Energy News Digest for April 7, 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)

·         BPA Celebrates Olympic Peninsula Line Energization

·         Cowlitz County Commissioner Says County Should be Spared Brunt of BPA Line

·         Hydropower Draws BMW Carbon-Fiber Factory to Washington

·         Hanford Nuclear Power Plant Relicensing Endorsed

·         Mason PUD 3 Calls for Bids to Prepare Site for Operations Facility

·         Alcoa Rides Aluminum Prices to Profit

·         Avista Chooses a Wireless Network for Smart Grid

·         Puget Sound Energy Urges Everyone to Dial 8-1-1 to “Call Before You Dig”

·         Is Clean Coal Energy a Dirty Business?

·         Poll Says Public Supports Energy over Environment

·         Sweden - a Town Says ‘Yes, in Our Backyard’ to Nuclear Site

·         For Nuclear Reactors, Metals That Heal Themselves

·         Strong Geomagnetic Storm Hits Earth Ahead of Forecast

·         Gregoire Stands by Ban on New Wells in Kittitas County

·         Cool Weather, Fresh Round of Snow Ease Local Water Worries

·         Canada - Putting an End to Salmon Wars

·         Canada - Fraser Salmon Inquiry Currently Slow Moving

·         Hood Canal - Dosewallips Tidelands Open for Shellfish Harvests

·         ADAGE to Hold Open Houses in Shelton Wednesday

·         Victoria Mayor Says Energy from Sewage Should be Used for Heating

·         Virginia Governor McDonnell Withdraws from Wind Energy Coalition

·         Plum Creek Joins Biomass Thermal Energy Council as Sustaining Member

·         Is All Biomass Energy Green?

·         Michigan - Startup to Tap River’s Energy

·         Too Green, Too Soon? Renewable Power May Destabilize Electrical Grid

·         Wind Energy Needs Uniform Laws, Group Says

·         PowerSecure Buys Majority Stake in LED Light Company

·         Eco-Friendly Company Helps Businesses See the (LED) Light

·         Construction Starts on Zero-Energy Homes

·         Green Schools in Portland Designed to Catch Students’ Eyes

·         Get Yer Carbon Credits Here! Nevada Tree Plantation to Help Fight Deforestation

·         City of Port Angeles Signs New Fiber Pact

·         Comcast vs FCC: in Battle for Net Neutrality, Did the Courts Hand Comcast a Pyrrhic Victory?

·         A Mini-Tower to Bring You the Signal You’re Already Paying for

·         Thought ‘Official Car’ Made Him Exempt from Toll Fines

·         Spring Storm Headed for Washington

·         Man Charged With Making Death Threats to Senator Murray

·         BMW Is Coming! Construction Starts in June on Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant

·         Grant County Officials React to BMW Parts Plant News

·         Omaha-Based Ag Co-Op Expanding Aberdeen, WA Port Facility

·         Washington State Above Average in Census Form Returns

·         Shades of Joseph Hazelwood - Australia Leader Angry over Chinese Freighter

·         The Green File: New Shelton Fire Station Taking Shape

WORD OF THE DAY

Lenticular • \lenn-TICK-yuh-lerr\ • adjective – 1: having the shape of a double-convex lens 2: of or relating to a lens 3: provided with or utilizing lenticules

“Dude, c’mere and look at these awesome pictures of lenticular clouds,” slurred the meteorology fanboy to his slothful friend. “Man, we should really share these cool pictures with someone,” his friend drawled.

http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1B3GGLL_enUS358US359&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=lenticular+clouds&aq=f&aqi=g3&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&start=0

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

BPA Celebrates Olympic Peninsula Line Energization (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1470

Cowlitz County Commissioner Says County Should be Spared Brunt of BPA Line (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://www.tdn.com/news/local/article_1bec3cf0-4211-11df-bbfa-001cc4c002e0.html

Hydropower Draws BMW Carbon-Fiber Factory to Washington (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011539444_moseslake07.html?syndication=rss

Hanford Nuclear Power Plant Relicensing Endorsed (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12269778

Mason PUD 3 Calls for Bids to Prepare Site for Operations Facility (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1809-pud-3-calls-for-bids-to-prepare-site-for-operations-facility

Alcoa Rides Aluminum Prices to Profit “…more good news (from a certain perspective): …inflation is on the way…that should boost prices for commodities… such as aluminum, & the share prices of their producers…”  (The Street)

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10718649/1/alcoa-rides-aluminum-prices-to-profit.html?puc=_tscrss

Avista Chooses a Wireless Network for Smart Grid (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/apr/07/utility-chooses-a-wireless-network/

Puget Sound Energy Urges Everyone to Dial 8-1-1 to “Call Before You Dig” (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=130942

Is Clean Coal Energy a Dirty Business? (CNN Money)

http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/06/news/companies/duke_energy_jim_rogers.fortune/

Poll Says Public Supports Energy over Environment (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63536B20100406

Sweden - a Town Says ‘Yes, in Our Backyard’ to Nuclear Site (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/world/europe/06sweden.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

For Nuclear Reactors, Metals That Heal Themselves (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/science/06obnuke.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Strong Geomagnetic Storm Hits Earth Ahead of Forecast (Finding Dulcinea)

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/science/2010/april/Strong-Geomagnetic-Storm-Hits-Earth-Ahead-of-Forecast.html

FISH, WATER & WILDLIFE

Gregoire Stands by Ban on New Wells in Kittitas County (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/06/gregoire-stands-by-ban-on-new-wells-in-kittitas-county

Cool Weather, Fresh Round of Snow Ease Local Water Worries (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011539176_snowpack7m.html?syndication=rss

Canada - Putting an End to Salmon Wars (Lake County Calendar, BC)

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/lakecountrycalendar/opinion/90048257.html

Canada - Fraser Salmon Inquiry Currently Slow Moving (Omineca Express, BC)

http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/ominecaexpress/community/89954567.html

Hood Canal - Dosewallips Tidelands Open for Shellfish Harvests (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12265220

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

ADAGE to Hold Open Houses in Shelton Wednesday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1792-adage-to-hold-open-houses-wednesday

Victoria Mayor Says Energy from Sewage Should be Used for Heating (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Victoria+mayor+says+energy+from+sewage+should+used+heating/2767736/story.html

Virginia Governor McDonnell Withdraws from Wind Energy Coalition (Washington Post)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/04/post_665.html

Plum Creek Joins Biomass Thermal Energy Council as Sustaining Member (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/biomass-thermal-energy-council-btec/news/article/2010/04/plum-creek-joins-biomass-thermal-energy-council-as-sustaining-member?cmpid=rss

Is All Biomass Energy Green? (Public News Service)

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/13359-1

Michigan - Startup to Tap River’s Energy - Firm Is Approved to Install Devices in St. Clair River (Port Huron Times-Herald, MI)

http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20100407/NEWS01/4070309/-1/NEWSFRONT2/Startup-to-tap-river-s-energy

Too Green, Too Soon? Renewable Power May Destabilize Electrical Grid (AOL Daily Finance)

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/too-green-too-soon-renewable-power-may-destablize-electrical-g/19426714/

Wind Energy Needs Uniform Laws, Group Says (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100407/BUSINESS/4070350/-1/watchdog/Wind-energy-needs-uniform-laws-group-says

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

PowerSecure Buys Majority Stake in LED Light Company (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011536705_apuspowersecurelighting.html?syndication=rss

Eco-Friendly Company Helps Businesses See the (LED) Light (Minnesota Finance & Commerce)

http://www.finance-commerce.com/article.cfm/2010/04/06/Ecofriendly-company-helps-businesses-see-the-light-Andoverbased-Biclite-leads-the-charge-on-LED-bulb

Construction Starts on Zero-Energy Homes (Issaquah Press, WA)

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2010/04/06/construction-starts-on-zero-energy-homes/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Green Schools in Portland Designed to Catch Students’ Eyes (Water World)

http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/news_display/143365679.html

Get Yer Carbon Credits Here! Nevada Tree Plantation to Help Fight Deforestation (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011536501_apustreeplantationnevada.html?syndication=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

City of Port Angeles Signs New Fiber Pact (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/5656

Comcast vs FCC: in Battle for Net Neutrality, Did the Courts Hand Comcast a Pyrrhic Victory? (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/04/06/did-the-courts-hand-comcast-a-pyrrhic-victory/

A Mini-Tower to Bring You the Signal You’re Already Paying for (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/technology/07cell.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Thought ‘Official Car’ Made Him Exempt - Division Fire Chief Racks Up $26,000 in Toll Fines (Associated Press)

http://www.examiner.com/a-2564347~Division_fire_chief_racks_up__26_000_in_toll_fines.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

GENERAL NEWS

Spring Storm Headed for Washington (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=306676

Man Charged With Making Death Threats to Senator Murray (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/politics/23068816/detail.html

BMW Is Coming! Construction Starts in June on Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/04/07/news/doc4bbc14157b470315581386.txt

Grant County Officials React to BMW Parts Plant News (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/04/07/news/doc4bbc139d67959002580774.txt

Omaha-Based Ag Co-Op Expanding Aberdeen, WA Port Facility (Associated Press)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100407/BIZ/704079786/-1/RSS03

Washington State Above Average in Census Form Returns (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=306541

Shades of Joseph Hazelwood - Australia Leader Angry over Chinese Freighter (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/science/earth/07reef.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

The Green File: New Shelton Fire Station Taking Shape (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/the-green-file/1783-the-green-file-new-shelton-fire-station-taking-shape

DIVERSIONS

Sleeping Passenger Left on Plane at Vancouver International Airport – Wakes up in hangar

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Sleeping+Vancouver+passenger+left+Canada+plane+wakes+hangar/2767564/story.html

Robins Rule in Annual North American Bird Count

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/06/national/a103659D49.DTL&feed=rss.business

SONG OF THE DAY

Sleepwalk - Santo & Johnny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuPElD-o3zQ