Friday, March 8, 2013

Energy News Digest for March 8, 2013


PROGRAM NOTE

The energy news digest will be on the road the week of March 11, so it will default to the “Hot Shots” format during that time. After surviving jet lag, the clocks “springing forward” & general malaise, it will return to its full wilted flower, maybe not so rested & relaxed the week of March 18.

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD (JUST BECAUSE I CAN)

Energy News Digest word cloud for March 8, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Oregon Gives Tribes Top Claims to Water in Much of Klamath Basin (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Sierra Club Files Suit Against Puget Sound Energy over Montana Coal Generator (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Large Rise in Carbon Dioxide Emissions Sounds Climate Change Alarm (The Guardian, UK)

High-Speed Broadband Expansion Connects Communities across Washington State (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Washington State House Oks Bill for Hydroelectricity in Canals (Tri-City Herald, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Sierra Club Files Suit Against Puget Sound Energy over Montana Coal Generator
  • Energy Secretary Nominee - Sally Jewell’s Links to Conservationists Draw GOP Questions during Confirmation Hearing
  • Bonneville Power Administration Declines to Meet with Clark County Officials
  • Washington Supreme Court Rejects EMF Damages Claim Against Puget Sound Energy & Kirkland, Relieving Major Liability Concern
  • Jury Finds Tax Protester Chester Davis Guilty of Tax Evasion
  • Chief Joseph Hatchery to Open This Summer
  • Oregon Gives Tribes Top Claims to Water in Much of Klamath Basin
  • Idaho Adopts New State Water Plan
  • Washington State House Oks Bill for Hydroelectricity in Canals
  • Bonneville Power Administration Says a Smaller Chance of Wind Energy Curtailment in Pacific Northwest This Spring
  • Nebraska Tax Breaks - Legislative Committee Draws Ire for Advancing Wind Energy Bill
  • Solar Batteries Could Be Utilities’ Next Headache
  • Large Rise in Carbon Dioxide Emissions Sounds Climate Change Alarm
  • Bill Gates Favors Nuclear Power to Help Limit Climate Change
  • Environmental Coalition Urges British Columbia to Raise & Expand Carbon Tax
  • Oregon’s Governor OKs Electric Vehicle Push
  • California Town Could Require Solar Power on Every New House
  • Power from the People - How Brazil Turned Urine into Electricity
  • High-Speed Broadband Expansion Connects Communities across Washington State
  • Clackamas County & Oregon City Approve Settlement over Installation of Broadband in City Right of Way
  • Georgia - Municipal Broadband Bill Shot Down By State House
  • Where Does the Web Live? Surprisingly, Houston Is a Popular Neighborhood
  • Facebook Puts Focus on Photos in New Look; May Boost Ads
  • Inside the World of Business Lobbying in Olympia
  • Michigan – U-S Senator Carl Levin’s Decision Opens Seat in 2014
  • $435,000 Grant for Mason County Volunteer Firefighter Programs
  • Violence Against Women Act Gives Tribes New Authority Over Non-Indians
  • Daylight Saving is Time to Check Smoke Detectors
  • What is International Women’s Day?
  • Inappropriate Much? Players Sent to Find Dates for Softball Coach

WORD OF THE DAY

Patois • \PAT-twah\ • Noun - 1a: a dialect other than the standard or literary dialect b: uneducated or provincial speech 2: the characteristic special language of an occupational or social group: jargon

P-P-C patois
B-P-A, CRACS, BiOp, Yikes!
Language deep and dense

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Sierra Club Files Suit Against Puget Sound Energy over Montana Coal Generator (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Energy Secretary Nominee - Sally Jewell’s Links to Conservationists Draw GOP Questions during Confirmation Hearing (Seattle Times, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Declines to Meet with Clark County Officials - Proposed power line would have been discussed (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Washington Supreme Court Rejects EMF Damages Claim Against Puget Sound Energy & Kirkland, Relieving Major Liability Concern (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

Jury Finds Tax Protester Chester Davis Guilty of Tax Evasion “…sold software to commercial power users, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration, & General Electric…” (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Chief Joseph Hatchery to Open This Summer (Quad City Herald, Brewster, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon Gives Tribes Top Claims to Water in Much of Klamath Basin (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Idaho Adopts New State Water Plan (Northwest Public Radio)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington State House Oks Bill for Hydroelectricity in Canals (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Says a Smaller Chance of Wind Energy Curtailment in Pacific Northwest This Spring (North American Wind Power)

Nebraska Tax Breaks - Legislative Committee Draws Ire for Advancing Wind Energy Bill (Lincoln Journal Star, NE)

Solar Batteries Could Be Utilities’ Next Headache (Reuters)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Large Rise in Carbon Dioxide Emissions Sounds Climate Change Alarm (The Guardian, UK)

Bill Gates Favors Nuclear Power to Help Limit Climate Change (Reuters)

Environmental Coalition Urges British Columbia to Raise & Expand Carbon Tax (Vancouver Sun, BC)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon’s Governor OKs Electric Vehicle Push (Sustainable Business Oregon)

California Town Could Require Solar Power on Every New House (Grist Online)

Power from the People - How Brazil Turned Urine into Electricity (Huffington Post)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

High-Speed Broadband Expansion Connects Communities across Washington State (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Clackamas County & Oregon City Approve Settlement over Installation of Broadband in City Right of Way (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Georgia - Municipal Broadband Bill Shot Down By State House (WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA)

Where Does the Web Live? Surprisingly, Houston Is a Popular Neighborhood (GigaOM)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook Puts Focus on Photos in New Look; May Boost Ads (Reuters)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Inside the World of Business Lobbying in Olympia (Northwest Public Radio)

Michigan – U-S Senator Carl Levin’s Decision Opens Seat in 2014 (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

$435,000 Grant for Mason County Volunteer Firefighter Programs (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Violence Against Women Act Gives Tribes New Authority Over Non-Indians (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Daylight Saving is Time to Check Smoke Detectors (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

What is International Women’s Day? (Christian Science Monitor)

Inappropriate Much? Players Sent to Find Dates for Softball Coach (Seattle Times, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Champion Tree Climber Putting His Skills to Good Use - Saving Cats

Daylight Savings Doesn’t Have to Be Nightmare for Sleep Deprived

Lone tree stolen from World’s Smallest Park in Portland

Which Hurts More, AC or DC Electricity?

SONG OF THE DAY

Jefferson Starship – Miracles

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.