Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Energy News Digest for February 9, 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)

•  Hastings embraces a new Hanford Nuclear Plant
•  Light Snowpack Hits BPA Revenue Forecast
•  BC Hydro to Purchase Stake in Waneta Dam Hydro Project
•  BPA & Tri-Cities Area Homeowners Replace Trees
•  Five Killed in Connecticut Power Plant Blast Are Identified
•  Connecticut - Will Energy Plant Explosion Mean Higher Electric Rates?
•  No Offers for Montana’s 1/2-Billion Tons of Coal
•  Coal Ad Blitz Launches New Spot as Industry Sees Political Gains
•  Chávez Declares an ‘Electricity Emergency’ in Venezuela
•  Group Sues US Fish & Wildlife Service to Force Decision on Pygmy Rabbits
•  U.S. Officials Plan $78.5 Million Effort to Keep Dangerous Carp Out of Great Lakes
•  Belfair Sewer Project Going Full Bore, But Only at Night
•  Harvesting Clean Energy Conference in the Tri-Cities
•  Oregon - Parents of Technician Killed in Sherman County Wind-Turbine Collapse File Suit
•  Wyoming Seeks Wind Energy Projects
•  Wyoming - Wind Farm Turns Up Controversy over Displacing Wildlife
•  British Columbia - Secrecy Shrouds Controversial Bailout for ‘Green’ Wind Farm
•  Study Boosts Notion of Offshore Wind Production
•  Despite Millions in Tax Credits, Wind Energy Firms Aren’t Hiring
•  Colorado School District’s Answer to Energy Blowing in the Wind
•  Oregon Bill Would Classify Burning Garbage as Renewable Power
•  Nuclear Power Giant Buys California Solar Firm
•  Pacific Gas & Electric to Attempt Harnessing Power of Pacific Ocean
•  Irish Ocean-Energy Firm Makes Splash with US Deal
•  Con Edison Calls for More Solar Power
•  25% US Renewable Electricity Standard Will Create 274,000 Jobs
•  Canada - TransAlta Aims to Be at Tech Forefront
•  Riding Green Wave, Philips Says “Let There Be LED”
•  Economic Impact of Arctic Melt Could Amount to 2.4 Trillion Dollars by 2050
•  Sea Trash - Should we bother cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
•  Washington State - Proposed Bill Could Help Data Centers
•  FCC Officials Concerned about iPad’s Impact on Wireless Networks
•  Jack in the Box’s Free Wi-Fi Experiment Ended. Did Anyone Notice?
•  Watch Out, Twitter & Facebook. Google Is on Your Heels
•  Comcast Xfinity Rebranding Largely Laughed At
•  Billions on the Line in Washington School Elections
•  Belfair Congressman Norm Dicks Likely New Leader of Defense Spending Panel
•  Parking Petition Submitted to Shelton City Commission
•  Highway 97A - Million Dollar Wildlife Fence in Wrong Place?
•  News Digest Readers are Special - Will You Be E-Mailing This Column? It’s Awesome

WORD OF THE DAY

Enthrall • \in-THRAWL\ • verb - To hold spellbound: charm

Esther sat enthralled in the darkened, cavernous concert hall, her moth agape…her unblinking eyes focused on the orchestra pit. She had never seen anyone play a glockenspiel with the speed and focus shown by the diminutive musician hammering away at the sparkling metal instrument.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Hastings embraces a new Hanford Nuclear Plant – Opposes Snake River dam breaching (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Light Snowpack Hits BPA Revenue Forecast (Associated Press – Good thing there’s a huge reserve for things like this….right?)

BC Hydro to Purchase Stake in Waneta Dam Hydro Project (Renewable Energy World)

Waneta Dam on Wikipedia

BPA & Tri-Cities Area Homeowners Replace Trees Removed from Grandridge Meadows Neighborhood (Bonneville Power Administration)

Five Killed in Connecticut Power Plant Blast Are Identified (Associated Press)

Connecticut - Will Energy Plant Explosion Mean Higher Electric Rates? (Hartford Courant, CT)

No Offers for Montana’s 1/2-Billion Tons of Coal (Associated Press)

Coal Ad Blitz Launches New Spot as Industry Sees Political Gains (NY Times)

Chávez Declares an ‘Electricity Emergency’ in Venezuela (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Group Sues US Fish & Wildlife Service to Force Decision on Pygmy Rabbits (Associated Press)

U.S. Officials Plan $78.5 Million Effort to Keep Dangerous Carp Out of Great Lakes (NY Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Belfair Sewer Project Going Full Bore, But Only at Night (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Harvesting Clean Energy Conference in the Tri-Cities (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Oregon - Parents of Technician Killed in Sherman County Wind-Turbine Collapse File Suit (The Oregonian, Portland)

Wyoming Seeks Wind Energy Projects (Billings Gazette, MT)

Wyoming - Wind Farm Turns Up Controversy over Displacing Wildlife (Associated Press)

British Columbia - Secrecy Shrouds Controversial Bailout for ‘Green’ Wind Farm: BC Hydro mulls more green power and, perhaps, dam-building (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Study Boosts Notion of Offshore Wind Production (Baltimore Sun, MD)

Despite Millions in Tax Credits, Wind Energy Firms Aren’t Hiring (McClatchy Newspapers)

Colorado School District’s Answer to Energy Blowing in the Wind (KDVR-TV, Denver, CO – and another 25 cents for Bob Zimmerman…)

Oregon Bill Would Classify Burning Garbage as Renewable Power (Salem Statesman-Journal, OR)

Nuclear Power Giant Buys California Solar Firm (NY Times)

Pacific Gas & Electric to Attempt Harnessing Power of Pacific Ocean (Woodland Daily Democrat, CA)

Irish Ocean-Energy Firm Makes Splash with US Deal (The Independent, Ireland)

Con Edison Calls for More Solar Power (MarketWire)

25% US Renewable Electricity Standard Will Create 274,000 Jobs (Renewable Energy World)

Canada - TransAlta Aims to Be at Tech Forefront (Calgary Herald, Alberta)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Riding Green Wave, Philips Says “Let There Be LED” (Reuters)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Economic Impact of Arctic Melt Could Amount to 2.4 Trillion Dollars by 2050 (Economic Times of London)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Sea Trash - Should we bother cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? (Slate Magazine)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State - Proposed Bill Could Help Data Centers; Re-Establish Tax Break (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

FCC Officials Concerned about iPad’s Impact on Wireless Networks (Dallas Business Journal)

Jack in the Box’s Free Wi-Fi Experiment Ended. Did Anyone Notice? (Consumerist)

Watch Out, Twitter & Facebook. Google Is on Your Heels - Google could unveil a social media feature for Gmail as soon as this week, the Wall Street Journal is reporting (Christian Science Monitor)

Comcast Xfinity Rebranding Largely Laughed At - Analysts, customers aren’t particularly impressed (Broadband Reports)

GENERAL NEWS

Billions on the Line in Washington School Elections (KING-TV, Seattle)

Mason County Has Several Issues on the Ballot – results will be available after 8 PM here:

Belfair Congressman Norm Dicks Likely New Leader of Defense Spending Panel (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Parking Petition Submitted to Shelton City Commission (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Highway 97A - Million Dollar Wildlife Fence in Wrong Place? (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

News Digest Readers are Special - Will You Be E-Mailing This Column? It’s Awesome (NY Times)

DIVERSIONS

Antarctica - 100-Year-Old Whiskey Found ‘On the Rocks’

Winter Missing in Vancouver as Games Approach

Cows Now Outnumber People in New Zealand

Teen Drives Car into High School, Down Hall

SONG OF THE DAY

Steely Dan – Black Cow