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
TransAlta deal with state attracts criticism - Environmental groups say it doesn’t go far enough (Olympian, WA)
With Numbers Up, Sockeye Season May Hit Columbia (News Tribune, Tacoma , WA
Some Columbia Basin Wells Likely to Go Dry (Yakima Herald Republic
Dueling Views among Audubon Organizations over Radar Ridge Wind Farm (Aberdeen
Mason County Commission Asked Again to Hold ADAGE Advisory Ballot (KMAS Radio, Shelton , WA
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- TransAlta Deal with State Attracts Criticism
- Chelan PUD Financial Plan Approved
- Florida Power & Light FPL faces $70,000 fine over Nuke Plant
- Natural Gas Prices Drop for Third Straight Day
- Editorial - Dumb Decision on Smart Meters
- Pickens: Americans Ready for Ten-Year Energy Plan
- Sockeye Surging
- With Numbers Up, Sockeye Season May Hit
- Federal Agencies Announce Next Three Years of Fish Protection Projects
- Couple ‘Rescues’ Baby Seal, But Does More Harm Than Good
- Chinook Tribe First Salmon Ceremony: Blessings Abound for Sacred Salmon
- Some
- Tri-Cities Irrigation Water is Coming Back On
- Carlsborg Development Hinges on Lawsuit, Sewer System
- Vancouver Island Sewage Treatment -
- Dueling Views among Audubon Organizations over Radar Ridge Wind Farm
· A Murrelet Magician for Radar Ridge?
· Threatened Bird Might Blow Down Radar Ridge Wind Farm
· Mason County Commission
· Port of Shelton
· Massachusetts
· Michigan - Traverse City
· Q-and-A: Woody Biomass, Pros & Cons
· Montana Public Service Commission Won’t Set Wind Project’s Rate
· Pacific Northwesterners Sunny about Alternative Energy
· Editorial – Nevada
· Offshore Embarrassment: Shoddy Parts Trip Up Major North Sea Wind Farm
· Stimulus Funds Pay for Energy-Saving Windows at Kitsap Courthouse
· New Washington Building
· Voters to Decide on California
· Op/Ed - Utilities Can Lead Way
· In (Qualified) Praise of Utility-Only Cap-&-Trade
· Enviro Groups Circulate Memo to Attack Former GOP Climate Ally
· UN Climate Panel Names Authors for Fifth Report
· California
· Data Center
· Editorial - Crowd Celebrates Boom in Data Center
· Energy Star for Data Centers is First Definitive Green Data Center Rating
· FCC Takes Beating over Closed Door Net Neutrality Meeting
· FCC Denies Qwest Application to Deregulate Lines
· Frontier Sues over Google Voice
· Verizon Sued by Wisconsin AG for Billing Non-Verizon Customers
· As Phone Business Shrinks, Phone Companies Consolidate
· Sorry Fiber Fans, I’ve Got Some Bad News
· Editorial - ‘It’s a Great Time to Build Things,’ so Olympia
· Washington
· Op/Ed - Bloviating Aside, The Election Will be Decided by Who Votes
· Nuclear: Department of Energy Contractor Settles Fraud Allegation
· Calling Treasure Hunters of All Ages to Mason County
WORD OF THE DAY
Episodic • \epp-ih-SOD-ick\ • adjective - 1: made up of separate especially loosely connected episodes 2: having the form of an episode 3: of or limited in duration or significance to a particular episode: temporary 4: occurring, appearing, or changing at usually irregular intervals
The clerk of the board was getting fed up with the episodic nature of her commission meetings; especially the behavior of the board president. Just as the board was ready to make a decision, the board chair tended to halt all action; table the motion until the next meeting; and advise all the attendees to return for the final decision “in the next exciting episode of: ‘Commissioners In Action’.” That would account for the repeated minute entry that had to be changed at each meeting from “Commissioners Inaction,” to “Commissioners in Action.”
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
TransAlta Deal with State Attracts Criticism - Environmental groups say it doesn’t go far enough (Olympian, WA)
Chelan PUD Financial Plan Approved (Wenatchee
(The Business Review ofAlbany)
Florida Power & Light FPL faces $70,000 fine over Nuke Plant (South Florida Business Journal)
Natural Gas Prices Drop for Third Straight Day (Associated Press)
Editorial - Dumb Decision on Smart Meters (Baltimore Sun, MD)
Pickens: Americans Ready for Ten-Year Energy Plan (Associated Press)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sockeye Surging (Lewiston
With Numbers Up, Sockeye Season May Hit Columbia (News Tribune, Tacoma , WA
Federal Agencies Announce Next Three Years of Fish Protection Projects (Bonneville Power Administration)
Couple ‘Rescues’ Baby Seal, But Does More Harm Than Good (KING-TV, Seattle
Chinook Tribe First Salmon Ceremony: Blessings Abound for Sacred Salmon (Chinook Observer, Long Beach , WA
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Some Columbia Basin Wells Likely to Go Dry (Yakima Herald Republic
Tri-Cities Irrigation Water is Coming Back On (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Carlsborg Development Hinges on Lawsuit, Sewer System - Clallam PUD won’t go forward with the sewer plans until half the funding is in place (Sequim Gazette , WA
Vancouver Island Sewage Treatment - Esquimalt Councilors ‘Appalled’ by Sewage-Plant Plan (Victoria
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Dueling Views among Audubon Organizations over Radar Ridge Wind Farm (Aberdeen
A Murrelet Magician for Radar Ridge? (Aberdeen
Threatened Bird Might Blow Down Radar Ridge Wind Farm (Chinook Observer, Long Beach , WA
Mason County Commission Asked Again to Hold ADAGE Advisory Ballot (KMAS Radio, Shelton , WA
Q-and-A: Woody Biomass, Pros & Cons (NY Times)
Montana Public Service Commission Won’t Set Wind Project’s Rate (Billings Gazette, MT)
Pacific Northwesterners Sunny about Alternative Energy “…poll shows broad support for expanding the portfolio of the region’s energy sources…it’s a different story when it comes to actually being willing to pay for alternative energy…” (Oregon
Editorial – Nevada : Tell Us about the Unseen Cost of Wind & Solar Power, Too (Las Vegas Review-Journal , NV
Offshore Embarrassment: Shoddy Parts Trip Up Major North Sea Wind Farm (Wind Watch)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Stimulus Funds Pay for Energy-Saving Windows at Kitsap Courthouse (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton , WA
New Washington Building
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Voters to Decide on California Global Warming Law (Seattle
Op/Ed - Utilities Can Lead Way
In (Qualified) Praise of Utility-Only Cap-&-Trade (Council on Foreign Relations)
Enviro Groups Circulate Memo to Attack Former GOP Climate Ally (NY Times)
UN Climate Panel Names Authors for Fifth Report (Associated Press)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Editorial - Crowd Celebrates Boom in Data Center Construction (Wenatchee
Energy Star for Data Centers is First Definitive Green Data Center Rating (Search Data Center
FCC Takes Beating over Closed Door Net Neutrality Meeting (Broadband Reports)
FCC Denies Qwest Application to Deregulate Lines (Phoenix
Frontier Sues over Google Voice (Sacramento
Verizon Sued by Wisconsin AG for Billing Non-Verizon Customers (Broadband Reports)
As Phone Business Shrinks, Phone Companies Consolidate (Oregonian, Portland
Sorry Fiber Fans, I’ve Got Some Bad News (GigaOM)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Editorial - ‘It’s a Great Time to Build Things,’ so Olympia
Op/Ed - Bloviating Aside, The Election Will be Decided by Who Votes (Seattle Times)
GENERAL NEWS
Nuclear: Department of Energy Contractor Settles Fraud Allegation (Tri-City Herald, WA)
Calling Treasure Hunters of All Ages to Mason County (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton , WA
DIVERSIONS
Pork Board Squeals over Imaginary Unicorn Meat
Let the Flame Wars Begin - Cheerleading Expert: It’s Not a Competitive Sport
Saudi to Flog 15 Men, Women for Mingling at Party
Man Fraudulently Claims $33,000 Tie Collection Stolen
SONG OF THE DAY
The Irish Rovers - The Unicorn Song
