Energy News Digest for April 1, 2011

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

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

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Court Rules Inaction Hurting Johns Creek – Mason PUD 3 to the Rescue! (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/3705-court-rules-inaction-hurting-johns-creek

House Panel Probes Plan to Halt Yucca Nuke Site (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14360814

Canada - Sockeye Salmon at Risk of Overheating Due to Climate Change (Globe & Mail)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/sockeye-salmon-at-risk-of-overheating-due-to-climate-change-study/article1965320/

CenturyLink Completes $12.2 Billion Acquisition of Qwest (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014658012_apuscenturylinkqwest1stldwritethru.html

Port of Longview Interested in Installing Solar Panels on Port Property (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_bbd6f254-5c01-11e0-936e-001cc4c002e0.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         House Panel Probes Plan to Halt Yucca Nuke Site

·         National Hydropower Association’s Andrew Munro Discusses Senate Action on Hydro

·         Canada - Harper Pledges Loan Support for Hydroelectric Project

·         Seattle City Light Director Finalist for Top Power Utility Job in Phoenix

·         Woman Sentenced to Prison in Hanford Fraud Case

·         April Mason County PUD 3 Newsletter

·         Longview, WA - Learn How to Live without Power Through Simple Safety Class

·         Arizona - Valley Officials on Lookout for Thieves Targeting Utilities

·         Dominion Virginia Unit Says 3 Power Plants to Switch to Biomass

·         Too Dirty - Laundromat Owner Fed Up with Natural Gas Workers

·         Shocker - Moody’s Cuts Rating of Japan Nuke Plant Operator

·         Nuclear Crisis Puts Evacuation Zones under Scrutiny

·         Radon in Spokane Homes More of a Risk Than Milk

·         Canada - Sockeye Salmon at Risk of Overheating Due to Climate Change

·         Oregon - Bird Count to Determine Threat to Salmon

·         Fisheries Council to Debate Limit on Gulf of Alaska Salmon Bycatch

·         California - 175 Tons of Dead Sardines Scooped from Redondo Beach Marina

·         Judge Finds Oregon Logging Plan Withdrawn Illegally

·         Western Lawmakers Try to Lift Wolf Protection Despite Deal

·         Methinks We’re Being Fooled Here - Swimming Fish Offer Untapped Power Generation

·         Court Rules State’s Inaction Hurting Johns Creek Basin – Mason PUD 3 Watermain is Good News

·         Court Rules Inaction Hurting Johns Creek – Mason PUD 3 to the Rescue!

·         Squaxin Tribe Wins Legal Battle with Ecology over Johns Creek Watershed

·         Five Questions about Johns Prairie Water

·         California - Heavy Rain, Snow Don’t Solve State Water Problem

·         Port of Longview Interested in Installing Solar Panels on Port Property

·         Washington State Bill Would Place Solar Projects at Food Banks

·         Midsize Solar Installations Grow at Light Speed

·         Task Force for Offshore Renewable Energy Launches in Oregon

·         Retired General Working to Get Vets Involved with Renewable Energy

·         Arizona - Salt River Project’s Renewable Plans Fall Short of Arizona Standards

·         Wisconsin Wind Turbine Blade Plant on Hold

·         South Carolina Co-Ops: Renewable Energy Standard Has Costs

·         Clark Public Utilities Energy Adviser: Energy Terminology Explained

·         State Legislatures Pile onto Anti-EPA Climate Rule Effort

·         No Senate Votes Thursday on Amendments to Block, Limit EPA Climate Rules

·         Study of Temperature Data Confirms Warming Trend, Scientist Tells House Panel

·         Oregon Looks at Per-Mile Tax for Electric Cars

·         CenturyLink Completes $12.2 Billion Acquisition of Qwest

·         Data Center Expansion - TierPoint’s Growth Continues with New 15,000-Square-Foot Spokane-Area Facility

·         Let the Spin Begin - Google Win Could Spur Data Center Efforts in Missouri

·         Angry Gregoire Rebukes Seattle Mayor McGinn, Anti-Tunnel Referendum

·         Shelton School Threat Being Investigated

·         Flooding Western Washington Rivers on Their Way Down

·         Vancouver’s Acid ‘Victim’ to Plead Guilty, Prosecutor Says

·         New Regulations Combat Increased Metal Theft

·         Everett Convenience Store Owner Caught Stealing Welfare

·         New Washington Tourism Group Steps Up as State Funding Disappears

·         New Law: A Service Animal Can be Dog or Mini-Horse

·         Mariners Hope 2011 Is Bridge to Promising Future

WORD OF THE DAY

Bathos • \BAY-thaws\ • Noun - 1a: the sudden appearance of the commonplace in otherwise elevated matter or style b: anticlimax 2: exceptional commonplaceness: triteness 3: insincere or overdone pathos: sentimentalism

Looking for humor

Bathos rears its ugly head

M Lisa moustache

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

House Panel Probes Plan to Halt Yucca Nuke Site (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14360814

National Hydropower Association’s Andrew Munro Discusses Senate Action on Hydro (E&E-TV - Video)

http://www.eenews.net/tv/video_guide/1320

National Hydropower Association’s Andrew Munro Discusses Senate Action on Hydro (E&E-TV - Transcript)

http://www.eenews.net/tv/transcript/1320

Canada - Harper Pledges Loan Support for Hydroelectric Project (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/Leaders+focus+child+care+green+jobs+hydro+power/4537307/story.html

Seattle City Light Director Finalist for Top Power Utility Job in Phoenix (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014658207_carrasco02m.html

Woman Sentenced to Prison in Hanford Fraud Case (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014657885_apwahanfordfraud1stldwritethru.html

April Mason County PUD 3 Newsletter (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=847

Longview, WA - Learn How to Live without Power Through Simple Safety Class (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_92447b20-5b28-11e0-86c9-001cc4c03286.html

Arizona - Valley Officials on Lookout for Thieves Targeting Utilities (KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ)

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_southeast_valley/mesa/valley-officials-on-lookout-for-thieves-targeting-utilities

Dominion Virginia Unit Says 3 Power Plants to Switch to Biomass (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/01/us-dominion-idUSTRE7303BM20110401

Too Dirty - Laundromat Owner Fed Up with Natural Gas Workers (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/04/01/state/n045931D00.DTL

NUCLEAR SCIENCE READING ROOM

Shocker - Moody’s Cuts Rating of Japan Nuke Plant Operator (Associated Press)

http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-03-31/business/29369417_1_tepco-cuts-rating-nuclear-power-plant

Nuclear Crisis Puts Evacuation Zones under Scrutiny (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-04-01-japanquake01_ST_N.htm?csp=34news

Radon in Spokane Homes More of a Risk Than Milk (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/mar/31/radon-spokane-homes-more-risk-milk/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Canada - Sockeye Salmon at Risk of Overheating Due to Climate Change (Globe & Mail)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/sockeye-salmon-at-risk-of-overheating-due-to-climate-change-study/article1965320/

Oregon - Bird Count to Determine Threat to Salmon (Bandon Western World, OR)

http://www.bandonwesternworld.com/articles/2011/03/31/news/doc4d94d0d138ead545975997.txt

Fisheries Council to Debate Limit on Gulf of Alaska Salmon Bycatch - Trawler Chinook kills too high, both sides agree (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

http://www.adn.com/2011/03/31/1785880/fisheries-council-debates-salmon.html

California - 175 Tons of Dead Sardines Scooped from Redondo Beach Marina (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_17743827

Judge Finds Oregon Logging Plan Withdrawn Illegally (Associated Press)

http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-03-31/news/29369200_1_logging-plan-federal-forests-growth-forests

Western Lawmakers Try to Lift Wolf Protection Despite Deal (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014658033_apusendangeredwolvescongress2ndldwritethru.html

Methinks We’re Being Fooled Here - Swimming Fish Offer Untapped Power Generation (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/04/swimming-fish-offer-untapped-power-generation-uk-environment-agency?cmpid=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Court Rules State’s Inaction Hurting Johns Creek Basin – Mason PUD 3 Watermain is Good News (South Sound Business Examiner)

http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/court-rules-states-inaction-hurting-1/

Court Rules Inaction Hurting Johns Creek – Mason PUD 3 to the Rescue! (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/3705-court-rules-inaction-hurting-johns-creek

Squaxin Tribe Wins Legal Battle with Ecology over Johns Creek Watershed (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/31/1599758/squaxin-tribe-wins-legal-battle.html

Five Questions about Johns Prairie Water (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=716

California - Heavy Rain, Snow Don’t Solve State Water Problem (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/30/MNGN1IL22U.DTL

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Port of Longview Interested in Installing Solar Panels on Port Property (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_bbd6f254-5c01-11e0-936e-001cc4c002e0.html

Washington State Bill Would Place Solar Projects at Food Banks (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_xgr_solar_power_food_banks.html

Midsize Solar Installations Grow at Light Speed (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/16/134341220/midsize-solar-installations-grow-at-light-speed?ft=1&f=1001

Task Force for Offshore Renewable Energy Launches in Oregon (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/03/task-force-for-offshore-renewable.html

Retired General Working to Get Vets Involved with Renewable Energy (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14362428

Arizona - Salt River Project’s Renewable Plans Fall Short of Arizona Standards (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/03/salt-river-projects-renewable-plans-fall-short-of-arizona-standards?cmpid=rss

Wisconsin Wind Turbine Blade Plant on Hold (Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, WI)

http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20110331/WRT0101/103310628/Wind-turbine-blade-plant-hold

South Carolina Co-Ops: Renewable Energy Standard Has Costs (iStock Analyst)

http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5026718/co-ops-renewable-energy-standard-has-costs

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Clark Public Utilities Energy Adviser: Energy Terminology Explained (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/mar/17/energy-terminology-explained/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

State Legislatures Pile onto Anti-EPA Climate Rule Effort (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/04/01/01climatewire-state-legislatures-pile-onto-anti-epa-climat-49876.html

No Senate Votes Thursday on Amendments to Block, Limit EPA Climate Rules (The Hill)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/153109-no-votes-thursday-on-amendments-to-block-limit-epa-climate-rules

Study of Temperature Data Confirms Warming Trend, Scientist Tells House Panel (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/03/31/31greenwire-study-of-temperature-data-confirms-warming-tre-84356.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon Looks at Per-Mile Tax for Electric Cars (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014653028_aporxgrelectricvehicletaxes2ndldwritethru.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

CenturyLink Completes $12.2 Billion Acquisition of Qwest (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014658012_apuscenturylinkqwest1stldwritethru.html

Data Center Expansion - TierPoint’s Growth Continues with New 15,000-Square-Foot Spokane-Area Facility (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/apr/01/heres-the-dirt-tierpoints-growth-continues-with/

Let the Spin Begin - Google Win Could Spur Data Center Efforts in Missouri (Kansas City Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2011/03/31/google-win-could-spur-data-center.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Angry Gregoire Rebukes Seattle Mayor McGinn, Anti-Tunnel Referendum (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014648803_tunnel01m.html?syndication=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton School Threat Being Investigated (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/3672-school-threat-being-investigated

Flooding Western Washington Rivers on Their Way Down (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Flooding-W-Washington-rivers-on-their-way-down-119056834.html

Vancouver’s Acid ‘Victim’ to Plead Guilty, Prosecutor Says (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014658100_acidattack01m.html

New Regulations Combat Increased Metal Theft (American Recycler)

http://www.americanrecycler.com/0411/922new.shtml

Everett Convenience Store Owner Caught Stealing Welfare (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=455373

New Washington Tourism Group Steps Up as State Funding Disappears (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2014652159_trtourism31.html

New Law: A Service Animal Can be Dog or Mini-Horse (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014648641_apusfeapetsserviceanimals.html

Mariners Hope 2011 Is Bridge to Promising Future (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/mar/31/mariners-hope-2011-is-bridge-to-promising-future/

DIVERSIONS

April Fool’s Day History: Five Best-Ever Pranks

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0401/April-Fool-s-Day-history-five-best-ever-pranks/Gmail-goes-on-auto-pilot

Paul Allen to Reroute Columbia River

http://www.king5.com/your-news/119054114.html

UK Cat with Thunderous Purr Makes Record Attempt

http://www.kirotv.com/news/27371838/detail.html

It’s Bacon Flavored Air!

http://consumerist.com/2011/03/bacon-flavored-air.html

When Squirrels Attack: Vermont Town on Alert

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2011/03/when-squirrels-attack-vermont-town-on-the-alert/148065/1

SONG OF THE DAY

Everybody Plays the Fool - The Main Ingredient (“Dig This”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXGa__ECvnM

E&ETV -- Video Guide -- OnPoint: 03/31/2011

National Hydropower Association's Andrew Munro Discusses Senate Action on Hydro (E&ETV)

Energy News Digest for March 30, 2011

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

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

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Heavy Rain Causing Western Washington Flooding Concerns (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Heavy-rain--118983289.html

Lewis County PUD’s Cowlitz Falls Dam Repairs Near Completion (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Cowlitz-Falls-Dam-repairs-near-completio=1&blockID=494554&feedID=410

Chelan, Douglas, Grant PUDs - Feds Award Local Agencies for Salmon Conservation (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/mar/30/feds-award-local-agencies-for-salmon-conservation/

Japan: PNNL Employees Helping with Nuclear Crisis (Tri-City Herald, Wa)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/03/30/1429748/japan-pnnl-employees-helping-with.html

Google High-Speed Internet Coming to Kansas City. Missouri? No, Kansas! (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/new-economy/2011/0330/Google-high-speed-Internet-coming-to-Kansas-City.-Missouri-No-Kansas

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Lewis County PUD’s Cowlitz Falls Dam Repairs Near Completion (

·         Bonneville Power Administration Chief Outlines Rate Hike That Would Boost Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Bills

·         Mason County PUD 3 Authorizes Senior Option to Purchase

·         State of Oregon Tells Coos County Reconsider Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline

·         Natural Gas Prices Rise on Obama, Colder Weather

·         Owner: No Buyer for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant

·         Kansas - Judge Throws Hitch at Sunflower Coal-Fired Power Plant, Groups Say

·         Overall Compensation of Pacific Gas & Electric Execs Declines Following a Lousy Year

·         Japan: PNNL Employees Helping with Nuclear Crisis

·         State Health Department Assures Milk is Safe after Radiation Detected

·         Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Three US Nuclear Plants Need Closer Review

·         As Nuclear Waste Sits Idle, Federal Payouts to Exelon Mount

·         Chelan, Douglas, Grant PUDs - Feds Award Local Agencies for Salmon Conservation

·         Over Proposed Alaska Mine - Chefs Fight for Salmon in Washington DC

·         Hooking Up to New Belfair Sewer Will Cost at Least $10,000

·         Oregon’s Snowpack Makes Impressive Six-Week Gain, Boosting Water Supply Outlook

·         Tidal Power: Another Blessing from Puget Sound?

·         Geothermal Power Growing Despite Economic Chill

·         Arteries of Power: How Solar Energy Could Reshape the West

·         Smaller, Cheaper, Faster: Does Moore’s Law Apply to Solar Cells?

·         See the Snohomish PUD Solar Express

·         Google’s $5 Billion Wind-Power Bid Draws Opposition on Return Guarantee

·         Flicker of Hope for the Wind Turbine Victims - The misery of shadow flicker

·         Nebraska Public Power District Evaluating Biomass

·         Vermont Governor Touts Incentives to Get Residents to Switch from Oil to Wood Pellet Heat

·         Efficiency Gets Lift from Political Efforts in Oregon

·         Puget Sound Energy Providing Free Home Energy Evaluations

·         Clark Public Utilities Energy Adviser: Pros, Cons of ‘Tankless’ Gas Water Heaters

·         Tapping the Earth for Energy Savings Year-Round

·         Diet May Reduce Farm Flatulence

·         Clean Energy Investment Hit Record $243 Million in 2010

·         Got Green Makes Stimulus Work

·         Paul Allen Goes Public with Hard Feelings towards Bill Gates

·         Microsoft to File Antitrust Complaint against Google

·         Cell Tower Opponent Declares End to Palo Alto’s Free Internet Connection

·         Google High-Speed Internet Coming to Kansas City. Missouri? No, Kansas!

·         Sorry Spokane, Google Chooses Kansas City

·         Google Passes over Portland (And 1,100 Others), Picks Kansas City, Kansas, for Its Fiber-to-the-Home Project

·         Parsing the Announcement - What Google’s Fiber Optic Decision Means for Topeka

·         Now THIS is PR Spin - Utah Cities Welcome Kansas City to Benefits of Fiber Optic Broadband

·         Heavy Rain Causing Western Washington Flooding Concerns

·         Japan’s Tsunami Debris Headed for West Coast

·         Drivers Start to Change Habits with $4 per Gallon Gas

·         Lawsuit Filed over Olympia Brewery

·         Seattle Third Most Miserable City in US

·         Portland is America’s #2 Miserable City, So Says a Recent Ranking

WORD OF THE DAY

Osculate • \OSS-kyuh-late\ • Verb – Kiss

Here’s a tip, folks: never ask if someone will osculate on the first date.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Lewis County PUD’s Cowlitz Falls Dam Repairs Near Completion (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Cowlitz-Falls-Dam-repairs-near-completio=1&blockID=494554&feedID=410

Bonneville Power Administration Chief Outlines Rate Hike That Would Boost Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Bills (Baker City Herald, OR)

http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/BPA-chief-outlines-rate-hike-that-would-boost-OTEC-billsBPA-chief-outlines-rate-hike-that-would-boos

Mason County PUD 3 Authorizes Senior Option to Purchase (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/3624-pud-3-authorizes-senior-option-to-purchase

State of Oregon Tells Coos County Reconsider Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/03/30/state/n111259D20.DTL

Natural Gas Prices Rise on Obama, Colder Weather (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/03/30/financial/f134607D69.DTL

Owner: No Buyer for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014642119_apusvermontyankee.html

Kansas - Judge Throws Hitch at Sunflower Coal-Fired Power Plant, Groups Say (Kansas City Star, MO)

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/31/2765835/judge-throws-hitch-at-sunflower.html

Overall Compensation of Pacific Gas & Electric Execs Declines Following a Lousy Year (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_17739831

NUCLEAR SCIENCE READING ROOM

Japan: PNNL Employees Helping with Nuclear Crisis (Tri-City Herald, Wa)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/03/30/1429748/japan-pnnl-employees-helping-with.html

State Health Department Assures Milk is Safe after Radiation Detected (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Sec-of-Health-assures-public-WA-milk-is-safe-after-radiation--118965269.html

Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Three US Nuclear Plants Need Closer Review (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014647910_apusnuclearplantssafety.html

As Nuclear Waste Sits Idle, Federal Payouts to Exelon Mount - Government has paid out tens of millions of dollars after not living up to promise to store spent fuel (Chicago Tribune, IL)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0331-nuclear-fees-20110330,0,7856218.story

FISH & WILDLIFE

Chelan, Douglas, Grant PUDs - Feds Award Local Agencies for Salmon Conservation (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/mar/30/feds-award-local-agencies-for-salmon-conservation/

Over Proposed Alaska Mine - Chefs Fight for Salmon in Washington DC (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=454686

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Hooking Up to New Belfair Sewer Will Cost at Least $10,000 (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/mar/30/hooking-up-to-new-belfair-sewer-will-cost-at/

Oregon’s Snowpack Makes Impressive Six-Week Gain, Boosting Water Supply Outlook (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2011/03/oregons_snowpack_makes_impress.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Tidal Power: Another Blessing from Puget Sound? (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2011/03/31/energy-utilities/20695/Tidal-power:-another-blessing-from-Puget-Sound-/

Geothermal Power Growing Despite Economic Chill (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/94384-geothermal-power-growing-despite-economic-chill/

Arteries of Power: How Solar Energy Could Reshape the West “…Trade-offs will have to be made…” (The Atlantic)

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/03/arteries-of-power-how-solar-energy-could-reshape-the-west/73218/

Smaller, Cheaper, Faster: Does Moore’s Law Apply to Solar Cells? (Scientific American)

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=smaller-cheaper-faster-does-moores-2011-03-15

See the Snohomish PUD Solar Express (Edmonds Beacon, WA)

http://www.edmondsbeacon.com/news/article.exm/2011-03-31_see_the_pud_solar_express

Google’s $5 Billion Wind-Power Bid Draws Opposition on Return Guarantee (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-30/google-s-5-billion-wind-power-bid-draws-opposition-on-return-guarantee.html

Flicker of Hope for the Wind Turbine Victims - The misery of shadow flicker, which blights the lives of people living near some wind turbines, could soon be over. (The Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8385809/Flicker-of-hope-for-the-wind-turbine-victims.html

Nebraska Public Power District Evaluating Biomass (Biomass Magazine)

http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/5398/nebraska-public-power-district-evaluating-biomass/

Vermont Governor Touts Incentives to Get Residents to Switch from Oil to Wood Pellet Heat (Associated Press)

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/e3a0aa5262a548f89a34dbee73934baf/VT--Switching-From-Oil/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Efficiency Gets Lift from Political Efforts in Oregon (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/03/efficiency-gets-lift-from-political.html

Puget Sound Energy Providing Free Home Energy Evaluations (Renew Grid)

http://www.renewgridmag.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.6552

Clark Public Utilities Energy Adviser: Pros, Cons of ‘Tankless’ Gas Water Heaters (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/mar/31/pros-cons-of-tankless-gas-water-heaters/

Tapping the Earth for Energy Savings Year-Round (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/30/134602533/tapping-the-earth-for-energy-savings-year-round?ft=1&f=2

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Diet May Reduce Farm Flatulence (Newmarket Journal, UK)

http://www.newmarketjournal.co.uk/news/national/diet_may_reduce_farm_flatulence_1_2545718

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Clean Energy Investment Hit Record $243 Million in 2010 (Denver Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2011/03/29/clean-energy-investment-hit-record.html

Got Green Makes Stimulus Work (Real Change News)

http://www.realchangenews.org/index.php/site/archives/5442/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Paul Allen Goes Public with Hard Feelings towards Bill Gates (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014643290_paulallen31.html

Microsoft to File Antitrust Complaint against Google (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-20049062-75.html?tag=nl.e498

Cell Tower Opponent Declares End to Palo Alto’s Free Internet Connection (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_17740552

GAGGLE O’ GOOGLE STORIES

Google High-Speed Internet Coming to Kansas City. Missouri? No, Kansas! (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/new-economy/2011/0330/Google-high-speed-Internet-coming-to-Kansas-City.-Missouri-No-Kansas

Sorry Spokane, Google Chooses Kansas City (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/mar/30/sorry-spokane-google-chooses-kansas-city/

Google Passes over Portland (And 1,100 Others), Picks Kansas City, Kansas, for Its Fiber-to-the-Home Project (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/03/google_passes_over_portland_pi.html

Parsing the Announcement - What Google’s Fiber Optic Decision Means Ffr Topeka (KTKA-TV, Topeka, KS)

http://www.ktka.com/news/2011/mar/30/what-googles-fiber-optic-decision-means-topeka/

Now THIS is PR Spin - Utah Cities Welcome Kansas City to Benefits of Fiber Optic Broadband: UTOPIA Statement on Google Investment in Kansas City Fiber Network (Sys-Con Media)

http://www.sys-con.com/node/1774530

GENERAL NEWS

Heavy Rain Causing Western Washington Flooding Concerns (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Heavy-rain--118983289.html

Japan’s Tsunami Debris Headed for West Coast (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/29/1596614/japans-tsunami-debris-headed-for.html

Drivers Start to Change Habits with $4 per Gallon Gas (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/4-dollar-Gas--118883774.html

Lawsuit Filed over Olympia Brewery - Brewhouse Owner Wants Out of Additional Purchase (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/30/1598596/brewhouse-owner-sues-claiming.html

Seattle Third Most Miserable City in US (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=454392

Portland is America’s #2 Miserable City, So Says a Recent Ranking (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/03/northwest_news_portland_is_americas_2_miserable_city_so_says_a_recent_ranking_paul_allens_new_memoir.html

DIVERSIONS

Fossil Crowns Massive Rabbit ‘King’

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2011-03-31-rabbit31_ST_N.htm?csp=34news

Could lead codices prove ‘the major discovery of Christian history’?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110330/ts_yblog_thelookout/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history

Fanboys Rejoice - ‘Wonder Woman’ Costume Gets an Upgrade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9pdWQT1_8E

Artist Sculpts Skull Out of McDonald’s French Fries

http://consumerist.com/2011/03/artist-sculpts-skull-out-of-mcdonalds-french-fries.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Dry Bones from the Singing Detective

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bNH5pfcLWE