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.
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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Many in Rural Washington State Still Lack Broadband Internet (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
Getting Warmer: US CO2 Emissions from Power Plant Emissions Rise 5.6% in 2010 - Texas is Number 1; Washington State Number 39; Oregon Number 40. WA SO2 emissions down 97% over last decade; Oregon’s up 9% (Environmental Integrity Project)
Avista Saw Six Percent Gain in Profits in 2010 – Lower Power Costs & Rate Hike Cited (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Poll Says Americans OK with Newer Light Bulbs (USA Today)
Solar Thin-Film Maker Says It Will Stay 10 Years in Wilsonville (Oregonian, Portland)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Avista Saw Six Percent Gain in Profits in 2010 – Lower Power Costs & Rate Hike Cited
· REC Silicon Requests Power Contract with Grant County PUD
· Alaska - Energy Conference Raises Hype for Hydropower
· Longview Coal Port: A Big Plan Well Hidden
· Is a US Nuclear Revival Finally Underway?
· J.D. Power & Associates Reports: Providing Accurate Power Restoration Times Following Outages Has a Significant Impact on Business Customer Satisfaction
· JD Powers – Sacramento Municipal Utilities District Ranked No. 1 Midsize Electric Utility
· Solar Flare Wreaking Havoc on Earth’s Radio Communications
· Solar Flare 2011: How a Dazzling Display Can Wreak Electrical Havoc
· News Release - Local Partners Help Salmon Return to Historic Tidal Wetland
· Salmon, Birds Topic of Audubon Meeting
· Overfishing Could Spoil ‘Wild’ Oceans, British Columbia Scientists Warn
· Hudson River Fish Resist PCBs through Gene Variant
· Citizen Lobbyists Rally to Protect Environmental Progress
· Thurston County - It’s Still the Water if LOTT Deals on Former Olympia Brewery Property
· Solar Thin-Film Maker Says It Will Stay 10 Years in Wilsonville
· Survey Says Solar Most Popular Clean Energy Source
· REC Solar Panels Power Hawai’i’s Largest Farm
· California Biomass Plant Finished Near Merced
· Two plants in Idaho could turn 250 tons of trash a day into power for 10,000 homes
· Colleges Turn to Biomass to Cut Emissions
· Analysis: Ontario Election Sows Green Energy Uncertainty
· Poll Says Americans OK with Newer Light Bulbs
· Doctor: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs May Pose Risks to Autoimmune Disease Sufferers
· Utilities Join Forces to Share Ideas about Energy Efficiency
· Frugal Duchess: Halting Money Leaks
· Getting Warmer: US CO2 Emissions from Power Plant Emissions Rise 5.6% in 2010
· As Congress Debates EPA Regulation, New Report Shows Biggest One-Year Increase in C02 Pollution from US Power Plants in 2010
· Defying Climate Change, This Argentine Glacier Grows
· California 2020 carbon price seen $75: Point Carbon
· United Nations says Curbing Soot Could Slow Climate Change
· Oregon - Plan in Place to Reopen Ethanol Plant Near Clatskanie
· WA Ranks 4th in US Clean Energy Leadership Index
· Is Washington State’s Cleantech Sector as Sorry as it Sounds?
· Editorial - ‘They Came for Our Toilets. Now, They Want Our Light Bulbs’
· Many in Rural Washington State Still Lack Broadband Interne
· Are You Being Served? National Broadband Map Going Live Today
· Clearwire Sees Positive Earnings Next Year; May Not Need More Funding
· Telework Tops Five Percent Among Federal Employees
· Republicans Seek to Quash ‘Net Neutrality’ Rules
· Washington State Workers Group Oks Cut in Pay - 3 percent
· Editorial - Washington State Lawmakers’ PR Cuts Should Start with Their Own Staff
· City of Tacoma’s Plan to Save $2 Million Goes Awry
· Washington State Bill to Move Legal Notices Online Appears Dead
· Wisconsin Democrats Stymie Vote on Anti-Union Bill for State Workers
· Wisconsin GOP Sends State Troopers after Democrat
· Republicans Challenging Unions in State Capitols
· Wayne Massie Selected Shelton School District Superintendent
· Grapeview & Griffin - Area School Official Finalist for Oregon Position
· State Says Worker Deaths Up Last Year in Washington
· Tuesday Furlough Gives Washington Employees 4-Day Weekend
WORD OF THE DAY
Cachinnate • \KAH-kuh-nate • verb - To laugh loudly or immoderately
“Really guys, deregulation and regional transmission organizations will make energy too cheap to meter,” stressed the increasingly desperate bureaucrat to the skeptical public power officials. One florid-faced representative began to cachinnate so effusively that he nearly expired in amusement.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Avista Saw Six Percent Gain in Profits in 2010 – Lower Power Costs & Rate Hike Cited (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
REC Silicon Requests Power Contract with Grant County PUD (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
Alaska - Energy Conference Raises Hype for Hydropower (Juneau Empire, AK)
Longview Coal Port: A Big Plan Well Hidden (Crosscut Seattle)
Is a US Nuclear Revival Finally Underway? Four new reactors are under construction in the U.S.--on time & on budget—today (Scientific American)
J.D. Power & Associates Reports: Providing Accurate Power Restoration Times Following Outages Has a Significant Impact on Business Customer Satisfaction with Electric Providers (Electric Energy Online)
JD Powers – Sacramento Municipal Utilities District Ranked No. 1 Midsize Electric Utility (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
Solar Flare Wreaking Havoc on Earth’s Radio Communications (Christian Science Monitor)
Solar Flare 2011: How a Dazzling Display Can Wreak Electrical Havoc (Christian Science Monitor)
FISH & WILDLIFE
News Release - Local Partners Help Salmon Return to Historic Tidal Wetland (Bonneville Power Administration)
Salmon, Birds Topic of Audubon Meeting (Tri-City Herald, WA)
Overfishing Could Spoil ‘Wild’ Oceans, British Columbia Scientists Warn (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
Hudson River Fish Resist PCBs through Gene Variant (Associated Press)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Citizen Lobbyists Rally to Protect Environmental Progress (Seattle Times)
Thurston County - It’s Still the Water if LOTT Deals on Former Olympia Brewery Property (Olympian, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Solar Thin-Film Maker Says It Will Stay 10 Years in Wilsonville (Oregonian, Portland)
Survey Says Solar Most Popular Clean Energy Source (Energy Matters)
REC Solar Panels Power Hawai’i’s Largest Farm (Energy Matters)
California Biomass Plant Finished Near Merced - Larger One in Oakdale Coming from Same Firm (Modesto Bee, CA)
Two plants in Idaho could turn 250 tons of trash a day into power for 10,000 homes (Arbiter Online, Boise State University)
Colleges Turn to Biomass to Cut Emissions (Climate Central)
Analysis: Ontario Election Sows Green Energy Uncertainty (Reuters)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Poll Says Americans OK with Newer Light Bulbs (USA Today)
Doctor: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs May Pose Risks to Autoimmune Disease Sufferers (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
Utilities Join Forces to Share Ideas about Energy Efficiency (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
Frugal Duchess: Halting Money Leaks - EPA estimates that a household can save about $170 annually by replacing older appliances (Seattle Times)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Getting Warmer: US CO2 Emissions from Power Plant Emissions Rise 5.6% in 2010 - Texas is Number 1; Washington State Number 39; Oregon Number 40. WA SO2 emissions down 97% over last decade; Oregon’s up 9% (Environmental Integrity Project)
See the report here:
As Congress Debates EPA Regulation, New Report Shows Biggest One-Year Increase in C02 Pollution from US Power Plants in 2010 (Electric Energy Online)
Defying Climate Change, This Argentine Glacier Grows (Christian Science Monitor)
California 2020 carbon price seen $75: Point Carbon (Reuters)
United Nations says Curbing Soot Could Slow Climate Change (Reuters)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Oregon - Plan in Place to Reopen Ethanol Plant Near Clatskanie (Longview Daily News, WA)
WA Ranks 4th in US Clean Energy Leadership Index (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
Is Washington State’s Cleantech Sector as Sorry as it Sounds? (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
Editorial - ‘They Came for Our Toilets. Now, They Want Our Light Bulbs’ (Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Many in Rural Washington State Still Lack Broadband Internet (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
Are You Being Served? National Broadband Map Going Live Today (PC Magazine)
Clearwire Sees Positive Earnings Next Year; May Not Need More Funding (Bloomberg News)
Telework Tops Five Percent Among Federal Employees (Information Week)
Republicans Seek to Quash ‘Net Neutrality’ Rules (Yahoo! News)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State Workers Group Oks Cut in Pay - 3 percent: Washington Federation of State Employees ratify contract (Olympian, WA)
Editorial - Washington State Lawmakers’ PR Cuts Should Start with Their Own Staff (Olympian, WA)
City of Tacoma’s Plan to Save $2 Million Goes Awry - budget largely relied on a strategy to freeze city wages (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Washington State Bill to Move Legal Notices Online Appears Dead (Associated Press)
Wisconsin Democrats Stymie Vote on Anti-Union Bill for State Workers (USA Today)
Wisconsin GOP Sends State Troopers after Democrat (Associated Press)
Republicans Challenging Unions in State Capitols (Associated Press)
GENERAL NEWS
Wayne Massie Selected Shelton School District Superintendent (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Grapeview & Griffin - Area School Official Finalist for Oregon Position (Olympian, WA)
State Says Worker Deaths Up Last Year in Washington (Associated Press)
Tuesday Furlough Gives Washington Employees 4-Day Weekend (Olympian, WA)
DIVERSIONS
Clown Congressman Messes Up First Vote
California Firm Develops Flying Artificial Hummingbird
8-Year-Old Girl Racks Up $1,400 Bill Playing “Smurfs Village” iPad Game
Forget Flying: Americans Want to Read Minds & Travel Through Time
SONG OF THE DAY
Seals & Croft – Hummingbird
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5tq0ACqInk
