Energy News Digest for April 16, 2013

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 16, 2013

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/04/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for-april_16.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Belfair Residents - Marathon Participants in Boston are OK (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/9890

Boston Marathon Finishers from Mason County (Seattle Times, WA)

2724, Miranda Thygesen, Belfair, 3:35:56.

2757, Stephanie Neil, Belfair, 3:36:09.

DNF, Peggy VanBuskirk was about a mile from the finish line when the bombs exploded.

http://seattletimes.com/html/othersports/2020787642_webbostonmarathonagate16.html?syndication=rss

Columbia River Treaty between U-S & Canada Under Intense Review (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/04/columbia_river_treaty_between.html

Dead Salmon Found Along Silt-Choked Elwha River after Hatchery Release (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130412/NEWS/304129979/dead-salmon-found-along-silt-choked-elwha-river-after-hatchery-release

Did Window Retrofits Psych Occupants into Saving Even More Energy? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2013/04/11/window-retrofits-psych-occupants-into-saving-energy/

Colorado Senate Votes to Raise Renewable Energy Goals for Rural Co-Ops - Rural utilities complain it would cost billions of dollars to comply with the higher rules (Denver Business Journal, CO)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/earth_to_power/2013/04/colorado-senate-votes-to-raise.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Columbia River Treaty between U-S & Canada Under Intense Review
• Overhauling the Third Hydro Plant at Grand Coulee Dam
• High-Voltage Debate about Cost of Next Seattle City Light Substation
• Bonneville Power Administration’s Ellensburg Substation to Get County Evaluation
• Editorial - Grant County PUD: 75 Years of Service
• Washington State Adopts Tougher Penalties for Digging into Utilities
• Columbia River PUD Warns Customers of Telephone Scam
• Idaho Transmission Line Project Will Help Meet Energy Demand
• EPA Will Delay Rule Limiting Carbon Emissions at New Power Plants
• New U-S Nuclear Waste Policy May Be Illegal: GAO
• Parties Switch Roles over Possible U-S Sale of New Deal Tennessee Valley Authority
• Dead Salmon Found Along Silt-Choked Elwha River after Hatchery Release
• Federal Culvert Ruling Could Cost Washington State over $2.4 Billion
• Research: Dams, Altered Environment Have ‘Elicited an Adaptive Response in Snake River Fall Chinook’
• Acquisition Protects Wildlife Corridor in Willamette Valley
• Washington State Companies to Expand Slimy Hagfish Operations
• Colorado Senate Votes to Raise Renewable Energy Goals for Rural Co-Ops
• Report: Solar Scores Big Gains in Electricity Generation
• Massachusetts - Some Area Residents Steaming Over Solar Projects
• Federal Budget: Obama Seeks 40 Percent Increase in Clean Energy Spending
• Pumped Hydro: Storage Solution for a Renewable Energy Future
• Did Window Retrofits Psych Occupants into Saving Even More Energy?
• European Union Lawmakers Veto Beefing Up Cap-And-Trade System
• Arctic Summers May Be Ice Free Sooner Than Predicted
• Op/Ed - Lawrence Solomon: Arctic Sea Ice Back to 1989 Levels, Now Exceeds Previous Decade
• Carbon Controversy: Should The Northwest Grow Markets For Forest Biofuels?
• Silicon Valley Power Launches Free Citywide Wi-Fi Access, Moves Forward with Advanced Metering System
• DSL Speed Could Soon Get a Boost with New Technologies
• Netbooks, Once Intel’s Computer of the Future, Now Driven to ‘Extinction’ by the iPad
• FCC Very Close to Announcing Tom Wheeler as Next FCC Boss
• At Long Last, Microsoft is Ready to Compete Head On With Amazon Web Services
• Comcast Confirms: Yes, We’re Encrypting Basic Cable Now
• Thou Shalt Not Stoop to Political Point-Scoring - A journalist’s guide to tweeting during a crisis
• Shaping Your Social-Media Brand Persona
• Editorial - Washington State’s Auditing Budget Shouldn’t Be Raided by Lawmakers
• Editorial - The Selfish ‘Pension Spikes’
• Washington State Decrees Out with ‘He,’ ‘Him,’ ‘Man’
• Belfair Residents - Marathon Participants in Boston are OK
• Boston Marathon Finishers from Mason County
• Viral Photo - 78-Year-Old Washington State Runner Knocked Down By Boston Blast
• Idaho - Short in Extension Cord: Causes Fire, Kills Five

WORD OF THE DAY

Verbiage • \VER-bee-ij\ • Noun - 1: a profusion of words usually of little or obscure content 2: manner of expressing oneself in words: diction

Marley’s presentation was the vocal equivalent of a black hole. His verbiage – consisting of acronyms, highly technical terms, and obscure inside physics jokes – was so dense that those who were able to stumble from the darkened meeting room, fleeing the “Comic Sans” PowerPoint presentation eventually became the subject of extensive searches by convention center staff. Refugees from the session were found scattered throughout the facility for days afterwards, huddled in remote restroom stalls, broom closets and abandoned ticket booths.

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

Columbia River Treaty between U-S & Canada Under Intense Review (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/04/columbia_river_treaty_between.html

Overhauling the Third Hydro Plant at Grand Coulee Dam (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/04/overhauling-the-third-power-plant-at-grand-coulee-dam?cmpid=rss

High-Voltage Debate about Cost of Next Seattle City Light Substation (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020782271_substationtowersxml.html

Bonneville Power Administration’s Ellensburg Substation to Get County Evaluation (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free/news/substation-to-get-county-evaluation/article_a4fd821a-a60e-11e2-b1b1-001a4bcf887a.html

Editorial - Grant County PUD: 75 years of service (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/opinion/editorials/article_7e78e8d2-a2e4-11e2-8558-001a4bcf887a.html

Washington State Adopts Tougher Penalties for Digging into Utilities (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/washington-adopts-tougher-penalties-for-digging-into-utilities/article_19808756-a3d3-11e2-967d-001a4bcf887a.html

Columbia River PUD Warns Customers of Telephone Scam (St Helens Chronicle, OR)

http://www.thechronicleonline.com/news/article_0a2cb656-a169-11e2-8bcc-0019bb2963f4.html

Idaho Transmission Line Project Will Help Meet Energy Demand (Idaho Business Review)

http://idahobusinessreview.com/2013/04/15/idaho-power-boardman-hemingway-transmission-line/

EPA Will Delay Rule Limiting Carbon Emissions at New Power Plants (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/science/earth/epa-to-delay-emissions-rule-at-new-power-plants.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

New U-S Nuclear Waste Policy May Be Illegal: GAO (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2013/04/14/new-u-s-nuclear-waste-policy-may-be-illegal-gao/?ss=business:energy

Parties Switch Roles over Possible U-S Sale of New Deal Tennessee Valley Authority (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-12/parties-switch-roles-over-possible-u-s-sale-of-new-deal-era-tva.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Dead Salmon Found Along Silt-Choked Elwha River after Hatchery Release (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130412/NEWS/304129979/dead-salmon-found-along-silt-choked-elwha-river-after-hatchery-release

Federal Culvert Ruling Could Cost Washington State over $2.4 Billion (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/Federal-culvert-ruling-could-cost-Wash-over-24B-202857521.html

Research: Dams, Altered Environment Have ‘Elicited an Adaptive Response in Snake River Fall Chinook’ (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/426045.aspx

Acquisition Protects Wildlife Corridor in Willamette Valley (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Acquisition-protects-wildlife-corridor-in-Willamette-Valley.aspx

Washington State Companies to Expand Slimy Hagfish Operations (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/W-Wash-companies-to-expand-slimy-hagfish-operations-202934611.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Colorado Senate Votes to Raise Renewable Energy Goals for Rural Co-Ops - Rural utilities complain it would cost billions of dollars to comply with the higher rules (Denver Business Journal, CO)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/earth_to_power/2013/04/colorado-senate-votes-to-raise.html

Report: Solar Scores Big Gains in Electricity Generation (U-S News & World Report)

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/04/12/report-solar-scores-big-gains-in-electricity-generation

Massachusetts - Some Area Residents Steaming Over Solar Projects (Worcester News Telegram, MA)

http://www.telegram.com/article/20130414/NEWS/104149785/

Federal Budget: Obama Seeks 40 Percent Increase in Clean Energy Spending (Reuters)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_22994775

Pumped Hydro: Storage Solution for a Renewable Energy Future (Renew Economy)

http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/pumped-hydro-storage-solution-for-a-renewable-energy-future-91567

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Did Window Retrofits Psych Occupants into Saving Even More Energy? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2013/04/11/window-retrofits-psych-occupants-into-saving-energy/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

European Union Lawmakers Veto Beefing Up Cap-And-Trade System (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/EU-lawmakers-set-to-vote-on-cap-and-trade-system-4437364.php

Arctic Summers May Be Ice Free Sooner Than Predicted (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/sciencefair/2013/04/12/arctic-summer-ice/2077579/

Op/Ed - Lawrence Solomon: Arctic Sea Ice Back to 1989 Levels, Now Exceeds Previous Decade (Financial Post, Canada)

http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/04/15/lawrence-solomon-arctic-sea-ice-back-to-1989-levels-now-exceeds-previous-decade/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Carbon Controversy: Should The Northwest Grow Markets For Forest Biofuels? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://earthfix.opb.org/energy/article/carbon-controversy-should-the-northwest-grow-marke/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Silicon Valley Power Launches Free Citywide Wi-Fi Access, Moves Forward with Advanced Metering System (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=214731&issueID=26996

DSL Speed Could Soon Get a Boost with New Technologies (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_22998468

Netbooks, Once Intel’s Computer of the Future, Now Driven to ‘Extinction’ by the iPad (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2013/04/netbooks_once_intels_computer.html

FCC Very Close to Announcing Tom Wheeler as Next FCC Boss (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Very-Close-To-Announcing-Tom-Wheeler-As-Next-FCC-Boss-123874

At Long Last, Microsoft is Ready to Compete Head On With Amazon Web Services (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2013/04/16/at-long-last-microsoft-is-ready-to-compete-head-on-with-amazon-web-services/

Comcast Confirms: Yes, We’re Encrypting Basic Cable Now (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2013/04/15/comcast-basic-cable-encryption/

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Thou Shalt Not Stoop to Political Point-Scoring - A journalist’s guide to tweeting during a crisis (Slate Magazine – Some PG-13 Content))

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/04/boston_marathon_bombing_all_the_mistakes_journalists_make_during_a_crisis.html

Shaping Your Social-Media Brand Persona (Pittsburgh Business Times, PA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/socialmadness/2013/04/shaping-your-brand-persona-in-the.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Editorial - Washington State’s Auditing Budget Shouldn’t Be Raided by Lawmakers (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/apr/14/editorial-editorial-washingtons-auditing-budget/

Editorial - The Selfish ‘Pension Spikes’ (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/apr/13/our-view-the-selfish-pension-spikes/

Washington State Decrees Out with ‘He,’ ‘Him,’ ‘Man’ (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/04/10/gender-neutral-language-its-the-law/

GENERAL NEWS

Belfair Residents - Marathon Participants in Boston are OK (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/9890

Boston Marathon Finishers from Mason County (Seattle Times, WA)

2724, Miranda Thygesen, Belfair, 3:35:56.

2757, Stephanie Neil, Belfair, 3:36:09.

DNF, Peggy VanBuskirk was about a mile from the finish line when the bombs exploded.

http://seattletimes.com/html/othersports/2020787642_webbostonmarathonagate16.html?syndication=rss

Viral Photo - 78-Year-Old Washington State Runner Knocked Down By Boston Blast (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/apr/15/78-year-old-runner-knocked-down-by-boston-blast/

That Older Man Knocked Down in the Photo (Talking Points Memo)

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/04/that_older_man_knocked_down_in_the_photo.php

Idaho - Short in Extension Cord: Causes Fire, Kills Five (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/apr/14/electrical-short-causes-fire-kills-5/

DIVERSIONS

Giant Snail Invasion Forces Floridians to Walk for Their Lives

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/0415/Giant-snail-invasion-forces-Floridians-to-walk-for-their-lives

Enjoy Marshmallow Superiority with This Air-Compressed Bazooka

http://gizmodo.com/5994679/enjoy-marshmallow-superiority-with-this-air+compressed-bazooka

‘Starry Night’ Most-Loved Painting on Google

http://mashable.com/2013/04/15/van-gogh-starry-night-google/

Woman Wakes From Coma, Announces She Wants to Go to a Bob Seger Concert

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/04/16/woman-wakes-from-coma-announces-she-wants-to-go-to-a-bob-seger-concert/

SONG OF THE DAY

Bob Seger - Feel Like a Number

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1FRvwJP1pk

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.

Energy News Digest for April 12, 2013

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 12, 2013

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/04/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for-april_12.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Obama Budget Plan Ponders Sale of Tennessee Valley Authority (Bloomberg News)

http://www.sfgate.com/business/bloomberg/article/Obama-Budget-Plan-Ponders-Sale-of-Tennessee-4427374.php

Columbia River Treaty Public Meetings Begin in Spokane (Boise State Public Radio, ID)

http://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/columbia-river-treaty-public-meetings-begin-spokane

Ocean Salmon Seasons Offer Abundant Catches (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/202568871.html

Senate Confirms REI’s Sally Jewell as Interior Secretary (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2013/04/senate-confirms-sally-jewell-former.html

Special Weather Statement for Hood Canal-Bremerton Area (National Weather Service)

http://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WA124EFA1047C0.SpecialWeatherStatement.124EFA1DB540WA.SEWSPSSEW.38cf50e1a319c23c6b745b82df0e171e

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Obama Budget Plan Ponders Sale of Tennessee Valley Authority
• Columbia River Treaty Public Meetings Begin in Spokane
• Montana - Columbia Falls Aluminum’s Reopening Increasingly Uncertain
• Longtime Mason County PUD 3 Employee Appointed Manager
• Grays Harbor County PUD Interviewing Final Five Candidates for GM
• Electric Power Research Institute Names New Members to Board of Directors - BPA’s Anita Decker among the Chosen
• Northern Wasco County PUD Garners Power Accolade for Reliability
• Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for April 9, 2013
• California PUC Official in Hot Water for Trying to Secretly Record Meeting
• Ocean Salmon Seasons Offer Abundant Catches
• Washington’s Salmon Fishing Seasons Set for 2013
• Fish Passage Improvements Result in Increased Survival
• Bonneville Power Administration Seeks Comment on Proposed Walla Walla Hatchery
• Op/Ed - The Problem with the Wild Olympics Plan for Olympic National Forest
• Feds Extend Comment Period for Snake River Dredging Plan
• City of Bainbridge, Kitsap PUD to Talk Water Utility Management
• Cowlitz PUD Poised to Meet Renewable Energy Standards, Officials Say
• Montana - How a Columbia Falls Company is Storing Wind for a Windless Day
• Chairman Hastings: Time to Cut Red Tape to Expand the Development of Small Conduit Hydropower
• Court Sides with Iowa Solar Installer in Dispute with Utility
• Op/Ed - Today’s Renewable-Energy Technologies Work
• American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Honors BPA Energy Efficiency Program
• Clark Public Utilities Offers Rebate for Ductless Heat Pumps
• Climate Change Did Not Cause 2012 U-S Drought, Says Government Report
• Rosie the Riveter on a Wind Turbine: Women & the Growing Green Economy
• Portland Telecom Company to Bring Hundreds of Jobs to Vancouver
• Rural Carriers Complain About Broadband Obstacles
• Google Might Be Planning Free Nationwide Wi-Fi Since the FCC Isn’t
• NAB Chief: Next FCC Chair Shouldn’t Have ‘Bias’ Toward Broadband
• Charter Dangles Broadband Carrot at the FCC
• Microsoft Tweeter Reportedly Loses Job
• Senate Confirms REI’s Sally Jewell as Interior Secretary
• Environmental Questions Take Back Seat at Hearing for EPA Nominee
• Washington State Governor Surprises Higher-Ed Community with Council Shake-Up
• Editorial - Reform the Writing of Fiscal Notes in Washington State Legislature
• Special Weather Statement for Hood Canal-Bremerton Area
• North Mason Chamber Names New Executive Director
• Severe Landslides in Washington Could Be Signs of Times Ahead
• Mason County Senior Center Celebrates 32 Years
• Sinclair Acquiring Fisher Communications
• Sinclair Known for Conservative Political Tilt
• Navigating the Notorious Pacific Northwest Roundabouts
• Idaho Family Sues Forest Service for $1 Million After Tree Hit Six-Year-Old Son

WORD OF THE DAY

Distaff • \DISS-staff\ • Noun - 1a: a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning b: woman’s work or domain 2: the female branch or side of a family.

See the Amazon

The distaff warrior: look out!

She’ll take your head, man

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

Obama Budget Plan Ponders Sale of Tennessee Valley Authority (Bloomberg News)

http://www.sfgate.com/business/bloomberg/article/Obama-Budget-Plan-Ponders-Sale-of-Tennessee-4427374.php

Columbia River Treaty Public Meetings Begin in Spokane (Boise State Public Radio, ID)

http://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/columbia-river-treaty-public-meetings-begin-spokane

Montana - Columbia Falls Aluminum’s Reopening Increasingly Uncertain (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/local/columbia-falls-aluminum-s-reopening-increasingly-uncertain/article_b15f9f0e-a251-11e2-bab4-001a4bcf887a.html

Longtime Mason County PUD 3 Employee Appointed Manager (Shelton-Mason County Journal, WA)

http://tinyurl.com/cwepz64

Grays Harbor County PUD Interviewing Final Five Candidates for GM (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/pud-interviewing-final-five-candidates-gm.html

Electric Power Research Institute Names New Members to Board of Directors - BPA’s Anita Decker among the Chosen (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/articles/2013/04/epri-names-new-members-to-board-of-directors.html

Northern Wasco County PUD Garners Power Accolade for Reliability (The Dalles Chronicle, OR)

http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2013/apr/10/northern-wasco-county-pud-garners-power-accolade/

Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for April 9, 2013 (Mason County PUD No. 3, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1202

California PUC Official in Hot Water for Trying to Secretly Record Meeting (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/10/5329532/puc-official-in-hot-water-for.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Ocean Salmon Seasons Offer Abundant Catches (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/202568871.html

Washington’s Salmon Fishing Seasons Set for 2013 (Access Washington)

http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/apr1113a/

Fish Passage Improvements Result in Increased Survival (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Fish-passage-improvements-result-in-increased-survival-for-juvenile-salmon-steelhead.aspx

Bonneville Power Administration Seeks Comment on Proposed Walla Walla Hatchery (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/04/bonneville-power-administration-seeks.html

Op/Ed - The Problem with the Wild Olympics Plan for Olympic National Forest (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2020760903_billdriscollopedxml.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Feds Extend Comment Period for Snake River Dredging Plan (Associated Press)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Feds-extend-comment-period-for-river-dredging-plan-202566041.html

City of Bainbridge, Kitsap PUD to Talk Water Utility Management (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/apr/11/bainbridge-kitsap-pud-to-talk-water-utility/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Cowlitz PUD Poised to Meet Renewable Energy Standards, Officials Say (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/cowlitz-pud-poised-to-meet-renewable-energy-standards-officials-say/article_d2fd1da8-a24c-11e2-93ee-001a4bcf887a.html

Montana - How a Columbia Falls Company is Storing Wind for a Windless Day (Montana Public Radio News)

http://mtprnews.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/how-a-columbia-falls-company-is-storing-wind-for-a-windless-day/

Chairman Hastings: Time to Cut Red Tape to Expand the Development of Small Conduit Hydropower (U-S House of Representatives, Natural Resources Committee)

http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=327279

Court Sides with Iowa Solar Installer in Dispute with Utility (Midwest Energy News)

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2013/04/12/court-sides-with-iowa-solar-installer-in-dispute-with-utility/

Op/Ed - Today’s Renewable-Energy Technologies Work (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/todays-renewable-energy-technologies-work/2013/04/11/a3504adc-a15f-11e2-bd52-614156372695_story.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Honors BPA Energy Efficiency Program (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/articles/2013/04/aceee-honors-bpa-energy-efficiency-program.html

Clark Public Utilities Offers Rebate for Ductless Heat Pumps (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/apr/10/utility-offers-rebate-for-ductless-heat-pumps/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Change Did Not Cause 2012 U-S Drought, Says Government Report (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/apr/12/climate-change-not-2012-drought

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Rosie the Riveter on a Wind Turbine: Women & the Growing Green Economy (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/josephromm/208141/rosie-riveter-wind-turbine-women-and-growing-green-economy

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Portland Telecom Company to Bring Hundreds of Jobs to Vancouver (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/apr/10/pdx-telecom-company-bring-hundreds-jobs-vancouver/

Rural Carriers Complain About Broadband Obstacles (PC World)

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2033657/rural-carriers-complain-about-broadband-obstacles.html

Google Might Be Planning Free Nationwide Wi-Fi Since the FCC Isn’t (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2013/04/08/google-might-be-planning-free-nationwide-wi-fi-since-the-fcc-isnt/

NAB Chief: Next FCC Chair Shouldn’t Have ‘Bias’ Toward Broadband (Variety Magazine)

http://variety.com/2013/digital/news/nab-chief-next-fcc-chair-shouldnt-have-bias-toward-broadband-1200341363/

Charter Dangles Broadband Carrot at the FCC - Would Expand its 100 Meg Footprint; Go All-Digital if FCC OKs Proposed Set-Top Waiver (Multichannel)

http://www.multichannel.com/distribution/charter-dangles-broadband-carrot-fcc/142616

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Microsoft Tweeter Reportedly Loses Job (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2013/04/microsoft-tweeter-reportedly-loses-job.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Senate Confirms REI’s Sally Jewell as Interior Secretary (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2013/04/senate-confirms-sally-jewell-former.html

Environmental Questions Take Back Seat at Hearing for EPA Nominee (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/us/politics/environmental-questions-take-back-seat-at-confirmation-hearing-for-epa-nominee.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Washington State Governor Surprises Higher-Ed Community with Council Shake-Up (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020761417_higheredboardxml.html

Editorial - Reform the Writing of Fiscal Notes in Washington State Legislature (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/editorials/2020743361_editfiscalnotesxml.html

GENERAL NEWS

Special Weather Statement for Hood Canal-Bremerton Area (National Weather Service)

http://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WA124EFA1047C0.SpecialWeatherStatement.124EFA1DB540WA.SEWSPSSEW.38cf50e1a319c23c6b745b82df0e171e

North Mason Chamber Names New Executive Director (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/9862

Severe Landslides in Washington Could Be Signs of Times Ahead (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/severe-landslides-washington-could-be-signs-times-ahead

Mason County Senior Center Celebrates 32 Years (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/54453-senior-center-celebrates-32-years

Sinclair Acquiring Fisher Communications (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.katu.com/news/local/Sinclair-acquiring-Fisher-Communications-202532881.html

Sinclair Known for Conservative Political Tilt - Has a history of using its television stations to support its political views (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2020756844_fishersinclairxml.html

Navigating the Notorious Pacific Northwest Roundabouts (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Navigating-the-notorious-NW-roundabouts-202620221.html

Idaho Family Sues Forest Service for $1 Million After Tree Hit Six-Year-Old Son (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/04/idaho_family_sues_forest_servi.html

DIVERSIONS

Estacada Woman Among 371 Oregonians Accused of Illegally Downloading Steven Seagal Movie (Really, A Steven Seagal Movie?)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/04/estacada_woman_accused_of_ille.html

Kootenay City Considers Birth Control for Pigeons

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/04/11/bc-trail-pigeon-control.html?cmp=rss

Heroin Addict Faked Cancer, Duped Donors

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Drug-Addict-Heroin-Fake-Cancer-Charity-Scam-202319141.html

Beaver Bites Man to Death in Belarus Attack

http://news.sky.com/story/1076746/beaver-bites-man-to-death-in-belarus-attack

SONG OF THE DAY

Neil Young - Four Strong Winds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI3Xn0-2fbY

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.