard to Begin Construction on ‘Green Street’ Project
  • Thermoelectric Pipes Can Generate Electricity from Hot Water
  • Washington State Patrol Gets More Time for Switch to Digital Radio System
  • CenturyLink Files Legal Complaint against Portland to Halt Rise in Landline Phone Tax
  • Twitter Now Valued at $11 Billion, Analyst Says
  • 6 Easy Ways to Make Your Website Tablet-Friendly
  • Op/Ed - ‘Bipartisan’ State Senate Means Rejecting Voters’ Own Values
  • ‘Patriotic Millionaire’ Rick Steves is Really, Really Excited about His Tax Increase
  • Tsunami Debris? Agencies Plan Next Move with Dock on Washington State Coast
  • Jefferson County Issues Formal Denial of Port Townsend Paper Landfill Permit
  • Everett Pig Farmer: Growing Pot Would Smell Pretty Sweet
  • Company wants to introduce marijuana vending machines to Washington
  • Thurston County Court Worker Pleads Not Guilty to Pot Charges

WORD OF THE DAY

Festoon • \fess-TOON\ • Noun - 1: a decorative chain or strip hanging between two points 2: a carved, molded, or painted ornament representing a decorative chain.

The room dropped into silence colder, darker and deeper than the tomb. The worker bees had been busy in their task of creating a welcome for their new supervisor. The crew spent two days festooning the immense suite of cubicles with a riotous mix of colored garlands and commemorative ornaments (with hand-etched silhouettes of the new boss on gold-leaf medallions). As the new boss swept into the room…he collided with the low-hanging decorations with his silly, three foot tall hat. The resulting collision resulted in the first test of his new health plan, as well as a neck brace for the next two weeks.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Electrical Usage Dropping Nationwide (Albuquerque Business First, NM)

Civilla Named to Kitsap PUD Post - To Replace Retiring Lee Caldwell (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Pacific Gas & Electric Attributes Higher California Rates to Grid Modernization, Renewables (Renew-Grid)

Alaska Electric Co-ops Prep for Gas Shortage (Electric Co-op Today)

Florida - Boy Shoots Transmission Line, Causes Power Outage (Miami Herald, FL)

Hubris Alert - Despite Doubts, Pepco Confident It Is Ready for Next Storm (The Gazette, Gaithersburg, MD)

Utility Associations Urge Feds to Exercise Caution on Standards for Geomagnetic Disturbances (American Public Power Association)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Winter Steelhead Fishing Improve in Lewis & Cowlitz Rivers (Seattle Times, WA)

Elwha Dam-Removal Project Held Back as Silt Estimate Too Low (Seattle Times, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

After Switch from Whatcom PUD - Ferndale Residents Unhappy with New Water Supply (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Chesapeake Bay’s Health Improving Slightly, Report Says (Washington Post)

Extraordinary Snowfall Needed to Relieve Midwest Drought (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Two Billion Dollars - MidAmerican to Buy Two California Solar Power Projects (Associated Press)

Wind Power Changes Landscape in Multiple Ways (National Public Radio)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California Rules Phased In for Lower-Watt Bulbs (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Oregon - Energy-Saving Street Lights Coming to Clackamas County (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Montana Agency Closer to Adopting Energy-Saving Building Standards (The Missoulian, MT)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Global Warming Threatens U-S Ski Industry, But Oregon Unscathed (Oregonian, Portland)

Op/Ed – Maintain Washington State’s Transportation Network with a Carbon Tax (Seattle Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Green Power Biofuels Plant Evicted from Big Pasco Industrial Park (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Tigard to Begin Construction on ‘Green Street’ Project (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Thermoelectric Pipes Can Generate Electricity from Hot Water (Gizmodo)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State Patrol Gets More Time for Switch to Digital Radio System (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

CenturyLink Files Legal Complaint against Portland to Halt Rise in Landline Phone Tax (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Twitter Now Valued at $11 Billion, Analyst Says (Mashable)

6 Easy Ways to Make Your Website Tablet-Friendly (Mashable)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Op/Ed - ‘Bipartisan’ State Senate Means Rejecting Voters’ Own Values (Crosscut Seattle)

‘Patriotic Millionaire’ Rick Steves is Really, Really Excited about His Tax Increase (U-S News & World Report)

GENERAL NEWS

Tsunami Debris? Agencies Plan Next Move with Dock on Washington State Coast (Associated Press)

Jefferson County Issues Formal Denial of Port Townsend Paper Landfill Permit (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Everett Pig Farmer: Growing Pot Would Smell Pretty Sweet (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

Company wants to introduce marijuana vending machines to Washington (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Thurston County Court Worker Pleads Not Guilty to Pot Charges (Olympian, WA)

DIVERSIONS

On the Blink: Sometimes Your Mind Just Needs a Second Off - In the wink of an eye, the brain sees a benefit

Ten Quotes by J.R.R. Tolkien on His Birthday

‘Tennessee Waltz’ Singer Patti Page Dies at 85

You Haven’t Truly Seen a Fireworks Show until You’ve Seen One in Reverse (Note; Contains PG-13 Language)

SONG OF THE DAY

Patti Page - You Don’t Know Me