Thursday, March 7, 2013

Energy News Digest for March 7, 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

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD (JUST BECAUSE I CAN)

Energy News Digest word cloud for March 7, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Sequestration in the Coulee Means Uncertainty (Star of the Grand Coulee, WA)

Small Oil Leak Reported at Bonneville Dam - One to two tablespoons per day getting into river; workers trying to stop it (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Harstine Island – Electricity Restored Following Mason County PUD 3’s Planned Power Outage to Complete Connection of New Bridge Cable Crossing (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Clipped Power Line near Sequim Briefly Shuts Down Highway 101 (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

United States Winning the Clean Energy Race - According to a new study, the U-S exported more clean energy products to China in 2011 (U-S News & World Report)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Sequestration in the Coulee Means Uncertainty
  • Harstine Island – Electricity Restored Following Mason County PUD 3’s Planned Power Outage to Complete Connection of New Bridge Cable Crossing
  • Clipped Power Line near Sequim Briefly Shuts Down Highway 101
  • Tillamook City Council Overrules Planning Commission, Denies PUD Power Line
  • Bonneville Power Administration Set to Give Researchers $ 3 Million-Plus
  • Columbia River PUD Franchise Fees to Local Governments Top $500,000 Mark
  • Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for March 5, 2013
  • Flathead Electric Co-Op Posts Milestones for 76th Annual Meeting
  • Proposed Dam Presents Economic & Environmental Challenges in Alaska
  • Sally Jewell Pledges Balanced Approach on Energy
  • California Lawmakers Hammer Utilities Panel for Shoddy Forecasting
  • U-S Natural Gas Supplies Shrank Last Week
  • Hydro-Quebec & Russian Firm Sign Two-Year Research Agreement
  • South Puget Sound Salmon Discussion Scheduled for March 19
  • Small Oil Leak Reported at Bonneville Dam
  • United States Winning the Clean Energy Race
  • Crowdfunding Clean Energy
  • FCC Chief Outlines Plans to Increase Unlicensed Wireless Spectrum
  • Microsoft Fined $733 Million for Breaking European Browser Pact
  • Yet Another Accused Thief Makes Rookie Mistake of Uploading Pics from Stolen iPad to the Cloud
  • News Feed Face-Lift at Facebook, to Keep Its Users Engaged
  • Paul Ryan, Patty Murray Hold the Keys to Any Budget Deal
  • U-S Army Corps of Engineers Employees May Face Furloughs
  • Petty Politics - Bill Would Require Washington State Supreme Court Justices to Draw Straws for Job
  • Inslee Tours Hanford, Announces Plan to Export Waste to New Mexico
  • Hanford Contractor Fined $18.5 Million in Time Card Scheme
  • 24,000 Jobs Gained in Washington State in January
  • Belfair-Area Prison Program Offers Skills to Cope In & Out of Incarceration
  • Cowlitz Casino Bid Could Affect Other Tribes
  • New TSA Rules on Knives Draw Fire from 9/11 Kin
  • North Korea Threatens Nuclear Strike on U-S

WORDS OF THE DAY

Gnomic • \NOH-mik\ • Adjective - 1: characterized by aphorism 2: given to the composition of aphoristic writing

Aphorism • \AFF-rizz-um\ • Noun - A short statement of a general truth or idea

“It is what it is,” puffed the new hire in his first (of many) gnomic statements to his unimpressed boss. “If that’s what it is, I have no idea what ‘it’ is,” muttered the grizzled accountant under his breath.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Sequestration in the Coulee Means Uncertainty (Star of the Grand Coulee, WA)

Harstine Island – Electricity Restored Following Mason County PUD 3’s Planned Power Outage to Complete Connection of New Bridge Cable Crossing (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Clipped Power Line near Sequim Briefly Shuts Down Highway 101 (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Tillamook City Council Overrules Planning Commission, Denies PUD Power Line (Tillamook Headlight Herald, OR)

Bonneville Power Administration Set to Give Researchers $ 3 Million-Plus (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Columbia River PUD Franchise Fees to Local Governments Top $500,000 Mark (St Helens Chronicle, OR)
http://www.thechronicleonline.com/news/article_713b48de-86a3-11e2-a063-001a4bcf887a.html

Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for March 5, 2013 (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Flathead Electric Co-Op Posts Milestones for 76th Annual Meeting (Hungry Horse News, MT)

Proposed Dam Presents Economic & Environmental Challenges in Alaska (NY Times)

Sally Jewell Pledges Balanced Approach on Energy (Associated Press)

California Lawmakers Hammer Utilities Panel for Shoddy Forecasting (Sacramento Bee, CA)

U-S Natural Gas Supplies Shrank Last Week (Associated Press)

Hydro-Quebec & Russian Firm Sign Two-Year Research Agreement (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

FISH & WILDLIFE

South Puget Sound Salmon Discussion Scheduled for March 19 (Washington State Department Of Fish & Wildlife)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Small Oil Leak Reported at Bonneville Dam - One to two tablespoons per day getting into river; workers trying to stop it (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

United States Winning the Clean Energy Race - According to a new study, the U-S exported more clean energy products to China in 2011 (U-S News & World Report)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Crowdfunding Clean Energy (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Chief Outlines Plans to Increase Unlicensed Wireless Spectrum (Boston Business Journal, MA)

Microsoft Fined $733 Million for Breaking European Browser Pact (Northwest Cable News Network)

Yet Another Accused Thief Makes Rookie Mistake of Uploading Pics from Stolen iPad to the Cloud (Consumerist)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

News Feed Face-Lift at Facebook, to Keep Its Users Engaged (NY Times)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Paul Ryan, Patty Murray Hold the Keys to Any Budget Deal (Washington Post)

U-S Army Corps of Engineers Employees May Face Furloughs (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

Petty Politics - Bill Would Require Washington State Supreme Court Justices to Draw Straws for Job (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Inslee Tours Hanford, Announces Plan to Export Waste to New Mexico (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Hanford Contractor Fined $18.5 Million in Time Card Scheme (Associated Press)

24,000 Jobs Gained in Washington State in January (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Belfair-Area Prison Program Offers Skills to Cope In & Out of Incarceration (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Cowlitz Casino Bid Could Affect Other Tribes (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

New TSA Rules on Knives Draw Fire from 9/11 Kin (Associated Press)

North Korea Threatens Nuclear Strike on U-S (USA Today)

DIVERSIONS

Ricky Gervais Returns as David Brent from the Original 'Office'

Avast! Seafair Pirates Defuse a Road Rage Incident

These Smithsonian Photo Contest Finalists Are Each Stunning in Totally Different Ways

Alvin Lee Is Going Home: 'Ten Years After' Guitarist Dies

SONG OF THE DAY

Ten Years After - I'm Going Home

Ten Years After - I'd Love to Change the World