Friday, April 30, 2010

Energy News Digest for April 30, 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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

BPA Defends Need for New Line in Southwest Washington (Associated Press)

Oil from Spill Is Reported to Have Reached the Coast (NY Times)

Pikeminnow Aren’t Only Good-Looking, They’re Valuable (Longview Daily News, WA)

Missing McCleary Girl’s Investigation Stepped Up - Reward Now $25,000 (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Former Shelton Police Officer Announces Candidacy for Mason County Commissioner (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         BPA Defends Need for New Line in Southwest Washington
·         Oil from Spill Is Reported to Have Reached the Coast
·         Possible Political Fall out from US Oil Spill
·         Natural Gas Prices Tumble with Growing Supplies
·         Virginia - Utility to Kick in $27.5 Million to Avoid ‘Rate Shock’
·         Idaho - Salmon River Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting Updates Members on Electric Power Delivery
·         Picture Gallery - Franklin PUD’s Solar Concert
·         Study Says ‘Clean Coal’ Plants Would Create Thousands of Jobs in Illinois
·         Nuclear Industry to Hire for Growth, Retirements
·         Areva to Work on California Nuclear Plant
·         Montenegrins Storm Aluminum Factory over Layoffs
·         May is National Electrical Safety Month
·         Pikeminnow Aren’t Only Good-Looking, They’re Valuable
·         Fishing Report: Still Plenty of Spots to Catch Spring Chinook
·         Judge Sets Aside Washington State Standards for Salmon Farms
·         New Catch Rules to Shake Up New England Fishing Industry
·         Judge Rebuffs Initial Sage Grouse Lawsuit
·         EPA Launches Web Site Listing Water Polluters
·         Report: Wood, Wind Could Help Meet Rural Alaska Energy Needs
·         Michigan - Traverse City Utility Takes Another Step Toward Wood-Based Power
·         Wisconsin - Environmentalists Criticize Energy Bill over Trash Burning
·         Massachusetts Treasurer Says Cape Wind Is ‘Not the Real Solution’ to State’s Energy Needs
·         New York Wind Farm Still Hasn’t Made $6.7 Million Payment in Lieu of Taxes
·         Iowa - Alliant Official Says Wind Energy Is Not Cheaper
·         Baltimore Sun Columnist - Wind Energy Still Expensive, Relatively Rare
·         Answer to High Electric Bills Could be Blowing in the Wind
·         NY Times Op/Ed - American Power Act
·         Includes Energy Efficiency Money - State Makes Good on Money for Port Angeles Mill
·         Global Warming: A Market Proposal Even Libertarians Would Love
·         The Dark Side of Cloud Computing: Soaring Carbon Emissions
·         Greenpeace Lauds Cisco on Climate, Chides Google
·         Want to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint? Move to San Francisco
·         No “Grid Lock” Expected from Electric Transportation
·         Hybrids & Plug-Ins: Cleaner? Yes. Cheaper? Depends.
·         Stimulus Money Helps Bring Car Battery Maker to Portland
·         Alleys Could be Seattle’s “Green Lungs”
·         Visualizing CO2: Making Emissions Tangible to Change Behavior
·         Vermont Ponders More Monitoring of Worker Web Surfing
·         People Start to Realize the National Broadband Plan Has a Broadband Tax
·         Why Your (Renewable Energy) Organization Should be Blogging
·         Former Shelton Police Officer Announces Candidacy for Mason County Commissioner
·         Americans Connecting With Government Online, Pew Finds
·         Missing McCleary Girl’s Investigation Stepped Up - Reward Now $25,000
·         Census Workers to Begin Ringing Doorbells Saturday
·         Taxable Retail Sales Down in Mason County Last Year
·         Your Personal Biomass Project - New $1 Cigarette Tax Starts Tomorrow in Washington
·         Volunteers, Parents Turned Away from School Beautification Project
·         Harley-Davidson May Leave Wisconsin if Costs Don’t Fall
·         Math Error Blamed – California Health Insurance Firm Withdraws Rate Increase Request
·         NASA: Some of Moon’s Craters May be Electrified

WORD OF THE DAY

Spelunker • \spih-LUNK-er\ • noun - One who makes a hobby of exploring & studying caves

Kevin imagined himself a famous spelunker…braving spiders & other mysterious creatures underneath the historic Matlock home as he conducted another free energy audit.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

BPA Defends Need for New Line in Southwest Washington (Associated Press)

Oil from Spill Is Reported to Have Reached the Coast (NY Times)

Possible Political Fall out from US Oil Spill - Spill in the Gulf of Mexico could undermine support for offshore drilling (Reuters – Golly, “understated headline of the day” department)

Natural Gas Prices Tumble with Growing Supplies (Associated Press)

Virginia - Utility to Kick in $27.5 Million to Avoid ‘Rate Shock’ (North Virginia Daily, Strasberg, VA)

Idaho - Salmon River Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting Updates Members on Electric Power Delivery (Challis Messenger, ID)

Picture Gallery - Franklin PUD’s Solar Concert (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Study Says ‘Clean Coal’ Plants Would Create Thousands of Jobs in Illinois (Carbondale Southern, IL)

Nuclear Industry to Hire for Growth, Retirements (Associated Press)

Areva to Work on California Nuclear Plant (The Electricity Forum)

Montenegrins Storm Aluminum Factory over Layoffs (Bloomberg News)

May is National Electrical Safety Month (Electric Energy Online)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pikeminnow Aren’t Only Good-Looking, They’re Valuable (Longview Daily News, WA)

Fishing Report: Still Plenty of Spots to Catch Spring Chinook (Longview Daily News, WA)

Judge Sets Aside Washington State Standards for Salmon Farms (Associated Press)

New Catch Rules to Shake Up New England Fishing Industry (Associated Press)

Judge Rebuffs Initial Sage Grouse Lawsuit (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

EPA Launches Web Site Listing Water Polluters (Courthouse News Service)

Here’s a link to the website – beware of popup bureaucrats… (Environmental Protection Agency)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Report: Wood, Wind Could Help Meet Rural Alaska Energy Needs (Fairbanks News Miner, AK)

Michigan - Traverse City Utility Takes Another Step Toward Wood-Based Power (Traverse City Messenger, MI)

Wisconsin - Environmentalists Criticize Energy Bill over Trash Burning (Wisconsin State Journal)

Massachusetts Treasurer Says Cape Wind Is ‘Not the Real Solution’ to State’s Energy Needs (Boston Globe, MA)

New York Wind Farm Still Hasn’t Made $6.7 Million Payment in Lieu of Taxes (Watertown Daily Times, NY)

Iowa - Alliant Official Says Wind Energy Is Not Cheaper (The Daily Gate, Keokuk, IA)

Baltimore Sun Columnist - Wind Energy Still Expensive, Relatively Rare

Answer to High Electric Bills Could be Blowing in the Wind (KWTX-TV, Waco Texas – another 25 cents in royalties to Bob Zimmerman)

NY Times Op/Ed - American Power Act

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Includes Energy Efficiency Money - State Makes Good on Money for Port Angeles Mill (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Global Warming: A Market Proposal Even Libertarians Would Love (Christian Science Monitor)

The Dark Side of Cloud Computing: Soaring Carbon Emissions (The Guardian, UK)

Greenpeace Lauds Cisco on Climate, Chides Google (CNET News)

Want to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint? Move to San Francisco (Christian Science Monitor)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

No “Grid Lock” Expected from Electric Transportation (Wenatchee World, WA)

Hybrids & Plug-Ins: Cleaner? Yes. Cheaper? Depends. (Wenatchee World, WA)

Stimulus Money Helps Bring Car Battery Maker to Portland (Oregon Public Radio)

Alleys Could be Seattle’s “Green Lungs” (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Visualizing CO2: Making Emissions Tangible to Change Behavior (Solve Climate)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Vermont Ponders More Monitoring of Worker Web Surfing (Associated Press)

People Start to Realize the National Broadband Plan Has a Broadband Tax (Broadband Reports)

Why Your (Renewable Energy) Organization Should be Blogging (Renewable Energy World)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Former Shelton Police Officer Announces Candidacy for Mason County Commissioner (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Americans Connecting With Government Online, Pew Finds (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Missing McCleary Girl’s Investigation Stepped Up - Reward Now $25,000 (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Census Workers to Begin Ringing Doorbells Saturday (KIRO Radio, Seattle)

Taxable Retail Sales Down in Mason County Last Year (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Your Personal Biomass Project - New $1 Cigarette Tax Starts Tomorrow in Washington (KING-TV, Seattle)

Volunteers, Parents Turned Away from School Beautification Project (KING-TV, Seattle)

Harley-Davidson May Leave Wisconsin if Costs Don’t Fall (Associated Press)

Math Error Blamed – California Health Insurance Firm Withdraws Rate Increase Request (SF Chronicle)

NASA: Some of Moon’s Craters May be Electrified (Christian Science Monitor)

DIVERSIONS

Average Woman Dates 24 Men to Find ‘Mr. Right’

Ex-Fiancé Sues over $17K Engagement Ring

Pack of Raccoons Invade Wisconsin Home

Snopes.Com Says It’s True! Square Watermelons Hit US Markets

SONG OF THE DAY

Gary Lewis & The Playboys - This Diamond Ring