The energy news digest will be on a road trip (woo-hoo!) to southwest Washington tomorrow. It will return, festooned with smoked salmon & smelt on January 20. (I love that fish-skin sweater, is it smelt? – sniff, sniff. It is now!)
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.
Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices: http://twitter.com/energydigest
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Idaho - Nuke Company Execs Fights Back in Federal Court over East Idaho Project (Associated Press)
Environmentalists Fighting Deep Cuts to State Programs (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
State of California’s Power Rates Might Make Electric Cars Costly Choice (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
Biomass Clear of EPA Rules for Now as Agency Defers Action for Three Years for Analysis (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Rents Cause Sticker Shock at New Washington State Data Center in Olympia (Northwest Public Radio)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Idaho - Nuke Company Execs Fights Back in Federal Court over East Idaho Project
· One of Hanford Nuclear Reservation’s Ionic Symbols Is Destroyed
· NRC: Arizona’s Nuke Plant OK for License Renewal
· Montana - Measure Looks to Deter Tiered Energy Rates for Conservation Efforts
· State of California’s Power Rates Might Make Electric Cars Costly Choice
· California - Three People Electrocuted, Die at San Bernardino Home
· Chelan PUD Reserves Set to Climb
· A Busy Week for Hydropower
· Measure Named Northwest Power & Conservation Council Chair for 2011
· Seattle City Light Finds 11 Bad Streetlights in Magnolia, 56 Total
· Oil Flows Again with Reopening of Alaska Pipeline
· Eastbank Fish Hatchery Near Wenatchee Produces ‘Fitter’ Fish & Saves Water
· Spring Chinook Season May Not Last Long into April
· Columbia River Basin Fishermen Reeled in Pikeminnows for Cash
· Fraser Sockeye Study Indicates Salmon Survivorship Can be Predicted Based on Gene Expression
· Environmentalists Fighting Deep Cuts to State Programs
· Modest Snowpack in Canada (So Far) Drops Forecasted Columbia Basin Runoff to Just Below Average
· Troubles with Turbidity - Portland Forced to Switch to Back Up Drinking Water
· Missed Deadlines in Clearing Haze over Parks
· Court Reconsiders Policy on National Environmental Policy Act Suit Interveners
· At Request of Native Tribe - Forest Service Proposes Fuels Reduction Project
· Montana Environmental Group Sues over Green Mountain Wilderness Lookout
· Biomass Clear of EPA Rules for Now as Agency Defers Action for Three Years for Analysis
· Editorial - Boosting Biomass: Last Week’s Ruling from EPA Offers Hope for Developing Projects in Northwest
· Tennessee - Firewood May be Natural, But It’s Not Really Green
· For Idaho, Change is in the Wind - Idaho’s Wind Industry Boomed After the Legislature Created a Tax Incentive
· Bonneville Power Administration Wind-Integration Efforts Include New Cal-ISO Pilot Project
· Ohio - Turbine Plans in Area Spark Disputes Among Neighbors
· Wisconsin - Wind Turbine Debate Gets Physical in Southern Brown County
· Google’s Atlantic Wind Connection Project Hires Engineering Firm
· Colorado - Turbine at Parker School to Teach Lessons
· United Kingdom - Britain Is Becoming Less Windy, Raising Doubts over Government’s Wind Farm Strategy
· Massachusetts Solar Panel Maker Moves Work to China
· Fool’s Gold Catches Eye of Solar Energy Researchers
· Portland’s Indow Windows Brings Thermal Inserts to Market
· New Cowlitz County PUD Guide Details Financial Benefits of Conservation
· Mini Bungalow Is Maxi- Energy Efficient
· Energy Efficiency Proves Unattractive for Policy Makers in Europe
· Summer 2010 Set Northwest Fog Record
· Alaska Native Groups to Sue over Polar Bear Plan
· Melting in Andes Reveals Remains & Wreckage
· Recession Special: Cleaner Air
· Retail Outlets Adding Electric Car Charging Stations
· Redmond Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Now Open
· Try to Avoid Stepping in Eco-Footprint Left by Pets
· Industry: City of Seattle’s Yellow Pages ‘Opt Out’ Law Unconstitutional
· Rents Cause Sticker Shock at New Washington State Data Center in Olympia
· Google Aims at Microsoft with New Gmail Reliability Standards
· Glitches Plague FiOS Television Offer
· Headsets Could Replace Desktop Phones
· Washington State Lawmakers Pressed to Act on Business Tax Cut
· Governor to Change Washington State Community College Plans
· Sheldon Introduces Liquor Privatization Bill
· Washington State Representative Haigh Files Bills to Suspend Class-Size, Teacher-Pay Initiatives
· Feds Threaten to Sue Four States over Secret-Ballot Union Laws
· Bid for Bremerton Prison in South Kitsap Industrial Area Won’t Come without a Fight
· Boeing Again Delays Delivery of 787 Dreamliner
· Fraud Program Recovers $137 Million for Washington State’s L&I
· Another Reason to Read the News Digest - Where News Is Power, a Fight to be Well-Armed
WORD OF THE DAY
Gloaming • \GLOME-ing\ • - Twilight, dusk
“Honey, your eyes glimmer in this gloaming light like two pools of shimmering, liquid mercury,” whispered Dilton to his evening companion. “Oh, Dilton,” she purred. “You say the most romantic things.”
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Idaho - Nuke Company Execs Fights Back in Federal Court over East Idaho Project (Associated Press)
One of Hanford Nuclear Reservation’s Ionic Symbols Is Destroyed (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
NRC: Arizona’s Nuke Plant OK for License Renewal (Associated Press)
Montana - Measure Looks to Deter Tiered Energy Rates for Conservation Efforts (The Missoulian, MT)
State of California’s Power Rates Might Make Electric Cars Costly Choice (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
California - Three People Electrocuted, Die at San Bernardino Home (Associated Press)
Chelan PUD Reserves Set to Climb (Wenatchee World, WA)
A Busy Week for Hydropower (Renewable Energy World)
Measure Named Northwest Power & Conservation Council Chair for 2011 - Wallace Vice-Chair; Oregon’s Bradbury Takes Seat (Columba Basin Bulletin)
Seattle City Light Finds 11 Bad Streetlights in Magnolia, 56 Total (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Oil Flows Again with Reopening of Alaska Pipeline (Associated Press)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Eastbank Fish Hatchery Near Wenatchee Produces ‘Fitter’ Fish & Saves Water (Wenatchee World, WA)
Spring Chinook Season May Not Last Long into April (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Columbia River Basin Fishermen Reeled in Pikeminnows for Cash (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Fraser Sockeye Study Indicates Salmon Survivorship Can be Predicted Based on Gene Expression (Columba Basin Bulletin)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Environmentalists Fighting Deep Cuts to State Programs (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Modest Snowpack in Canada (So Far) Drops Forecasted Columbia Basin Runoff to Just Below Average (Columba Basin Bulletin)
Troubles with Turbidity - Portland Forced to Switch to Back Up Drinking Water (Northwest Cable News Network)
Missed Deadlines in Clearing Haze over Parks (Associated Press)
Court Reconsiders Policy on National Environmental Policy Act Suit Interveners (Courthouse News Service)
At Request of Native Tribe - Forest Service Proposes Fuels Reduction Project (Wenatchee World, WA)
Montana Environmental Group Sues over Green Mountain Wilderness Lookout (Everett Herald, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Biomass Clear of EPA Rules for Now as Agency Defers Action for Three Years for Analysis (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Editorial - Boosting Biomass: Last Week’s Ruling from EPA Offers Hope for Developing Projects in Northwest (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Tennessee - Firewood May be Natural, But It’s Not Really Green: Modern stoves & fireplaces have reduced but still not eliminated smoky pollution (The Tennessean, Nashville)
For Idaho, Change Is in the Wind - Idaho’s Wind Industry Boomed After the Legislature Created a Tax Incentive (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
Bonneville Power Administration Wind-Integration Efforts Include New Cal-ISO Pilot Project (Platts)
Ohio - Turbine Plans in Area Spark Disputes Among Neighbors - The wind industry’s biggest opposition has come from wildlife lovers (Toledo Blade, OH)
Wisconsin - Wind Turbine Debate Gets Physical in Southern Brown County (Green Bay Gazette, WI)
Google’s Atlantic Wind Connection Project Hires Engineering Firm (Electric Light & Power)
Colorado - Turbine at Parker School to Teach Lessons (CBS Denver, Co)
United Kingdom - Britain Is Becoming Less Windy, Raising Doubts over Government’s Wind Farm Strategy (The Telegraph, UK)
Massachusetts Solar Panel Maker Moves Work to China (NY Times “…So long, & thanks for all the subsidies…” with all due deference to Douglas Adams)
Fool’s Gold Catches Eye of Solar Energy Researchers (Los Angeles Times, CA)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Portland’s Indow Windows Brings Thermal Inserts to Market (Oregonian, Portland)
New Cowlitz County PUD Guide Details Financial Benefits of Conservation (Longview Daily News, WA)
Mini Bungalow Is Maxi- Energy Efficient (Seattle Times)
Energy Efficiency Proves Unattractive for Policy Makers in Europe (NY Times)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Summer 2010 Set Northwest Fog Record (Seattle Times)
Alaska Native Groups to Sue over Polar Bear Plan (Associated Press)
Melting in Andes Reveals Remains & Wreckage (NY Times)
Recession Special: Cleaner Air (NY Times)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Retail Outlets Adding Electric Car Charging Stations (USA Today)
Redmond Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Now Open (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
Try to Avoid Stepping in Eco-Footprint Left by Pets (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Industry: City of Seattle’s Yellow Pages ‘Opt Out’ Law Unconstitutional (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Rents Cause Sticker Shock at New Washington State Data Center in Olympia (Northwest Public Radio)
Google Aims at Microsoft with New Gmail Reliability Standards (Puget Sound Business Journal)
Glitches Plague FiOS Television Offer - Customers report continuing problems with a switch to DirecTV (Everett Herald, WA)
Headsets Could Replace Desktop Phones (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State Lawmakers Pressed to Act on Business Tax Cut (Associated Press)
Governor to Change Washington State Community College Plans (Associated Press)
Sheldon Introduces Liquor Privatization Bill (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Washington State Representative Haigh Files Bills to Suspend Class-Size, Teacher-Pay Initiatives (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Feds Threaten to Sue Four States over Secret-Ballot Union Laws (USA Today)
GENERAL NEWS
Bid for Bremerton Prison in South Kitsap Industrial Area Won’t Come without a Fight (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Boeing Again Delays Delivery of 787 Dreamliner (NY Times)
Fraud Program Recovers $137 Million for Washington State’s L&I (Associated Press)
Another Reason to Read the News Digest - Where News Is Power, a Fight to be Well-Armed (NY Times)
DIVERSIONS
Move over Scorpios: Welcome to the Age of Ophiucus
Clone Technique Could Revive the Mammoth
Space Invaders - Why You Should Never, Ever Use Two Spaces after a Period (Slate Magazine)
Kelso Man Sentenced for 2009 Fireworks Explosion
SONG OF THE DAY
The 5th Dimension - Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In
