Energy News Digest for September 9, 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

THE 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

More Than 4 Million SW US Customers Lose Power in Major Blackout – Caused by Utility Worker Doing Maintenance Near Yuma, Ariz (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-power-outage-20110909,0,5780773.story

Harry Reid: I’m ‘Not Confident’ Congress Can Extend the Production Tax Credit for Wind (Think Progress)

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/09/06/312799/harry-reid-i%E2%80%99m-%E2%80%98not-confident%E2%80%99-congress-can-extend-the-production-tax-credit-for-wind/

Google Divulges Data Center Power Usage (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2011/09/google_divulges_data_center_power_usage.html

Shocker: Power Demand from US Homes is Falling (Associated Press)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hfT760VvUJ6z-T2-NJQLzJcbnQrg?docId=1f4c0b7e473f45738ef6da5376a93529

Longview - Longshoremen Storm EGT Terminal, Release Grain from Rail Cars (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_e98046a8-da30-11e0-bd16-001cc4c002e0.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• More Than 4 Million SW US Customers Lose Power in Major Blackout – Caused by Utility Worker Doing Maintenance Near Yuma, Ariz
• Google Divulges Data Center Power Usage
• Officials Warn Against 'Market' Power Rates for Bonneville Power Administration
• Landscaper Electrocuted on Mercer Island
• FERC - Final Environmental Impact Statement for Relicensing of Seattle’s Boundary Hydroelectric Project
• Douglas County PUD Plans $30 Million Bond Sale
• Fitch Rates Grant County PUD Electric System Rev Bonds 'AA'; Outlook Stable
• Chelan PUD Commissioners Hope Fewer Meetings Will Save Dough
• NRC Allows Closure of Yucca Mountain Nuclear Dump
• Virginia Power Hopes to Restart Nuclear Power Reactors Soon
• Modular Nuclear - Father of Disgraced Investment Manager Offers to Buy Corvallis-Based NuScale
• US Forecasters: Solar Flare Won't Cause Problems
• Copper Thieves Steal Indiana Electric Co-op Truck…to Steal Copper
• Copper Thieves Slowly Dismantle Tulsa's Infrastructure
• Sockeye: A Special Thrill in the Elwha River
• Getting Salmon Past Daunting Willamette Basin Dams Could Have a Big Price Tag
• Forecast Shows Eastern Washington State Water Demand to Grow
• People for Puget Sound – Blood in the Water
• Using Trees to Guide Water Resource Management
• Harry Reid: I’m ‘Not Confident’ Congress Can Extend the Production Tax Credit for Wind
• Feds Execute Search Warrants at Company that Built Solar Panels for CenturyLink Event Center
• Port of Olympia Finishes Adding 48 Solar Panels
• Solarworld CEO Says He's Rebuffed 'Several' Takeover Tries
• In Oregon, Last Stand for Commercial Solar?
• Advanced Hydropower Gets New Funding from DOE and Interior Departments
• Sixteen Projects to Advance Hydropower Technology – $1.8 Million to Washington State Projects
• Oregon Projects Get Piece of $17 Million Hydropower Funding
• SMUD to Receive Millions from Federal Government for Hydropower Projects
• Ohio Renewable Energy Law in Danger
• BLM Clamps Down on Public Comment at Renewable Energy Meetings
• Two More Solar Companies Get US Loan Backing
• Tennessee - Solar Partners Outrun Subsidies, So Tennessee Valley Authority Revamps Program
• Scotch Whiskey Waste Fuels Biomass Plant
• Shocker: Power Demand from US Homes is Falling
• Energy Savings or Snake Oil? Experts Say Foil Insulation Blankets Not Right for North Central Washington State
• Climate Report Links Extreme Weather Events to Global Warming
• Switching from Coal to Natural Gas Would Do Little for Global Climate, Study Indicates
• British Columbia Hydro Policy Threatens to Collapse Climate-Change Progress, Scientist Says
• Op/Ed - Have You Had Your Daily Moment of Climate Dread?
• Op/Ed - Public Investment in Green Energy Is Not Producing Many Jobs
• Seattle removes rain gardens in Ballard
• How Cloud-Based Gmail is Energy Efficient
• What Utilities Tell Us about Work & Mobile Broadband
• Amazon Convinces California Lawmakers to Delay Tax Collection
• The Day Apple Won the Flash Fight
• Sixteen Persons Apply for Vacant Mason County Commissioner Position
• Fitch: Local Government Debt Makes China Credit Risky
• Longview - Longshoremen Storm EGT Terminal, Release Grain from Rail Cars
• Longshore Workers Back at Port Of Seattle after One-Day Walkout
• Judge Warns Longshore Union to Halt Illegal Tactics
• 'Big Hump' Fire in Olympic National Forest Grows Past 600 Acres
• Hundreds of Firefighters Battling 5,300-Acre Goldendale Wildfire
• Oregon - Firefight Near Bull Run Watershed Going Well
• South Sound September Sizzle to Linger
• La Nina Climate Event Returning, Forecasters Say
• Stevenson: The Long Campaign for Washington State Coastal Doppler

WORD OF THE DAY

Perspicacious • \purr-spuh-KAY-shus\ • Adjective - Of acute mental vision or discernment: keen

“While others would call me a nitpicker, I prefer to go under the description of perspicacious,” sniffed the bank examiner to his hard pressed client.

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

More Than 4 Million SW US Customers Lose Power in Major Blackout – Caused by Utility Worker Doing Maintenance Near Yuma, Ariz (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-power-outage-20110909,0,5780773.story

Google Divulges Data Center Power Usage (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2011/09/google_divulges_data_center_power_usage.html

Officials Warn Against 'Market' Power Rates for Bonneville Power Administration (Hermiston Herald, OR)

http://www.hermistonherald.com/news/officials-warn-against-market-power-rates/article_7d3afed0-d8c7-11e0-aa37-001cc4c03286.html

Landscaper Electrocuted on Mercer Island (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/29129902/detail.html

FERC - Final Environmental Impact Statement for Relicensing of Seattle’s Boundary Hydroelectric Project (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

http://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower/enviro/eis/2011/09-09-11.asp

Douglas County PUD Plans $30 Million Bond Sale (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/sep/07/douglas-county-pud-plans-30-million-in-bonds/

Fitch Rates Grant County PUD Electric System Rev Bonds 'AA'; Outlook Stable (BusinessWire)

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110908006807/en/Fitch-Rates-Grant-County-PUD-Electric-System

Chelan PUD Commissioners Hope Fewer Meetings Will Save Dough (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/sep/08/commissioners-hope-fewer-meetings-will-save-dough/

NRC Allows Closure of Yucca Mountain Nuclear Dump (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2016156909_apusnuclearwaste.html

Virginia Power Hopes to Restart Nuclear Power Reactors Soon (Richmond Times Dispatch, VA)

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/2011/sep/09/nrc-earthquake-caused-north-anna-plant-to-shake-tw-ar-1294367/

Modular Nuclear - Father of Disgraced Investment Manager Offers to Buy Corvallis-Based NuScale (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/09/father_of_disgraced_investment.html

US Forecasters: Solar Flare Won't Cause Problems (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/US-forecasters-Solar-flare-won-t-cause-problems-2159657.php

Copper Thieves Steal Indiana Electric Co-op Truck…to Steal Copper (Electric Cooperative Today)

http://www.ect.coop/industry/crime/copper-thieves-steal-co-op-truck/33629

Copper Thieves Slowly Dismantle Tulsa's Infrastructure (KOTV-TV, Tulsa, OK)

http://www.newson6.com/story/15423554/copper-thieves-slowly-dismantle-tulsas-infrastructure

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sockeye: A Special Thrill in the Elwha River (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/fieldnotes/2016150607_elwha_sockeye_make_a_surprise_appearance.html

Getting Salmon Past Daunting Willamette Basin Dams Could Have a Big Price Tag - And A Big Payoff (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/09/detroit_dam_to_restore_wild_ru.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Forecast Shows Eastern Washington State Water Demand to Grow (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/09/07/1789719/water-forecast-subject-of-public.html

People for Puget Sound – Blood in the Water (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2011/09/07/people-for-puget-sound-blood-in-the-water/

Using Trees to Guide Water Resource Management (Oregon Public Radio)

http://earthfix.opb.org/water/article/using-trees-to-guide-water-resource-management/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Harry Reid: I’m ‘Not Confident’ Congress Can Extend the Production Tax Credit for Wind (Think Progress)

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/09/06/312799/harry-reid-i%E2%80%99m-%E2%80%98not-confident%E2%80%99-congress-can-extend-the-production-tax-credit-for-wind/

Feds Execute Search Warrants at Company that Built Solar Panels for CenturyLink Event Center (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/29120619/detail.html

Port of Olympia Finishes Adding 48 Solar Panels (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/09/08/1791578/olympia-port-finishes-adding-48.html

Solarworld CEO Says He's Rebuffed 'Several' Takeover Tries (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/09/solarworld_ceo_says_hes_rebuff.html

In Oregon, Last Stand for Commercial Solar? (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/09/in-oregon-last-stand-for-commercial-solar?cmpid=rss

Advanced Hydropower Gets New Funding from DOE and Interior Departments (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/cdemorsella/64734/advanced-hydropower-gets-new-funding-doe-and-interior-departments

Sixteen Projects to Advance Hydropower Technology – $1.8 Million to Washington State Projects (US Department of Energy)

http://energy.gov/articles/16-projects-advance-hydropower-technology

Oregon Projects Get Piece of $17 Million Hydropower Funding (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/09/oregon-projects-get-piece-of-17m.html

SMUD to Receive Millions from Federal Government for Hydropower Projects (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/06/3888879/smud-to-receive-millions-from.html

Ohio Renewable Energy Law in Danger - GOP bill would strip 'green' requirements from state utilities (Toledo Blade, OH)

http://www.toledoblade.com/State/2011/09/09/Ohio-renewable-energy-law-in-danger.html

BLM Clamps Down on Public Comment at Renewable Energy Meetings (KCET-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/commentary/blm-clamps-down-on-public-comment.html

Two More Solar Companies Get US Loan Backing (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/business/energy-environment/2-more-solar-companies-get-us-loan-backing.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Tennessee - Solar Partners Outrun Subsidies, So Tennessee Valley Authority Revamps Program (Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN)

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/sep/07/solar-partners-outrun-subsidies-so-tva-revamps/

Scotch Whiskey Waste Fuels Biomass Plant (UPI)

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2011/09/07/Scotch-whiskey-waste-fuels-biomass-plant/UPI-35321315391220/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Shocker: Power Demand from US Homes is Falling (Associated Press)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hfT760VvUJ6z-T2-NJQLzJcbnQrg?docId=1f4c0b7e473f45738ef6da5376a93529

Energy Savings or Snake Oil? Experts Say Foil Insulation Blankets Not Right for North Central Washington State (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/sep/08/energy-savings-or-snake-oil/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Report Links Extreme Weather Events to Global Warming (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/09/climate-report-links-2011-extreme-weather-events-to-global-warming/1?csp=34news

Switching from Coal to Natural Gas Would Do Little for Global Climate, Study Indicates (Physorg)

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-09-coal-natural-gas-global-climate.html

British Columbia Hydro Policy Threatens to Collapse Climate-Change Progress, Scientist Says (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/clarks-hydro-policy-threatens-to-collapse-climate-change-progress-scientist-says/article2157488/

Op/Ed - Have You Had Your Daily Moment of Climate Dread? (NY Times)

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/have-you-had-your-daily-moment-of-climate-dread/?partner=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Op/Ed - Public Investment in Green Energy Is Not Producing Many Jobs (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2016126072_brooks07.html

Seattle removes rain gardens in Ballard (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kplu.org/post/seattle-removes-rain-gardens-ballard

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

How Cloud-Based Gmail is Energy Efficient (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/how-cloud-based-gmail-is-energy-efficient/

What Utilities Tell Us about Work & Mobile Broadband (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/broadband/what-utilities-tell-us-about-work-and-mobile-broadband/

Amazon Convinces California Lawmakers to Delay Tax Collection (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/09/amazon-agrees-to-begin-collect.html

The Day Apple Won the Flash Fight (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/apple/the-day-apple-won-the-flash-fight/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Sixteen Persons Apply for Vacant Mason County Commissioner Position (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/14086-16-apply-for-commissioner-district-3

Fitch: Local Government Debt Makes China Credit Risky (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/story/2011-09-08/Fitch-Local-government-debt-makes-China-credit-risky/50317258/1?csp=34money

GENERAL NEWS

Longview - Longshoremen Storm EGT Terminal, Release Grain from Rail Cars (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_e98046a8-da30-11e0-bd16-001cc4c002e0.html

Longshore Workers Back at Port Of Seattle after One-Day Walkout (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Longshore-workers-back-at-Port-of-Seattle-after-one-day-walkout-129530013.html

Judge Warns Longshore Union to Halt Illegal Tactics (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/129526388.html

'Big Hump' Fire in Olympic National Forest Grows Past 600 Acres - 'Red Flag' Fire Danger Alert (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

http://ptleader.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=29960&SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55

Hundreds of Firefighters Battling 5,300-Acre Goldendale Wildfire (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Hundreds-of-firefighters-battling-5300-acre-Goldendale-wildfire.html

Oregon - Firefight Near Bull Run Watershed Going Well (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/firefight-near-bull-run-watershed-going-well/

South Sound September Sizzle to Linger (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/09/08/1791497/south-sound-september-sizzle-to.html

La Nina Climate Event Returning, Forecasters Say (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2016145777_apuslanina.html

Stevenson: The Long Campaign for Washington State Coastal Doppler (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/weather/29107776/detail.html

DIVERSIONS

Police Update Meats Found In Accused Shoplifter's Pants

http://www.wlox.com/story/15409291/police-update-meats-found-in-accused-shoplifters-pants

Apparent Carjacker Gets One-Way Ride to Jail

http://news.yahoo.com/apparent-carjacker-gets-one-way-ride-jail-151515815.html

Man dressed as Gumby tries to rob store

http://news.yahoo.com/man-dressed-gumby-tries-rob-store-151355683.html

San Francisco Ordinance Would Cover Naked Bottoms (PG-13 Content)

http://news.yahoo.com/ordinance-cover-naked-bottoms-162037158.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Peter & Gordon – Lady Godiva

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Src_WCmsg8o

Energy News Digest for September 6, 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

THE 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

Third Highest Count of Pink Salmon in the Columbia River System Since at Least 1938 (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2016090436__it_looks_like_the.html

Washington State Lands Commissioner: All Trust Lands at Risk in Okanogan PUD Case (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/wash._lands_commissioner_all_trust_lands_at_risk_in_pud_case/

Washington State Considers Including Hydro as a Renewable Under Renewable Portfolio Standard (IB Times, Green Economy)

http://uk.ibtimes.com/articles/20110823/washington-state-considers-including-hydro-asrenewable-under-rps.htm

Arson Destroys Sports Complex at Shelton High - Damage Totals About $300,000 (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/09/06/1787678/arson-destroys-complex.html

Hurricane Irene - Municipal Utilities Shine in Storm: Outages Were Resolved Quickly (Boston Globe, MA)

http://articles.boston.com/2011-09-04/news/30113323_1_outages-electric-grid-repair-crews

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

Washington State Lands Commissioner: All Trust Lands at Risk in Okanogan PUD Case

Oregon - Eugene Water & Electric Board Yes New Five Percent Rate Boost

Bonneville Power Administration to Switch to Two-Tier Rate System in October

Bonneville Power Administration Responds to US Rep Herrera Beutler Letter on Power Line

Ceremony Set for Cushman Hydro Project Agreement

Georgetown Lake: Montana Dam to Produce Power for First Time in Two Decades

Hurricane Irene - Municipal Utilities Shine in Storm: Outages Were Resolved Quickly

Power Companies Go on Defensive in Darkened Eastern US

Colorado - Pro-Electricity Municipalization Campaign Kicks Off Friday in Boulder

North Carolina - Lineworker a Hazardous, But Rewarding Job

Broken Windows & Nuclear Plants – Vermont Governor Touts Jobs from Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Plant

Third Highest Count of Pink Salmon in the Columbia River System Since at Least 1938

Deschutes River Fires Up Summer Steelhead Anglers

United Kingdom - Sea Eagles ‘Could Target Children’

Washington State Considers Including Hydro as a Renewable Under Renewable Portfolio Standard

Op/Ed – Downtown Vancouver, WA No Place for Biomass Plant

Snohomish County PUD to Drill Nearly a Mile Deep in Search Of Geothermal Power

SolarWorld Consolidates US Manufacturing in Hillsboro, Oregon

California - Businesses Put Wind to Work

Natural Gas as Alternative Energy? New Pennsylvania Bill Says Yes

Everything I Need to Know About Tidal Energy Generation

Florida - County Wants More Info on Gainesville Regional Utilities’ Biomass Plant

How Utilities & Home-Builders are Teaming Up to Boost Solar

Germany Hits New Green-Power Milestone

Why the Smart Grid is Taking So Long

Editorial - California Utility Fee, If Extended, Can’t be Blank Check

Top 26 Stealth Home Energy Hogs

Tri-Cities - Powers Winery, Vineyard Embraces the Sun

AAA Offers Charging of Electric Car Batteries

Italy’s KITEnergy Converts High Altitude Winds to Electricity

Arson Destroys Sports Complex at Shelton High - Damage Totals About $300,000

Port Townsend Fire May Have Been Sparked by Kids with Fireworks

Duckabush Fire Expected to Burn for Days

Oregon & Washington Fires Creating Hazy Conditions

All Mason County Schools in Session This Week

Postal Service Faces Possible Default

Historic Heat for September

WORDS OF THE DAY

From Merriam Webster’s Ten Most Confused Words:

Flak/Flack

If you're getting shot at by antiaircraft guns, or receiving unfriendly criticism, are you taking flak or flack?

Answer:

Flak

How to Remember It:

Although flack is an established variant, the more foreign-looking flak is the original spelling and the better choice. Flak was originally a German acronym for Fliegerabwehrkanonen – from FLieger ("flyer") + Abwehr ("defense") + Kanonen ("cannons") – which basically means "antiaircraft gun."

That use of flak in English dates back to 1938. In the decades after the war it took on its civilian meaning of "criticism."

(A flack, meanwhile, is a PR agent or someone who provides publicity.)

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

Washington State Lands Commissioner: All Trust Lands at Risk in Okanogan PUD Case (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/wash._lands_commissioner_all_trust_lands_at_risk_in_pud_case/

Oregon - Eugene Water & Electric Board Yes New Five Percent Rate Boost: Based on moves by the BPA (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/web/updates/26809430-55/eweb-rate-power-bpa-increase.html.csp

Bonneville Power Administration to Switch to Two-Tier Rate System in October (The Hermiston Herald, OR)

http://www.hermistonherald.com/news/bpa-to-switch-to-tier-rate-system-in-october/article_2f03bb4a-d592-11e0-84b3-001cc4c002e0.html

Bonneville Power Administration Responds to US Rep Herrera Beutler Letter on Power Line (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/sep/03/bpa-responds-to-herrera-beutler-letter-on-power-li/

Ceremony Set for Cushman Hydro Project Agreement (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/13713-ceremony-set-for-cushman-hydro-project-agreement

Georgetown Lake: Montana Dam to Produce Power for First Time in Two Decades (Associated Press)

http://www.khq.com/story/15396526/mt-dam-to-produce-power-for-1st-time-in-2-decades

Hurricane Irene - Municipal Utilities Shine in Storm: Outages Were Resolved Quickly (Boston Globe, MA)

http://articles.boston.com/2011-09-04/news/30113323_1_outages-electric-grid-repair-crews

Power Companies Go on Defensive in Darkened Eastern US - Some power companies in the East are going on the defensive against criticism over the tens of thousands of lingering power outages nearly a week after Hurricane Irene swept up the coast (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2016090876_apusirene.html

Colorado - Pro-Electricity Municipalization Campaign Kicks Off Friday in Boulder (Boulder Daily Camera, CO)
http://www.dailycamera.com/energy/ci_18815863

North Carolina - Lineworker a Hazardous, But Rewarding Job (Jackson Daily News, NC)
http://www.jdnews.com/news/power-94695-energy-workers.html

Broken Windows & Nuclear Plants – Vermont Governor Touts Jobs from Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Plant (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/meredith-angwin/64587/broken-window-fallacy-hurricane-and-decomissioning-nuclear-plants

FISH & WILDLIFE

Third Highest Count of Pink Salmon in the Columbia River System Since at Least 1938 (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2016090436__it_looks_like_the.html

Deschutes River Fires Up Summer Steelhead Anglers (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2011/09/post_7.html

United Kingdom - Sea Eagles ‘Could Target Children’: Game keepers in Scotland have raised concerns that sea eagles could mistakenly target small children when hunting their natural quarry (The Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8738064/Sea-eagles-could-target-children.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington State Considers Including Hydro as a Renewable Under Renewable Portfolio Standard (IB Times, Green Economy)

http://uk.ibtimes.com/articles/20110823/washington-state-considers-including-hydro-asrenewable-under-rps.htm

Op/Ed – Downtown Vancouver, WA No Place for Biomass Plant (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/sep/04/downtown-no-place-for-biomass-plant/

Snohomish County PUD to Drill Nearly a Mile Deep in Search Of Geothermal Power

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110903/NEWS01/709039943/0/living02

SolarWorld Consolidates US Manufacturing in Hillsboro, Oregon (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/09/solarworld-ending-california.html

California - Businesses Put Wind to Work (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/04/3881463/businesses-put-wind-to-work.html

Natural Gas as Alternative Energy? New Pennsylvania Bill Says Yes (Pittsburgh Business Journal, PA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/energy/2011/09/gas-as-alternative-energy-new-pa-bill.html

Everything I Need to Know About Tidal Energy Generation (Green Diary)

http://www.greendiary.com/entry/tidal-energy-generation/

Florida - County Wants More Info on Gainesville Regional Utilities’ Biomass Plant (Gainesville Sun, FL)

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110903/ARTICLES/110909837/1002/sitemaps

How Utilities & Home-Builders are Teaming Up to Boost Solar (Green Biz)

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/09/04/how-utilities-and-home-builders-are-teaming-boost-solar

Germany Hits New Green-Power Milestone (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/2011/0902/Germany-hits-new-green-power-milestone

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Why the Smart Grid is Taking So Long (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/marcgunther/64592/why-it-s-taking-so-long-build-smart-grid

Editorial - California Utility Fee, If Extended, Can’t be Blank Check: Fee helps fund projects including energy efficiency, research & development, & emerging technology (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/06/3886537/utility-fee-if-extended-cant-be.html

Top 26 Stealth Home Energy Hogs (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2011/09/03/top-26-home-energy-hogs-turned-off/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Tri-Cities - Powers Winery, Vineyard Embraces the Sun (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/09/03/2168252/powers-winery-vineyard-embraces.html

AAA Offers Charging of Electric Car Batteries (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/06/3886925/aaa-offers-charging-of-electric.html

Italy’s KITEnergy Converts High Altitude Winds to Electricity (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2011/09/05/italys-kitenergy-converts-high-altitude-winds-to-electricity/

GENERAL NEWS

Arson Destroys Sports Complex at Shelton High - Damage Totals About $300,000 (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/09/06/1787678/arson-destroys-complex.html

Port Townsend Fire May Have Been Sparked by Kids with Fireworks (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/15-acre-wildfire-threatening-homes-near-Port-Townsend-129273493.html

Duckabush Fire Expected to Burn for Days (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110906/news/309069997/duckabush-fire-expected-to-burn-for-days

Oregon & Washington Fires Creating Hazy Conditions (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

http://www.kpq.com/09-05-11-Hazy-Conditions--more-/10819231

All Mason County Schools in Session This Week (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/13830-all-schools-in-session-this-week

Postal Service Faces Possible Default (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/money/29089283/detail.html

Historic Heat for September (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://ispot.kirotv.com/_Historic-Heat-for-September/blog/5091258/6686.html

DIVERSIONS

Dog Sets World Record for Longest Ears

http://www.kirotv.com/news/29091820/detail.html

Is (Cursive) Handwriting a Dying Art Form?

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-is-handwriting-a-dying-artform-20110905,0,864699.story?track=rss

Man Beats & Robs Coworker, Offers Him $100 to Not Press Charges, Police Say

http://www.kirotv.com/news/29062898/detail.html

The World Still Thinks Americans Are “Coolest” – Poll

http://news.yahoo.com/world-still-thinks-americans-coolest-poll-115553217.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Heart - Crazy On You, Live (Dig Nancy’s Guitar Intro…Awesome)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gpNqB4dnT4