Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Energy News Digest for February 26, 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 February 26, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Seamless Transition Promised in Jefferson County PUD Electrical Service Takeover (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Storm Costs Approach $3 Million for Chelan PUD (Wenatchee World, WA)

Columbia Managers Dial Back Flows For Spawning Chum to Save Water for Upper Spring Chinook (The Dalles Chronicle, OR)

Is the U-S Losing the Broadband Race? As it Turns Out, We Look a Lot Like Danica Patrick (Forbes Magazine)
U-S Senate Schedules Confirmation Hearing on Sally Jewell’s Nomination as Interior Secretary (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Seamless Transition Promised in Jefferson County PUD Electrical Service Takeover
  • Storm Costs Approach $3 Million for Chelan PUD
  • No School at Sehome High Tuesday after Transformer Explodes
  • Bonneville Power Administration to Update Vancouver City Council on I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project
  • Energy Northwest - The First Amendment Bombs Nuclear Energy by Accident
  • Moody’s Downgrades Chelan PUD Debt over Revenue Volatility – But Improves Outlook to Stable
  • Texas - Live Wire Electrocutes Kids in Back Yard
  • American Electric Power Agrees to Close Three Coal Plants in Emissions Settlement
  • National Rural Electric Co-op Association Concerned with FERC Rulings
  • Hints from Heloise: Play It Safe Around Electricity
  • Energy Revolution Promises to Transform East Africa
  • Columbia Managers Dial Back Flows For Spawning Chum to Save Water for Upper Spring Chinook
  • The Pinniped Watch: So Far, Only One Sea Lion at Bonneville, Stellers Less Abundant than Past Years
  • Pesticides & Pacific Salmon: The Long & Winding Litigation Road Gets Longer as the Fourth Circuit Strikes Down NMFS’s Biological Opinion
  • California Oyster Farm Facing Shutdown Wins Reprieve
  • Fluoride Referendum Qualifies for Portland’s May 2014 Ballot
  • Grant County, REC Silicon Settle Property Tax Fight
  • Sacramento Municipal Utility District to Study Residential, Commercial Use of Solar
  • A Dam in the Wilderness, a Legislature Out of Control, And Rep. Lindsey Holmes
  • Missouri - Clean Energy Advocates Cry Foul over Hydropower Legislation
  • Blazing Tires Will No Longer Power Illinois Homes
  • On Our Radar: Prison Term for Biodiesel Fraud
  • This Billboard Sucks Water Out of the Air & Delivers It to Families Below
  • Is the U-S Losing the Broadband Race? As it Turns Out, We Look a Lot Like Danica Patrick
  • Millions Said to Be Wasted on U-S Broadband Expansion
  • Colorado - Eagle-Net Broadband Controversy Set for Congressional Hearings
  • Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 10 Browser Coming to Windows 7 PCs
  • Yahoo Renews Debate over Working from Home
  • U-S Senate Schedules Confirmation Hearing on Sally Jewell’s Nomination as Interior Secretary
  • Partial Merger of Mason County Fire Districts Nine & Six Hits Snag
  • Washington State Senate Explores Shift to 401(K)-Style Plans
  • Charges over Olympian’s Inappropriate Child Images Dismissed Due to Unlawful Search
  • C. Everett Koop, Former Surgeon General, Dies at Age 96

WORD OF THE DAY

Pugilism • \PEW-juh-liz-um\ • Noun – Boxing

“The sweet science,” mused a young Howard Cosell. “Seems like pugilism is more of a sweat science…”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Seamless Transition Promised in Jefferson County PUD Electrical Service Takeover (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Storm Costs Approach $3 Million for Chelan PUD (Wenatchee World, WA)

No School at Sehome High Tuesday after Transformer Explodes (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration to Update Vancouver City Council on I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Energy Northwest - The First Amendment Bombs Nuclear Energy by Accident (Forbes Magazine)

Moody’s Downgrades Chelan PUD Debt over Revenue Volatility – But Improves Outlook to Stable (Wenatchee World, WA)

Texas - Live Wire Electrocutes Kids in Back Yard (Courthouse News Service)

American Electric Power Agrees to Close Three Coal Plants in Emissions Settlement (Washington Post)

National Rural Electric Co-op Association Concerned with FERC Rulings - Asking for a clarification or rehearing of its final rule on a revised Bulk Electric System definition (Electric Co-op Today)

Hints from Heloise: Play It Safe Around Electricity (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Energy Revolution Promises to Transform East Africa (British Broadcasting Corporation)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia Managers Dial Back Flows For Spawning Chum to Save Water for Upper Spring Chinook (The Dalles Chronicle, OR)

The Pinniped Watch: So Far, Only One Sea Lion at Bonneville, Stellers Less Abundant than Past Years (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Pesticides & Pacific Salmon: The Long & Winding Litigation Road Gets Longer as the Fourth Circuit Strikes Down NMFS’s Biological Opinion (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

California Oyster Farm Facing Shutdown Wins Reprieve (Courthouse News Service)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Fluoride Referendum Qualifies for Portland’s May 2014 Ballot (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Grant County, REC Silicon Settle Property Tax Fight (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Sacramento Municipal Utility District to Study Residential, Commercial Use of Solar (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

A Dam in the Wilderness, a Legislature Out of Control, And Rep. Lindsey Holmes (Alaska Dispatch)

Missouri - Clean Energy Advocates Cry Foul over Hydropower Legislation (KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO)

Blazing Tires Will No Longer Power Illinois Homes (Grist Online)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

On Our Radar: Prison Term for Biodiesel Fraud (NY Times)

This Billboard Sucks Water Out of the Air & Delivers It to Families Below (Grist Online)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Is the U-S Losing the Broadband Race? As it Turns Out, We Look a Lot Like Danica Patrick (Forbes Magazine)

Millions Said to Be Wasted on U-S Broadband Expansion (Bloomberg News)

Colorado - Eagle-Net Broadband Controversy Set for Congressional Hearings (Denver Business Journal, CO)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2013/02/25/eagle-net-controversy-set-for.html

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 10 Browser Coming to Windows 7 PCs (Associated Press)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Yahoo Renews Debate over Working from Home (Albuquerque Business First, NM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

U-S Senate Schedules Confirmation Hearing on Sally Jewell’s Nomination as Interior Secretary (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Partial Merger of Mason County Fire Districts Nine & Six Hits Snag (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington State Senate Explores Shift to 401(K)-Style Plans (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Charges over Olympian’s Inappropriate Child Images Dismissed Due to Unlawful Search (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

C. Everett Koop, Former Surgeon General, Dies at Age 96 (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Awesome Thermochromic Jeans Changes Colors with Heat

Bear Grylls Seeks Adventure in Latest Air New Zealand Video

Just How Incomprehensibly Massive Is the Universe? (Hint: Even Bigger Than That)

Total Perspective Vortex – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Honey, It’s Electric: Bees Sense Charge on Flowers

SONG OF THE DAY

Eric Idle - The Galaxy Song