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.
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Radar Ridge: Grays Harbor PUD Balks - The PUD will not move forward with the proposed wind energy project in Pacific County
Simpson Co-Generator Project to Make Shelton Operations More Stable (KMAS Radio, Shelton , WA
Dry winter to blame for BC Hydro decision to boost energy imports - Lower reservoirs in Peace & Upper Columbia mean less water available for power generation (Vancouver Sun, BC)
Wenatchee Workers in the Mix - Alcoa, Union to Open Contract Negotiations “…master agreement…will cover about 5,400 union employees at 10 Alcoa plants around the country…” (Quad City
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Dry winter to blame for BC Hydro decision to boost energy imports
· Wenatchee Workers in the Mix - Alcoa, Union to Open Contract Negotiations
· Alcoa Spends $560,000 to Lobby Government in 1Q
· Alcoa, Unions Agree on Investments for Italy
· New Law Means Tax Increase for Grays Harbor Electricity Ratepayers
· Chelan County PUD
· Chelan PUD agrees to pay fine after ‘cyber security’ audit
· New Electricity Grids May be Smart, But Not So Private
· Idaho Power Allowed to Fund Energy Alliance
· Work on Turbines Means Extra Tours
· Customers Rate Clallam PUD High for Service, Courtesy
· Grays Harbor PUD - Timmons to Run for Commissioner’s Position
· California
· Constellation Energy Acquires Texas
· Fishermen Pulling Spring Chinook out of Columbia River in Large Run
· Bellingham
· Crews Fish out Lost Puget Sound Nets to Save Trapped Wildlife
· Our Oysters Travel
· Study Indicates Mass Die-Off of Fish May Have Led to Humans
· Late-Arriving White Stuff Leaves Snow Forecasters Red-Faced
· Whatcom PUD Customer - Intalco Smelter Near Ferndale
· Radar Ridge: Grays Harbor PUD Balks
· Grays Harbor PUD Hoping to Sell Interest in Radar Ridge Wind Project
· Wind Farm Project ‘Kind of in Limbo’ at Clallam PUD
· Chinook Observer Editorial - Are We Willing to Pay Price for Switch to New Energy Sources?
· Puget Sound Energy to Start Construction on Lower Snake River Wind Project
· Simpson Co-Generator Project to Make Shelton
· Biomass Conundrum: Where to Get Cheap Wood Waste
· Small-Scale Biomass Projects Utilize Energy, Heat
· Colorado
· Michigan - Location Still Sought for Traverse City
· Wausau Daily Herald Opinion – State of Wisconsin
· EPA Tailoring Rule Worries Biomass Industry
· A Wood-Fueled Electricity Generating Plant May be in Your Future
· Virginia Governor Sees Fairfax Energy Plant as Example for Future
· Ohio
· Locke Leads Green Energy Trade Mission to China & Indonesia
· Minnesota
· Geothermal Harnesses the Power of the Cave
· Rebate Program Has Montanans Cashing in on Old Appliances
· Georgia Power Conservation Programs Fall Short, Critics Say
· Three Climate Change Reports Call for Setting Price on Carbon Emissions
· Coal-fired Utilities Win More Free Permits in New Carbon Plan
· Carbon to Average $26/t in Early Years of US Emissions Trading System
· One Moos & One Hums, but They Could Help Power Google
· Vandals of Solar Powered Pay Station Cost Olympia
· Gonzalez Gets Award for Finding Way to Turn E. Coli into Biofuel
· FCC Switching ‘Universal Service’ to Broadband
· Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of ‘Must Carry’ Rule
· AT&T: Our Broadband Is Fast Enough
· Longview
· $24 Million Later – World Health Organization Study Has No Clear Answer on Phones & Cancer
· Washington
· Washington State
WORD OF THE DAY
Ineluctable • \in-el-LUCK-tu-bull\ • adjective - Not to be avoided, changed, or resisted: inevitable
Glacier-like in its advance, ineluctable in its arrival, the final episode of “Lost” is on the way.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Dry winter to blame for BC Hydro decision to boost energy imports - Lower reservoirs in Peace & Upper Columbia mean less water available for power generation (Vancouver Sun, BC)
Wenatchee Workers in the Mix - Alcoa, Union to Open Contract Negotiations “…master agreement…will cover about 5,400 union employees at 10 Alcoa plants around the country…” (Quad City
Alcoa Spends $560,000 to Lobby Government in 1Q – “…Areas included hydroelectric generating facilities, power availability from the Bonneville Power Association & the Tennessee Valley
Alcoa, Unions Agree on Investments for Italy Units “…European Commission ordered it to pay back most of the state aid it had received in Italy Italy
New Law Means Tax Increase for Grays Harbor Electricity Ratepayers (Aberdeen
Chelan County PUD Receives High Marks for Transmission System Reliability (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee , WA
Chelan PUD agrees to pay fine after ‘cyber security’ audit (Wenatchee World, WA)
New Electricity Grids May be Smart, But Not So Private (Denver Post, CO)
Work on Turbines Means Extra Tours at Chief Joseph Dam (Wenatchee
Customers Rate Clallam PUD High for Service, Courtesy (Sequim Gazette , WA
Grays Harbor PUD - Timmons to Run for Commissioner’s Position (Aberdeen Daily World WA)
Constellation Energy Acquires Texas Natural Gas Plants for $365 Million (iStock Analyst)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Fishermen Pulling Spring Chinook out of Columbia River in Large Run (News Tribune, Tacoma , WA
Crews Fish out Lost Puget Sound Nets to Save Trapped Wildlife (USA
Our Oysters Travel - Area suppliers of the bivalve might benefit after Gulf farm closures send buyers looking elsewhere
Study Indicates Mass Die-Off of Fish May Have Led to Humans (Spokesman-Review, Spokane , WA
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Late-Arriving White Stuff Leaves Snow Forecasters Red-Faced - Heavy spring snowfall in the mountains has eased most, though not all, worries about snowpack & summer water supply (Crosscut Seattle)
Whatcom PUD Customer - Intalco Smelter Near Ferndale Making Big Cut in Water Use (Bellingham
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Radar Ridge: Grays Harbor PUD Balks - The PUD will not move forward with the proposed wind energy project in Pacific County
Grays Harbor PUD Hoping to Sell Interest in Radar Ridge Wind Project (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen , WA
Wind Farm Project ‘Kind of in Limbo’ at Clallam PUD (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles , WA
Chinook Observer Editorial - Are We Willing to Pay Price for Switch to New Energy Sources? We won’t like everything about wind power, but we need it
Puget Sound Energy to Start Construction on Lower Snake River Wind Project - 343-MW Wind Power Project Near Pomeroy, WA (Marketwatch)
Simpson Co-Generator Project to Make Shelton Operations More Stable (KMAS Radio, Shelton , WA
Biomass Conundrum: Where to Get Cheap Wood Waste (Seattle
Small-Scale Biomass Projects Utilize Energy, Heat (Spokesman Review, Spokane , WA
EPA Tailoring Rule Worries Biomass Industry - does not exempt biomass power producers from greenhouse gas permitting requirements (Biomass Magazine)
A Wood-Fueled Electricity Generating Plant May be in Your Future (Azo materials)
Virginia Governor Sees Fairfax Energy Plant as Example for Future – “…trash-to-energy practice should be expanded in state…” (Fairfax
Locke Leads Green Energy Trade Mission to China & Indonesia
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Geothermal Harnesses the Power of the Cave (Everett
Rebate Program Has Montanans Cashing in on Old Appliances (Great Falls
Georgia Power Conservation Programs Fall Short, Critics Say (Atlanta Journal-Constitution , GA
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Three Climate Change Reports Call for Setting Price on Carbon Emissions (USA
Coal-fired Utilities Win More Free Permits in New Carbon Plan (Bloomberg News)
Carbon to Average $26/t in Early Years of US Emissions Trading System (Marketwire)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
One Moos & One Hums, but They Could Help Power Google (NY Times)
Vandals of Solar Powered Pay Station Cost Olympia
Gonzalez Gets Award for Finding Way to Turn E. Coli into Biofuel (Houston
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
FCC Switching ‘Universal Service’ to Broadband (Courthouse News Service)
Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of ‘Must Carry’ Rule (Broadband Reports)
AT&T: Our Broadband Is Fast Enough - Company remains confident in plan to nurse copper (Broadband Reports)
$24 Million Later – World Health Organization Study Has No Clear Answer on Phones & Cancer (Reuters)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
GENERAL NEWS
DIVERSIONS
Aliens ‘Hijack’ NASA’s Voyager 2 Spacecraft, Claims Expert
Dad Excused from Son’s Giant Phone Bill
The Seven Most Over-Used Journalistic Clichés (Gawker Note: Comment section may include PG-13 language)
Canadian Woman Sues Telephone Company for ‘Exposing’ Her Affair
SONG OF THE DAY
Warren Zevon - Knocking on Heaven’s Door
