Energy News Digest for April 29, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

TransAlta Plans New Natural Gas Plant in Washington State (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014905696_apwaxgroffcoal.html

Study Questions Federal Spending on Broadband (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-04-28-broadband-spending-questioned_n.htm?csp=34money

Pilot Program to Haze Sea Lions at Willamette Falls Finds Mixed Results (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/west-linn/index.ssf/2011/04/pilot_program_to_haze_sea_lions_at_willamette_falls_finds_mixed_results.html

Columbia River Pikeminnow Season Opens - Catch a Tagged Northern Pikeminnow & win $500 (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/1073963/

Drivers Filling Up on Anger, Worry (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014904210_gasprices29m.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         TransAlta Plans New Natural Gas Plant in Washington State

·         Comment Period on Boardman Coal-Fired Power Plant Reopened

·         Seattle City Light: Penalty for Stealing Copper Could be Death

·         State of Oregon Clears Way for NW Natural Venture in Wyoming Wells

·         Snohomish Business Journal - Executive of the Year Steve Klein Sparks PUD’s Conservation Efforts

·         Contractor Needed for Snohomish PUD Growth Spurt

·         Tacoma Utility Volunteers Bring Safety, Efficiency to Two Local Homes

·         More Natural Gas & Nuclear - Exelon-Constellation Deal Could Create ‘Clean Energy’ Giant

·         Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chief Questions Blackout Plans for US Plants

·         California - Pacific Gas & Electric Worked On Some Documents with Erasable Ink

·         Editorial - Power Line Upgrade Costs Would Hit Michigan Unfairly

·         Chevron’s Profits Rise 36 Percent to $6.2 Billion in First Quarter

·         Pilot Program to Haze Sea Lions at Willamette Falls Finds Mixed Results

·         Columbia River Pikeminnow Season Opens

·         Yakama Nation Releases Sturgeon into the Columbia River

·         Chelan-Douglas Researchers Go on a Poop-Finding Mission

·         States Start Banning Felt-Sole Waders

·         Idaho - High Water Raises Concerns about Hayden Dam

·         Longview Approves Contract for Biosolids Plan

·         Sun Energy Power, Inc. - Sun Sets on Solar Energy Group

·         Wisconsin State Regulators Balk at Price Tag for Rothschild Biomass Plant

·         Is Wind Energy the New Wedge Issue for Conservatives?

·         Spring Cleaning Your Energy Bill

·         North Carolina - Electricity Hogs to Get Letters

·         Court Asked to Dismiss Lawsuit over Climate Change Prank

·         Should Eco-Friendly Liquefaction Replace Cremation?

·         College Students Push to Restrict Bottled Water

·         Study Questions Federal Spending on Broadband

·         Yahoo Mail Outage

·         Amazon Apologizes for Server Outage, Offers Credit

·         Amazon Parts with South Carolina - No Tax Break Equals ‘No Go’

·         Wireless Carriers Say They Get Consent to Use Location Data

·         Poll: Washington Voters Pessimistic About Future

·         Drivers Filling Up on Anger, Worry

·         Seattle Teacher Passwords Stolen, Grades Changed

·         Weyerhaeuser Turns First Quarter Profit on Timberlands Sale

·         Earth Day on Oakland Bay

·         Microsoft Changes Disability Policy Following KING 5 Report

·         Sugar Farmers Sue over ‘Corn Sugar’ Campaign

WORD OF THE DAY

Trichotillomania • \trick-kuh-tillah-MANE-ee-uh\ • Noun - An abnormal desire to pull out one’s hair

A bald man with trichotillomania; think about it.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

TransAlta Plans New Natural Gas Plant in Washington State (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014905696_apwaxgroffcoal.html

Comment Period on Boardman Coal-Fired Power Plant Reopened (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2010/10/29/comment-period-on-boardman-extended.html

Seattle City Light: Penalty for Stealing Copper Could be Death (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2014898209_city_light_penalty_for_stealin.html

State of Oregon Clears Way for NW Natural Venture in Wyoming Wells (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2011/04/28/puc-clears-way-for-nw-natural-venture.html

Snohomish Business Journal - Executive of the Year Steve Klein Sparks PUD’s Conservation Efforts (Snohomish County Business Journal, WA)

http://www.snohomishcountybusinessjournal.com/article/20110428/SCBJ01/704289807/-1/SCBJ

Contractor Needed for Snohomish PUD Growth Spurt (Everett Herald, WA)

http://heraldnet.com/article/20110429/BLOG47/110429766/-1/NEWS

Tacoma Utility Volunteers Bring Safety, Efficiency to Two Local Homes (Tacoma Daily Index, WA)

http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1966982&more=0

More Natural Gas & Nuclear - Exelon-Constellation Deal Could Create ‘Clean Energy’ Giant (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/04/29/29climatewire-exelon-constellation-deal-could-create-clean-83126.html

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chief Questions Blackout Plans for US Plants (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/04/28/national/w110227D27.DTL

California - Pacific Gas & Electric Worked On Some Documents with Erasable Ink (SF Chronicle, CA)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/29/BA1J1J9AA5.DTL

Editorial - Power Line Upgrade Costs Would Hit Michigan Unfairly (Detroit Free Press, MI)

http://www.freep.com/article/20110429/OPINION01/304300003/1068/opinion

Chevron’s Profits Rise 36 Percent to $6.2 Billion in First Quarter (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/04/chevrons_profits_rise_36_perce.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pilot Program to Haze Sea Lions at Willamette Falls Finds Mixed Results (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/west-linn/index.ssf/2011/04/pilot_program_to_haze_sea_lions_at_willamette_falls_finds_mixed_results.html

Columbia River Pikeminnow Season Opens - Catch a Tagged Northern Pikeminnow & win $500 (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/1073963/

Yakama Nation Releases Sturgeon into the Columbia River (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/story/14537456/yakama-nation-release-sturgeon-into-the-columbia-river

Chelan-Douglas Researchers Go on a Poop-Finding Mission (Associated Press)

http://www.kval.com/outdoors/featured/120823944.html

States Start Banning Felt-Sole Waders (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2011-04-28-rock-snot-felt-sole-wader-ban_n.htm?csp=34news

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Idaho - High Water Raises Concerns about Hayden Dam (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/apr/28/high-water-raises-concerns-about-hayden-dam/

Longview Approves Contract for Biosolids Plan (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_1a84a44c-7221-11e0-a2cf-001cc4c002e0.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Sun Energy Power, Inc. - Sun Sets on Solar Energy Group (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/apr/29/he-worked-so-much-on-his-own-the-organization-wasn/

Wisconsin State Regulators Balk at Price Tag for Rothschild Biomass Plant (Wausau Daily Herald, WI)

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20110429/WDH0101/110429043/State-regulators-Rothschild-biomass-plant-too-expensive

Is Wind Energy the New Wedge Issue for Conservatives? (North American Wind Power)

http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.7757

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Spring Cleaning Your Energy Bill (PR Newswire)

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spring-cleaning-your-energy-bill-120898914.html

North Carolina - Electricity Hogs to Get Letters (Raleigh News & Observer, NC)

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/04/29/1161782/electricity-hogs-to-get-letters.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Court Asked to Dismiss Lawsuit over Climate Change Prank (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/51715311-79/koch-group-company-attorney.html.csp

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Should Eco-Friendly Liquefaction Replace Cremation? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/04/28/should-eco-friendly-liquefaction-replace-cremation/

College Students Push to Restrict Bottled Water (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/college_students_push_to_restrict_bottled_water/2011/04/20/AFeXBUEF_story.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Study Questions Federal Spending on Broadband (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-04-28-broadband-spending-questioned_n.htm?csp=34money

Yahoo Mail Outage (Associated Press)

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S2088106.shtml

Amazon Apologizes for Server Outage, Offers Credit (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Amazon-apologizes-for-server-outage-offers-credit-120967034.html

Amazon Parts with South Carolina - No Tax Break Equals ‘No Go’ (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/29/1633603/amazon-parts-with-south-carolina.html

Wireless Carriers Say They Get Consent to Use Location Data (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_17951103

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Poll: Washington Voters Pessimistic About Future (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2014909518_washingtonvotercrankinessatrecordhigh.html

GENERAL NEWS

Drivers Filling Up on Anger, Worry (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014904210_gasprices29m.html

Seattle Teacher Passwords Stolen, Grades Changed (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14536020

Weyerhaeuser Turns First Quarter Profit on Timberlands Sale (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014905645_apusearnsweyerhaeuser.html

Earth Day on Oakland Bay (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/5627-earth-day-on-oakland-bay

Microsoft Changes Disability Policy Following KING 5 Report (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Microsoft-changes-disability-policy-following-KING-5-report-120925459.html

Sugar Farmers Sue over ‘Corn Sugar’ Campaign (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014898831_apuscornsugarlawsuit.html

DIVERSIONS

How Long Can You Survive on Beer Alone? Long Enough to Develop Scurvy

http://www.slate.com/id/2292403/

The Best Place to Discover New Life Forms? Truck Stops

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/04/28/the-best-place-to-discover-new-life-forms-truck-stops/

Man in Cow Suit Steals 26 Gallons of Milk From Wal-Mart

http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/apr/27/walmart-cow-suit-milk-shoplifting-ar-1000251/

Calling Animals ‘Pets’ is Insulting, Academics Claim

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8479391/Calling-animals-pets-is-insulting-academics-claim.html

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1scr_tDRsMs

Energy News Digest for April 28, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

The news digest is also available at the following web site:

http://www.energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Exelon to Buy Constellation Energy for $7.9 Billion (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/28/us-constellation-exelon-idUSTRE73Q8BS20110428

US Metro Areas with Dirtiest Air Get Cleaner (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2011-04-27-city-smog-epa-dirty-air_n.htm?csp=34news

Mason County PUD No. 1 Honored by State for Water System Efforts (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/5538-pud1-honored-by-state

Clark County Taking Green ‘To the Masses’ - Planet Clark trailer will travel to tout benefits of energy efficiency (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/apr/27/taking-green-to-the-masses/

Solar Panels Rise Pole by Pole, Followed by Gasps of ‘Eyesore’ “…part of a $515 million investment in solar projects…a state renewable energy mandate…” (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/science/earth/28solar.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Exelon to Buy Constellation Energy for $7.9 Billion

·         Shattuck: Constellation/Exelon Merger Will Result in ‘Net Jobs’ Gain for Baltimore

·         Price of Power is Going Up - Umatilla Electric Will Introduce New Rates to Customers Oct. 1

·         Bellingham’s first debate on coal-for-China project reflects growing tensions

·         Chelan & Douglas PUDs to Offer Paperless Billing

·         Tacoma Power Plans Mossyrock Dam Open House

·         Fitch Affirms Chelan PUD’s $200.3 Million Revenue Bonds at ‘AA+’

·         Storms Knock Out Tennessee Valley Authority Nuclear Units, Power Lines

·         Fill ‘Er Up - Exxon Earns Nearly $11 Billion in First Quarter

·         Shell Oil Makes $8.78 Billion Profit in First Quarter

·         At $7.1 Billion, BP First Quarter Profit Climbs 17% Despite Expenses From Gulf Oil Spill

·         Yakama Nation Prepares to Release Sturgeon

·         Canada - Metro Vancouver Development Not Responsible for Sockeye Decline: Study

·         Stillaguamish Tribe Deploys Hydrolab in Port Susan

·         Op/Ed - California-Sized Problem on the Willamette

·         Mason County PUD No. 1 Honored by State for Water System Efforts

·         Water Rates - Clallam County PUD to Hold Rate Increase Hearings

·         Belfair Water Lines Broken

·         New Stormwater Bill Raises Concerns

·         BC Hydro Monitors Snow Melt

·         Soap is Crusting Up Sewers, But It’s Not the Clean Kind

·         Solar Panels Rise Pole by Pole, Followed by Gasps of ‘Eyesore’

·         Environmental Fight: Tortoises vs Solar Energy

·         Interior Alaska Villages Making Plans to Increase Biomass Use

·         Winds of Change: Challenges in an Ongoing Wind Boom in Texas

·         Wind Farm Growth Also a Windfall for Truckers

·         Google Says Investment in Renewable Energy is Long-Term Effort

·         France Set to Miss Green Energy Goal

·         California Plant Gets Biogas from Sewage

·         Green Mountain Solar Leases Give Homeowners Bragging Rights

·         Clark County Taking Green ‘To the Masses’

·         Biodegradable Envelope, Please - How Did Readers Do on Slate’s Energy Consumption Quiz?

·         When Refrigerators Warm the Planet

·         Mabton Students Protest Ban on Water Bottles

·         Electric, Hybrid, Diesel Cars Won’t Sell Big Despite Hype

·         Going Green & Getting Rich Doing It

·         South Africa’s New Internet Cable Link Could Bring Economic Boom

·         San Francisco Delays Vote on AT&T Utility Boxes

·         US Metro Areas with Dirtiest Air Get Cleaner

·         Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia No. 18 on Pollution Scale

·         Tacoma to Blame for Puget Sound’s High Pollution Rank?

·         Southern Storms: ‘I Don’t Know How Anyone Survived’

·         Interior Secretary Salazar Visits Washington State

·         3,000 Hopefuls Apply for 20 Firefighter Jobs in Tacoma

·         Voice Mail? That’s So Last Century

·         Scotch Broom, That Pesky Noxious Weed, Carries an Economic Cost

WORD OF THE DAY

Accretion • \uh-KREE-shun\ • Noun – 1: the process of growth or enlargement by a gradual buildup: as a: increase by external addition or accumulation b: the increase of land by the action of natural forces 2: a product of accretion; especially: an extraneous addition

See this story below: “Soap is Crusting Up Sewers, But It’s Not the Clean Kind” for a graphic and gooey example of accretion…if you dare!

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Exelon to Buy Constellation Energy for $7.9 Billion (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/28/us-constellation-exelon-idUSTRE73Q8BS20110428

Shattuck: Constellation/Exelon Merger Will Result in ‘Net Jobs’ Gain for Baltimore (Baltimore Business Journal, MD)

http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2011/04/28/shattuck-merger-will-create-baltimore.html

Price of Power is Going Up - Umatilla Electric Will Introduce New Rates to Customers Oct. 1 (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

http://www.eastoregonian.com/news/price-of-power-is-going-up/article_0f404508-7106-11e0-ac9f-001cc4c002e0.html

Bellingham’s first debate on coal-for-China project reflects growing tensions (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/20272/Bellingham-s-first-debate-on-coal-for-China-project-reflects-growing-tensions/

Chelan & Douglas PUDs to Offer Paperless Billing - Utilities could save thousands of dollars every month (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/apr/27/chelan-and-douglas-puds-to-offer-paperless/

Tacoma Power Plans Mossyrock Dam Open House (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Tacoma-Power-plans-Mossyrock-Dam-open-ho=1&blockID=511795&feedID=410

Fitch Affirms Chelan PUD’s $200.3 Million Revenue Bonds at ‘AA+’ (BusinessWire)

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110427007371/en/Fitch-Affirms-Chelan-PUDs-WA-200.3MM-Consolidated

Storms Knock Out Tennessee Valley Authority Nuclear Units, Power Lines (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/27/us-utilities-tva-storms-idUSTRE73Q98920110427

Fill ‘Er Up - Exxon Earns Nearly $11 Billion in First Quarter (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/04/28/financial/f051143D72.DTL

Shell Oil Makes $8.78 Billion Profit in First Quarter (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014896402_apeunetherlandsearnsshell.html

At $7.1 Billion, BP First Quarter Profit Climbs 17% Despite Expenses From Gulf Oil Spill (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014895491_bpprofit28.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Yakama Nation Prepares to Release Sturgeon (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14533087

Canada - Metro Vancouver Development Not Responsible for Sockeye Decline: Study (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/Metro+Vancouver+development+responsible+sockeye+decline+study/4683932/story.html

Stillaguamish Tribe Deploys Hydrolab in Port Susan (Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission)

http://nwifc.org/2011/04/stillaguamish-tribe-deploys-hydrolab-in-port-susan/

Op/Ed - California-Sized Problem on the Willamette: California sea lions are a serious threat to Willamette River fish & sport fishing. (West Linn Tidings, OR)

http://www.westlinntidings.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=130393189863140200

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mason County PUD No. 1 Honored by State for Water System Efforts (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/5538-pud1-honored-by-state

Water Rates - Clallam County PUD to Hold Rate Increase Hearings (Sequim Gazette, WA)

http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2011-04-27_pud_to_hold_rate_increase_hearings

Belfair Water Lines Broken (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/5449-water-lines-broken

New Stormwater Bill Raises Concerns (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/story/14529700/new-storm-water-bill-raises-concerns

BC Hydro Monitors Snow Melt (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Hydro+monitors+snow+melt/4688310/story.html

Soap is Crusting Up Sewers, But It’s Not the Clean Kind (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/environment/2011-04-27-clogged-sewers_n.htm?csp=34money

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Solar Panels Rise Pole by Pole, Followed by Gasps of ‘Eyesore’ “…part of a $515 million investment in solar projects…a state renewable energy mandate…” (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/science/earth/28solar.html

Environmental Fight: Tortoises vs Solar Energy (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_17944609

Interior Alaska Villages Making Plans to Increase Biomass Use (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK)

http://mobile.newsminer.com/bookmark/12972662-Interior-Alaska-villages-making-plans-to-increase-biomass-use

Winds of Change: Challenges in an Ongoing Wind Boom in Texas (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/german-american-chamber-of-commerce-inc-6496/news/article/2011/04/winds-of-change-challenges-in-an-ongoing-wind-boom-in-texas?cmpid=rss

Wind Farm Growth Also a Windfall for Truckers (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110427/BUSINESS/104270346/1029/

Google Says Investment in Renewable Energy is Long-Term Effort (Reuters)

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international-business/google-says-investment-in-renewable-energy-is-long-term-effort/articleshow/8104243.cms

France Set to Miss Green Energy Goal (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/26/us-france-renewable-targets-idUSTRE73P3VV20110426

California Plant Gets Biogas from Sewage (Earth Techling)

http://www.earthtechling.com/2011/04/california-plant-gets-biogas-from-sewage/

Green Mountain Solar Leases Give Homeowners Bragging Rights (Dallas Morning News)

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/20110427-green-mountain-solar-leases-give-homeowners-bragging-rights.ece

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Clark County Taking Green ‘To the Masses’ - Planet Clark trailer will travel to tout benefits of energy efficiency (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/apr/27/taking-green-to-the-masses/

Biodegradable Envelope, Please - How Did Readers Do on Slate’s Energy Consumption Quiz? (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2292313/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

When Refrigerators Warm the Planet (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/when-refrigerators-warm-the-planet/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Mabton Students Protest Ban on Water Bottles (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/story/14528638/mabton-high-school-students-protest-over-ban

Electric, Hybrid, Diesel Cars Won’t Sell Big Despite Hype (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/04/jd-power-alternative-powered-cars-wont-sell-big/1?csp=34money

Going Green & Getting Rich Doing It (TIME Magazine)

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/04/27/going-green-and-getting-rich-doing-it/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

South Africa’s New Internet Cable Link Could Bring Economic Boom (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2011/0428/South-Africa-s-new-Internet-cable-link-could-bring-economic-boom

San Francisco Delays Vote on AT&T Utility Boxes (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/27/BA301J844B.DTL

GENERAL NEWS

US Metro Areas with Dirtiest Air Get Cleaner (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2011-04-27-city-smog-epa-dirty-air_n.htm?csp=34news

Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia No. 18 on Pollution Scale (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/04/28/1643430/seattle-tacoma-olympia-no-18-on.html

Tacoma to Blame for Puget Sound’s High Pollution Rank? (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=470792

American Lung Association State of the Air Report

http://www.stateoftheair.org/

Southern Storms: ‘I Don’t Know How Anyone Survived’ (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/weather/27698341/detail.html

Interior Secretary Salazar Visits Washington State (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/apr/27/interior-secretary-salazar-visits-washington-state/

3,000 Hopefuls Apply for 20 Firefighter Jobs in Tacoma (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120823649.html

Voice Mail? That’s So Last Century (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014879263_voice28.html

Scotch Broom, That Pesky Noxious Weed, Carries an Economic Cost (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/27/1630537/scotch-broom-that-pesky-noxious.html

DIVERSIONS

Follow-Up File - Goldfish Racing Returns to Tacoma Bar

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=470865

Special Place in Hell Edition - Ann Arbor Man, 19, Uses Hummer to Run Over Ducklings

http://www.freep.com/article/20110427/NEWS05/110427006/Cops-Ann-Arbor-man-19-uses-Hummer-run-over-ducklings

Austrian Authorities Reveal Find of Buried Treasure

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_austria_buried_treasure

Does Your Name Spell Power? LinkedIn Reveals Top CEO Names

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/04/28/does-your-name-spell-power-linkedin-reveals-top-ceo-names/

SONG OF THE DAY

Linda Ronstadt - Silver Threads & Golden Needles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsiXcS-glAU