Energy News Digest for January 7, 2013

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.

Also, some newspapers have instituted “paywalls” that may require subscriptions before accessing their content. I apologize if some of these links restrict you from getting their stories.

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

Parties File Briefs in Ninth Circuit Calling for Dismissal of Challenge to Council’s Regional Power (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/424400.aspx

Olympic Mountain Snowpack 211 Percent of Normal - Snowpack in Washington Cascades ranges from about 130 to 150 percent of normal (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130107/NEWS/301079992/olympic-snowpack-211-percent-of-normal

Bonneville Power Administration Seeking Clearance to Disrupt Wetlands for New Transmission Line (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/bpa-seeking-clearance-to-disrupt-wetlands-for-new-transmission-line/article_6f5b467e-56db-11e2-9be7-001a4bcf887a.html

Gregoire Emerges as Top Contender to Boss EPA (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/01/04/gregoire-emerges-as-top-contender-to-boss-epa/

Editorial - Wisdom in a Wi-Fi Plan (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/jan/04/our-view-wisdom-in-a-wi-fi-plan/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Bonneville Power Administration Seeking Clearance to Disrupt Wetlands for New Transmission Line
• Feds Rule JPMorgan Can’t Block California Power Plant Changes
• Lower Power Costs Will Trim Bills for Portland General Electric Customers
• Kittitas PUD Has New General Manager
• Cowlitz PUD to Launch Several New Online Customer Service Features
• Where We Live: How We Get Our Electric Power - We have good reasons for satisfaction with Seattle City Light
• Editorial - Extracting Great Falls from Energy Muck
• Yakima Cracks Down on Banners Over City Streets
• Electric Companies Surprising Winners in New Tax Package
• Parties File Briefs in Ninth Circuit Calling for Dismissal of Challenge to Council’s Regional Power
• Gill-Netters Challenge Oregon’s Plans to Bump Them off Columbia River’s Main Stem
• Tribes: Hard-Won Fishing Rights Here Worthless Without Fish
• New Cedar River Hatchery Could Help Revive Recreational Sockeye Fishery on Lake Washington
• Steelhead fishing in Wells Dam area should perk up this month
• How Salmon Could Save Us from Flood Damage
• Olympic Mountain Snowpack 211 Percent of Normal - Snowpack in Washington Cascades ranges from about 130 to 150 percent of normal
• Idaho - Magic Reservoir Drawdown Leaves Canal Co. Concerned for Irrigation
• Supreme Court to Decide on Texans’ Bid for Oklahoma’s Water
• Vestas Wins 121-Strong Turbine Service Deal in Iowa
• More Vestas Workers in Colorado to Get Hours Trimmed
• Nevada Co-op Moves Renewables West
• What’s in Store for Hydropower in 2013?
• Is Your Utility Ready for a Solar Rooftop Revolution?
• Pulling Carbon Dioxide Out of Thin Air
• Op/Ed - Climate Change Poses a Public-Health Threat
• Looking to Sky to Fight Climate Change
• Study Argues that Biofuels Cause Pollution, Not as Green as Thought
• As Biofuel Demand Grows, So Do Guatemala’s Hunger Pangs
• Lessons Learned from a 100 Percent Made-In-USA House
• Editorial - Wisdom in a Wi-Fi Plan
• National Cable & Telecommunications Association Explores Dropping ‘Cable’ from Brand
• Gregoire Emerges as Top Contender to Boss EPA
• John Smith Appointed to Washington State Senate
• Freshman Congressman Kilmer Named to House Tech, Science Panel
• Washington State’s Minority-Contracts Office Sees Turnaround
• Brian Sonntag: He’s Seen Good, Bad, Ugly in Government
• Shelton Man Arrested After Robbing Bank
• Stormy Weather on Tap with Two Storms Heading In
• Idaho U-S Senator Pleads Guilty to DWI Charge
• Mason County Commissioners Approve Outstanding Labor Contracts
• Low 2012 Gas Prices Will Evaporate This Year
• Who Belongs to the Snoqualmie Tribe? ‘This Is a Mess’
• Canada Ditches Its Penny: How About Us?

WORD OF THE DAY

Hypermnesia • \highy-perm-NEE-zhee-yuh\ • Noun - Abnormally vivid or complete memory or recall of the past

The fictional character “Tarzan of the Jungle” was originally said to have been based on an anonymously written diary that fell into the hands of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Its prose (and that that followed in the other 23 “Tarzan” novels) makes the term hypermnesia seem a weak description of the Burroughs writing style:

And so Tarzan always came back to Nature in the spirit of a lover keeping a long deferred tryst after a period behind prison walls. His Waziri, at marrow, were more civilized than he. They cooked their meat before they ate it and they shunned many articles of food as unclean that Tarzan had eaten with gusto all his life and so insidious is the virus of hypocrisy that even the stalwart ape-man hesitated to give rein to his natural longings before them. He ate burnt flesh when he would have preferred it raw and unspoiled, and he brought down game with arrow or spear when he would far rather have leaped upon it from ambush and sunk his strong teeth in its jugular; but at last the call of the milk of the savage mother that had suckled him in infancy rose to an insistent demand--he craved the hot blood of a fresh kill and his muscles yearned to pit themselves against the savage jungle in the battle for existence that had been his sole birthright for the first twenty years of his life.

Whew!

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

Bonneville Power Administration Seeking Clearance to Disrupt Wetlands for New Transmission Line (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/bpa-seeking-clearance-to-disrupt-wetlands-for-new-transmission-line/article_6f5b467e-56db-11e2-9be7-001a4bcf887a.html

Feds Rule JPMorgan Can’t Block California Power Plant Changes (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/01/05/5093370/feds-rule-jpmorgan-cant-block.html

Lower Power Costs Will Trim Bills for Portland General Electric Customers (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/01/lower_power_costs_will_trim_bi.html

Kittitas PUD Has New General Manager (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/paywall/news/pud-has-new-general-manager/article_02ca99a8-56f7-11e2-92f7-001a4bcf887a.html

Cowlitz PUD to Launch Several New Online Customer Service Features (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/cowlitz-pud-to-launch-several-new-online-customer-service-features/article_3974fefa-56eb-11e2-86f3-001a4bcf887a.html

Where We Live: How We Get Our Electric Power - We have good reasons for satisfaction with Seattle City Light (Shoreline/Lake Forest Patch, WA)

http://shoreline.patch.com/articles/power-play

Editorial - Extracting Great Falls from Energy Muck (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20130105/OPINION/301050019/Extracting-Great-Falls-from-energy-muck

Yakima Cracks Down on Banners Over City Streets (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/695288-8/yakima-cracks-down-on-banners-over-city-streets

Electric Companies Surprising Winners in New Tax Package (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/04/168642105/electric-companies-surprising-winners-in-new-tax-package?ft=1&f=2

FISH & WILDLIFE

Parties File Briefs in Ninth Circuit Calling for Dismissal of Challenge to Council’s Regional Power (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/424400.aspx

Gill-Netters Challenge Oregon’s Plans to Bump Them off Columbia River’s Main Stem (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/01/gill-netters_challenge_oregons.html

Tribes: Hard-Won Fishing Rights Here Worthless Without Fish (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/othersports/2020068220_fish06m.html?syndication=rss

New Cedar River Hatchery Could Help Revive Recreational Sockeye Fishery on Lake Washington (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/01/06/2425527/new-cedar-river-hatchery-could.html#storylink=cpy

Steelhead Fishing in Wells Dam Area Should Perk Up This Month (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2020061276_steelhead_fishing_in_wells_dam.html

How Salmon Could Save Us from Flood Damage (Sightline Daily)

http://daily.sightline.org/2013/01/07/how-salmon-could-save-us-from-flood-damage/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Olympic Mountain Snowpack 211 Percent of Normal - Snowpack in Washington Cascades ranges from about 130 to 150 percent of normal (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130107/NEWS/301079992/olympic-snowpack-211-percent-of-normal

Idaho - Magic Reservoir Drawdown Leaves Canal Co. Concerned for Irrigation (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)

http://magicvalley.com/news/local/reservoir-drawdown-leaves-canal-co-concerned/article_0f5dedf8-a50d-5f63-8b16-a7f1df57ec2d.html

Supreme Court to Decide on Texans’ Bid for Oklahoma’s Water (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/supreme-court-to-decide-on-texans-bid-for-oklahomas-water/?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Vestas Wins 121-Strong Turbine Service Deal in Iowa (Newnet)

http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/investor-news/renewable-energy-news/by-technology/wind/vestas-wins-121-strong-turbine-service-deal-in-iowa.html

More Vestas Workers in Colorado to Get Hours Trimmed (Denver Business Journal, CO)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2013/01/05/more-vestas-workers-in-colorado-to-get.html

Nevada Co-op Moves Renewables West (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/power-supply/transmission-distribution/nevada-coop-moves-renewables-west/51293

What’s in Store for Hydropower in 2013? (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/01/whats-in-store-for-hydropower-in-2013?cmpid=rss

Is Your Utility Ready for a Solar Rooftop Revolution? (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/article/is-your-utility-ready-for-a-solar-rooftop-revolution/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Pulling Carbon Dioxide Out of Thin Air (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/business/pilot-plant-in-the-works-for-carbon-dioxide-cleansing.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Op/Ed - Climate Change Poses a Public-Health Threat (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2020061467_howardfrumkinopedxml.html

Looking to Sky to Fight Climate Change (SF Chronicle, CA)

http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Looking-to-sky-to-fight-climate-change-4170475.php

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Study Argues that Biofuels Cause Pollution, Not as Green as Thought (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/07/us-climate-biofuels-idUSBRE90601A20130107

As Biofuel Demand Grows, So Do Guatemala’s Hunger Pangs (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/science/earth/in-fields-and-markets-guatemalans-feel-squeeze-of-biofuel-demand.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Lessons Learned from a 100 Percent Made-In-USA House (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/01/06/2425500/lessons-learned-from-a-100-percent.html#emlnl=Todays_Headlines#storylink=cpy

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Editorial - Wisdom in a Wi-Fi Plan (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/jan/04/our-view-wisdom-in-a-wi-fi-plan/

National Cable & Telecommunications Association Explores Dropping ‘Cable’ from Brand (Fierce Cable)

http://www.fiercecable.com/story/ncta-explores-dropping-cable-brand/2013-01-04?utm_campaign=twitter-Share-NL

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Gregoire Emerges as Top Contender to Boss EPA (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/01/04/gregoire-emerges-as-top-contender-to-boss-epa/

John Smith Appointed to Washington State Senate (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020058060_apwasmithsenate.html

Freshman Congressman Kilmer Named to House Tech, Science Panel (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130106/news/301069991/kilmer-named-to-house-tech-science-panel

Washington State’s Minority-Contracts Office Sees Turnaround (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/01/07/2426285/minority-contracts-office-sees.html#storylink=cpy

Brian Sonntag: He’s Seen Good, Bad, Ugly in Government (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/01/07/2426279/hes-seen-good-bad-ugly-in-government.html#storylink=cpy

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton Man Arrested After Robbing Bank (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/8892

Stormy Weather on Tap with Two Storms Heading In (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2013/01/06/stormy-weather-on-tap-with-two-storms-heading-in/

Idaho U-S Senator Pleads Guilty to DWI Charge (Associated Press)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Idaho-senator-pleads-guilty-to-DWI-charge-in-Va-185682701.html

Mason County Commissioners Approve Outstanding Labor Contracts (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/jan/04/mason-county-commissioners-approve-outstanding/

Low 2012 Gas Prices Will Evaporate This Year (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/04/gasoline-prices-starting-to-rise-again/1810175/

Who Belongs to the Snoqualmie Tribe? ‘This Is a Mess’ (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020075191_snoq07m.html?syndication=rss

Canada Ditches Its Penny: How About Us? (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/edcetera/2020057253_canada_ditches_its_penny_how_a.html

DIVERSIONS

This Is Not How You Want to Spend Six Hours on a Plane

http://gizmodo.com/5973151/this-is-not-how-you-want-to-spend-10-hours-on-a-plane

Cat Caught Smuggling Escape Tools into Brazilian Prison

http://gawker.com/5973471/cat-caught-smuggling-escape-tools-into-brazilian-prison

Size 16 Shoes Help Lead To Washington State Man’s Arrest

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020064793_apwabigfootburglar.html

Pooch Hooch: Bend Beer-Lover Creates Doggie ‘Brew’

http://www.ktvz.com/news/Pooch-hooch-Bend-beer-lover-creates-doggie-brew/-/413192/18030420/-/t9kle1/-/index.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Steve Miller Band - Threshold/Jet Airliner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuMi0rO2E-s

Energy News Digest for January 4, 2013

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

Secret U-S Cybersecurity Program to Protect Power Grid Confirmed (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2013/0103/Secret-US-cybersecurity-program-to-protect-power-grid-confirmed

Wind-Energy Tax Extension Could Mean Bigger Payday for Port of Longview (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/wind-energy-tax-extension-could-mean-bigger-payday-for-port/article_4ad2eca8-560e-11e2-a8ba-001a4bcf887a.html

Tacoma’s Click! Network: No Progress in Talks with KOMO (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2013/01/02/click-no-progress-in-talks-with-komo/

UPDATE at 10:19 PM – Electricity Restored to Nearly 2,000 Lake Cushman Mason County PUD 3 Customers (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1171

New Greater Grays Harbor Energy Program Encourages Efficiency (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4982

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Secret U-S Cybersecurity Program to Protect Power Grid Confirmed
• Electricity Restored to Nearly 2,000 Lake Cushman Mason County PUD 3 Customers
• Concrete Truck Knocks Out Power in Hoquaim
• December Wind Storm Costs Richland Half a Million Dollars
• Clark/Cowlitz Transmission Line Meetings Start January 10
• BPA to Meet With Public for Feedback on Proposed Rebuild of 71-Year-Old Coulee Dam Transmission Line
• Fitch Affirms Chugach Electric Association, Alaska's 'A-' Rating; Outlook Positive
• Tillamook PUD Offers Community Grants
• What Is the Right Power Solution for British Columbia’s LNG Industry?
• 'Fiscal Cliff' Bill Spares Municipal Bonds, For Now
• Ohio – American Electric Power Begins Notifying Employees about Job Eliminations
• New Mexico - PNM Lands FERC Approval for Wholesale Rate Increase
• Babcock & Wilcox Sees Korea, China as Small Reactor Competitors
• U-S Natural Gas Supplies Shrank Last Week
• Tiny Bunnies Making Strong Recovery in the Wild
• Rare River Otter Returns to San Francisco - A Sign of Progress?
• Nisqually River Closes to Anglers Sunday
• Oregon - Milwaukie Filmmakers Urge Removal of Kellogg Dam in 'Un-Dam It!'
• Wind-Energy Tax Extension Could Mean Bigger Payday for Port of Longview
• Wind Industry Secures Tax Credit, But Damage May Be Done
• Budget Deal Provides Tax Breaks tor Green Energy
• Study Suggests Wind Turbines' Low-Frequency Noise Could Cause Health Woes
• New Greater Grays Harbor Energy Program Encourages Efficiency
• El Niño's Link to Climate Change Unclear, U-S Study Shows
• Solar Hot Water Heaters Helping Homes Stay Green
• Tacoma’s Click! Network: No Progress in Talks with KOMO
• Comcast Will Require Basic Cable Subscribers to Go Digital
• Where’s the Money for Telcos? Mobile Broadband & Cloud, Says Ovum
• UK Teenagers without the Internet are 'Educationally Disadvantaged'
• Google Ducks Antitrust Punishments
• We Are Losing the War Against Email
• Washington State Governor-Elect Inslee Announces Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant as Policy, Legislative Aide
• Starting Over: Washington State's Newcomers Go to Work in Congress
• Kilmer Named Assistant Whip for 113th Congress
• New 10th District Congressman Heck Opens Local Office in Lacey, WA
• Only Three of the 79 New Congress Members Don't Have Twitter Accounts
• Washington State May Do Away with the Gas Tax, But Motorists Still Would Pay
• Biologists Try to Clean Invasive Species Off Tsunami Dock
• Scrap Metal Thief Arrested in Satsop
• Farm Bill Extension Leaves Out Many in Pacific Northwest
• Actor Patrick Dempsey Wins Bid to Buy Tully's
• What’s in a Name? Express Checkout Lanes Are Actually (Gasp!) a Waste of Time

WORD OF THE DAY

Fracas • \FRAKE-uss\ • Noun - A noisy quarrel: brawl

The ornate hall where the national tiddlywinks championships was to have been held that cold, bitter day in January was in shambles. The secretive “Greasy Thumb McGee” doping scandal had leaked to the press overnight in a secretive, dark underground parking garage. The resulting fracas at the opening ceremonies sent fans and participants screaming towards the exit. The only injury was to McGee, who sprained his steroid-enhanced thumb as he tried jabbing it into the eye of his rival, Ben “The Crooked Index” Bartholomew.

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

Secret U-S Cybersecurity Program to Protect Power Grid Confirmed (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2013/0103/Secret-US-cybersecurity-program-to-protect-power-grid-confirmed

Electricity Restored to Nearly 2,000 Lake Cushman Mason County PUD 3 Customers (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1171

Concrete Truck Knocks Out Power in Hoquaim (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/cement-truck-knocks-out-power-hoquaim.html

December Wind Storm Costs Richland Half a Million Dollars (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/December-wind-storm-costs-Richland-half-a-million-185612262.html

Clark/Cowlitz Transmission Line Meetings Start January 10 (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/jan/03/transmission-line-meetings-start-jan-10-camas/

BPA to Meet With Public for Feedback on Proposed Rebuild of 71-Year-Old Coulee Dam Transmission Line (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/01/bpa-to-meet-with-public-for-feedback-on.html

Fitch Affirms Chugach Electric Association, Alaska's 'A-' Rating; Outlook Positive (Fort Mill Times, SC)

http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2013/01/03/2414784/fitch-affirms-chugach-electric.html

Tillamook PUD Offers Community Grants (Tillamook Headlight Herald, OR)

http://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/news/article_07caef28-55f5-11e2-9843-0019bb2963f4.html

What Is the Right Power Solution for British Columbia’s LNG Industry? (Vancouver Sun, B-C)

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/What+right+power+solution+province+industry/7773069/story.html

'Fiscal Cliff' Bill Spares Municipal Bonds, For Now (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=201995&issueID=26924

Ohio – American Electric Power Begins Notifying Employees about Job Eliminations (Columbus Business Journal, OH)

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2013/01/aep-begins-notifying-employees-about.html

New Mexico - PNM Lands FERC Approval for Wholesale Rate Increase (New Mexico Business Weekly)

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/blog/morning-edition/2013/01/pnm-lands-ferc-approval-for-wholesale.html

Babcock & Wilcox Sees Korea, China as Small Reactor Competitors (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/power_city/2013/01/babcock-wilcox-sees-korea-china-as.html

U-S Natural Gas Supplies Shrank Last Week (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/US-natural-gas-supplies-shrank-last-week-4167520.php

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tiny Bunnies Making Strong Recovery in the Wild (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/jan/03/tiny-bunnies-making-strong-recovery-in-the-wild/

Rare River Otter Returns to San Francisco - A Sign of Progress? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0104/Rare-river-otter-returns-to-San-Francisco-a-sign-of-progress

Nisqually River Closes to Anglers Sunday (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2013/01/04/2373210/nisqually-river-closes-to-anglers.html

Oregon - Milwaukie Filmmakers Urge Removal of Kellogg Dam in 'Un-Dam It!' (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/milwaukie/index.ssf/2013/01/milwaukie_filmmakers_urge_remo.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wind-Energy Tax Extension Could Mean Bigger Payday for Port of Longview (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/wind-energy-tax-extension-could-mean-bigger-payday-for-port/article_4ad2eca8-560e-11e2-a8ba-001a4bcf887a.html

Wind Industry Secures Tax Credit, But Damage May Be Done (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/03/168553495/wind-industry-secures-tax-credit-but-damage-may-be-done?ft=1&f=2

Budget Deal Provides Tax Breaks tor Green Energy (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/04/168590135/budget-deal-provides-tax-brakes-for-green-energy?ft=1&f=3

Study Suggests Wind Turbines' Low-Frequency Noise Could Cause Health Woes (Wisconsin State Journal)

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/environment/study-suggests-wind-turbines-low-frequency-noise-could-cause-health/article_835ba89e-5609-11e2-8b02-001a4bcf887a.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

New Greater Grays Harbor Energy Program Encourages Efficiency (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4982

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

El Niño's Link to Climate Change Unclear, U-S Study Shows (GMA News, Australia)

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/288820/scitech/science/el-nino-s-link-to-climate-change-unclear-us-study-shows

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Solar Hot Water Heaters Helping Homes Stay Green (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/story/20498897/solar-hot-water-heaters-helping-homes-stay-green

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Tacoma’s Click! Network: No Progress in Talks with KOMO (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2013/01/02/click-no-progress-in-talks-with-komo/

Comcast Will Require Basic Cable Subscribers to Go Digital (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2013/01/comcast_will_require_basic_cab.html

Where’s the Money for Telcos? Mobile Broadband & Cloud, Says Ovum (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/mobile/wheres-the-money-for-telcos-mobile-broadband-and-cloud-says-ovum/

UK Teenagers without the Internet are 'Educationally Disadvantaged' (University of Oxford, UK)

http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2012/121222.html

Google Ducks Antitrust Punishments (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/techchron/2013/01/03/google-ducks-antitrust-punishments/

We Are Losing the War Against Email (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/01/03/war-against-email/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Governor-Elect Inslee Announces Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant as Policy, Legislative Aide (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2013/01/03/inslee-announces-ecology-director-ted-sturdevant-as-policy-legislative-aide/

Starting Over: Washington State's Newcomers Go to Work in Congress (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/01/03/2422905/starting-over-washington-states.html

Kilmer Named Assistant Whip for 113th Congress (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4978

New 10th District Congressman Heck Opens Local Office in Lacey, WA (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2013/01/03/2372608/new-10th-district-rep-heck-opens.html

Only Three of the 79 New Congress Members Don't Have Twitter Accounts (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/01/03/new-congress-twitter/

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State May Do Away with the Gas Tax, But Motorists Still Would Pay (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/01/03/state-may-do-away-with-the-gas-tax.html

Biologists Try to Clean Invasive Species Off Tsunami Dock (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/biologists-try-clean-invasive-species-tsunami-dock

Scrap Metal Thief Arrested in Satsop (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kxro.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/scrap-metal-thief-arrested-in-satsop/

Farm Bill Extension Leaves Out Many in Pacific Northwest (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/farm-bill-extension-leaves-out-many-northwest

Actor Patrick Dempsey Wins Bid to Buy Tully's (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/Actor-Patrick-Dempsey-wins-bid-to-buy-Tully-s-4164933.php

What’s in a Name? Express Checkout Lanes Are Actually (Gasp!) a Waste of Time (Consumerist)

http://consumerist.com/2013/01/03/whats-in-a-name-express-checkout-lanes-are-actually-gasp-a-waste-of-time/

DIVERSIONS

Clemson Student's Turtle Project Takes Dark Twist

http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/12/27/4507782/clemson-students-turtle-project.html

Oregon 1-Point Safety: Kansas State Blocks Ducks' Extra Point Attempt but Gives Up Unlikely Point

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/04/oregon-one-point-safety-kansas-state-fiesta_n_2406675.html

Oregon Teen Charged After 'Drivin Drunk' Facebook Post

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Ore-teen-charged-after-Drivin-drunk-Facebook-post-185605732.html

Iceland Teen Fights Government to Approve Her Name

http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Family/2013/0103/Iceland-teen-fights-government-to-approve-her-name

SONG OF THE DAY

Electric Light Orchestra – Rockaria

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

Energy News Digest for January 3, 2013

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

Electrical Usage Dropping Nationwide (Albuquerque Business First, NM)

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/blog/morning-edition/2013/01/electrical-usage-dropping-nationwide.html

Civilla Named to Kitsap PUD Post - To Replace Retiring Lee Caldwell (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/jan/02/civilla-named-to-kitsap-pud-post/

After Switch from Whatcom PUD - Ferndale Residents Unhappy with New Water Supply (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Ferndale-residents-unhappy-with-new-water-supply-185487232.html

Two Billion Dollars - MidAmerican to Buy Two California Solar Power Projects (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/MidAmerican-to-buy-2-Calif-Solar-power-projects-4161464.php

Green Power Biofuels Plant Evicted from Big Pasco Industrial Park (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/01/03/2223742/green-power-evicted-from-big-pasco.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Electrical Usage Dropping Nationwide
• Civilla Named to Kitsap PUD Post - To Replace Retiring Lee Caldwell
• Pacific Gas & Electric Attributes Higher California Rates to Grid Modernization, Renewables
• Alaska Electric Co-ops Prep for Gas Shortage
• Florida - Boy Shoots Transmission Line, Causes Power Outage
• Hubris Alert - Despite Doubts, Pepco Confident It Is Ready for Next Storm
• Utility Associations Urge Feds to Exercise Caution on Standards for Geomagnetic Disturbances
• Winter Steelhead Fishing Improve in Lewis & Cowlitz Rivers
• Elwha Dam-Removal Project Held Back as Silt Estimate Too Low
• After Switch from Whatcom PUD - Ferndale Residents Unhappy with New Water Supply
• Chesapeake Bay’s Health Improving Slightly, Report Says
• Extraordinary Snowfall Needed to Relieve Midwest Drought
• Two Billion Dollars - MidAmerican to Buy Two California Solar Power Projects
• Wind Power Changes Landscape in Multiple Ways
• California Rules Phased In for Lower-Watt Bulbs
• Oregon - Energy-Saving Street Lights Coming to Clackamas County
• Montana Agency Closer to Adopting Energy-Saving Building Standards
• Global Warming Threatens U-S Ski Industry, But Oregon Unscathed
• Op/Ed – Maintain Washington State’s Transportation Network with a Carbon Tax
• Green Power Biofuels Plant Evicted from Big Pasco Industrial Park
• Tigard to Begin Construction on ‘Green Street’ Project
• Thermoelectric Pipes Can Generate Electricity from Hot Water
• Washington State Patrol Gets More Time for Switch to Digital Radio System
• CenturyLink Files Legal Complaint against Portland to Halt Rise in Landline Phone Tax
• Twitter Now Valued at $11 Billion, Analyst Says
• 6 Easy Ways to Make Your Website Tablet-Friendly
• Op/Ed - ‘Bipartisan’ State Senate Means Rejecting Voters’ Own Values
• ‘Patriotic Millionaire’ Rick Steves is Really, Really Excited about His Tax Increase
• Tsunami Debris? Agencies Plan Next Move with Dock on Washington State Coast
• Jefferson County Issues Formal Denial of Port Townsend Paper Landfill Permit
• Everett Pig Farmer: Growing Pot Would Smell Pretty Sweet
• Company wants to introduce marijuana vending machines to Washington
• Thurston County Court Worker Pleads Not Guilty to Pot Charges

WORD OF THE DAY

Festoon • \fess-TOON\ • Noun - 1: a decorative chain or strip hanging between two points 2: a carved, molded, or painted ornament representing a decorative chain.

The room dropped into silence colder, darker and deeper than the tomb. The worker bees had been busy in their task of creating a welcome for their new supervisor. The crew spent two days festooning the immense suite of cubicles with a riotous mix of colored garlands and commemorative ornaments (with hand-etched silhouettes of the new boss on gold-leaf medallions). As the new boss swept into the room…he collided with the low-hanging decorations with his silly, three foot tall hat. The resulting collision resulted in the first test of his new health plan, as well as a neck brace for the next two weeks.

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

Electrical Usage Dropping Nationwide (Albuquerque Business First, NM)

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/blog/morning-edition/2013/01/electrical-usage-dropping-nationwide.html

Civilla Named to Kitsap PUD Post - To Replace Retiring Lee Caldwell (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/jan/02/civilla-named-to-kitsap-pud-post/

Pacific Gas & Electric Attributes Higher California Rates to Grid Modernization, Renewables (Renew-Grid)

http://www.renew-grid.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.9360#.UOWybW9QV8E

Alaska Electric Co-ops Prep for Gas Shortage (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/efficiency-conservation/energy-efficiency/alaska-coops-prep-for-gas-shortage/51034

Florida - Boy Shoots Transmission Line, Causes Power Outage (Miami Herald, FL)

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/02/3164950/boy-shoots-transmission-line-causes.html

Hubris Alert - Despite Doubts, Pepco Confident It Is Ready for Next Storm (The Gazette, Gaithersburg, MD)

http://www.gazette.net/article/20130102/NEWS/701029994/1022/despite-doubts-pepco-confident-it-is-ready-for-next-storm

Utility Associations Urge Feds to Exercise Caution on Standards for Geomagnetic Disturbances (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=201808&issueID=26923

FISH & WILDLIFE

Winter Steelhead Fishing Improve in Lewis & Cowlitz Rivers (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2020044454_winter_steelhead_fishing_impro.html

Elwha Dam-Removal Project Held Back as Silt Estimate Too Low (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020045074_elwha03m.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

After Switch from Whatcom PUD - Ferndale Residents Unhappy with New Water Supply (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Ferndale-residents-unhappy-with-new-water-supply-185487232.html

Chesapeake Bay’s Health Improving Slightly, Report Says (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/chesapeake-bays-health-improving-slightly-report-says/2013/01/02/b306f15e-5517-11e2-bf3e-76c0a789346f_story.html?wprss=rss_local

Extraordinary Snowfall Needed to Relieve Midwest Drought (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2020041210_apusdroughtnotenoughsnow.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Two Billion Dollars - MidAmerican to Buy Two California Solar Power Projects (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/MidAmerican-to-buy-2-Calif-Solar-power-projects-4161464.php

Wind Power Changes Landscape in Multiple Ways (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/03/168515103/wind-power-changes-landscape-in-multiple-ways?ft=1&f=3

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California Rules Phased In for Lower-Watt Bulbs (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/01/03/5089008/california-rules-phased-in-for.html

Oregon - Energy-Saving Street Lights Coming to Clackamas County (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2013/01/energy-saving_street_lights_co.html

Montana Agency Closer to Adopting Energy-Saving Building Standards (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-agency-closer-to-adopting-energy-saving-building-standards/article_acd96080-5546-11e2-a934-001a4bcf887a.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Global Warming Threatens U-S Ski Industry, But Oregon Unscathed (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/playbooks-profits/index.ssf/2012/12/global_warming_threatens_us_sk.html

Op/Ed – Maintain Washington State’s Transportation Network with a Carbon Tax (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2020044857_yorambaumaniansiadakopedxml.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Green Power Biofuels Plant Evicted from Big Pasco Industrial Park (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/01/03/2223742/green-power-evicted-from-big-pasco.html

Tigard to Begin Construction on ‘Green Street’ Project (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/tigard/index.ssf/2013/01/tigard_to_begin_construction_o.html

Thermoelectric Pipes Can Generate Electricity from Hot Water (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/5972587/thermoelectric-pipes-can-generate-electricity-from-hot-water

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State Patrol Gets More Time for Switch to Digital Radio System (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/jan/02/wsp-gets-more-time-for-radio-switch/

CenturyLink Files Legal Complaint against Portland to Halt Rise in Landline Phone Tax (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/01/centurylink_files_legal_compla.html

Twitter Now Valued at $11 Billion, Analyst Says (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/01/03/twitter-11-billion/

6 Easy Ways to Make Your Website Tablet-Friendly (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/01/03/tablet-friendly-website/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Op/Ed - ‘Bipartisan’ State Senate Means Rejecting Voters’ Own Values (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2013/01/02/washington-legislature/112259/state-senate-bombshell-democratic-kevin-ranker/

‘Patriotic Millionaire’ Rick Steves is Really, Really Excited about His Tax Increase (U-S News & World Report)

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/01/02/patriotic-millionaire-rick-steves-is-really-really-excited-about-his-tax-increase

GENERAL NEWS

Tsunami Debris? Agencies Plan Next Move with Dock on Washington State Coast (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020045234_apwatsunamidebrisdock2ndldwritethru.html

Jefferson County Issues Formal Denial of Port Townsend Paper Landfill Permit (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130103/NEWS/301039995/jefferson-county-issues-formal-denial-of-port-townsend-paper-permit

Everett Pig Farmer: Growing Pot Would Smell Pretty Sweet (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2013/01/02/everett-pig-farmer-growing-pot-would-smell-pretty-sweet/

Company wants to introduce marijuana vending machines to Washington (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=2165821

Thurston County Court Worker Pleads Not Guilty to Pot Charges (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2013/01/03/2371766/court-worker-pleads-not-guilty.html

DIVERSIONS

On the Blink: Sometimes Your Mind Just Needs a Second Off - In the wink of an eye, the brain sees a benefit

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/dec/28/on-the-blink-sometimes-your-mind-just-needs-a/

Ten Quotes by J.R.R. Tolkien on His Birthday

http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/2013/0102/10-quotes-by-J.R.R.-Tolkien-on-his-birthday/A-merrier-world

‘Tennessee Waltz’ Singer Patti Page Dies at 85

http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2020041296_apusobitpattipage.html

You Haven’t Truly Seen a Fireworks Show until You’ve Seen One in Reverse (Note; Contains PG-13 Language)

http://gawker.com/5972567/you-havent-truly-seen-a-fireworks-show-until-youve-seen-one-in-reverse

SONG OF THE DAY

Patti Page - You Don’t Know Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Iah57nQJQQ