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
Obama Signs Washington State Storm Disaster Declaration (Associated Press)
Washington State Faces Quandary with Coal it Won’t Burn (Associated Press)
On a Quest for Renewable Energy - Utilities Adding Wind Power, Upgrading Dams, Buying Credits (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Should Oregon’s Dams be Considered Renewable Energy Sources? (Oregon Capitol News)
Washington State Lawmakers Eye Retiree COLAs as Budget Fix (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014616307_apwaxgrstateretireepay1stldwritethru.html
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Washington State Faces Quandary with Coal it Won’t Burn
· Alcoa Celebrates Potline at Ferndale Smelter
· Special PUD 3 Commission Meeting Tuesday – Topic: Sale Option on Downtown Shelton Properties
· Jefferson County Public Utility District to Provide Power to Port Townsend Mill in Two Years
· Person Shocked by Voltage at Cheney Stadium
· Tillamook PUD awards Community Grants
· Vancouver Island - Big Cleanup Means Your Power Bills May Go Up
· North Dakota - Wiring the Oil Patch
· Levy Bid for New England ISO Raises Concern
· Editorial - Pull the Plug on Power Plan: Michigan consumers shouldn’t have to pay for expensive alternative energy transmission projects in the Plains states
· Lasting Home Elusive for Used Hanford Fuel
· Westinghouse, Others Pitch Safety Features of Smaller Reactors
· Ohio Uranium Plant Contamination Lawsuit Dismissed
· The Prospect for Safe Nuclear Power
· Germany - Merkel’s Party Faces Loss after Shift in Nuclear Stance
· Everyday Radiation Exposure
· Thousands of Kokanee Flushed Through Dworshak Dam into Clearwater
· Indian Tribes Prepare Way for Buffalo’s Return
· Washington Dept. of Ecology Looks to Charge for Water Services
· Lewis County Faces Going It Alone With Flood Work
· Dam, Reservoir Project Near - Water Interests Have Site in Yakima Basin
· Capitol Area Cities near Deal for Water Rights
· Risks over Recycling Sewage into Biosolids Are Still Not Resolved
· Watching the Waters of the Columbia River’s Mouth
· On a Quest for Renewable Energy
· Should Oregon’s Dams be Considered Renewable Energy Sources?
· Northwest Energy Plans $300 Million Oregon Biomass Investment
· US Senator Ron Wyden Tours White City Biomass Plant
· Oregon to Investment $5.4 Billion in Renewable Energy in 2011
· Op/Ed - Powering Down Wind Isn’t the Only Answer for Over-Supply
· Two Massachusetts Utilities Make Very Different Renewable Power Deals
· Missouri Lawmakers to Consider Renewable Energy Mandate
· Hawaii - The Price of Wind
· Wind Energy Surplus Threatens Eastern German Power Grid
· Op/Ed - Save Energy by Recycling Old Refrigerators
· Snohomish County PUD Hits All Time Conservation Record
· Pasco Builder Creates Affordable Energy-Efficient Home
· EnerNOC, California Utility Team on Efficiency
· Australia - Earth Hour Labeled a Waste of Time
· California Lobby Reforms to Continue Clean Energy, Jobs Support
· Be Honest: Would You Swim in a Pool Heated by a Crematorium?
· For 80 Years, Qwest Buyer CenturyLink Has Been Growing into National Giant
· Qwest’s Mueller: CenturyLink Deal is ‘About the Future’
· Questions & Answers on Qwest-CenturyLink Deal
· Pend Oreille PUD Partners with RAD to Provision T1 Leased Lines over Ethernet Infrastructure
· Washington State Lawmakers Eye Retiree COLAs as Budget Fix
· Activists Propose ‘Majority Minority’ Congressional District for Washington
· Residents, Officials Rub Elbows at Event That Shows Olympia City Hall in All Its Splendor
· New Olympia City Hall Exercise Room Prepares Staff for Heavy Lifting
· City of Shelton Commission Holding Water Rate Hearing Tonight
· Obama Signs Washington State Storm Disaster Declaration
· Most Should Remove Studded Tires This Week
· Studded Tires Ruining State Highways
· Price of Washington State Corrections Safety Enhancements: $11 Million
· South Sound Indian Tribes Go from Humble Beginnings to Economic Powers
· Lack of Sawmills an Issue for Forests
· Boeing Suspends Shifts after Power Outage
WORD OF THE DAY
Farouche • \fuh-ROOSH\ • Adjective - 1: unruly or disorderly: wild 2: marked by shyness and lack of social graces
Nanny McPhee, Mary Poppins and Shane Wolfe wrapped into one would not be enough to corral the octuplets of apartment 3-C. Their farouche shenanigans were legendary throughout the apartment building. So much so, that the landlord had vacated the entire third floor to protect new tenants. “Home Alone,” murmured the latest babysitting candidate. “More like Eight is Enough!”
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Washington State Faces Quandary with Coal it Won’t Burn (Associated Press)
Alcoa Celebrates Potline at Ferndale Smelter (Associated Press - Harumph)
Special PUD 3 Commission Meeting Tuesday – Topic: Sale Option on Downtown Shelton Properties (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Jefferson County Public Utility District to Provide Power to Port Townsend Mill in Two Years (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Person Shocked by Voltage at Cheney Stadium (KING-TV, Seattle)
Tillamook PUD awards Community Grants (North Coast Citizen, Manzanita, OR)
Vancouver Island - Big Cleanup Means Your Power Bills May Go Up: BC Hydro tries to recover millions for fixing toxic mess in Rock Bay (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
North Dakota - Wiring the Oil Patch: Western North Dakota’s economic growth is built on oil & gas, but the oil boom also runs on electricity (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Levy Bid for New England ISO Raises Concern - Reappointment to board queried; grid operator criticized over pay, conduct (Boston Globe, MA)
Editorial - Pull the Plug on Power Plan: Michigan consumers shouldn’t have to pay for expensive alternative energy transmission projects in the Plains states (The Detroit News, MI)
THE NUCLEAR SCIENCE READING ROOM
Lasting Home Elusive for Used Hanford Fuel (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Westinghouse, Others Pitch Safety Features of Smaller Reactors (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/energy/2011/03/westinghouse-others-say-small-is-safe.html
Ohio Uranium Plant Contamination Lawsuit Dismissed (Associated Press)
The Prospect for Safe Nuclear Power (Bloomberg Business Week)
Germany - Merkel’s Party Faces Loss after Shift in Nuclear Stance (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
Everyday Radiation Exposure (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Thousands of Kokanee Flushed Through Dworshak Dam into Clearwater; Keep All the Fish You Can Catch (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
Indian Tribes Prepare Way for Buffalo’s Return (Associated Press)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Washington Dept. of Ecology Looks to Charge for Water Services (Associated Press)
Lewis County Faces Going It Alone With Flood Work (Olympian, WA)
Dam, Reservoir Project Near - Water Interests Have Site in Yakima Basin (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Capitol Area Cities near Deal for Water Rights - Purchase of 197-acre farm near Lake Lawrence helps (Olympian, WA)
Risks over Recycling Sewage into Biosolids Are Still Not Resolved (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Watching the Waters of the Columbia River’s Mouth - The view from space complements sea-level sampling (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
On a Quest for Renewable Energy - Utilities Adding Wind Power, Upgrading Dams, Buying Credits (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Should Oregon’s Dams be Considered Renewable Energy Sources? (Oregon Capitol News)
Northwest Energy Plans $300 Million Oregon Biomass Investment (Sustainable Business Oregon – no it’s NOT ‘Energy Northwest’)
US Senator Ron Wyden Tours White City Biomass Plant - Some See Bright Energy Future in Abundant & Forgotten Forest Wastes (Medford Mail Tribune, OR)
Oregon to Investment $5.4 Billion in Renewable Energy in 2011 (Your Renewable News)
Op/Ed - Powering Down Wind Isn’t the Only Answer for Over-Supply (Sustainable Business Oregon)
Two Massachusetts Utilities Make Very Different Renewable Power Deals (Associated Press)
Missouri Lawmakers to Consider Renewable Energy Mandate (Associated Press)
Hawaii - The Price of Wind: A project in Kahuku enjoyed widespread support, but planned endeavors on Lanai & Molokai face opposition (Honolulu Star Advertiser, HI)
Wind Energy Surplus Threatens Eastern German Power Grid (Deutsch Welle)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Op/Ed - Save Energy by Recycling Old Refrigerators (Longview Daily News, WA)
Snohomish County PUD Hits All Time Conservation Record - $6.2 Million saved by companies, consumers (Sky Valley Chronicle, Monroe, WA)
Pasco Builder Creates Affordable Energy-Efficient Home (Tri-City Herald, WA)
EnerNOC, California Utility Team on Efficiency (Sustainable Business Oregon)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Australia - Earth Hour Labeled a Waste of Time – “…the event gives people a false sense of achievement…” (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
California Lobby Reforms to Continue Clean Energy, Jobs Support (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
Be Honest: Would You Swim in a Pool Heated by a Crematorium? (TIME Magazine)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
For 80 Years, Qwest Buyer CenturyLink Has Been Growing into National Giant (Denver Business Journal)
Qwest’s Mueller: CenturyLink Deal is ‘About the Future’ (Denver Business Journal)
Questions & Answers on Qwest-CenturyLink Deal (Denver Business Journal)
Pend Oreille Partners with RAD to Provision T1 Leased Lines over Ethernet Infrastructure (TCM Net)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State Lawmakers Eye Retiree COLAs as Budget Fix (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014616307_apwaxgrstateretireepay1stldwritethru.html
Activists Propose ‘Majority Minority’ Congressional District for Washington (Seattle Times)
Residents, Officials Rub Elbows at Event That Shows Olympia City Hall in All Its Splendor
New Olympia City Hall Exercise Room Prepares Staff for Heavy Lifting (Olympian, WA – Hmmm, there’s a health club a block away…)
GENERAL NEWS
City of Shelton Commission Holding Water Rate Hearing Tonight – Possible 27% rate hike over three years (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Obama Signs Washington State Storm Disaster Declaration (Associated Press)
Most Should Remove Studded Tires This Week (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Studded Tires Ruining State Highways (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Price of Washington State Corrections Safety Enhancements: $11 Million (Associated Press)
South Sound Indian Tribes Go from Humble Beginnings to Economic Powers (Olympian, WA)
Lack of Sawmills an Issue for Forests (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Boeing Suspends Shifts after Power Outage (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
DIVERSIONS
‘Simpsons’ Producer: I Understand if Nuclear Jokes Are Pulled
Oregon Store Fights Back Against Poop on Grocery Carts
Wisconsin-Based Team Wins Rube Goldberg Contest
The Sads - Disconsolate Ewes Bleating in Langley Farmer’s Field After Thieves Steal 17 Lambs
SONG OF THE DAY
Roy Orbison & KD Lang - Crying
