National Hydropower Association's Andrew Munro Discusses Senate Action on Hydro (E&ETV)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Energy News Digest for March 30, 2011
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:
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Heavy Rain Causing Western Washington Flooding Concerns (KING-TV, Seattle)
Lewis County PUD’s Cowlitz Falls Dam Repairs Near Completion (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Chelan, Douglas, Grant PUDs - Feds Award Local Agencies for Salmon Conservation (Wenatchee World, WA)
Japan: PNNL Employees Helping with Nuclear Crisis (Tri-City Herald, Wa)
Google High-Speed Internet Coming to Kansas City. Missouri? No, Kansas! (Christian Science Monitor)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Lewis County PUD’s Cowlitz Falls Dam Repairs Near Completion (
· Bonneville Power Administration Chief Outlines Rate Hike That Would Boost Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Bills
· Mason County PUD 3 Authorizes Senior Option to Purchase
· State of Oregon Tells Coos County Reconsider Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline
· Natural Gas Prices Rise on Obama, Colder Weather
· Owner: No Buyer for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant
· Kansas - Judge Throws Hitch at Sunflower Coal-Fired Power Plant, Groups Say
· Overall Compensation of Pacific Gas & Electric Execs Declines Following a Lousy Year
· Japan: PNNL Employees Helping with Nuclear Crisis
· State Health Department Assures Milk is Safe after Radiation Detected
· Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Three US Nuclear Plants Need Closer Review
· As Nuclear Waste Sits Idle, Federal Payouts to Exelon Mount
· Chelan, Douglas, Grant PUDs - Feds Award Local Agencies for Salmon Conservation
· Over Proposed Alaska Mine - Chefs Fight for Salmon in Washington DC
· Hooking Up to New Belfair Sewer Will Cost at Least $10,000
· Oregon’s Snowpack Makes Impressive Six-Week Gain, Boosting Water Supply Outlook
· Tidal Power: Another Blessing from Puget Sound?
· Geothermal Power Growing Despite Economic Chill
· Arteries of Power: How Solar Energy Could Reshape the West
· Smaller, Cheaper, Faster: Does Moore’s Law Apply to Solar Cells?
· See the Snohomish PUD Solar Express
· Google’s $5 Billion Wind-Power Bid Draws Opposition on Return Guarantee
· Flicker of Hope for the Wind Turbine Victims - The misery of shadow flicker
· Nebraska Public Power District Evaluating Biomass
· Vermont Governor Touts Incentives to Get Residents to Switch from Oil to Wood Pellet Heat
· Efficiency Gets Lift from Political Efforts in Oregon
· Puget Sound Energy Providing Free Home Energy Evaluations
· Clark Public Utilities Energy Adviser: Pros, Cons of ‘Tankless’ Gas Water Heaters
· Tapping the Earth for Energy Savings Year-Round
· Diet May Reduce Farm Flatulence
· Clean Energy Investment Hit Record $243 Million in 2010
· Got Green Makes Stimulus Work
· Paul Allen Goes Public with Hard Feelings towards Bill Gates
· Microsoft to File Antitrust Complaint against Google
· Cell Tower Opponent Declares End to Palo Alto’s Free Internet Connection
· Google High-Speed Internet Coming to Kansas City. Missouri? No, Kansas!
· Sorry Spokane, Google Chooses Kansas City
· Google Passes over Portland (And 1,100 Others), Picks Kansas City, Kansas, for Its Fiber-to-the-Home Project
· Parsing the Announcement - What Google’s Fiber Optic Decision Means for Topeka
· Now THIS is PR Spin - Utah Cities Welcome Kansas City to Benefits of Fiber Optic Broadband
· Heavy Rain Causing Western Washington Flooding Concerns
· Japan’s Tsunami Debris Headed for West Coast
· Drivers Start to Change Habits with $4 per Gallon Gas
· Lawsuit Filed over Olympia Brewery
· Seattle Third Most Miserable City in US
· Portland is America’s #2 Miserable City, So Says a Recent Ranking
WORD OF THE DAY
Osculate • \OSS-kyuh-late\ • Verb – Kiss
Here’s a tip, folks: never ask if someone will osculate on the first date.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Lewis County PUD’s Cowlitz Falls Dam Repairs Near Completion (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Bonneville Power Administration Chief Outlines Rate Hike That Would Boost Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Bills (Baker City Herald, OR)
Mason County PUD 3 Authorizes Senior Option to Purchase (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
State of Oregon Tells Coos County Reconsider Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline (Associated Press)
Natural Gas Prices Rise on Obama, Colder Weather (Associated Press)
Owner: No Buyer for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant (Associated Press)
Kansas - Judge Throws Hitch at Sunflower Coal-Fired Power Plant, Groups Say (Kansas City Star, MO)
Overall Compensation of Pacific Gas & Electric Execs Declines Following a Lousy Year (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
NUCLEAR SCIENCE READING ROOM
Japan: PNNL Employees Helping with Nuclear Crisis (Tri-City Herald, Wa)
State Health Department Assures Milk is Safe after Radiation Detected (KING-TV, Seattle)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Three US Nuclear Plants Need Closer Review (Associated Press)
As Nuclear Waste Sits Idle, Federal Payouts to Exelon Mount - Government has paid out tens of millions of dollars after not living up to promise to store spent fuel (Chicago Tribune, IL)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Chelan, Douglas, Grant PUDs - Feds Award Local Agencies for Salmon Conservation (Wenatchee World, WA)
Over Proposed Alaska Mine - Chefs Fight for Salmon in Washington DC (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Hooking Up to New Belfair Sewer Will Cost at Least $10,000 (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Oregon’s Snowpack Makes Impressive Six-Week Gain, Boosting Water Supply Outlook (Oregonian, Portland)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Tidal Power: Another Blessing from Puget Sound? (Crosscut Seattle)
Geothermal Power Growing Despite Economic Chill (Oregon Public Radio)
Arteries of Power: How Solar Energy Could Reshape the West “…Trade-offs will have to be made…” (The Atlantic)
Smaller, Cheaper, Faster: Does Moore’s Law Apply to Solar Cells? (Scientific American)
See the Snohomish PUD Solar Express (Edmonds Beacon, WA)
Google’s $5 Billion Wind-Power Bid Draws Opposition on Return Guarantee (Bloomberg News)
Flicker of Hope for the Wind Turbine Victims - The misery of shadow flicker, which blights the lives of people living near some wind turbines, could soon be over. (The Telegraph, UK)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8385809/Flicker-of-hope-for-the-wind-turbine-victims.html
Nebraska Public Power District Evaluating Biomass (Biomass Magazine)
Vermont Governor Touts Incentives to Get Residents to Switch from Oil to Wood Pellet Heat (Associated Press)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Efficiency Gets Lift from Political Efforts in Oregon (Sustainable Business Oregon)
Puget Sound Energy Providing Free Home Energy Evaluations (Renew Grid)
Clark Public Utilities Energy Adviser: Pros, Cons of ‘Tankless’ Gas Water Heaters (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Tapping the Earth for Energy Savings Year-Round (National Public Radio)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Diet May Reduce Farm Flatulence (Newmarket Journal, UK)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Clean Energy Investment Hit Record $243 Million in 2010 (Denver Business Journal)
Got Green Makes Stimulus Work (Real Change News)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Paul Allen Goes Public with Hard Feelings towards Bill Gates (Seattle Times)
Microsoft to File Antitrust Complaint against Google (CNET News)
Cell Tower Opponent Declares End to Palo Alto’s Free Internet Connection (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
GAGGLE O’ GOOGLE STORIES
Google High-Speed Internet Coming to Kansas City. Missouri? No, Kansas! (Christian Science Monitor)
Sorry Spokane, Google Chooses Kansas City (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Google Passes over Portland (And 1,100 Others), Picks Kansas City, Kansas, for Its Fiber-to-the-Home Project (Associated Press)
Parsing the Announcement - What Google’s Fiber Optic Decision Means Ffr Topeka (KTKA-TV, Topeka, KS)
Now THIS is PR Spin - Utah Cities Welcome Kansas City to Benefits of Fiber Optic Broadband: UTOPIA Statement on Google Investment in Kansas City Fiber Network (Sys-Con Media)
GENERAL NEWS
Heavy Rain Causing Western Washington Flooding Concerns (KING-TV, Seattle)
Japan’s Tsunami Debris Headed for West Coast (Associated Press)
Drivers Start to Change Habits with $4 per Gallon Gas (KING-TV, Seattle)
Lawsuit Filed over Olympia Brewery - Brewhouse Owner Wants Out of Additional Purchase (Olympian, WA)
Seattle Third Most Miserable City in US (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
Portland is America’s #2 Miserable City, So Says a Recent Ranking (Oregonian, Portland)
DIVERSIONS
Fossil Crowns Massive Rabbit ‘King’
Could lead codices prove ‘the major discovery of Christian history’?
Fanboys Rejoice - ‘Wonder Woman’ Costume Gets an Upgrade
Artist Sculpts Skull Out of McDonald’s French Fries
SONG OF THE DAY
Dry Bones from the Singing Detective
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Energy News Digest for March 30, 2011
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:
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Salt River Project Narrows GM Search to Five Candidates – List Includes Steve Wright & Jorge Carrasco (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ)
Post-Earthquake - Japanese Data Companies Turn to Quincy (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
California Assembly Oks Increased Renewable Energy Requirement - The mandate, now headed for governor’s desk, would require utilities to increase renewable energy sources to 33% by 2020 (Los Angeles Times, CA)
Water Levels over Columbia, Snake Rivers Dams Won’t Change (Horizon Bropadcasting Group, OR)
Senior Citizens to Benefit - Mason PUD 3 Authorizes Option to Purchase for its Downtown Shelton Properties (Mason County PUD No. 3)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Salt River Project Narrows GM Search to Five Candidates – List Includes Steve Wright & Jorge Carrasco
· Tacoma Power to Raise Rates 5.8 Percent This Year, Again Next Year
· Senior Citizens to Benefit - Mason PUD 3 Authorizes Option to Purchase for its Downtown Shelton Properties
· Monumental Power - You Want Dams? We Got Dams, Lots of ‘Em
· Ex-California Nuke Plant Manager Sues over Firing
· Natural Gas Prices Jump 2 Percent
· FERC, Fish & Wildlife Service Sign Agreement on Conservation of Migratory Birds
· Setbacks Mount in Japan at Leaking Nuclear Plant
· Radioactive Seaweed Likely in Washington, But Not Harmful
· California County Wants Hold on Diablo Nuke Plant Renewal
· Spring Chinook Fishery in Lower Columbia River Picks Up
· Spring Salmon Get Smoother Ride over Pacific Northwest Dams
· Mussel Quarantine Issued for California Coast after Two Toxins Detected
· Maine - 1,000-Gallon Fuel Spill Contaminates Pleasant River & Salmon Hatchery
· Court Reverses Removal of Flying Squirrel from Endangered List
· Water Levels over Columbia, Snake Rivers Dams Won’t Change
· Trip into the Mountains Shows That Snowpack Should Keep Snohomish County in Water
· ‘Absurdly Deep’ Sierra Snow Great News for Dry California
· Bill Requiring Washington State to Maintain Capitol Lake in Olympia Dies
· EPA Fines Toppenish for Water Pollution
· California Assembly Oks Increased Renewable Energy Requirement
· New, 33 Percent Mandate - Green-Energy Legislation Means Higher Rates in California, Utilities Warn
· Pro & Con on Biomass Debated Before 130 at Port Townsend Forum
· Vestas Adds 200 North America Jobs This Year, More on the Way
· Tri-Cities - Dayco Installing Residential Wind Turbines
· Wind Power Transmission - No Decision Yet from Oklahoma Corporation Commission on Clean Line Application
· Northern California Power Agency Oks Power Agreement for Geothermal Power Plant
· Massachusetts - Renewable Energy: Two Wind Deals. One Loser?
· Wisconsin - Anaerobic Manure Digesters Providing More Electricity for State
· Researcher: Wii is the Most Power-Hungry Current Game Machine
· Discovery Could Make LEDs Brighter
· Montana - Slots Available for Missoula Energy Saving Program
· Jet Contrails Stoke Global Warming
· Washington State Senate Approves $100 Annual Fee on Electric Cars
· Thinking of an Electric Car? Get Your Garage Ready
· Wind Farms Blamed for Stranding of Whales - A Case of Never Letting the Source Spoil a Good Story
· Post-Earthquake - Japanese Data Companies Turn to Quincy
· Google Brings Its High-Speed Broadband Network to Kansas
· Bypassing the Big Guys to Get Broadband
· Amazon Launches Cloud Drive - 5GB Free, Options Up to 1000GB for $1,000
· Ham Radio Operators Concerned About Losing Band
· Google Reaches Privacy Settlement with Federal Trade Commission
· Could Seattle Become the Detroit of Wireless?
· Ex-DSHS Worker from Tacoma Pleads Guilty to Selling Confidential Information
· Out Like a Lamb? Wind, Rain, Flooding & Avalanches
· New Shelton Chamber of Commerce Director Declines Offer
· Mason County Fire Marshall Terminated
· Washington State - San Juan County Healthiest Once Again
· What? Whale That Killed Trainer Returns to SeaWorld Show
· Washington Highway Deaths Set Record Low in 2010
· Top Ten Worst States for Business. Is Yours on the List?
· Seattle Businessman Says High School Newspaper Defamed Him
· Seattle is Fourth-Unhappiest Baseball City
WORD OF THE DAY
Wraith • \RAYTH\ • Noun - 1a: the exact likeness of a living person seen usually just before death as an apparition b: ghost, specter 2: an insubstantial form or semblance: shadow 3: a barely visible gaseous or vaporous column
Bertie’s head was spinning. He thought he was joining a light-hearted book club. What he got was a roomful of “Lord of the Rings” fanboys whose topic was “Ringwraiths, Corporeal or Sprit?” “Look man,” snorted the leader. “It’s right there in the name Ring WRAITH, so they gotta be non-physical, spiritual beings.” “Are you kidding me,” howled another. “If that’s so, how were they able to ride horses & nazgul, wield swords, even speak?”
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Salt River Project Narrows GM Search to Five Candidates – List Includes Steve Wright & Jorge Carrasco (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ)
Tacoma Power to Raise Rates 5.8 Percent This Year, Again Next Year (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Senior Citizens to Benefit - Mason PUD 3 Authorizes Option to Purchase for its Downtown Shelton Properties (Mason County PUD No. 3)
Monumental Power - You Want Dams? We Got Dams, Lots of ‘Em (Wenatchee World, WA)
Ex-California Nuke Plant Manager Sues over Firing (Associated Press)
Natural Gas Prices Jump 2 Percent (Associated Press)
FERC, Fish & Wildlife Service Sign Agreement on Conservation of Migratory Birds (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
NUCLEAR SCIENCE READING ROOM
Setbacks Mount in Japan at Leaking Nuclear Plant (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
Radioactive Seaweed Likely in Washington, But Not Harmful (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
California County Wants Hold on Diablo Nuke Plant Renewal (Associated Press)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Spring Chinook Fishery in Lower Columbia River Picks Up (Seattle Times)
Spring Salmon Get Smoother Ride over Pacific Northwest Dams (Public News Service)
Mussel Quarantine Issued for California Coast after Two Toxins Detected (Associated Press)
Maine - 1,000-Gallon Fuel Spill Contaminates Pleasant River & Salmon Hatchery (Bangor Daily News, ME)
Court Reverses Removal of Flying Squirrel from Endangered List (Charleston Gazette, WV – Nice Picture)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Water Levels over Columbia, Snake Rivers Dams Won’t Change (Horizon Broadcasting Group, OR)
Trip into the Mountains Shows That Snowpack Should Keep Snohomish County in Water (Everett Herald, WA)
‘Absurdly Deep’ Sierra Snow Great News for Dry California (USA Today)
Bill Requiring Washington State to Maintain Capitol Lake in Olympia Dies (Olympian, WA)
EPA Fines Toppenish for Water Pollution (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
California Assembly Oks Increased Renewable Energy Requirement - The mandate, now headed for governor’s desk, would require utilities to increase renewable energy sources to 33% by 2020 (Los Angeles Times, CA)
New, 33 Percent Mandate - Green-Energy Legislation Means Higher Rates in California, Utilities Warn (Sacramento Bee, CA)
Pro & Con on Biomass Debated Before 130 at Port Townsend Forum (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Vestas Adds 200 North America Jobs This Year, More on the Way (Sustainable Business Oregon)
Tri-Cities - Dayco Installing Residential Wind Turbines (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Wind Power Transmission - No Decision Yet from Oklahoma Corporation Commission on Clean Line Application (The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, OK)
Northern California Power Agency Oks Power Agreement for Geothermal Power Plant (Electric Light & Power – You kids make sure you don’t break the planet while you’re at it!)
Massachusetts - Renewable Energy: Two Wind Deals. One Loser? (Christian Science Monitor)
Wisconsin - Anaerobic Manure Digesters Providing More Electricity for State (Oshkosh Northwestern, WI)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Researcher: Wii is the Most Power-Hungry Current Game Machine (Consumerist)
Discovery Could Make LEDs Brighter (Charlotte Observer, NC)
Montana - Slots Available for Missoula Energy Saving Program (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Jet Contrails Stoke Global Warming (Reuters)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Washington State Senate Approves $100 Annual Fee on Electric Cars (Seattle Times)
Thinking of an Electric Car? Get Your Garage Ready (Associated Press)
Wind Farms Blamed for Stranding of Whales - A Case of Never Letting the Source Spoil a Good Story (The Guardian, UK)
Here’s the Original Story – Now Taken off the Daily Telegraph Website (Wind Watch)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Post-Earthquake - Japanese Data Companies Turn to Quincy (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
Google Brings Its High-Speed Broadband Network to Kansas (Associated Press)
Bypassing the Big Guys to Get Broadband (Washington Post)
Amazon Launches Cloud Drive - 5GB Free, Options Up to 1000GB for $1,000 (Broadband Reports)
Ham Radio Operators Concerned About Losing Band (USA Today)
Google Reaches Privacy Settlement with Federal Trade Commission (Associated Press)
Could Seattle Become the Detroit of Wireless? (Seattle Times)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Ex-DSHS Worker from Tacoma Pleads Guilty to Selling Confidential Information (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
GENERAL NEWS
Out Like a Lamb? Wind, Rain, Flooding & Avalanches (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
New Shelton Chamber of Commerce Director Declines Offer (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Mason County Fire Marshall Terminated (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Washington State - San Juan County Healthiest Once Again (Seattle Times)
What? Whale That Killed Trainer Returns to SeaWorld Show (Associated Press)
Washington Highway Deaths Set Record Low in 2010 (Puget Sound Business Journal)
Top Ten Worst States for Business. Is Yours on the List? (Christian Science Monitor)
Seattle Businessman Says High School Newspaper Defamed Him (Courthouse News Service)
Seattle is Fourth-Unhappiest Baseball City (Puget Sound Business Journal)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
House Said to Resemble Hitler Becomes Web Star
University of Victoria Touts ‘Rabbit-Free’ Campus; New Arrivals Face Death Penalty
Specialty Coffee Facing Extinction? Premier Coffee Crops in Danger
Aloha Shirts: 75 Years of Style, Spirit
SONG OF THE DAY
Leon Redbone & Ringo Starr - My Little Grass Shack
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