Energy News Digest for June 8, 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

Puget Sound Energy, Jefferson County PUD Agreement to Move Electric Works Likely This Week (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100608/news/306089989/pse-jefferson-county-pud-agreement-to-move-electric-works-likely

Sea Lions in Mass Die-Off – Carcasses washing up on California coast (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_15227406?source=rss

First Day of Mason County Filing Nets 20 Candidates in 11 Local Races (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2359-first-day-of-filing-nets-20-candidates-in-11-local-races

Western Climate Initiative - US, Canadian Carbon Market Faces Scaled-Back Start (Bloomberg News)

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-07/western-u-s-canadian-carbon-market-faces-scaled-back-start.html

Solar Panels could be a Threat to Aquatic Insects - Insects fall into ‘ecological trap’ by mistaking panels for pools of water (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/06/solar-panels-threat-aquatic-insects

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Puget Sound Energy, Jefferson County PUD Agreement to Move Electric Works Likely

·         One Dead After Natural Gas Line Explodes in Texas

·         Spokane - Blown Fuse Left Nearly 6,000 without Power Early Today

·         Denver Power Substation Explosion Causes Blackouts

·         Planned Power Outage for Hillcrest Area Today

·         San Francisco Rushes to Complete Power Pact before Vote

·         Alaska - Sitka Looking to Hydro Boost for Economic Development

·         Pumped Hydro & New Energy

·         Leaky Pipes - An Old Nuclear Problem Creeps Back

·         Vote on New Wyoming Fracking Rules for Oil & Gas Wells Planned Tuesday

·         Sea Lions in Mass Die-Off – Carcasses washing up on California coast

·         Federal Agency Ups Protection on Caviar Producing Fish

·         Lake Erie Water Snakes Grow in Numbers, Help Ecosystem

·         Drought, Drought, Gone Away With New Water Forecast

·         Reclaimed Olympia Wastewater Water ... For a Price

·         Should Off-Grid (Meaning Wastewater System) Buildings Still Pay for Services?

·         Environmental Protection Agency Rejects Oregon’s Water Quality Standards

·         Clallam County PUD OKs $38,000 More for Radar Ridge Wind Project

·         Ellensburg - (Solar) Power to the People; City brings renewable energy to the little guy

·         Solar Panels Could be a Threat to Aquatic Insects

·         Limbo Land: Brownfields for Green Energy

·         Nevada - NV Energy Hopeful Waste Wood Will Become an Energy Source

·         Southwest States Expected to Share Renewable Power

·         Canada - Ottawa’s Ensyn Technologies Lands $80M Biomass Alberta Forestry Deal

·         When Out to Dinner, Don’t Count the Watts

·         A New Twist on the ‘Smart’ Window

·         Ohio - LED Traffic Lights May Not be as Safe as Expected

·         Western Climate Initiative - US, Canadian Carbon Market Faces Scaled-Back Start

·         New Mexico High Court to Hear Arguments in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Case

·         Alaska Senator Murkowski Seeks to Rein in EPA Regulation

·         Increased Heat Waves from Climate Change a ‘Public Health Disaster,’

·         UN Climate Chief Doesn’t Expect Key Goals by 2020

·         Do Green Building Standards Minimize Human Health Concerns?

·         Federal Trade Commission to Toughen Anti-Greenwashing Rules

·         Using Star Power for a Clean-Energy Future

·         FCC Starts Spectrum Scavenging Effort

·         EPA Launches Energy Star for Data Centers

·         First Day of Mason County Filing Nets 20 Candidates in 11 Local Races

·         Aberdeen Councilman & Aberdeen Deputy Chief Battle for Open Grays Harbor PUD Commission Seat

·         All Four-Year County Offices Except for 2 Up for Grabs in Clallam County

·         Jefferson County Candidates File Papers

·         Rossi Gains Edge over Murray in Updated Poll

·         Lost Mount Rainier Climber an Olympia Man

·         Port of Shelton Commission Comes Down on Commissioner Miles

·         Mason County’s 10.3 Percent Jobless Rate Highest in Seattle Area

·         Cop Killer Case against Latanya Clemmons Now in Hands of the Jury

·         Wireless Options for Drivers as Washington’s Cell Phone Law Nears

·         Lightning Kills Tennessee Woman Before Fiancé Proposed

·         North California County Worker Dies in Wood Chipper Accident

·         White Pass Ski Area Expansion; 20 Years of Anticipation

·         Why Your Next Printer Will Have an Email Address

WORD OF THE DAY

Obsequious • \ub-SEE-kwee-uss\ • - Marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness

For about two minutes the attentiveness of the hovering waiter was a welcome break from the snooty staff at the nearby high-toned restaurant. After that, the cloying attention rapidly descended into an obsequious display that resulted in a declining tip; in an inverse relation to the time that the waiter kept asking if there was “anything you folks need?”

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

Puget Sound Energy, Jefferson County PUD Agreement to Move Electric Works Likely This Week (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100608/news/306089989/pse-jefferson-county-pud-agreement-to-move-electric-works-likely

One Dead After Natural Gas Line Explodes in Texas – Communications workers reportedly hit a gas line while digging (Associated Press)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-06-07-texas-oil-explosion_N.htm?csp=34news

Spokane - Blown Fuse Left Nearly 6,000 without Power Early Today (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jun/08/blown-fuse-left-nearly-6000-without-power-early-to/

Denver Power Substation Explosion Causes Blackouts (Associated Press)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5huoZIofeoeDy9BRcM-YsnuapMPZwD9G7338G2

Planned Power Outage for Hillcrest Area Today (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2357-planned-power-outage-for-hillcrest-area-today-tuesday

San Francisco Rushes to Complete Power Pact before Vote (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/08/BAT01DRBE0.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

Alaska - Sitka Looking to Hydro Boost for Economic Development (Alaska Journal of Commerce)

http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/060410/loc_img4_001.shtml

Pumped Hydro & New Energy (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2010/06/pumped-hydro-and-new-energy

Leaky Pipes - An Old Nuclear Problem Creeps Back (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/an-old-nuclear-problem-creeps-back/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Vote on New Wyoming Fracking Rules for Oil & Gas Wells Planned Tuesday - New rules that would require energy companies to disclose the chemicals used in a process that increases the productivity of oil & gas wells (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012054707_apwyoilgasrules.html?syndication=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sea Lions in Mass Die-Off – Carcasses washing up on California coast (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_15227406?source=rss

Federal Agency Ups Protection on Caviar Producing Fish (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/07/27885.htm

Lake Erie Water Snakes Grow in Numbers, Help Ecosystem (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2010-06-07-Watersnake07_st_N.htm?csp=34tech

Look Familiar? Pee-Wee Herman & Snakes Flipbook (YouTube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRNXMp3UexY

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Drought, Drought, Gone Away With New Water Forecast (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/06/07/drought-drought-gone-away-with-new-water-forecast

Reclaimed Olympia Wastewater Water ... For a Price - Cost went up 64 percent over original bid (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/06/08/1264037/reclaimed-water-for-a-price.html

Should Off-Grid (Meaning Wastewater System) Buildings Still Pay for Services? (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012052508_apwaoffgridbuildings.html?syndication=rss

Environmental Protection Agency Rejects Oregon’s Water Quality Standards (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/7529-epa-rejects-oregons-water-quality-standards/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Clallam County PUD OKs $38,000 More for Radar Ridge Wind Project (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100608/news/306089986/clallam-county-pud-oks-38000-more-for-wind-project

Ellensburg - (Solar) Power to the People; City brings renewable energy to the little guy (Grist Magazine)

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-06-02-city-brings-renewable-energy-to-the-little-guy/

Solar Panels Could be a Threat to Aquatic Insects - Insects fall into ‘ecological trap’ by mistaking panels for pools of water (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/06/solar-panels-threat-aquatic-insects

Limbo Land: Brownfields for Green Energy: Renewable energy projects planned for contaminated lands (High Country News)

http://www.hcn.org/issues/42.10/limbo-land?utm_source=AllTodaysNewsRSS

Nevada - NV Energy Hopeful Waste Wood Will Become an Energy Source (Las Vegas Sun, NV)

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jun/08/will-wood-burn-plant/

Southwest States Expected to Share Renewable Power (Phoenix Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2010/06/07/story2.html

Canada - Ottawa’s Ensyn Technologies Lands $80M Alberta Forestry Deal - Plant will generate electricity from sawdust & other wood waste at a sawmill in Alberta (The Ottawa Citizen)

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Ottawa+Ensyn+Technologies+lands+Alberta+forestry+deal/3122604/story.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

When Out to Dinner, Don’t Count the Watts (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/nyregion/08bulb.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

A New Twist on the ‘Smart’ Window (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/a-new-twist-on-the-smart-window/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Ohio - LED Traffic Lights May Not be as Safe as Expected (Dayton Daily News, OH)

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/led-traffic-lights-may-not-be-as-safe-as-expected-751368.html?cxtype=rss_local-news

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Western Climate Initiative - US, Canadian Carbon Market Faces Scaled-Back Start (Bloomberg News)

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-07/western-u-s-canadian-carbon-market-faces-scaled-back-start.html

New Mexico High Court to Hear Arguments in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Case (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/06/07/financial/f095007D18.DTL&feed=rss.business

Alaska Senator Murkowski Seeks to Rein in EPA Regulation (Associated Press)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jF8bCLiz2mn97wkL5G5C71VfBlXAD9G6JO7G0

Increased Heat Waves from Climate Change a ‘Public Health Disaster,’ Federal Official Says (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/06/increased_heat_waves_from_clim.html

UN Climate Chief Doesn’t Expect Key Goals by 2020 (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012051867_apunclimate.html?syndication=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Do Green Building Standards Minimize Human Health Concerns? (Scientific American)

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=do-green-building-standards-minimize-health-cooncerns

Federal Trade Commission to Toughen Anti-Greenwashing Rules (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2010/06/ftc_to_toughen_anti-greenwashing_rules.html

Using Star Power for a Clean-Energy Future (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10003654.html?tag=newsletter&tag=nl.e434

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Starts Spectrum Scavenging Effort - National Broadband Plan of finding 300 MHz for wireless broadband (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/06/07/fcc-starts-spectrum-scavenging-effort/

EPA Launches Energy Star for Data Centers (PC World)

http://www.pcworld.com/article/198188/epa_launches_energy_star_for_data_centers.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

First Day of Mason County Filing Nets 20 Candidates in 11 Local Races (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2359-first-day-of-filing-nets-20-candidates-in-11-local-races

Mason County Candidate Filings (Mason County Auditor)

http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/mason/Elections/Pages/CandidateFilings.aspx

Aberdeen Councilman & Aberdeen Deputy Chief Battle for Open Grays Harbor PUD Commission Seat (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2010/06/07/local_news/doc4c0d860d827b1657384292.txt

All Four-Year County Offices Except for 2 Up for Grabs in Clallam County (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100608/NEWS/306089991/all-4-year-county-offices-except-for-2-up-for-grabs-in-clallam-county

Jefferson County Candidates File Papers (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100608/news/306089992/jefferson-county-candidates-file-papers

Rossi Gains Edge over Murray in Updated Poll (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2012051906_rossigainsedgeovermurrayinupdatedpoll.html?syndication=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Lost Mount Rainier Climber an Olympia Man (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012056843_apwarainieravalanche.html?syndication=rss

Port of Shelton Commission Comes Down on Commissioner Miles (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2361-port-of-shelton-commission-comes-down-on-commissioner-miles

Mason County’s 10.3 Percent Jobless Rate Highest in Seattle Area (Puget Sound Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/06/07/daily5.html

Cop Killer Case against Latanya Clemmons Now in Hands of the Jury (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/07/1217096/case-against-latanya-clemmonsbrnow.html

Wireless Options for Drivers as Washington’s Cell Phone Law Nears (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Wireless-options-for-drivers-as-Washingtons-cell-phone-law-nears-95863359.html

Lightning Kills Tennessee Woman Before Fiancé Proposed (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012055224_apuslightningstrikeengagement.html?syndication=rss

North California County Worker Dies in Wood Chipper Accident (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/06/07/state/n154358D62.DTL&feed=rss.news

White Pass Ski Area Expansion; 20 Years of Anticipation (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12610235

Why Your Next Printer Will Have an Email Address (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/06/07/why-your-next-printer-will-have-an%C2%A0email%C2%A0address/

DIVERSIONS

San Bernardino Mother Uses Facebook to Find Missing Daughter, Son

http://www.sbsun.com/ci_15221943

$25,000 for Bad Dates, Disappointed Man Says

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/08/27890.htm

Washington State’s High Court to Decide if Honking Horn Is Protected Speech - Case of woman arrested for honking goes to state Supreme Court today

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100608/NEWS01/706089915/-1/RSS02

Why Did Chicken Cross Road? Maybe to Obey Nevada Law

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2012055704_apusoddnevadasenatechickensuits.html?syndication=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood - Crossroads

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMR_3BJCmh8