Energy News Digest for March 5, 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

Rising Temps in Northwest May Impact Hydro, California (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

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

In Push to Reopen Columbia Falls Aluminum, Hesitancy over Languishing Aluminum Market (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/in_push_to_reopen_cfac_hesitancy_over_languishing_aluminum_market/26896/

Grant County PUD Fiber Expansion Continues in Moses Lake (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/business/tech/article_a8024d4c-6492-11e1-b507-0019bb2963f4.html

Oregon Governor’s New Ten Year Energy Plan Draft Floats Big Ideas to Reactivate Green Energy (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/kitzhaber_to_unveil_a_new_10-y.html

Fish Projections: Are Salmon Outsmarting Scientists? (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3860

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Rising Temps in Northwest May Impact Hydro, California
• In Push to Reopen Columbia Falls Aluminum, Hesitancy over Languishing Aluminum Market
• Seattle City Light Names Marketing Director
• New York Nuclear - Surviving Without Indian Point: Is It Doable?
• Vermont Board Sets Its Own Pace on Nuclear Power Plant’s Future
• Gas Pipeline Safety - Pacific Gas & Electric Workers’ Warnings Likely to be Focus of Suits
• Bad Address Delays City of Sacramento Water Bill for Years
• TransAlta Profit Slips on Outages
• Tennessee - Appliances on the Fritz: Residents Blame Co-op’s New Transmitter
• Turning Water into Electricity, Students into Experts
• Fish Projections: Are Salmon Outsmarting Scientists?
• Fall Chinook Redds On Rise in Snake River
• Northern Idaho’s Yellowdog Creek Restoration Example of Bringing Degraded Streams Back to Life
• Pacific Northwest - Feds Seek Answer to Fish-Eating Bird
• Drones Being Tested to Track Fish, Wildlife
• $4 Billion Plan Proposed for Yakima Water Supplies
• Washington State’s Governor: ‘Water Is the Lifeblood of Our State’
• Weather Gives Needed Boost to Mt. Hood Snowpack
• Fight in Olympia over Solutions for Toxic Runoff
• Chelan Businesses Want Higher Lake for Tourism
• Oregon Governor’s New Ten Year Energy Plan Draft Floats Big Ideas to Reactivate Green Energy
• Wind Farming - Where Gusts Are a Must... And Hair Can Get Mussed
• Saving Desert Tortoises a Costly Hurdle for Solar Projects
• Brazil’s Sugarcane Electricity Faces Brownout on Cost
• North Carolina - Waste-To-Electricity Push Lags
• Bainbridge Energy Efficiency Program Credited for Jobs
• Good Bead of Caulk Can Keep Home Heating Bills Down
• Pennsylvania - Philadelphia Gas Works, Others Fight US New Furnace Efficiency Rule
• Warm Winter Helped Fuel Tornado Outbreak
• Outdoor Skating Rinks Threatened by Climate Change
• All Scottish Coal Plants to Use Carbon Capture by 2025
• GM Stops Building Slow-Selling Chevy Volts for Five Weeks
• Now You Can Buy a Prefab IKEA House
• Grant County PUD Fiber Expansion Continues in Moses Lake
• Big Data Centers in Top Five US Construction Projects – Facebook’s Prineville Site Ranked Third
• Cloud Computing to Generate 14 Million Jobs, According to Microsoft-Commissioned Study
• Yahoo to Lay Off Thousands?
• FCC Asks for Guidance on Whether, and When, to Cut Off Cellphone Service
• With Norm Dicks’ Retirement, State Will Lose a Power Player
• Who Might Take Norm Dicks’ Place in Congress?
• Eye on Olympia: Overtime Likely for Washington State Legislative Session
• Washington State House Passes Transportation Budget
• Washington State Senate Honors Alcoa Wenatchee Works
• Driver Arrested in Double Fatality in Olympia; Shelton Man Injured
• Bigger than WPPSS - Judge Clears Way for Alabama County’s Bankruptcy
• The Decline of the Paper Map in Washington State
• Cut Trees an Issue in Sumner - City Councilman Suspected

WORD OF THE DAY

Jiggle • \JIGG-gull\ • Verb - To cause to move with quick little jerks or oscillating motions

“Darn this particle accelerator, why won’t it fire up?” groused the CERN engineer to the “Hank,” the long-suffering janitor. After acrobatically switching a quid of chewing tobacco from one cheek to the other, Hank calmly offered his sage advice, “well sonny, sometimes you just have to jiggle the plug.”

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

Rising Temps in Northwest May Impact Hydro, California (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

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

In Push to Reopen Columbia Falls Aluminum, Hesitancy over Languishing Aluminum Market (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/in_push_to_reopen_cfac_hesitancy_over_languishing_aluminum_market/26896/

Seattle City Light Names Marketing Director (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017620607_move05.html

New York Nuclear - Surviving Without Indian Point: Is It Doable? (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/03/surviving-without-indian-point-is-it-doable/

Vermont Board Sets Its Own Pace on Nuclear Power Plant’s Future (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017646924_apusvermontyankee.html

Gas Pipeline Safety - Pacific Gas & Electric Workers’ Warnings Likely to be Focus of Suits (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/04/MNL41NEDT5.DTL

Bad Address Delays City of Sacramento Water Bill for Years (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/04/4309615/public-eye-bad-address-delays.html

TransAlta Profit Slips on Outages (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/transalta-profit-slips-on-outages/article2356404/

Tennessee - Appliances on the Fritz: Residents Blame Co-op’s New Transmitter (Knoxville News-Sentinel, TN)

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/mar/04/appliances-on-the-fritz-residents-blame-co-ops/

Turning Water into Electricity, Students into Experts (Earth Techling)

http://www.earthtechling.com/2012/03/turning-water-into-electricity-students-into-experts/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fish Projections: Are Salmon Outsmarting Scientists? (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3860

Fall Chinook Redds On Rise in Snake River – Including Tributaries between Lower Granite & Hells Canyon Dams (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2017664181_fall_chinook_redds_on_rise_in.html

Northern Idaho’s Yellowdog Creek Restoration Example of Bringing Degraded Streams Back to Life (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/417378.aspx

Pacific Northwest - Feds Seek Answer to Fish-Eating Bird (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/public-policy-watch/energy-environment/feds-seek-answer-to-fish-eating-bird/40564

Drones Being Tested to Track Fish, Wildlife (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/mar/04/drones-being-tested-to-track-fish-wildlife/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

$4 Billion Plan Proposed for Yakima Water Supplies (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/mar/02/4-billion-plan-proposed-for-yakima-water-supplies/

Washington State’s Governor: ‘Water Is the Lifeblood of Our State’ (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Governor-Water-is-the-lifeblood-of-our-state-141204973.html

Weather Gives Needed Boost to Mt. Hood Snowpack (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/weather-gives-needed-boost-mt-hood-snowpack/

Fight in Olympia over Solutions for Toxic Runoff (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Fight-in-Olympia-over-solutions-for-toxic-runoff--141355723.html

Chelan Businesses Want Higher Lake for Tourism (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/mar/02/chelan-businesses-want-higher-lake-for-tourism/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Governor’s New Ten Year Energy Plan Draft Floats Big Ideas to Reactivate Green Energy (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/kitzhaber_to_unveil_a_new_10-y.html

Wind Farming - Where Gusts Are a Must... And Hair Can Get Mussed (Baker City Herald, OR)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Where-gusts-are-a-must-and-hair-can-get-mussed

Saving Desert Tortoises a Costly Hurdle for Solar Projects (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-solar-tortoise-20120304,0,6145488.story

Brazil’s Sugarcane Electricity Faces Brownout on Cost (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/02/brazil-energy-cane-idUSL2E8E150220120302

North Carolina - Waste-To-Electricity Push Lags (Raleigh News & Observer, NC)

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/03/1900564/waste-to-electricity-push-lags.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Bainbridge Energy Efficiency Program Credited for Jobs (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2012/03/02/bainbridge-energy-efficiency-program-credited-for-jobs/

Good Bead of Caulk Can Keep Home Heating Bills Down (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120304/BIZ/703049960

Pennsylvania - Philadelphia Gas Works, Others Fight US New Furnace Efficiency Rule - The city-owned utility says some homeowners can’t afford the costly systems & will opt for cheaper electric or kerosene heaters (Philadelphia Inquirer, PA)

http://articles.philly.com/2012-03-04/business/31121645_1_efficiency-energy-department-new-rule

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Warm Winter Helped Fuel Tornado Outbreak (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/tornadoes/story/2012-03-05/warm-winter-tornado-outbreak/53364628/1?csp=34news

Outdoor Skating Rinks Threatened by Climate Change (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/offbeat/story/2012/03/05/outdoor-rinks-threatened.html

All Scottish Coal Plants to Use Carbon Capture by 2025 (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/05/scotland-energy-report-idUSL5E8E53LA20120305

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

GM Stops Building Slow-Selling Chevy Volts for Five Weeks (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/03/gm-stops-building-slow-selling-chevy-volts-for-5-weeks/1?csp=34money

Now You Can Buy a Prefab IKEA House (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/list/now-you-can-buy-a-prefab-ikea-house/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Grant County PUD Fiber Expansion Continues in Moses Lake (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/business/tech/article_a8024d4c-6492-11e1-b507-0019bb2963f4.html

Big Data Centers in Top Five US Construction Projects – Facebook’s Prineville Site Ranked Third (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cloud/big-data-centers-in-top-5-us-construction-projects/

Cloud Computing to Generate 14 Million Jobs, According to Microsoft-Commissioned Study (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2017668452_cloud_computing_to_create_14_million_jobs_accordin.html

Yahoo to Lay Off Thousands? (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2017670612_yahoo_to_lay_off_thousands.html

FCC Asks for Guidance on Whether, and When, to Cut Off Cellphone Service (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/03/technology/fcc-reviews-need-for-rules-to-interrupt-wireless-service.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

With Norm Dicks’ Retirement, State Will Lose a Power Player (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120302/BLOG13/120309982

Who Might Take Norm Dicks’ Place in Congress? (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2017650917_dickssuccessor03m.html

Eye on Olympia: Overtime Likely for Washington State Legislative Session (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120305/news/303059992/eye-on-olympia-overtime-likely-for-state-legislative-session

Washington State House Passes Transportation Budget (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017660263_apwaxgrtransportationbudget.html

Washington State Senate Honors Alcoa Wenatchee Works (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/weblogs/everyday-business/2012/mar/01/state-senate-honors-alcoa/

GENERAL NEWS

Driver Arrested in Double Fatality in Olympia; Shelton Man Injured (Mason Web TV)
http://masonwebtv.com/?p=3097

Bigger than WPPSS - Judge Clears Way for Alabama County’s Bankruptcy (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/05/us-usa-jefferersoncounty-ruling-idUSTRE8240QD20120305

The Decline of the Paper Map in Washington State (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/03/04/2051973/well-they-were-always-hard-to.html

Cut Trees an Issue in Sumner - City Councilman Suspected (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/03/04/2052786/cut-trees-an-issue-in-sumner.html

DIVERSIONS

Saint’s Ancient Heart Stolen from Dublin Cathedral

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-03-04/dublin-saint-heart/53353854/1?csp=34news

Yay! We’re Number Two - The Most Miserable Sports Cities of the Year

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/04/the-most-miserable-sports-cities-of-the-year/

Wisconsin Lawmakers to Honor Man behind Cheesehead Hat

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017670638_apuscheeseheadhatwisconsin.html

Man Steals Money from Girl Scout Cookie Sales, Gets Beat Up by Girl Scout

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-man-steals-money-from-girl-scout-cookie-sales-gets-beat-up-by-girl-scout-20120304,0,3055952.story

SONG OF THE DAY

Little Martha - The Allman Brothers Band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUDEMNFnR10

Energy News Digest for March 2, 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

18-Term Congressman Norm Dicks Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Rep-Norm-Dicks-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election--141184633.html

Ex-City of Seattle Worker Fined $1,500 for Adjusting Her Utility Bills 71 Times (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017641870_ethics02m.html

PacifiCorp Files for Three Requests to Increase Rates by 4.3 Percent to Cover Power, Coal Plant Upgrades & Transmission Lines (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/pacificorp_files_for_3_rate_re.html

Portland Mayor Sam Adams Considers Using Ratepayer Funds to Help Build a $55 Million Energy Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/03/mayor_sam_adams_weighs_using_r.html

Pacific Power Announces Major Oregon Solar Project (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/pacific-power-announces-major-solar-project/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Ex-City of Seattle Worker Fined $1,500 for Adjusting Her Utility Bills 71 Times
• PacifiCorp Files for Three Requests to Increase Rates by 4.3 Percent to Cover Power, Coal Plant Upgrades & Transmission Lines
• Inland Power & Light Boosts Its Net Margins
• Coal Is Coming to Port of St. Helens Oregon
• Oklahoma - Thief Posed as Worker to Steal Copper Wiring
• California – Pacific Gas & Electric Proposes Targeted Rate Reduction to Promote Economic Development
• Debate or Dithering - Council Decides to Continue Study of Rate Hike Proposals
• Texas Grid Warns of Tight Summer Power Supply
• North Carolina - Duke Energy’s Cliffside Coal Plant on Target for September Opening
• Entergy Indian Point 3 Nuke Plant in New York Back in Service
• US Natural Gas Supplies Fell Last Week
• Improper Grounds Alleged - Court Revives Suit over Electrocuted Guardsman
• Central Asia’s Dam Debacle
• Grant PUD to Avoid Fines with Hatchery Project
• Puget Sound Salmon Forecast Predicts Drop in Coho Return
• How Carbon Dioxide Acidifies Ocean Water
• Bend Mayor Proposes Delaying Parts of Water Project
• Two-Thirds of China’s Cities Fail on Air Standards
• Portland Mayor Sam Adams Considers Using Ratepayer Funds to Help Build a $55 Million Energy Plant
• Pacific Power Announces Major Oregon Solar Project
• US Loses Its Solar Trade Surplus with China as Commerce Agency Mulls Tariffs Sought by SolarWorld
• Oregon Wave Energy Trust Opens Grant Program
• US Senator Jeff Bingaman Launches Uphill Battle With ‘Clean’ Power Proposal
• Chelan County Public Utility District Joins Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
• More Than 25 Million Smart Energy Devices to be Shipped to US Consumers
• Seattle’s First Urban Food Forest Will Be Open to Foragers
• What’s Most Precious to the Hobbit? Broadband!
• A Gigabit Is the Loneliest Number
• Google, AT&T Sign Deal for Access to Utility Poles in Missouri, Kansas
• AT&T Relents on ‘Unlimited Data’ Plan Limits
• 18-Term Congressman Norm Dicks Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election
• Top Appropriator, Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington State to Retire
• Washington State House Budget Passes; Finn among Three Dems Voting No
• Environmentalists on Edge as Legislature Nears an End
• Gregoire Signs Bill to Help Stave Off Wenatchee Arena Debt
• Attorney Says Bremerton School Shooting Was ‘No Accident’
• BP Refinery Using Outage for Spring Maintenance
• Men Sentenced for Defacing Pictographs
• Co-Author of ‘Broken Windows’ Policing Theory Dies
• Legislature Approves Tire Socks as New Traction Device
• Police: Recognize These Thieves Who Took Miss Washington’s Crown?

WORD OF THE DAY

Mordant • \MORE-dunt\ • Adjective - 1: biting and caustic in thought, manner, or style: incisive 2: burning, pungent

“Mmmmm, curry,” sighed Albert to his table-mates in the busy hub-bub of the bustling Thai restaurant. The mordant fumes of the tasty tidbits wafted through the air, curling his nose hairs and eliciting an involuntary bead of sweat on his upper lip.

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-City of Seattle Worker Fined $1,500 for Adjusting Her Utility Bills 71 Times (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017641870_ethics02m.html

PacifiCorp Files for Three Requests to Increase Rates by 4.3 Percent to Cover Power, Coal Plant Upgrades & Transmission Lines (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/pacificorp_files_for_3_rate_re.html

Inland Power & Light Boosts Its Net Margins (Journal of Business, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokanejournal.com/article.php?id=7915

Coal Is Coming to Port of St. Helens Oregon (Coast River Business Journal, Asotria, OR)

http://www.crbizjournal.com/news/article_73d139fe-6337-11e1-88dc-0019bb2963f4.html

Oklahoma - Thief Posed as Worker to Steal Copper Wiring: Police Say Man Confessed To Removing Wire from Utility Poles (KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City, OK)

http://www.koco.com/r/30588336/detail.html

California – Pacific Gas & Electric Proposes Targeted Rate Reduction to Promote Economic Development (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=163729

Debate or Dithering - Council Decides to Continue Study of Rate Hike Proposals (Austin Statesman-American, TX)

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/council-decides-to-continue-study-of-rate-hike-2210966.html

Texas Grid Warns of Tight Summer Power Supply (Reuters)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/01/utilities-texas-ercot-idUKL2E8E1F1E20120301

North Carolina - Duke Energy’s Cliffside Coal Plant on Target for September Opening (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/power_city/2012/03/duke-energys-cliffside-plant-on.html

Entergy Indian Point 3 Nuke Plant in New York Back in Service (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017639607_apusindianpointnewyork.html

US Natural Gas Supplies Fell Last Week (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/03/01/financial/f081000S40.DTL

Improper Grounds Alleged - Court Revives Suit over Electrocuted Guardsman (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/03/01/44332.htm

Central Asia’s Dam Debacle (China Dialogue)

http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/4790

FISH & WILDLIFE

Grant PUD to Avoid Fines with Hatchery Project (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_a488b008-62fc-11e1-a40a-001871e3ce6c.html

Puget Sound Salmon Forecast Predicts Drop in Coho Return (Issaquah Press, WA)

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2012/02/29/puget-sound-salmon-forecast-predicts-decline-in-coho/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

How Carbon Dioxide Acidifies Ocean Water (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localpages/2017640867_acidgraphics_flat.html

Bend Mayor Proposes Delaying Parts of Water Project (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/bend-mayor-proposes-delaying-parts-water-project/

Two-Thirds of China’s Cities Fail on Air Standards (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Two-thirds-of-China-s-cities-fail-on-air-standards-3375933.php

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Portland Mayor Sam Adams Considers Using Ratepayer Funds to Help Build a $55 Million Energy Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/03/mayor_sam_adams_weighs_using_r.html

Pacific Power Announces Major Oregon Solar Project (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/pacific-power-announces-major-solar-project/

US Loses Its Solar Trade Surplus with China as Commerce Agency Mulls Tariffs Sought by SolarWorld (Oregonian, Portland)

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

Oregon Wave Energy Trust Opens Grant Program (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/02/oregon-wave-energy-trust-opens-grant.html

US Senator Jeff Bingaman Launches Uphill Battle With ‘Clean’ Power Proposal (The Hill)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/213585-bingaman-floats-long-awaited-clean-energy-standard

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Chelan County Public Utility District Joins Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (PR Newswire)

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chelan-county-public-utility-district-joins-northwest-energy-efficiency-alliance-141049793.html

More Than 25 Million Smart Energy Devices to be Shipped to US Consumers (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display.articles.electric-light-power.smart-grid.2012.March.More_than_25_million_smart_energy_devices_to_be_shipped_to_U_S__consumers.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Seattle’s First Urban Food Forest Will Be Open to Foragers (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/02/29/147668557/seattles-first-urban-food-forest-will-be-free-to-forage

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

What’s Most Precious to the Hobbit? Broadband! (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/mobile/whats-most-precious-to-the-hobbit-broadband/

A Gigabit Is the Loneliest Number (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/broadband/a-gigabit-is-the-loneliest-number/

Google, AT&T Sign Deal for Access to Utility Poles in Missouri, Kansas (Kansas City Business Journal, MO)

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2012/03/01/google-att-sign-deal-utility-pole-access.html

AT&T Relents on ‘Unlimited Data’ Plan Limits (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-03-01/att-data-usage/53319770/1?csp=34tech

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

18-Term Congressman Norm Dicks Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Rep-Norm-Dicks-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election--141184633.html

Top Appropriator, Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington State to Retire (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/top-appropriator-rep-norm-dicks-to-retire/2012/03/02/gIQAXsnnmR_blog.html?wprss=rss_politics

Washington State House Budget Passes; Finn among Three Dems Voting No (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/03/01/2416448/house-budget-passes-rep-finn-among.html

Environmentalists on Edge as Legislature Nears an End (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2012/03/02/washington-legislature/22016/Environmentalists-on-edge-as-Legislature-nears-an-end/

Gregoire Signs Bill to Help Stave Off Wenatchee Arena Debt (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017636589_apwaxgrarenadebttroubles.html

GENERAL NEWS

Attorney Says Bremerton School Shooting Was ‘No Accident’ (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Family-of-Bremerton-girl-shot-in-class-lawyer-141102393.html

BP Refinery Using Outage for Spring Maintenance - It will likely be another month before BP’s Cherry Point refinery resumes operations (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017632070_apwabprefinery.html

Men Sentenced for Defacing Pictographs (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/mar/02/men-sentenced-for-defacing-pictographs/

Co-Author of ‘Broken Windows’ Policing Theory Dies (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017646795_apusobitjamesqwilson.html

Legislature Approves Tire Socks as New Traction Device (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=3019

Police: Recognize These Thieves Who Took Miss Washington’s Crown? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/Police-Recognize-these-thieves-who-took-Miss-3376023.php

DIVERSIONS

Peeing Frenchman Sues Google Over Embarrassing Street View Photo

http://gizmodo.com/5889795/peeing-frenchman-sues-google-over-embarrassing-street-view-photo

Smart Phone Makes Dumb Mistake, Locks Down Two Schools

http://www.11alive.com/news/article/230432/40/Smart-Phone-Makes-Dumb-Mistake-Locks-Down-Two-Schools

This Guy Needed Just 28.80 Seconds to Solve a Rubik’s Cube. While Blindfolded.

http://gizmodo.com/5888842/this-guy-needed-just-28-seconds-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube-while-blindfolded

New Section of Great Wall Discovered in Mongolia

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/02/28/new-section-of-the-great-wall-discovered-in-mongolia/

SONG OF THE DAY

T’Pau - China In Your Hand

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