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.
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The news digest is also available at the following web site: http://www.energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Citing BPA Wholesale Rates - Forest Grove Electric Rates to Rise in January
- Grays Harbor PUD Rate Hike to Help Maintain System
- Jefferson PUD to Interview Six Hopefuls for Vacant Jefferson County Seat
- Contract Security At Columbia River Army Corps’ Dams Comes to an End
- BPA Seeks Public’s Help in Washington Wire Theft
- Op/Ed - Seek Win-Win Plans for Bainbridge Island Power Needs
- California – Pacific Gas & Electric Raising Electricity Rates 2.9%
- Op/Ed - The Oh Decade: California's electricity crisis stung – but made us stronger
- Pennsylvania - Power Deregulation to Begin in PPL Territory
- Tennessee Valley Authority Power Plant in Rogersville Hit by Fire
- Over Coal Mining - Hopi, Navajos Say Environmentalists Not Welcome
- Editorial - Coal Plant Air Permit Is Another Answer in a Necessary, Continuing Debate
- West Virginia-Maryland - Two-State Power Line Is Put Off
- No more power lines? Buried super-cooled electrical cables may replace towering transmission lines
- Don't Overlook Utility Bill Payment Aid Programs
- 2009 a Good Year for State Salmon Runs
- Editorial - Coho Comeback: From the Pacific Ocean to Wenatchee
- Tim Weaver, Yakama Tribes' Salmon Champion, Says His Goodbyes
- Fight Against Asian Carp Threatens Fragile Great Lakes Unity
- Pacific Northwest Snowpack Good, Not Great
- Idaho Lawmakers Wade Into Lake Pend Oreille’s Winter Pool Issue
- Idaho - Minidoka Dam: Burley Irrigation District Asking Voters for $7.9M for Repair of Spillway
- Editorial - EPA Outlines Consequences for Inaction On Chesapeake Bay Clean Up
- Independent Scientific Review Confirms Pacific County Wind Project Safe for Marbled Murrelet
- Snohomish County PUD Testifies On Tidal Power
- Vancouver, WA - Wind-Tech Program Certifies Its First Grads
- Solar Showdown in California Tortoises' Desert Home
- Renewable Energy Projects Will Get Swift U.S. Permitting
- Colorado - Boulder Looks to Replace Aging Hydroelectric Turbine
- Editorial - Biomass Power Isn’t Just a Western Massachusetts Issue
- Sun, Wind & Wave-Powered: Europe Unites to Build Renewable Energy 'Supergrid'
- For Biodiesel Industry, It's Been a Rough Year
- New Program to Offer Rebates On Energy-Efficient Appliances
- PSE&G Offers Energy-Saving Tips to Help Small Business Owners Control Energy Costs
- PSE&G Heating Tips: Control Energy Costs - Have a Warm, Safe Winter
- Fault Lines Remain After Climate Talks
- Editorial - What’s a Tree Worth
- Environmental Group Praises Westside Congressional Members, Buries Eastern Republicans
- How Green Is My Campus? Colleges Woo Students With Environmental
- Ecoconsumer: Will 2010 Be a Greener Year?
- AT&T Asks FCC to Set Date to Scrap Old Phone System
- Nebraska - Small Towns Get Big Data Pipeline
- FCC Moves Toward Net Neutrality Rules
- Microsoft Looks to Fight OpenOffice
- Juvenile Suspect Jailed in Shelton Teen's Stabbing
- Anti-Harassment Order Slapped on Belfair Water District Activist
- City of Shelton Cuts Back On Hours for Services
- Proposed Washington State Law Would Make Cell-Phone Use in Car Primary Offense
- Exemption Clouds Oregon Cell Phone
- Nearly One in Five People in Washington Work for Government
- Aberdeen City Council Rekindles EDC Debate
- Congress Considers Hitting Mute On Loud TV Ads
WORD OF THE DAY
Beatific • \bee-uh-TIFF-ik\ • adjective - 1: of, possessing, or imparting a state of utmost bliss *2: having a blissful appearance
Nigel was the absolute picture of contentment. He sat in rapt concentration, looking out his Seattle window at the constantly changing weather with a beatific expression framing his long, thin face. Unbeknownst to his colleagues, Nigel was the new-age embodiment of Freyr, the Norse god of weather and fertility. It was he who created the phrase, “if you don’t like the weather, wait around for five minutes…”
WEATHER
Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Citing BPA Wholesale Rates - Forest Grove Electric Rates to Rise in January (Forest Grove News Times, OR)
Grays Harbor PUD Rate Hike to Help Maintain System (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
Jefferson PUD to Interview Six Hopefuls for Vacant Jefferson County Seat (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Contract Security At Columbia River Army Corps’ Dams Comes to an End (Wenatchee World, WA)
BPA Seeks Public’s Help in Washington Wire Theft - Reward offered for information in latest substation break-in (Bonneville Power Administration)
Kitsap Sun Op/Ed - Seek Win-Win Plans for Bainbridge Island Power Needs
California – Pacific Gas & Electric Raising Electricity Rates 2.9% (SF Chronicle)
Sacramento Bee Op/Ed - The Oh Decade: California's electricity crisis stung – but made us stronger
Pennsylvania - Power Deregulation to Begin in PPL Territory (Philadelphia Inquirer, PA)
Tennessee Valley Authority Power Plant in Rogersville Hit by Fire (Johnson City Press, TN)
Over Coal Mining - Hopi, Navajos Say Environmentalists Not Welcome (Associated Press)
Michigan: Saginaw News Editorial - Coal Plant Air Permit Is Another Answer in a Necessary, Continuing Debate
West Virginia-Maryland - Two-State Power Line Is Put Off (Wall Street Journal)
No more power lines? Buried super-cooled electrical cables may replace towering transmission lines & carry solar & wind energy efficiently over long distances (Christian Science Monitor)
Don't Overlook Utility Bill Payment Aid Programs (Los Angeles Times)
FISH & WILDLIFE
2009 a Good Year for State Salmon Runs (Wenatchee World, WA)
Columbian Editorial - Coho Comeback: From the Pacific Ocean to Wenatchee, a remarkable success story unfolded in 2009
Tim Weaver, Yakama Tribes' Salmon Champion, Says His Goodbyes (Oregonian, Portland)
Fight Against Asian Carp Threatens Fragile Great Lakes Unity (NY Times)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Pacific Northwest Snowpack Good, Not Great (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Idaho Lawmakers Wade Into Lake Pend Oreille’s Winter Pool Issue - The chorus of voices calling for further study of a Bonneville Power Administration proposal…is growing (Bonner County Daily Bee, Sandpoint, ID)
Idaho - Minidoka Dam: Burley Irrigation District Asking Voters for $7.9M for Repair of Spillway (Magic Valley Times-News, Twin Falls, ID)
Washington Post Editorial - EPA Outlines Consequences for Inaction On Chesapeake Bay Clean Up
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Independent Scientific Review Confirms Pacific County Wind Project Safe for Marbled Murrelet (Mason County PUD No. 3)
Snohomish County PUD Testifies On Tidal Power (Snohomish County Business Journal, WA)
Vancouver, WA - Wind-Tech Program Certifies Its First Grads (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
Solar Showdown in California Tortoises' Desert Home (SF Chronicle)
Renewable Energy Projects Will Get Swift U.S. Permitting (Oregonian, Portland)
Colorado - Boulder Looks to Replace Aging Hydroelectric Turbine: Debate over who should get carbon credits expected this spring Colorado Daily, Boulder, CO)
Patriot-Ledger Editorial - Biomass Power Isn’t Just a Western Massachusetts Issue “…The burning question: to what extent should power plants that rely on forest wood be considered renewable-energy projects?…”
Sun, Wind & Wave-Powered: Europe Unites to Build Renewable Energy 'Supergrid' (Times of London, UK)
For Biodiesel Industry, It's Been a Rough Year (Associated Press)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
New Program to Offer Rebates On Energy-Efficient Appliances (Associated Press)
PSE&G Offers Energy-Saving Tips to Help Small Business Owners Control Energy Costs (PR Newswire)
PSE&G Heating Tips: Control Energy Costs - Have a Warm, Safe Winter (PR Newswire)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Fault Lines Remain After Climate Talks (NY Times)
Baker City Herald Editorial - What’s a tree worth? Carbon credits could make the Northwest timber industry’s current woes seem like a minor inconvenience
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Environmental Group Praises Westside Congressional Members, Buries Eastern Republicans (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
How Green Is My Campus? Colleges Woo Students With Environmental Initiatives (Seattle Times)
Ecoconsumer: Will 2010 Be a Greener Year? (Seattle Times)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
AT&T Asks FCC to Set Date to Scrap Old Phone System (Reuters)
Nebraska - Small Towns Get Big Data Pipeline (McCook Daily Gazette, NE)
FCC Moves Toward Net Neutrality Rules (SF Chronicle)
Microsoft Looks to Fight OpenOffice (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
GENERAL NEWS
Juvenile Suspect Jailed in Shelton Teen's Stabbing (Olympian, WA)
Anti-Harassment Order Slapped on Belfair Water District Activist (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
City of Shelton Cuts Back On Hours for Services (The Olympian)
Proposed Washington State Law Would Make Cell-Phone Use in Car Primary Offense (KING-TV, Seattle)
Exemption Clouds Oregon Cell Phone Law - Taxi, tow truck, delivery drivers get break (Associated Press)
Nearly One in Five People in Washington Work for Government (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Aberdeen City Council Rekindles EDC Debate (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
Congress Considers Hitting Mute On Loud TV Ads (Nat’l Public Radio)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Rescued Goats Munch On Recycled Christmas Trees
Peacocks become a colorful problem in Florida
Driver Passed Out At Gas Pump As Meth Cooked in the Back Seat
Vancouver Woman Accused of Car Wash Scam (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Chicago – Beginnings
