The Energy News Digest

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Energy News Digest for April 25, 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

El Nino May Cool US This Summer, Cutting Electricity Demand (Bloomberg News)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/04/24/bloomberg_articlesM2ZRZX1A74E901-M2ZUN.DTL

Alaska Salmon Group Will Continue Certification of Sustainable Harvest (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2018061546_mscsalmon25.html

Clean-Energy Requirements Targeted by American Legislative Exchange Council, Grover Norquist (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-24/clean-energy-requirements-targeted-by-alec-norquist.html

Lobbyists Give Legislature a C- in New Elway Poll (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2018061284_lobbyists_give_legislature_a_c.html

Washington’s Statewide Whooping Cough Outbreak Worst in over 60 Years (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Statewide-whooping-cough-outbreak-worst-in-over-60-years-148766055.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

El Nino May Cool US This Summer, Cutting Electricity Demand
NRECA Updates Pole Attachment Guide
Three Members Still Want to Leave Southern Montana Electric Co-Op
Mason County PUD 3 Tree Trimming Now Through May
Co-Ops Rise to New Challenges - Serving Small Areas Doesn’t Make Problems Smaller
Mason County Has Threatened Shellfish Areas
Alaska Salmon Group Will Continue Certification of Sustainable Harvest
Catching a Legacy as Issaquah Salmon Hatchery Turns 75
Whale that Died in Puget Sound Ate Golf Ball – Calling Cosmo Kramer
On the Elwha, a Lunar Landscape Emerges
Clean-Energy Requirements Targeted by American Legislative Exchange Council, Grover Norquist
Maine Regulators Pave Way for US Tidal Power
Solar Hot Water Heaters
Five Reasons Why California Cities Will Build One Million Solar Roofs & 12 Distributed GW by 2020
California - Pacific Gas & Electric Customers Can Pay More to be Greener
US DOE Funding to Develop Plug-And-Play Home Solar Energy Systems
Op/Ed - Generating Green Energy
A Jones for Osmosis: New Potential for Power in Rivers’ Flow to Sea
Apple Stores Targeted by Greenpeace Activists
Apple’s North Carolina Data Center: Transparency & the Pressure to Go Green
The Future of TV Isn’t TV, It’s Broadband
Lobbyists Give Legislature a C- in New Elway Poll
Washington’s Statewide Whooping Cough Outbreak Worst in over 60 Years
Mason County Unemployment up Slightly
Belfair Water District Makes Interim Manager Permanent
Summary of North Mason Community Voice Meeting on Highway 3 Widening

WORD OF THE DAY

Cahoot • \kuh-HOOT\ • Noun - Partnership, league — usually used in plural

The rebellion was well under way. The IS department was in cahoots with the accountants to have a weekly “pizza day.” Their efforts were thwarted by the human resources department, which offered a “haggis day” instead, replete with coupons for Mac’s “Haggis Hut.” The accounts payable accountant was not amused.

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

El Nino May Cool US This Summer, Cutting Electricity Demand (Bloomberg News)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/04/24/bloomberg_articlesM2ZRZX1A74E901-M2ZUN.DTL

NRECA Updates Pole Attachment Guide (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/public-policy-watch/energy-environment/nreca-pole-attachment-guide-update/43031

Three Members Still Want to Leave Southern Montana Electric Co-Op (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120425/NEWS01/204250312/Three-members-still-want-leave-SME-co-op

Mason County PUD 3 Tree Trimming Now Through May (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/public-notices/28460-pud-3-tree-trimming-now-through-may

Co-Ops Rise to New Challenges - Serving Small Areas Doesn’t Make Problems Smaller (EnergyBiz)

http://www.energybiz.com/magazine/article/265687/co-ops-rise-new-challenges

FISH & WILDLIFE

Mason County Has Threatened Shellfish Areas - Hood Canal, Oakland Bay, Pickering Passage & Rocky Bay (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=4679

Alaska Salmon Group Will Continue Certification of Sustainable Harvest (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2018061546_mscsalmon25.html

Catching a Legacy as Issaquah Salmon Hatchery Turns 75 (Issaquah Press, WA)

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2012/04/24/catching-a-legacy/

Whale that Died in Puget Sound Ate Golf Ball – Calling Cosmo Kramer (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/apr/24/whale-that-died-in-puget-sound-ate-golf-ball/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

On the Elwha, a Lunar Landscape Emerges (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/fieldnotes/2018058337_on_the_elwha_a_lunar_landscape_emerges.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Clean-Energy Requirements Targeted by American Legislative Exchange Council, Grover Norquist (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-24/clean-energy-requirements-targeted-by-alec-norquist.html

Maine Regulators Pave Way for US Tidal Power (Associated Press)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/apnewsbreak-regulators-pave-tidal-power-16204208#.T5gZztW_N8E

Solar Hot Water Heaters (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/story/17664990/solar-hot-water-heaters

Five Reasons Why California Cities Will Build One Million Solar Roofs & 12 Distributed GW by 2020 (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tonyseba/2012/04/24/five-reasons-why-california-cities-will-build-one-million-solar-roofs-and-12-distributed-gw-by-2020/

California - Pacific Gas & Electric Customers Can Pay More to be Greener (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/04/24/BUB21O8E58.DTL

US DOE Funding to Develop Plug-And-Play Home Solar Energy Systems (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display.articles.electric-light-power.policy-and_regulation.2012.April.DOE_funding_to_develop_plug-and-play_home_solar_energy_systems.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Op/Ed - Generating Green Energy (Islands Sounder, Eastsound, WA)

http://www.islandssounder.com/opinion/148536515.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

A Jones for Osmosis: New Potential for Power in Rivers’ Flow to Sea (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/04/a-jones-for-osmosis-new-potential-for-power-in-rivers-flow-to-sea?cmpid=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Apple Stores Targeted by Greenpeace Activists (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20471002

Apple’s North Carolina Data Center: Transparency & the Pressure to Go Green (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/apples-nc-data-center-transparency-and-the-pressure-to-go-green-2/

The Future of TV Isn’t TV, It’s Broadband (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2012/04/24/the-future-of-tv-isnt-tv-its-broadband/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Lobbyists Give Legislature a C- in New Elway Poll (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2018061284_lobbyists_give_legislature_a_c.html

GENERAL NEWS

Washington’s Statewide Whooping Cough Outbreak Worst in over 60 Years (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Statewide-whooping-cough-outbreak-worst-in-over-60-years-148766055.html

Mason County Unemployment up Slightly (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=4668

Belfair Water District Makes Interim Manager Permanent (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/apr/24/belfair-water-district-makes-interim-manager/

Summary of North Mason Community Voice Meeting on Highway 3 Widening (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=4688

DIVERSIONS

Stuck Train Horn Bellows for Hours in Portland

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Stuck-train-horn-bellows-for-hours-in-Portland-148732515.html

Long Island Mom Fired After Donating Kidney to Her Boss

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/cruelest_cut_out_8iAZkm6NB0YWIBpBHsXEQP

Heart Attack Grill Strikes Again, another Customer Hospitalized

http://www.q13fox.com/news/ktla-heart-attack-grill,0,6400734.story

Huge Rodent Found In England - ‘I’ve Never Seen a Rat as Big’

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-giant-rat-found-killed-in-england-20120423,0,3453916.story

SONG OF THE DAY

Steep Canyon Rangers & Steve Martin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl9GOLf9HcY

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Energy News Digest for April 24, 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

Tribal Group Claims Sea Lions Munch More Salmon than Previously Thought (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://earthfix.opb.org/flora-and-fauna/article/tribal-group-claims-sea-lions-munch-more-salmon-th/

Editorial - Grand Coulee Dam Project is Much Needed (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/04/23/2079025/dam-project-is-much-needed.html

Comments Sought on Mount Baker Geothermal Leasing (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/04/23/2493448/comments-sought-on-mount-baker.html

Greenpeace Lauds Quincy as ‘Green’ Data Center Site - points to area’s access to hydropower via Grant County PUD (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/business/tech/article_2c5789e6-8b2f-11e1-a849-001a4bcf887a.html

Port Angeles Adjusting to High-Tech Electricity Metering (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120424/NEWS/304249987/port-angeles-adjusting-to-high-tech-electricity-metering

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

Editorial - Grand Coulee Dam Project is Much Needed
Workers Building Big Dam in Amazon Plan Strike
Port Angeles Adjusting to High-Tech Electricity Metering
Snohomish County PUD Warning of Scam Targeting Utility Customers
Energy Northwest Video Ad Promotes Nuclear Energy as Clean
Cub Scouts Plant Trees in Kennewick – Thanks to Benton PUD
California Nuclear Plant Developing Plan to go Back Online
Massachusetts - NRC to Hear Public Comment on Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant
Nuclear Waste: Why is DOE Collecting Fees for ‘Program That Isn’t Doing Very Much’? – Judge
California - Downed Power Line Electrocutes San Mateo Man
Illinois - ComEd Files Smart Meter Deployment Plan
Tribal Group Claims Sea Lions Munch More Salmon than Previously Thought
Improved Oregon Stock Means More Salmon near Washington State
Fisheries Scientists Redefine the Salmon Debate by Trumpeting More ‘Spill’
Oyster Hatchery to be Built at Manchester Research Station
First Group of Endangered Butterflies Hatches in Belfair-Area Prison
Belfair Water District Gets $1.9 Million Loan
City of Shelton’s Sewer System Upgrades Wins State Award
Oregon - Conservation Group Challenges Bend’s Water Plans
‘Taking the Waste Out of Wastewater’
Comments Sought on Mount Baker Geothermal Leasing
Washington State Gubernatorial Candidate Jay Inslee Talks Clean Energy in Visit to Tri-Cities
Partners Sought to Invest in Solar Panels at King County Facilities
California Lawsuit Says Wind Energy Industry Hurts Condors
California - Discovery of Indian Artifacts Complicates Genesis Solar Project
First Solar Execs Accused of Inside Trading
Earth Day Technology: The Spray-On Solar Panel?
Pennsylvania - Water Company Uses Flow to Make Electricity
The Skinny on Gadgets’ Growing Energy Appetite
British Columbia Greenhouse Uses Captured Carbon Dioxide to Grow Food
Greenpeace Lauds Quincy as ‘Green’ Data Center Site
The DSL Death March Continues…
Four Social Media Principles You Must Remember
Washington State Legislature: Balance of Power in State Senate Could Tip Toward Republicans in Next Election
Not Guilty Plea in Lake Cushman Fatal Shooting
Highway 3 Slide Light near Shelton in Place through Summer
Vintner Vituperation - Governor Backs Washington ‘Fine’ Wine over California ‘Jug’ Wine
Teens Getting Drunk Off Hand Sanitizer
Seattle Tops Popularity List of US Cities

WORD OF THE DAY

Kowtow • \COW-tow (sounds like the sound in ouch)\ • Verb - 1: to show obsequious deference: fawn 2: to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in token of homage, worship, or deep respect

From Merriam-Webster - “Kowtow” originated as a noun referring to the act of kneeling and touching one’s head to the ground as a salute or act of worship to a revered authority. In traditional China this ritual was performed by commoners making requests to the local magistrate, by the emperor to the shrine of Confucius, or by foreign representatives appearing before the emperor to establish trade relations. (In the late 18th century, some Western nations resisted performing the ritual, which acknowledged the Chinese emperor as the “son of heaven.”) The word “kowtow” derives from Chinese “koutou,” formed by combining the verb “kou” (“to knock”) with the noun “tou” (“head”). The noun had arrived in English by 1804, and the earliest evidence for the verb dates from 1826.

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

Editorial - Grand Coulee Dam Project is Much Needed (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/04/23/2079025/dam-project-is-much-needed.html

Workers Building Big Dam in Amazon Plan Strike (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/04/20/international/i140848D07.DTL

Port Angeles Adjusting to High-Tech Electricity Metering (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120424/NEWS/304249987/port-angeles-adjusting-to-high-tech-electricity-metering

Snohomish County PUD Warning of Scam Targeting Utility Customers (My Edmonds News, WA)

http://myedmondsnews.com/2012/04/pud-warning-of-scam-targeting-utility-customers/

Energy Northwest Video Ad Promotes Nuclear Energy as Clean (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/04/23/1913472/nuclear-energy-northwest-promotes.html

Cub Scouts Plant Trees in Kennewick – Thanks to Benton PUD (KVEW Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kvewtv.com/article/2012/apr/23/cub-scouts-plant-trees-kennewick/

California Nuclear Plant Developing Plan to go Back Online (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/04/23/national/a153419D24.DTL

Massachusetts - NRC to Hear Public Comment on Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant (Newburyport News, MA)

http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x2086604148/NRC-to-hear-public-comment

Nuclear Waste: Why is DOE Collecting Fees for ‘Program That Isn’t Doing Very Much’? – Judge (E&E Publishing)
http://www.eenews.net/public/Greenwire/2012/04/20/2

California - Downed Power Line Electrocutes San Mateo Man (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20450179

Illinois - ComEd Files Smart Meter Deployment Plan (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display.articles.electric-light-power.meetering.2012.April.ComEd_files_smart_meter_deployment_plan.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tribal Group Claims Sea Lions Munch More Salmon than Previously Thought (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://earthfix.opb.org/flora-and-fauna/article/tribal-group-claims-sea-lions-munch-more-salmon-th/

Improved Oregon Stock Means More Salmon near Washington State (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Improved-Ore-stock-means-more-salmon-near-Wash-148386665.html

Fisheries Scientists Redefine the Salmon Debate by Trumpeting More ‘Spill’ (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/04/22/2087353/saving-salmon-without-removing.html

Oyster Hatchery to be Built at Manchester Research Station (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/apr/20/oyster-hatchery-to-be-built-at-manchester/

First Group of Endangered Butterflies Hatches in Belfair-Area Prison (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4085

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Belfair Water District Gets $1.9 Million Loan (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=4658

City of Shelton’s Sewer System Upgrades Wins State Award (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=4640

Oregon - Conservation Group Challenges Bend’s Water Plans (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/conservation-group-challenges-bends-water-plans/

‘Taking the Waste Out of Wastewater’ (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/taking-the-waste-out-of-wastewater.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Comments Sought on Mount Baker Geothermal Leasing (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/04/23/2493448/comments-sought-on-mount-baker.html

Washington State Gubernatorial Candidate Jay Inslee Talks Clean Energy in Visit to Tri-Cities (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/04/24/1914844/inslee-talks-clean-energy-in-visit.html

Partners Sought to Invest in Solar Panels at King County Facilities (Enumclaw Patch, WA)

http://enumclaw.patch.com/articles/partners-sought-to-invest-in-solar-panels-at-king-county-facilities

California Lawsuit Says Wind Energy Industry Hurts Condors (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20457235

California - Discovery of Indian Artifacts Complicates Genesis Solar Project (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-solar-bones-20120424,0,1894725.story

First Solar Execs Accused of Inside Trading (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/04/24/45891.htm

Earth Day Technology: The Spray-On Solar Panel? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2012/0422/Earth-Day-technology-the-spray-on-solar-panel

Pennsylvania - Water Company Uses Flow to Make Electricity (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-north/water-company-uses-flow-to-make-electricity-632685/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

The Skinny on Gadgets’ Growing Energy Appetite (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-57418123-54/the-skinny-on-gadgets-growing-energy-appetite/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

British Columbia Greenhouse Uses Captured Carbon Dioxide to Grow Food (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=d43c5810-81d1-40e0-9837-0b8d48ca01a0

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Greenpeace Lauds Quincy as ‘Green’ Data Center Site - points to area’s access to hydropower via Grant County PUD (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/business/tech/article_2c5789e6-8b2f-11e1-a849-001a4bcf887a.html

The DSL Death March Continues…. (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/broadband/the-dsl-death-march-continues/

Four Social Media Principles You Must Remember (New Mexico Business Weekly)

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/blog/socialmadness/2012/04/four-social-media-principles-you-must.html?s=print

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Legislature: Balance of Power in State Senate Could Tip Toward Republicans in Next Election (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/04/washington_legislature_balance.html

GENERAL NEWS

Not Guilty Plea in Lake Cushman Fatal Shooting (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=4638

Highway 3 Slide Light near Shelton in Place through Summer (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)