Energy News Digest for March 9, 2012

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

Banner Year for Ocean Salmon Fishing Projected (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/banner_year_for_ocean_salmon_fishing_projected/

Evaluation - Governor Gregoire Signs Bills Expanding Eligibility for Washington State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2012/03/09/governor-gregoire-signs-bills-expanding-eligibility-for-washington-states-renewable-portfolio-standard/

Belfair Water District Commissioners Place Manager on Paid Leave (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/mar/08/belfair-water-district-commissioners-place-on/

Mason PUD 1 & Skokomish Tribe - Wastewater Treatment Plants (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/25697-wastewater-treatment-plants

Area Lawmakers Ask State Regulators to Deny Pacific Power & Light Rate Hike Request (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2012/03/07/area-lawmakers-ask-state-regulators-to-deny-rate-hike-request

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Area Lawmakers Ask State Regulators to Deny Pacific Power & Light Rate Hike Request
• Idaho Power Requests Average $3.56 Monthly Hike
• Montana - Lincoln Electric Announces Sizable Rate Increase: Higher BPA wholesale power rates to blame, co-op says
• Grant County EDC’s Terry Brewer Announces Retirement - Readies for Re-Election to Grant County PUD
• Cle Elum Businessman Enters Kittitas PUD Race
• Tacoma Power Substation among ‘Excellent 10’
• Bankruptcy Judge Denies State Agency Bid to Join Southern Montana Electric Case
• Op/Ed - Hydroelectric & Energy Efficiency Needed Now in Interior Alaska
• Japan’s Nuclear Energy Industry Nears Shutdown, At Least for Now
• Ohio: Gas-Drilling Injection Well Led to Quakes
• A Backhand Slap from End of Solar Storm
• Why Are There So Many Solar Flares These Days?
• Iowa - Voltage Problem for Dairy Cows Results in Lawsuits, Senate Bill
• Banner Year for Ocean Salmon Fishing Projected
• Montana Steps Back from Lake Trout Work
• Belfair Water District Commissioners Place Manager on Paid Leave
• New Belfair Water District Manager Addresses Public
• Mason PUD 1 & Skokomish Tribe - Wastewater Treatment Plants
• City of Bucoda Wants Back Into Flood Control Group
• Bend Votes to Delay Parts of $70 Million Water Project
• Evaluation - Governor Gregoire Signs Bills Expanding Eligibility for Washington State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard
• SoloPower Moves Fast to Fend Off Loan Guarantee ‘Curse’
• New Bill Could Remove NEPA Compliance from Some Small Hydro Projects
• Hello, Sunshine: Palo Alto Utility to Pay Locals for Solar Energy
• Milwaukee Solar Firm Blames China for Job Cuts
• United Kingdom - The Impenetrable Language of Wind Farm Fans
• Electric Power Research Institute Applauds Two Bonneville Power Administration Tech Innovation Projects
• In Life-Cycle Energy Use, Do LEDs Keep Their Edge?
• Best Light Bulb Ever Will Cost You $50
• Pacific Nation May Buy Fiji Land as Climate Refuge
• Thousands Give Up Carbon for Lent
• Oregon Sustainability Center Team to Look for Private Backers
• Tillamook Green Energy Company Tells Mayor Sam Adams Biogas Proposal is ‘Unsustainable’
• Another Company out Of the Running for Obama’s ‘Green Car’ Program
• New York Company Growing Mushrooms as Packing Material
• Verizon to Close Bellevue Call Center
• Missouri Approves Google’s Request to Set Up Video Services in Kansas City
• Gregoire Calls for Special Session of Washington State Legislature
• 6th District Congressional Candidate Nets 35 Endorsements from Notables
• Ohio Congressman Kucinich Won’t Run In Washington State, Despite Loss
• Spring Ahead: Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday
• Bidding Starts for Rights to Liquor Licenses at 167 State-Run Stores
• New Study Looks at Jobs Impacts of Wild Olympics
• US Senate Approves Rural County Timber Payments
• Raw-Log Exports Are Hurting British Columbia’s Economy
• February Marks Third Straight Month of Strong Jobs Growth
• Oregon Board of Education Inches toward Ban of Native American Mascots
• Facebook Philandering - Bigamy Charges Filed Against Pierce County Corrections Officer

WORD OF THE DAY

Winsome • \WIN-sum\ • Adjective - 1: generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence 2: cheerful, lighthearted

“I wouldn’t call her ‘winsome’,” growled ‘Daddy Warbucks’ to his flighty assistant about his new, flame-haired ward. “More like flamboyant, hoydenesque, exuberant, or any other manner of words to describe a saucy little girl.”

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

Area Lawmakers Ask State Regulators to Deny Pacific Power & Light Rate Hike Request (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2012/03/07/area-lawmakers-ask-state-regulators-to-deny-rate-hike-request

Idaho Power Requests Average $3.56 Monthly Hike (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017686718_apusidahopowerratehikeidaho.html

Montana - Lincoln Electric Announces Sizable Rate Increase: Higher BPA wholesale power rates to blame, co-op says (Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_f192b612-699d-11e1-9c4a-001871e3ce6c.html

Grant County EDC’s Terry Brewer Announces Retirement - Readies for Re-Election to Grant County PUD (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/business/article_d58f3496-6947-11e1-ae57-0019bb2963f4.html

Cle Elum Businessman Enters Kittitas PUD Race (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/news/cle-elum-man-enters-pud-race/article_a72b6238-6950-11e1-a446-0019bb2963f4.html

Tacoma Power Substation among ‘Excellent 10’ (South Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/tacoma-power-substation-excellent

Bankruptcy Judge Denies State Agency Bid to Join Southern Montana Electric Case (Billings Gazette, MT)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/bankruptcy-judge-denies-psc-bid-to-join-southern-montana-electric/article_cb6bf8eb-b790-5afb-9811-6e1c5beecf3d.html

Op/Ed - Hydroelectric & Energy Efficiency Needed Now in Interior Alaska (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK)

http://newsminer.com/bookmark/17810881-Hydroelectric-and-energy-efficiency-needed-now-in-Interior-Alaska

Japan’s Nuclear Energy Industry Nears Shutdown, At Least for Now (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/world/asia/japan-shutting-down-its-nuclear-power-industry.html?_r=1

Ohio: Gas-Drilling Injection Well Led to Quakes (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017707846_apusgasdrillingearthquakes.html

A Backhand Slap from End of Solar Storm (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017707778_apusscisolarstorm.html

Why Are There So Many Solar Flares These Days? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0308/Why-are-there-so-many-solar-flares-these-days-video

Iowa - Voltage Problem for Dairy Cows Results in Lawsuits, Senate Bill (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120308/NEWS10/303080061/1007/NEWS05

FISH & WILDLIFE

Banner Year for Ocean Salmon Fishing Projected (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/banner_year_for_ocean_salmon_fishing_projected/

Montana Steps Back from Lake Trout Work (Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_c478b50c-68c4-11e1-8fb4-001871e3ce6c.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Belfair Water District Commissioners Place Manager on Paid Leave (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/mar/08/belfair-water-district-commissioners-place-on/

New Belfair Water District Manager Addresses Public (Mason Web TV)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=3236

Mason PUD 1 & Skokomish Tribe - Wastewater Treatment Plants (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/25697-wastewater-treatment-plants

City of Bucoda Wants Back Into Flood Control Group (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2012/03/city-of-bucoda-wants-back-into-flood.html

Bend Votes to Delay Parts of $70 Million Water Project (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/bend-votes-delay-parts-70m-water-project/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Evaluation - Governor Gregoire Signs Bills Expanding Eligibility for Washington State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2012/03/09/governor-gregoire-signs-bills-expanding-eligibility-for-washington-states-renewable-portfolio-standard/

SoloPower Moves Fast to Fend Off Loan Guarantee ‘Curse’ (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/03/solopower-moves-fast-to-fend-off-loan.html

New Bill Could Remove NEPA Compliance from Some Small Hydro Projects (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/03/new-bill-could-remove-nepa-compliance-from-some-small-hydro-projects

Hello, Sunshine: Palo Alto Utility to Pay Locals for Solar Energy (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-palo-alto-solar-program-20120307,0,1466033.story

Milwaukee Solar Firm Blames China for Job Cuts - Imported units selling below cost, Helios says (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI)

http://www.jsonline.com/business/solar-firm-blames-china-for-job-cuts-sj4gbo6-142005483.html

United Kingdom - The Impenetrable Language of Wind Farm Fans (The Daily Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9131733/Sketch-the-impenetrable-language-of-wind-farm-fans.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Electric Power Research Institute Applauds Two Bonneville Power Administration Tech Innovation Projects (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/corporate/BPANews/ArticleTemplate.cfm?ArticleId=article-20120308-01

In Life-Cycle Energy Use, Do LEDs Keep Their Edge? (Midwest Energy News)

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/03/09/in-life-cycle-study-energy-use-do-leds-keep-their-edge/

Best Light Bulb Ever Will Cost You $50 (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/list/best-light-bulb-ever-will-cost-you-50/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Pacific Nation May Buy Fiji Land as Climate Refuge (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Pacific-nation-may-buy-Fiji-land-as-climate-refuge-3393470.php

Thousands Give Up Carbon for Lent (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/Change-Agent/2012/0309/Thousands-give-up-carbon-for-Lent

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon Sustainability Center Team to Look for Private Backers (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/03/oregon-sustainability-center-team-to.html

Tillamook Green Energy Company Tells Mayor Sam Adams Biogas Proposal is ‘Unsustainable’ (Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/portlandcityhall/2012/03/tillamook_green_energy_company.html

Another Company out Of the Running for Obama’s ‘Green Car’ Program (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/another-company-out-of-the-running-for-obamas-green-car-program/2012/03/07/gIQA7WRcxR_story.html?wprss=rss_politics

New York Company Growing Mushrooms as Packing Material (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017694118_apusfoodandfarmpackedinmushrooms.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Verizon to Close Bellevue Call Center (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2012/03/08/verizon-to-close-bellevue-call-center.html

Missouri Approves Google’s Request to Set Up Video Services in Kansas City (Kansas City Business Journal, MO)
http://www.bizjournals.com//kansascity/news/2012/03/07/missouri-approves-googles-request-to.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Gregoire Calls for Special Session of Washington State Legislature (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Gregoire-calls-for-special-session-142049543.html

6^th District Congressional Candidate Nets 35 Endorsements from Notables (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120309/news/303099992/congressional-candidate-nets-35-endorsements-from-notables

Ohio Congressman Kucinich Won’t Run In Washington State, Despite Loss (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2017692590_kucinich_will_stay_in_ohio_des.html

GENERAL NEWS

Spring Ahead: Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday (Mason Web TV)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=3249

Bidding Starts for Rights to Liquor Licenses at 167 State-Run Stores (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017703338_liquorauction09.html

New Study Looks at Jobs Impacts of Wild Olympics (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/new-study-looks-jobs-impacts-wild-olympics.html-0

US Senate Approves Rural County Timber Payments - Money goes to about 700 counties in 41 states, with the largest share going to Oregon, California, Washington & Idaho (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/mar/09/senate-approves-timber-payments/

Raw-Log Exports Are Hurting British Columbia’s Economy (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/exports+hurting+economy/6276550/story.html

February Marks Third Straight Month of Strong Jobs Growth (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0309/February-marks-third-straight-month-of-strong-jobs-growth

Oregon Board of Education Inches toward Ban of Native American Mascots (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/03/post_58.html

Facebook Philandering - Bigamy Charges Filed Against Pierce County Corrections Officer (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/03/08/2058938/bigamy-charges-filed-against-pierce.html

DIVERSIONS

Screaming Baby Airlines - Family Tossed Off JetBlue Flight for 2-year-old’s Tantrum

http://www.q13fox.com/news/ktla-family-off-jetblue-flight,0,1693829.story

On This Day: The Monitor & Merrimack Clash at Hampton Roads

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/March/Monitor-and-Merrimac.html

Lost Cell Phone Project Confirms People Are Jerks

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2012/03/08/lost-cell-phone-project-confirms-people-are-jerks-2/

Police Say Driver Gets 3 Speeding Tickets in Hour - driver was in a hurry to make a court date on a meth possession charge

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017703362_apusoddtriplespeeding.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Victory at Sea - Main Theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-EXNounv-U

Truncated/abridged Energy News Digest for March 8, 2012

A busy day means a truncated (WOTD) energy news digest today.

Enjoy!

Bonneville Power Administration Files Paperwork to Manage Wind, Water Power (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/bpa-files-paperwork-manage-wind-water-power/

Bonneville Power Submits Wind Oversupply Plan with the Feds (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/03/bonneville-power-submits-oversupply.html

Pacific Northwest Wind Farms Paid to Not Produce - Farms were overproducing, demand was unable to keep up with supply (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-pacific-northwest-wind-farms-paid-to-not-produce-20120308,0,190781.story

Tennessee’s US Senator Alexander Calls for Ending Wind-Energy Subsidies (The Tennessean, Nashville)

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120308/NEWS02/303070152/Alexander-calls-for-ending-wind-energy-subsidies

New Washington State Law Broadens Renewable Energy Mandate - Avista biomass plant meets green standard (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/mar/08/new-law-broadens-energy-mandate/

Washington State Legislature - Special Session Likely for Budget (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Gregoire-Special-session-for-budget-approval-141840203.html

Oregon Lawmakers Say Columbia River Water Debate Will Return (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017692898_aporxgrcolumbiariverwater2ndldwritethru.html

Shelton’s Ridge Motorsports Park to Bring in Millions (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=3194

Does La Nina's Easing Mean a Sunny Summer? (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Does-La-Ninas-easing-mean-sunny-summer-141947473.html

Energy News Digest for March 7, 2012

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

Bonneville Power Administration Files Plan to Deal with Wind Farm Shutdowns (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/bpa_files_plan_to_deal_with_wi.html

Ex-Seattle Public Utilities Project Engineer Charged in $1.1 Million Embezzlement Case (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017681979_phan07m.html

Two Powerful ‘X-Class’ Flares Erupt on Sun (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0307/Two-powerful-X-class-flares-erupt-on-sun

Washington State Patrol Says It Will Pay for Federally Required Radio Upgrade (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/03/06/2055928/state-patrol-says-it-will-pay.html

Grant PUD Transmission Line Progresses (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_6260c2a4-67b3-11e1-b1b9-0019bb2963f4.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Ex-Seattle Public Utilities Project Engineer Charged in $1.1 Million Embezzlement Case
• Man steals $1 Million from Seattle, Bank of America Sits Idly By
• Grant PUD Transmission Line Progresses
• Two New Candidates Join Race for Clark Public Utilities’ Position
• New Location for the Mason PUD 3 Payment Drop box in Downtown Shelton
• The Spirit of Cooperation – 75 Years for Flathead Electric Cooperative
• Focus on Community Sets Electricity Co-ops Apart
• Pacific Gas & Electric Worker Socks Would-Be Robber in South San Francisco
• Navajos Look to Invest in Grid Connection Project
• Xcel Energy Working on Six Percent Electric Rate Hike Request
• Florida – Study Claims Ratepayers Would Save Millions if ‘Municipal Utilities’ Sell Out to Florida Power & Light
• Transmission Line Deal with Illinois Cable Plant to Bring 1,450 Jobs
• Two Powerful ‘X-Class’ Flares Erupt on Sun
• Chelan County PUD Approves Higher Water, Sewer Rates
• Bonneville Power Administration Files Plan to Deal with Wind Farm Shutdowns
• Receiver Hoping for Resolution on Hoquiam Paper Mill Soon
• San Jose’s SunPower to Provide Solar Panels for Apple’s New North Carolina Data Center
• Pepco to Build Washington, DC Biomass Plant
• Wind Power is Just Too Expensive to Actually Use
• Enhanced Safety & Energy Efficiency the Focus of NEEA & Seattle LED Streetlight Test
• Streetlight Test Shuts Down Busy Seattle Road
• Secrets of a Tribal Energy Auditor
• Did Climate Change Create Texas’ Hellacious 2011 Summer, Or Just Make It Worse?
• Electric Cars Seem to be Falling Out Of Favor after Volt’s Slow Sales
• Nissan Not Worried by Pace of Leaf Sales
• Hybrid Cars 101: How Long Should Batteries Last?
• This Lamp Absorbs 150 Times More Carbon Dioxide than a Tree
• Washington State Patrol Says It Will Pay for Federally Required Radio Upgrade
• Minnesota Wants to be a Broadband Backwater - Thanks, CenturyLink!
• Low Power is the New Black for Data Centers
• Democratic Washington State Rep. Deb Eddy to Retire
• Thurston County Auditor ‘Kicking Off’ Campaign for Secretary of State
• Congressional Shenanigans - Kucinich Move to Washington State Will be Hot Topic Again
• Jackie Miles Strickland, Former Port Commissioner, Sentenced for DUI
• Boy Receives Deferral in Bremerton School Shooting
• Pacific NW Timber Exports after Japan Quake Slower than Expected
• Thurston County Sheriff Warns; Gas Theft Might Rise
• Harstine Island Residents against Fudge Point Transaction
• Head of Sound Learning Steps Down
• Shelton Race Track - Economic Shot In The Arm?
• TransCanada Executive: New Keystone Route for Petroleum Pipeline in Weeks

WORD OF THE DAY

Truncated • \TRUNK-ayt-ted\ • Adjective - 1: having the apex replaced by a plane section and especially by one parallel to the base 2a: cut short: curtailed b: lacking an expected or normal element at the beginning or end; catalectic

James Dean’s bright career

Truncated by a car crash

Lived hard, died young, sad

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

Ex-Seattle Public Utilities Project Engineer Charged in $1.1 Million Embezzlement Case (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017681979_phan07m.html

Man steals $1 Million from Seattle, Bank of America Sits Idly By (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=640247

Grant PUD Transmission Line Progresses (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_6260c2a4-67b3-11e1-b1b9-0019bb2963f4.html

Two New Candidates Join Race for Clark Public Utilities’ Position (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/mar/07/two-new-candidates-join-race-clark-public-utilitie/

New Location for the Mason PUD 3 Payment Drop box in Downtown Shelton (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=990

The Spirit of Cooperation – 75 Years for Flathead Electric Cooperative (Hungry Horse News, MT)

http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/hungryhorsenews/article_fd359b34-6866-11e1-98f0-001871e3ce6c.html

Focus on Community Sets Electricity Co-ops Apart (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/newsmakers/co-op-voices/focus-on-community-sets-co-ops-apart/40654

Pacific Gas & Electric Worker Socks Would-Be Robber in South San Francisco (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20113662

Navajos Look to Invest in Grid Connection Project (CBS News)

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57392257/navajos-look-to-invest-in-grid-connection-project/

Xcel Energy Working on Six Percent Electric Rate Hike Request (Associated Press)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/06/4315428/xcel-energy-working-on-electric.html

Florida – Study Claims Ratepayers Would Save Millions if ‘Municipal Utilities’ Sell Out to Florida Power & Light (Sunshine State News, Tallahassee, FL)

http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/ratepayers-would-save-millions-if-munis-sell-out-fpl-study

Transmission Line Deal with Illinois Cable Plant to Bring 1,450 Jobs (Associated Press)

http://www.wctrib.com/event/apArticle/id/D9TB7H980/

Two Powerful ‘X-Class’ Flares Erupt on Sun (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0307/Two-powerful-X-class-flares-erupt-on-sun

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chelan County PUD Approves Higher Water, Sewer Rates (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/mar/06/pud-approves-higher-water-sewer-rates/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration Files Plan to Deal with Wind Farm Shutdowns (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/bpa_files_plan_to_deal_with_wi.html

Receiver Hoping for Resolution on Hoquiam Paper Mill Soon – Grays Harbor PUD Keeping Tabs (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/receiver-hoping-resolution-paper-mill-soon.html

San Jose’s SunPower to Provide Solar Panels for Apple’s New North Carolina Data Center (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_20113644/exclusive-san-joses-sunpower-provide-solar-panels-apples

Pepco to Build Washington, DC Biomass Plant (Washington Business Journal, DC – Beware of that first, single exposure!)

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2012/03/06/pepco-to-build-dc-biomass-plant.html

Wind Power is Just Too Expensive to Actually Use (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/03/06/wind-powers-just-too-expensive-to-actually-use/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Enhanced Safety & Energy Efficiency the Focus of NEEA & Seattle LED Streetlight Test - Northwest utilities lead effort to demonstrate improved visibility & safer streets (MarketWatch)

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/enhanced-safety-and-energy-efficiency-the-focus-of-neea-and-seattle-led-streetlight-test-2012-03-06

Streetlight Test Shuts Down Busy Seattle Road (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Streetlight-test-shuts-down-busy-Seattle-road-141711143.html

Secrets of a Tribal Energy Auditor (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/corporate/BPANews/ArticleTemplate.cfm?ArticleId=article-20120306-01

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Did Climate Change Create Texas’ Hellacious 2011 Summer, Or Just Make It Worse? (Dallas Observer)

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/03/did_climate_change_make_create.php

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Electric Cars Seem to be Falling Out Of Favor after Volt’s Slow Sales (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20115128

Nissan Not Worried by Pace of Leaf Sales (Nashville Business Journal, TN)

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2012/03/06/nissan-not-worried-by-leaf-sales.html

Hybrid Cars 101: How Long Should Batteries Last? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2012/0306/Hybrid-cars-101-How-long-should-batteries-last

This Lamp Absorbs 150 Times More Carbon Dioxide than a Tree (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/list/this-lamp-absorbs-more-co2-than-a-tree/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State Patrol Says It Will Pay for Federally Required Radio Upgrade (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/03/06/2055928/state-patrol-says-it-will-pay.html

Minnesota Wants to be a Broadband Backwater - Thanks, CenturyLink! (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Minnesota-Wants-to-be-a-Broadband-Backwater-118728

Low Power is the New Black for Data Centers (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/low-power-is-the-new-black-for-data-centers/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Democratic Washington State Rep. Deb Eddy to Retire (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/03/07/2020228/democratic-state-rep-deb-eddy.html

Thurston County Auditor ‘Kicking Off’ Campaign for Secretary of State (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/03/06/2019116/wyman-kicking-off-campaign-for.html

Congressional Shenanigans - Kucinich Move to Washington State Will be Hot Topic Again (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120306/BLOG13/120309852

GENERAL NEWS

Jackie Miles Strickland, Former Port Commissioner, Sentenced for DUI (Mason Web TV)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=3153

Boy Receives Deferral in Bremerton School Shooting (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Prosecutors-amend-charge-against-boy-in-school-shooting--141646463.html

Pacific NW Timber Exports after Japan Quake Slower than Expected (Oregonian Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/nw_timber_exports_after_japan_quake_slower_than_expected/

Thurston County Sheriff Warns; Gas Theft Might Rise (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3880

Harstine Island Residents against Fudge Point Transaction (Mason Web TV)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=3173

Head of Sound Learning Steps Down (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/25522-head-of-sound-learning-steps-down

Shelton Race Track - Economic Shot In The Arm? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/25607-economic-shot-in-the-arm

TransCanada Executive: New Keystone Route for Petroleum Pipeline in Weeks (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/03/06/national/a080142S49.DTL

DIVERSIONS

Ralph McQuarrie, Designer of ‘Star Wars’ Look, Dies in Berkeley At 82

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20115755

Scientists Say Moon May Have Crashed Titanic

http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Scientists+moon+have+crashed+Titanic/6259577/story.html

Chicken McNugget Resembling George Washington Sells for $8,100 on EBay

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20112621

Photographers Mistake 66-Year-Old Debbie Harry for Lindsay Lohan

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/photographers_mistake_year_old_debbie_WAxXYeLPXI222ti9ruzgiM

SONG OF THE DAY

Blue Moon - Chris Isaak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuCZDanw3aE