Energy News Digest for April 1, 2010

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

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Meetings Planned on Energy NW’s Nuclear Power Plant License Renewal

·         Wyoming - New Coal Power Plant Goes Online Near Gillette

·         Avista CEO Earns $3 Million in Compensation

·         PUD 3 Rebuild of Mountain View Substation to Enhance Reliability & System Flexibility

·         TransAlta Fully Retires All the Units of Its Wabamun, Alberta Power Plant

·         State of California Releases Cleanup Plan for Moss Landing Power Plant

·         BC Hydro Approves Four Power Projects

·         Cities Could Reap $1B in Re-Use Water Deal With Utilities

·         DAMS: Corps Releases Possible Dam Breaching Plan of Study

·         Hastings’ Statement on Corps of Engineers Release of Outline on How to Study Snake River Dam Removal

·         Congressman Dicks Expected at Two Dedications Friday in Port Angeles

·         Lake Pend Oreille Levels to Increase

·         California - San Joaquin River Flowing through Dry Stretches

·         Wyoming - Debate Centers on Water Project

·         Alaska – Smelt: Endangered Elsewhere, Bountiful Here

·         For Tradition-Rich Halibut Fisherman, the Future Looks Prosperous

·         Biomass Energy Developer ADAGE to Hold Shelton-Area Open Houses Next Week

·         Nippon Paper Gets $2 Million in State Funding for $60 Million Port Angeles Biomass Boiler

·         State Cites REC Silicon of Moses Lake for Safety Violations

·         Methane at Anchorage Landfill May Produce Electricity for 2,500 Homes

·         Massachusetts - Cape Winds Taps Siemens for Turbines

·         After Cape Wind, Deep Challenges for Offshore Wind

·         Knob Hill Wind Farm - BC Hydro Offers 20-Year Electricity Purchase Agreement

·         Transmission Stalls European Offshore Wind Power

·         British Columbia - Metro Vancouver’s Garbage Incineration Plan Under Fire

·         Florida - Power Going out on Incinerator Deal for City, Tampa Electric

·         United Kingdom - Government Kicks off Green Energy Catch-Up Plan

·         Efficiency Gains & Losses - When I reduce my home’s energy costs, who should reap the benefit?

·         Duke Energy Offers Coupons for Lighting

·         Florida - Customers Could Pay Extra as More People Conserve Energy

·         White House: “Cap & Trade” is Out

·         Economists Warn Against Setting Price for Carbon Too Low

·         Microsoft Responds to Greenpeace Data Center Concerns

·         Reprise – Greenpeace: Glass Houses & Stones

·         Greenpeace’s Hosting: Not ‘Truly Green’

·         Pepco Is Apparent Target of Greenwash Guerrillas’ Hoax

·         Mason PUD 3 Applying for Grant to Bring Fiber Optics to Harstine Island

·         FCC Begins Rollout of National Broadband Policies

·         TV Broadcasters Battle to Keep Airwaves from Smartphones

·         Senators Murray, Cantwell to Obama: Get Going on the Tanker!

·         Oops! RAF Tanker Request Didn’t Envision Flying in War Zones

·         Seattle Times Editorial - Team Dino & the 2010 Senate Race

·         Policy Adviser Leaving Gov. Gregoire Cabinet

·         Powerful Storm Expected to Hit on Friday

·         Spring Storm Has Enough Punch to Knock Down Trees, Darken Lights

·         Two Suspected of Murdering Man Found in Capitol State Forest

·         Conviction in Centralia Credit Union Robbery Case

·         Port of Shelton Exploring Eliminating Commission Districts

·         Former North Mason Superintendent Marie Pickel Dies at Age 70

·         Gregoire’s Plan to Close Clark County Prison Is Put on Hold

·         Outpouring of Support for Marine’s Dad Suing Funeral Protesters

·         Asparagus Industry Facing Tough Times

WORD OF THE DAY

Hustings • \HUSS-tingz\ • noun – 1a: a local court formerly held in various English municipalities and still held infrequently in London b: a local court in some cities in Virginia

2a: a raised platform used until 1872 for the nomination of candidates for the British Parliament and for election speeches b: an election platform: stump c: the proceedings or locale of an election campaign

One of my favorite films is the original “39 Steps” by Alfred Hitchcock. There’s a great scene where Robert Donat, trying to escape from his pursuers, takes the hustings at a rally for a local candidate. His speech is full of empty phrases and soaring rhetoric, and he almost gets away from the bad guys in the process. Classic!

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

Meetings Planned on Energy NW’s Nuclear Power Plant License Renewal (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/03/31/958842/meetings-planned-on-energy-nws.html

Wyoming - New Coal Power Plant Goes Online Near Gillette (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011498941_apwypowerplant.html?syndication=rss

Avista CEO Earns $3 Million in Compensation (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/mar/31/report-avista-ceo-earns-3-million-compensation/

PUD 3 Rebuild of Mountain View Substation to Enhance Reliability & System Flexibility (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=703

TransAlta Fully Retires All the Units of Its Wabamun, Alberta Power Plant (CNN Money)

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0603442.htm

State of California Releases Cleanup Plan for Moss Landing Power Plant (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14790083

BC Hydro Approves Four Power Projects (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/four-power-projects-approved-by-bc-hydro/article1519465/

Cities Could Reap $1B in Effluent Deal With Utilities – Treated water would be used for power plant operations (Phoenix Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2010/03/29/daily42.html

FISH, WATER & WILDLIFE

DAMS: Corps Releases Possible Dam Breaching Plan of Study (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/04/01/960129/plan-outlines-dam-removal-steps.html

Hastings’ Statement on Corps of Engineers Release of Outline on How to Study Snake River Dam Removal (Congressman Hastings Office)

http://hastings.house.gov/Read.aspx?ID=1368

Congressman Dicks Expected at Two Dedications Friday in Port Angeles – One for water treatment plants instrumental to the planned demolition of Elwha River dams (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100401/news/304019981

Lake Pend Oreille Levels to Increase (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/apr/01/lake-pend-oreille-levels-increase/

California - San Joaquin River Flowing through Dry Stretches - Six months after the court-ordered release of water from a Central Valley dam (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/31/MNMT1CNJ64.DTL&feed=rss.news

Wyoming - Debate Centers on Water Project (Fort Collins Coloradan, CO)

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100401/NEWS01/4010338/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/Debate-centers-on-water-project

Alaska – Smelt: Endangered Elsewhere, Bountiful Here (Anchorage Press, AK)

http://www.anchoragepress.com/articles/2010/03/31/news/doc4bb3e44da6be2132480441.txt

For Tradition-Rich Halibut Fisherman, the Future Looks Prosperous (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011494392_halibut1m.html?syndication=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Biomass Energy Developer ADAGE to Hold Shelton-Area Open Houses Next Week (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1759-adage-to-hold-open-houses-next-week

Nippon Paper Gets $2 Million in State Funding for $60 Million Port Angeles Biomass Boiler (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100401/news/304019991

State Cites REC Silicon of Moses Lake for Safety Violations (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/03/31/news/doc4bb3b0661292d612142487.txt

Methane at Anchorage Landfill May Produce Electricity for 2,500 Homes (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/31/1207241/methane-at-landfill-to-produce.html

Massachusetts - Cape Winds Taps Siemens for Turbines (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/03/31/financial/f114702D78.DTL&feed=rss.business

After Cape Wind, Deep Challenges for Offshore Wind (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20001369-54.html

Knob Hill Wind Farm - BC Hydro Offers 20-Year Electricity Purchase Agreement (Your Renewable News)

http://www.yourrenewablenews.com/knob+hill+wind+farm+-+bc+hydro+offers+20-year+electricity+purchase+agreement_47476.html

Transmission Stalls European Offshore Wind Power (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/04/transmission-stalls-european-offshore-wind-power?cmpid=rss

British Columbia - Metro Vancouver’s Garbage Incineration Plan Under Fire (Straight.Com)

http://www.straight.com/article-300715/vancouver/garbage-incineration-plan-under-fire

Florida - Power Going out on Incinerator Deal for City, Tampa Electric (Tampa Tribune, FL)

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/apr/01/na-power-going-out-on-incinerator-deal-for-city-ta/news-breaking/

United Kingdom - Government Kicks off Green Energy Catch-Up Plan (Reuters)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLNE63004720100401

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Efficiency Gains & Losses - When I reduce my home’s energy costs, who should reap the benefit? (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2249412/?from=rss

Duke Energy Offers Coupons for Lighting (Charlotte Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/03/29/daily41.html

Florida - Customers Could Pay Extra as More People Conserve Energy (Palm Beach Post, FL)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/fpl-customers-could-pay-extra-as-more-people-496031.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

White House: “Cap & Trade” is Out (CBS News)

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20001508-503544.html

Economists Warn Against Setting Price for Carbon Too Low (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=130809

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Microsoft Responds to Greenpeace Data Center Concerns (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/200221.asp

Reprise – Glass Houses & Stones - Greenpeace Loses Round Two in Tiff with Facebook (GreenBiz)

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2010/03/09/greenpeace-loses-round-two-tiff-facebook

Greenpeace’s Hosting: Not ‘Truly Green’ (Data Center Knowledge)

http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2010/03/03/greenpeaces-hosting-not-truly-green/

Pepco Is Apparent Target of Greenwash Guerrillas’ Hoax (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/01/AR2010040101686.html?wprss=rss_business

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Mason PUD 3 Applying for Grant to Bring Fiber Optics to Harstine Island (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1761-pud-3-applying-for-grant-to-bring-fiber-optics-to-harstine-island

FCC Begins Rollout of National Broadband Policies - Roll up your sleeves; now the hard work begins (Washington Post)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/03/fcc_begins_rollout_of_national.html

TV Broadcasters Battle to Keep Airwaves from Smartphones (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011494111_spectrum01.html?syndication=rss

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Senators Murray, Cantwell to Obama: Get Going on the Tanker! (Puget Sound Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/03/29/daily23.html

Oops! RAF Tanker Request Didn’t Envision Flying in War Zones (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/aerospace/archives/200194.asp?source=pimail

Seattle Times Editorial - Team Dino & the 2010 Senate Race

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/edcetera/2011493464_team_dino_and_the_2010_senate.html?syndication=rss

Policy Adviser Leaving Gov. Gregoire Cabinet (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011495450_apwagregoirecabinet.html?syndication=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Powerful Storm Expected to Hit on Friday (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/weather/23024512/detail.html

Spring Storm Has Enough Punch to Knock Down Trees, Darken Lights (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Spring-Storm-Has-Enough-Punch-to-Knock-D=1&blockID=208289&feedID=410

Two Suspected of Murdering Man Found in Capitol State Forest (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/01/1191567/2-suspected-of-mans-murder.html

Conviction in Centralia Credit Union Robbery Case (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011498968_apwacreditunionshooting.html?syndication=rss

Port of Shelton Exploring Eliminating Commission Districts (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1760-port-of-shelton-exploring-eliminating-commission-districts

Former North Mason Superintendent Marie Pickel Dies at Age 70 (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/mar/31/former-north-mason-super-marie-pickel-dies-at-70/?partner=RSS

Gregoire’s Plan to Close Clark County Prison Is Put on Hold (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011494139_larch01.html?syndication=rss

Outpouring of Support for Marine’s Dad Suing Funeral Protesters (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011494270_funeral01.html?syndication=rss

Asparagus Industry Facing Tough Times (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12238055

DIVERSIONS

Why does Google say Topeka? Five top corporate pranks for April Fools’ Day

http://www.csmonitor.com/Money/new-economy/2010/0401/Why-does-Google-say-Topeka-Five-top-corporate-pranks-for-April-Fools-Day

Laughter No Joke to Scientists - It’s Serious

http://www.kirotv.com/health/23014014/detail.html

Billionaire Uncorks New Lawsuit over Rare Wine

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011488864_apuswineprobe.html?syndication=rss

Protesters Want Ronald McDonald to Retire - Groups Say He’s Making Childhood Obesity Worse

http://www.kirotv.com/news/23023306/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Bee Gees - I Started a Joke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhZ1TKdV9pA