Energy News Digest for May 24, 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

NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Power Administration Struggles to Balance Hydropower & Wind Energy (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=8858

Editorial - Don’t Stick Ratepayers When Green Power Fails: Northwest wind farm operators want ratepayers to make up for the industry’s losses when oversupply curbs demand for wind power (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/05/24/1501688/dont-stick-ratepayers-when-green.html

Washington State Wind Farm Permit OK’d in Whitman County (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14702627

Columbia to Reach Flood Stage Tuesday, Weather Service Says (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/23/columbia-reach-flood-stage-tuesday-weather-service/

City of Shelton to Turn Off Streetlights (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/7214-city-to-turn-off-streetlights

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• City of Shelton to Turn Off Streetlights
• City Of Baltimore Wants Green Streetlights, But Utility Blocks the Way
• Montana – Energy Transmission Consortium, NorthWestern Surprised at Lawsuit
• Alaska - New Energy Study Shows Local, State Usage Trends
• Customers Outraged Over Nevada Energy Rate Hike
• Op/Ed – Montana Southern Fails to Justify Power Rate Increases
• Colorado Supreme Court Upholds $40M Jury Verdict against Qwest in Xcel Lineman’s Injury
• Oklahoma Utilities Are Eager to Test Prepaid Electric Meters
• Operator of Japan’s Damaged Nuclear Plant Says Fuel Rods in 2 More Reactors Mostly Melted
• United Kingdom - Report Rejects Moratorium on Shale Gas Exploration
• Fight over Canadian Oil Pipeline Moves to Congress
• Bonneville Power Administration Struggles to Balance Hydropower & Wind Energy
• Editorial - Don’t Stick Ratepayers When Green Power Fails
• Wind Dispute Spills Over – Pacific Northwest Generation Curtailed
• Wind Industry Demands NW Grid Overload Solution – Bashes BPA
• Bonneville Power Administration Bashed at Wind Conference for Shutdown
• Visitor Overlooks Would Allow Watching Elwha Dam Come Down, Restored Valley Grow
• Bear Sightings Skyrocket in Kitsap
• State Sues Wahkiakum County over Septic Sludge Ban
• Washington State Wind Farm Permit OK’d in Whitman County
• Wind Executive Warns of Natural Gas Competition
• Fishing for Evidence: Identifying How Marine & Hydrokinetic Devices Affect Aquatic Environments
• Work Starts on £60m Strathspey ‘Whisky’ Biomass Plant
• Study: Smart Meter Impact Depends on Collective Use
• Behavioral Nudges on Electric Bills Could Save Three Coal Plants Worth of Emissions
• Climate Change Unlikely Factor in US Tornado Spree
• Biofuel Push Stalls in ‘Car Crazy’ Germany
• Lookin’ for a Carrier – City of Seattle Bringing Fiber-Optic Broadband to Pioneer Square
• Yet Another Study Shows US Broadband Mediocre
• Yahoo’s Giving Email Service Long-Promised Facelift
• Google to Switch on World’s First Seawater-Cooled Data Center This Fall
• Cisco Sued for Helping China Build Golden Internet Shield
• Lady Gaga Album Sale Stalls Amazon Servers
• Report: Social Tools Cost Millions in Workplace Disruptions
• EU Effort Underway to Ban ‘Harmful’ Wi-Fi
• OMG! Bracing To Tell the Kids About an Internet Outage
• Creepy - Sonar Finds You the Most Relevant People in the Room
• Will Washington State Lawmakers Work Past 30-Day Deadline?
• Debt Limit Rift Could Stall Lawmakers in Olympia
• Denny Heck Signals Possible Run for New 10th Congressional District
• Kucinich, Losing District, Looks Very Far Afield
• Repeat Deadly Storms ‘Unusual But Not Unknown’
• Columbia to Reach Flood Stage Tuesday, Weather Service Says
• Charge: Worker Stole $452K from Washington State Judges Group
• Copper Falls on News of Slower China Manufacturing
• Former KOMO Weathercaster Ray Ramsey Dies at 87

WORD OF THE DAY

Apocryphal • \uh-POCK-ruff-full\ • Adjective - 1: of doubtful authenticity: spurious

The end of the world

Hear my apocryphal tale

Oops, got the wrong 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

City of Shelton to Turn Off Streetlights (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/7214-city-to-turn-off-streetlights

City Of Baltimore Wants Green Streetlights, But Utility Blocks the Way - Loss of lucrative maintenance deal seems to be at issue (Baltimore Sun, MD)

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-05-22/business/bs-bz-hancock-baltimore-bge-streetlig20110522_1_bge-workers-streetlights-leds

Montana – Energy Transmission Consortium, NorthWestern Surprised at Lawsuit (Helena Independent-Record, MT)

http://helenair.com/news/article_d6095182-85cb-11e0-ae19-001cc4c03286.html

Alaska - New Energy Study Shows Local, State Usage Trends (Juneau Empire, AK)

http://juneauempire.com/local/2011-05-23/new-energy-study-shows-local-state-usage-trends

Customers Outraged Over Nevada Energy Rate Hike (KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV)

http://www.ktnv.com/story/14700963/nv-energy-gets-okay-to-raise-electricity-rates

Op/Ed – Montana Southern Fails to Justify Power Rate Increases (Billings Gazette)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/guest/article_6ec96541-93da-5c2c-8e13-271a59a70936.html

Colorado Supreme Court Upholds $40M Jury Verdict against Qwest in Xcel Lineman’s Injury (Denver Business Journal, CO)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2011/05/23/colorado-supreme-court-upholds-40m.html

Oklahoma Utilities Are Eager to Test Prepaid Electric Meters (Oklahoman, Oklahoma City)

http://newsok.com/electric-companies-want-to-test-prepaid-meters/article/3570746

Operator of Japan’s Damaged Nuclear Plant Says Fuel Rods in 2 More Reactors Mostly Melted (Associated Press)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/operator-of-japans-damaged-nuclear-plant-says-fuel-rods-in-2-more-reactors-mostly-melted/2011/05/23/AFRaq89G_story.html

United Kingdom - Report Rejects Moratorium on Shale Gas Exploration (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/23/mps-reject-moratorium-shale-gas

Fight over Canadian Oil Pipeline Moves to Congress (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2015126961_apusoilpipeline.html

ROLL ON COLUMBIA vs. A MIGHTY WIND

Bonneville Power Administration Struggles to Balance Hydropower & Wind Energy (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=8858

Editorial - Don’t Stick Ratepayers When Green Power Fails: Northwest wind farm operators want ratepayers to make up for the industry’s losses when oversupply curbs demand for wind power (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/05/24/1501688/dont-stick-ratepayers-when-green.html

Wind Dispute Spills Over – Pacific Northwest Generation Curtailed (Renewables Biz)

http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/11/05/wind-dispute-spills-over

Wind Industry Demands NW Grid Overload Solution – Bashes BPA (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015129713_apuswindenergyhalt1stldwritethru.html

Bonneville Power Administration Bashed at Wind Conference for Shutdown (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/05/bpa-bashed-at-wind-conference-for.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Visitor Overlooks Would Allow Watching Elwha Dam Come Down, Restored Valley Grow Up (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110524/news/305249989/visitor-overlooks-would-allow-watching-elwha-dam-come-down-restored

Bear Sightings Skyrocket in Kitsap (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/may/23/bear-sightings-skyrocket-in-kitsap/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

State Sues Wahkiakum County over Septic Sludge Ban (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_d04df4fa-85c6-11e0-9476-001cc4c002e0.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington State Wind Farm Permit OK’d in Whitman County (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14702627

Wind Executive Warns of Natural Gas Competition (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2011/05/24/wind-executive-warns-of-natural-gas-competition/

Fishing for Evidence: Identifying How Marine & Hydrokinetic Devices Affect Aquatic Environments (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/05/hydro-fishing-for-evidence-identifying-how-marine-and-hydrokinetic-devices-affect-aquatic-environments?cmpid=rss

Work Starts on £60m Strathspey ‘Whisky’ Biomass Plant (British Broadcasting Corporation, UK)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13518352

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Study: Smart Meter Impact Depends on Collective Use (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20065631-54.html

Behavioral Nudges on Electric Bills Could Save Three Coal Plants Worth of Emissions (Grist Online)

http://www.grist.org/energy-efficiency/2011-05-23-a-study-of-behavior-change-and-energy-use

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Change Unlikely Factor in US Tornado Spree (Forbes Magazine)

http://blogs.forbes.com/kenrapoza/2011/05/23/climate-change-unlikely-factor-in-us-tornado-spree/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Biofuel Push Stalls in ‘Car Crazy’ Germany (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/24/136579791/biofuel-push-stalls-in-car-crazy-germany?ft=1&f=3

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Lookin’ for a Carrier – City of Seattle Bringing Fiber-Optic Broadband to Pioneer Square (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015130291_broadband24m.html

Yet Another Study Shows US Broadband Mediocre (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Yet-Another-Study-Shows-US-Broadband-Mediocre-114337

Yahoo’s Giving Email Service Long-Promised Facelift (Associated Press)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/yahoos-giving-email-service-long-promised-facelift-in-bid-to-widen-appeal-attract-more-users/2011/05/24/AFVvnAAH_story.html

Google to Switch on World’s First Seawater-Cooled Data Center This Fall (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/google-to-switch-on-worlds-first-seawater-cooled-data-center-this-fall/

Cisco Sued for Helping China Build Golden Internet Shield (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Cisco-sued-for-helping-China-build-Great-Firewall-1391787.php

Lady Gaga Album Sale Stalls Amazon Servers (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/24/business/media/24gaga.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Report: Social Tools Cost Millions in Workplace Disruptions (Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2011/05/23/social-networks-vs-productive-workplace.html

EU Effort Underway to Ban ‘Harmful’ Wi-Fi (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/EU-Effort-Underway-to-Ban-Harmful-WiFi-114363

Omg! Bracing To Tell the Kids About an Internet Outage (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homegarden/2015126449_hart24.html

Creepy - Sonar Finds You the Most Relevant People in the Room (Tech Crunch)

http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/23/sonar-finds-you-the-most-relevant-people-in-the-room/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Will Washington State Lawmakers Work Past 30-Day Deadline? (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/24/1677472/will-30-days-be-enough.html

Debt Limit Rift Could Stall Lawmakers in Olympia (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015129634_apwaxgrspecialsession1stldwritethru.html

Denny Heck Signals Possible Run for New 10^th Congressional District (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2015129632_dennyheckfilestorunin10thdistrict.html

Kucinich, Losing District, Looks Very Far Afield (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/24/us/politics/24kucinich.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Repeat Deadly Storms ‘Unusual But Not Unknown’ (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015133855_apusscimidweststormsscience.html

Columbia to Reach Flood Stage Tuesday, Weather Service Says (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/23/columbia-reach-flood-stage-tuesday-weather-service/

Charge: Worker Stole $452K from Washington State Judges Group (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/122479119.html

Copper Falls on News of Slower China Manufacturing (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Copper-falls-on-news-of-slower-China-manufacturing-1392137.php

Former KOMO Weathercaster Ray Ramsey Dies at 87 (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/122475919.html

DIVERSIONS

Another Study Reveals Portland’s Hipness

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2011/05/another-study-reveals-portlands-hipness.html

Snohomish Students Illustrate National Debt – In Pennies

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/24/1662313/snohomish-students-illustrate.html

Dilbert lets users become part of the comic strip

http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2011-05-24-dilbert-your-photo_n.htm

Radio Host Says Rapture Actually Coming in October

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-05-23-camping-apocalypse-october_n.htm

SONG OF THE DAY

Louis Prima - Pennies from Heaven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pELxwTp7gk

Vernel Bagneris - Pennies from Heaven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-lt16Zm_DI

Energy News Digest for May 23, 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

NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Editorial - At Times, It’s Wind We Can’t Afford “...Windmills exist not to profit by selling electricity but by reaping federal tax credits…” (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/may/21/at-times-its-wind-we-cant-afford/

Energy NW Extends Power Outage at Columbia Generating Station (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/21/1674131/energy-nw-extends-power-outage.html

Sea Lions Turn Salmon Run Into Buffet - Feeding Frenzy at Columbia River's Bonneville Dam Becomes Federal Case Weighing the Fate of Two Protected Species (Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576339311088801864.html

Washington State Legislative Report Questions Energy Efficiency Standards for Public Buildings (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110521/NEWS01/705219938/1122/news01

Movement to Stop Natural Gas Drilling Gains Ground (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/22/1674951/movement-to-stop-natural-gas-drilling.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Energy NW Extends Power Outage at Columbia Generating Station
• Oregon - Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative CCEC to Raise Rates
• Rate Increase by Power Supplier Angers Yellowstone Valley Electric Co-Op
• REC Silicon Considers Expansion
• Regulators Find Design Flaws in New Westinghouse Nuclear Reactors
• Editorial - Focus on Hanford: Federal Foot-Dragging Continues
• Movement to Stop Natural Gas Drilling Gains Ground
• Bonneville Power Administration - Building a Better Transmission Tower
• United Kingdom - Running-Men Transmission Tower Designs 'Will Still Send Opponents Racing Away from Pylons'
• Appeals Court Upholds Oyster Creek Nuke Plant License
• Most German Nuclear Power Plants Off the Grid
• ISO New England Announces Election of Board of Directors – Includes Vickie VanZandt, formerly of Bonneville Power Administration
• Protest against Chilean Dam Plan Ends in Violence
• Bonneville Power Administration Shares New Wind Generation Forecast Online
• Editorial - At Times, It’s Wind We Can’t Afford
• Editorial - BPA's Wind Power Cutoff Sends a Troubling Signal
• Clark Public Utilities on Sidelines of Wind Power Battle
• Forced Outages for Northwest Wind Farms – 13 Gigs Wasted & Still Counting
• Sea Lions Turn Salmon Run Into Buffet
• Humane Society Sues to Halt Sea Lion Killings
• Grant PUD White River Spring Chinook Hatchery Program Aimed at Mimicking Wild Fish as Much as Possible
• Western Ranchers Cheered By Lifting Of Wolf Protections
• Experts Consider Hood Canal Sewer Upgrades
• Small Mercury Spill at Oregon City Home Becomes a Federal Case
• Stench from Waste Facility Overwhelms Small Southern California Town, Angers Community
• Montana - Landowners Challenge Renewable Energy Projects
• US Wind Sector Faces 'Disaster' Unless Congress Acts, Says General Electric
• Canada - Metro's Burning Trash May Warm Vancouver Homes
• Arizona Regulators Asked to Credit Trash Burning as Renewable Energy
• Google-Backed $5 Billion Wind Plan Sees Estimated Rate of Return Lowered
• Michigan - Solar Cell Installers Say End to Utilities' Incentives is a Killer
• Biomass Energy Production in the Interior West
• Study Points Out Inherent Flaws in Manomet Woody Biomass Study
• Washington State Legislative Report Questions Energy Efficiency Standards for Public Buildings
• Green Schools Getting Mixed Grades
• Tacoma Power Lands Federal Award for Energy Efficiency
• Future Looks Bright for LED Light Bulbs, But Not Immediately
• New LED Bulbs Are Likely to Hit Shelves in 2012
• Canada - Incandescent Light-Bulb Ban Will Stay In BC
• Innovation in Sustainable Product: Indow Windows
• San Francisco Judge Puts California’s Cap & Trade Plan on Hold
• Oregon's Electric Car Charging Network Is Behind Schedule
• Tornadoes, Otter Pops and Other Unlikely Energy Technologies
• Drive to Drop Paper Coffee Cup Brews in Seattle
• Many Hotels Take 'Bath' Out of Bathrooms
• Internet 'Health Map' Tracks Data Flow on Web
• Battle over Internet Sales Taxes Rekindles In Congress
• Colorado - Qwest Beats Silverton in Round 1 over Fiber Optics
• Getting the Word Out, 140 Characters at a Time
• Washington State Workers' Comp Deal Could Save the State $1 Billion
• Washington State Senate Passes Liquor Privatization Bill
• Mason County Selected for National Health Program
• Running Start Students Face Tuition Increase
• Lake Oswego Raises Utility Fees - Including Electricity - To Help Raise Funds for Schools
• Comcast Apologizes to Group for Exec's Tweet Retaliation

WORD OF THE DAY

Acolyte • \ACK-uh-lite\ • Noun - 1: one who assists a member of the clergy in a liturgical service by performing minor duties 2: one who attends or assists: follower

The college intern’s enthusiasm over her new position at PepsiCo hit rock bottom on the second day. That’s when she learned that she’d been assigned to the “Gatorade” division, with the inauspicious title of “electrolyte acolyte.” Somewhere a clever HR staffer is still giggling.

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

Energy NW Extends Power Outage at Columbia Generating Station (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/21/1674131/energy-nw-extends-power-outage.html

Oregon - Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative CCEC to raise rates: Increased wholesale prices at Bonneville Power behind hike (Curry County Reporter, Gold beach, OR)

http://www.currycountyreporter.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=7317

Rate Increase by Power Supplier Angers Yellowstone Valley Electric Co-Op (Energy Central)

http://www.energycentral.com/utilitybusiness/businesscorporate/news/en/20088285/Rate-increase-by-power-supplier-angers-Yellowstone-Valley-Electric-Co-op?

REC Silicon Considers Expansion – Depends on request for a power sales contract from Grant County PUD (Columbia Basin herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_ec88182c-8309-11e0-8d42-001cc4c03286.html

Regulators Find Design Flaws in New Westinghouse Nuclear Reactors (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/21/business/energy-environment/21nuke.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Editorial - Focus on Hanford: Federal Foot-Dragging Continues, and what about the Yucca Mountain plan? (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/23/in-our-view-focus-on-hanford/

Movement to Stop Natural Gas Drilling Gains Ground (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/22/1674951/movement-to-stop-natural-gas-drilling.html

Bonneville Power Administration - Building a Better Transmission Tower (US Department of Energy)

http://blog.energy.gov/blog/2011/05/20/building-better-transmission-tower

United Kingdom - Running-Men Transmission Tower Designs 'Will Still Send Opponents Racing Away from Pylons' (Wales Online, UK)

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/need-to-read/2011/05/23/running-men-designs-will-still-send-opponents-racing-away-from-pylons-91466-28743458/

Appeals Court Upholds Oyster Creek Nuke Plant License (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/05/20/36733.htm

Most German Nuclear Power Plants Off the Grid “…maintenance work or shutdowns ordered by the government after Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster…” (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Most-German-nuclear-power-plants-off-the-grid-1389723.php

ISO New England Announces Election of Board of Directors – Includes Vickie VanZandt, formerly of Bonneville Power Administration (Energy Central)

http://www.energycentral.com/utilitybusiness/businesscorporate/news/en/20088119/ISO-New-England-Announces-Election-of-Board-of-Directors?

Protest against Chilean Dam Plan Ends in Violence (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Protest-against-Chile-dam-plan-ends-in-violence-1389427.php

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS: A MIGHTY WIND – A MIGHTY RIVER

Bonneville Power Administration Shares New Wind Generation Forecast Online - Forecast Helps BPA Manage Wind (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/1094911/

Editorial - At Times, It’s Wind We Can’t Afford “...Windmills exist not to profit by selling electricity but by reaping federal tax credits…” (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/may/21/at-times-its-wind-we-cant-afford/

Editorial - BPA's Wind Power Cutoff Sends a Troubling Signal “…need a fresh look by our political leadership at federal and state incentives that got all the wind developments here in the first place…” (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/05/bpas_wind_power_cutoff_sends_a.html

Clark Public Utilities on Sidelines of Wind Power Battle (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/18/clark-public-utilities-pud-on-sidelines-of-wind-po/

Forced Outages for Northwest Wind Farms – 13 Gigs Wasted & Still Counting (Forbes Magazine)

http://blogs.forbes.com/williampentland/2011/05/23/forced-outages-for-northwest-wind-farms-waste-13-gigawatts-and-counting/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sea Lions Turn Salmon Run Into Buffet - Feeding Frenzy at Columbia River's Bonneville Dam Becomes Federal Case Weighing the Fate of Two Protected Species (Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576339311088801864.html

Humane Society Sues to Halt Sea Lion Killings (Reuters)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/21/us-sealions-salmon-idUKTRE74K09N20110521

Grant PUD White River Spring Chinook Hatchery Program Aimed at Mimicking Wild Fish as Much as Possible (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/409179.aspx

Western Ranchers Cheered By Lifting Of Wolf Protections (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015124079_apusfoodandfarmtargetingwolves1stldwritethru.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Experts Consider Hood Canal Sewer Upgrades (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/may/22/experts-consider-hood-canal-sewer-upgrades/

Small Mercury Spill at Oregon City Home Becomes a Federal Case (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/05/two_tablespoons_of_mercury_spi.html

Stench from Waste Facility Overwhelms Small Southern California Town, Angers Community (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/stench-from-waste-facility-overwhelms-small-southern-california-town-angers-community/2011/05/23/AF1Rrb9G_story.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Montana - Landowners Challenge Renewable Energy Projects (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015120397_apmteminentdomain2ndldwritethru.html

US Wind Sector Faces 'Disaster' Unless Congress Acts, Says General Electric - The wind industry still needs help from policymakers to carry the growth and investment of the past decade on into the next (Recharge)

http://www.rechargenews.com/energy/wind/article257368.ece

Canada - Metro's Burning Trash May Warm Vancouver Homes (Surrey Leader, BC)

http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/122348249.html

Arizona Regulators Asked to Credit Trash Burning as Renewable Energy - Panel to vote if garbage energy meets standard (Arizona Republic, Phoenix)

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/2011/05/22/20110522arizona-trash-burning-credit.html

Google-Backed $5 Billion Wind Plan Sees Estimated Rate of Return Lowered (Bloomberg News)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_18098628

Michigan - Solar Cell Installers Say End to Utilities' Incentives is a Killer (Saginaw News, MI)

http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/05/solar_cell_installers_say_end.html

Biomass Energy Production in the Interior West (High Country News, Paonia, CO)

http://www.hcn.org/hcn/greenjustice/blog/biomass-energy-production-in-the-interior-west

Study Points Out Inherent Flaws in Manomet Woody Biomass Study (Biomass Magazine)

http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/5528/study-points-out-inherent-flaws-in-manomet-woody-biomass-study/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington State Legislative Report Questions Energy Efficiency Standards for Public Buildings (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110521/NEWS01/705219938/1122/news01

Green Schools Getting Mixed Grades (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/may/19/green-schools-getting-mixed-grades/

Tacoma Power Lands Federal Award for Energy Efficiency (Tacoma Daily Index, WA)

http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1979023&more=0

Future Looks Bright for LED Light Bulbs, But Not Immediately (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015090421_ptledlights21.html?syndication=rss

New LED Bulbs Are Likely to Hit Shelves in 2012 (Associated Press)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110522/biz/705229977/-1/rss03

Canada - Incandescent Light-Bulb Ban Will Stay In BC: Feds may delay restrictions due in part to concerns over compact fluorescent light bulbs (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Light+bulb+will+stay/4813342/story.html

Innovation in Sustainable Product: Indow Windows (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/05/innovation-in-sustainable-product.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

San Francisco Judge Puts California’s Cap & Trade Plan on Hold (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/21/3642941/sf-judge-puts-states-cap-and-trade.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon's Electric Car Charging Network Is Behind Schedule (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/05/oregons_electric_vehicle_goals.html

Tornadoes, Otter Pops and Other Unlikely Energy Technologies - Cold is our friend when it comes to saving power (Green-Tech Media)

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/tornadoes-pot-pies-and-other-unlikely-energy-technologies/

Drive to Drop Paper Coffee Cup Brews in Seattle (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015116703_cups22m.html

Many Hotels Take 'Bath' Out of Bathrooms (USA Today)

http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/story/2011/05/Many-hotels-take-bath-out-of-hotel-bathrooms/47361954/1?csp=34money

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Internet 'Health Map' Tracks Data Flow on Web (PC World)

http://www.pcworld.com/article/228216/internet_health_map_tracks_data_flow_on_web.html

Battle over Internet sales taxes rekindles in Congress (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015116166_amazon22m.html

Colorado - Qwest Beats Silverton in Round 1 over Fiber Optics (Durango Herald, CO)

http://durangoherald.com/article/20110520/NEWS01/705209910/-1/s

Getting the Word Out, 140 Characters at a Time - Conference promotes value of Twitter to public agencies (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/20/getting-the-word-out-140-characters-at-a-time/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Workers' Comp Deal Could Save the State $1 Billion (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=485617

Washington State Senate Passes Liquor Privatization Bill (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2011/05/22/state-senate-passes-liquor-privatization-bill/

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Selected for National Health Program (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/may/20/mason-county-selected-national-health-program/

Running Start Students Face Tuition Increase (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=8848

Lake Oswego Raises Utility Fees - Including Electricity - To Help Raise Funds For Schools (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/lake-oswego/index.ssf/2011/05/lake_oswego_raises_utility_fees_to_help_raise_funds_for_schools.html

Comcast Apologizes to Group for Exec's Tweet Retaliation (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110520/biz/705209859/-1/rss03

DIVERSIONS

Gold, Silver Coins to be Legal Currency in Utah

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iVwtsZHKs7A_uQEDwUlnH2P1jJ3Q?docId=fdc78f4b243f4e1facc5982a1fc02836

Meet Cooper, the Cat Who's the Star of Seattle's Photography Scene

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/23/meet-cooper-the-cat-whos-the-star-of-seattles-photography-scene/

We All Have Superpowers – We Just Can’t Focus, Neuroscientist Says

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/05/20/we-all-have-superpowers-we-just-cant-focus-neuroscientist-says/

Iran’s Leader Says Europe 'Stealing Iran's Rain' (The Daily Telegraph, UK

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/8527455/Mahmoud-Ahmadinejad-says-Europe-stealing-Irans-rain.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Eric Clapton - Let It Rain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLf6rhKTRjU