Energy News Digest for April 20, 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.

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Grant County Carbon Fiber Plant Ready for Occupants “…The joint venture chose Grant County…primarily due to its cheap hydropower, which was a selling point for BMW in its quest to build an environmentally friendly vehicle…” (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2011/04/grant-county-sglbmw-carbon-fiber.html

Wisconsin Bill Would Make Dams ‘Green’ - Hydro Power, Including from Canada, Would be Part of Mandate (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, WI)

http://www.jsonline.com/business/120252874.html

US Supreme Court Wary of Empowering Judges to Order Greenhouse Gas Cuts (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2011/0419/Supreme-Court-wary-of-empowering-judges-to-order-greenhouse-gas-cuts

Human Remains Found Near Shelton Identified – Murder Indicated (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/19/1622511/human-remains-found-near-shelton.html

Public Money on ADAGE Wood-Fired Power Plant Proposal? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/4998-public-money-on-adage

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Grant County Carbon Fiber Plant Ready for Occupants “…The joint venture chose Grant County…primarily due to its cheap hydropower

·         Wisconsin Bill Would Make Dams ‘Green’ - Hydro Power, Including from Canada, Would be Part of Mandate

·         Oregon - Green Machine: New Green-Energy Tax Breaks Make Critics See Red

·         Editorial - Japan’s Energy Crisis; What Crisis? Why the Capital Should Turn Off Its Toilets

·         Italy Shelves Nuclear Plans after Japan Quake

·         AES’ $3.5 Billion Deal for DPL Continues Utility Tie-Ups

·         Ohio Supreme Court Strikes Down Part of American Electric Power Rate Hike

·         Georgia Power Starting Water Research Center

·         Safety First - Use Metal Step Ladders Wisely, Says Browns Ladders

·         Logjams for Salmon Hold Up Well Over Winter on the Skokomish River

·         Vancouver Island Fuel Spill’s Impact on Salmon May Not Be Known for Years

·         Natural Toxin Killing California Dolphins, Sea Lions

·         Sammie the Salmon Tweets About Columbia River Trip

·         ‘Tis the Season! A Primer on Pacific Salmon “…What variety of salmon are you most likely to cook with?..”

·         Op/Ed - Unique Steelhead Woven into Fabric of California

·         Campaign Wants 12,000 Rain Gardens in (actually, AROUND) Puget Sound

·         Gold Mining Project in Oregon Hits Clean Water Snag

·         Public Money on ADAGE Wood-Fired Power Plant Proposal?

·         Cleantech Investment Activity in WA

·         Ocean Power Technologies deploying wave power in Oregon

·         2.6 Megawatts - Boeing Plant Will be 6th Largest Renewable Energy Site in Nation

·         Arizonans Love Solar & They’re Willing to Pay for It

·         Solar on the Water

·         Massachusetts - Offshore Wind Farm Wins Last OK, But Lacks Buyer for 50% of Power

·         North Carolina Regulators: ReVenture Biomass Plant Fuel

·         Germans Pay Extra for Clean Energy - Is It Worth It?

·         Builders Offer Green Tract Homes with Nearly Zero Utility Bills

·         US Supreme Court Wary of Empowering Judges to Order Greenhouse Gas Cuts

·         Cows, Climate Change & the High Court

·         States, Utilities Ask EPA to Boost Regional Cap-And-Trade Plans

·         Google Maps Deal to Boost Electric Autos

·         China’s Electric Car Tactics Rattle Automakers

·         Just How Green is Your City?

·         Green Glossary

·         Police: Wireless Network Hacker Targeted Seattle-Area Businesses

·         Clearwire Investors May be Disappointed as Sprint Pays $1 Billion to Use 4G Network

·         Charter Offers Faster Internet Service in Tri-City Area

·         More People Ditching Home Phone for Mobile

·         Facebook & Greenpeace Coal Debate Heats Up

·         Washington State’s Capital Budget Hinges on Debt Limit Amendment

·         Muni Bankruptcy Threat Makes Michigan Train Financial-Emergency SWAT Teams

·         Volunteer Cleanup in Parks Seen by Seattle City Union as Threat

·         Human Remains Found Near Shelton Identified – Murder Indicated

·         Mason Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Resigns

·         Olympia City Council OKs No-Panhandling Zones Near ATMs, Parking Areas

·         Family Claims Officer Slept Instead of Issue Amber Alert for Zina Linnik

·         Microsoft Goes Grays Harbor 100 Green with Recycled Printer Paper Deal

·         Bothell Cops Bust Serial Drain Cover Thief

WORD OF THE DAY

Doggerel • \DOG-gerr-ull\ • Noun - Loosely styled & irregular in measure especially for burlesque or comic effect; also: marked by triviality or inferiority

“Good Grief,” roared the news digest’s editor as he barreled into the office of the resident

poet, waving the day’s ‘word of the day’ haiku back and forth under the nose of the hard-pressed writer. “Who said you could print this doggerel, drivel, and otherwise unreadable stuff?”

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

Grant County Carbon Fiber Plant Ready for Occupants “…The joint venture chose Grant County…primarily due to its cheap hydropower, which was a selling point for BMW in its quest to build an environmentally friendly vehicle…” (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2011/04/grant-county-sglbmw-carbon-fiber.html

Wisconsin Bill Would Make Dams ‘Green’ - Hydro Power, Including from Canada, Would be Part of Mandate (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, WI)

http://www.jsonline.com/business/120252874.html

Oregon - Green Machine: New Green-Energy Tax Breaks Make Critics See Red (Willamette Weekly, OR)

http://wweek.com/portland/article-17382-green_machine.html

How a Federal Court Battle in Vermont Could Recast Nuclear Power (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0419/How-a-federal-court-battle-in-Vermont-could-recast-nuclear-power

Editorial - Japan’s Energy Crisis; What Crisis? Why the Capital Should Turn Off Its Toilets (Economist Magazine)

http://www.economist.com/node/18587187?story_id=18587187&fsrc=rss

Italy Shelves Nuclear Plans after Japan Quake (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014814173_apeuitalynuclear.html

AES’ $3.5 Billion Deal for DPL Continues Utility Tie-Ups “…Utilities have been trying to get bigger to help them spread the costs of making their power plants cleaner in response to tightening environmental regulations on emissions…” (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/3-5B-deal-signals-consolidating-power-sector-1344727.php

Ohio Supreme Court Strikes Down Part of American Electric Power Rate Hike (Columbus Business First)

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/morning_call/2011/04/ohio-supreme-court-strikes-down-part.html

Georgia Power Starting Water Research Center (Atlanta Business Chronicle, GA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2011/04/20/ga-power-starting-water-research-center.html

Safety First - Use Metal Step Ladders Wisely, Says Browns Ladders (Online PRNews)

http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/127102-1303130994-use-metal-step-ladders-wisely-says-browns-ladders.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Logjams for Salmon Hold Up Well Over Winter on the Skokomish River (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/apr/16/logjams-salmon-hold-well-over-winter-skokomish-riv/

Vancouver Island Fuel Spill’s Impact on Salmon May Not Be Known for Years (Globe & Mail)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/fuel-spills-impact-on-salmon-may-not-be-known-for-years/article1992016/

Natural Toxin Killing California Dolphins, Sea Lions (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2011-04-20-calif-toxin.htm?csp=34news

Sammie the Salmon Tweets About Columbia River Trip (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014817073_apwasocialsalmon.html

‘Tis the Season! A Primer on Pacific Salmon “…What variety of salmon are you most likely to cook with?..” (YumSugar)

http://www.yumsugar.com/Types-Salmon-Species-15849736

Op/Ed - Unique Steelhead Woven into Fabric of California (Monterey Herald, CA)

http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_17879001

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Campaign Wants 12,000 Rain Gardens in (actually, AROUND) Puget Sound (Associated Press – I know where about nine are under construction right now – Johns Prairie near Shelton)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014816618_apwaraingardens.html

Gold Mining Project in Oregon Hits Clean Water Snag (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/19/1622531/gold-mining-project-in-ore-hits.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Public Money on ADAGE Wood-Fired Power Plant Proposal? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/4998-public-money-on-adage

Cleantech Investment Activity in WA (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2011/04/19/relion-calico-energy-cleantech-funding/

Ocean Power Technologies deploying wave power in Oregon (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display.articles.electric-light-power.renewable-energy.wave-title.2011.04.Ocean_Power_Technologies_deploying_wave_power_in_Oregon.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html

2.6 Megawatts - Boeing Plant Will be 6th Largest Renewable Energy Site in Nation (WCSC-TV, Charleston, SC)

http://www.live5news.com/story/14473481/boeing-plant

Arizonans Love Solar & They’re Willing to Pay for It (Phoenix Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/business/2011/04/Arizonans-love-solar-and-will-pay-for-it.html

Solar on the Water (NY Times – Calling ‘Deep Purple’)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/20/business/energy-environment/20float.html

Massachusetts - Offshore Wind Farm Wins Last OK, But Lacks Buyer for 50% of Power (Boston Herald, MA)

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view/2011_0420half_steam_ahead_on_cape_offshore_wind_farm_wins_last_ok_but_lacks_buyer_for_50_of_power/

North Carolina Regulators: ReVenture Biomass Plant Fuel (In Its Many Forms) is Renewable (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/power_city/2011/04/regulators-reventure-fuel-is-renewable.html

Germans Pay Extra for Clean Energy - Is It Worth It? (Grist Magazine)

http://www.grist.org/energy-policy/2011-04-18-germans-pay-extra-for-clean-renewable-energy-is-it-worth-it

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Builders Offer Green Tract Homes with Nearly Zero Utility Bills (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2011-04-19-net-zero-homes.htm?csp=34money

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

US Supreme Court Wary of Empowering Judges to Order Greenhouse Gas Cuts (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2011/0419/Supreme-Court-wary-of-empowering-judges-to-order-greenhouse-gas-cuts

Cows, Climate Change & the High Court (Reuters)

http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2011/04/19/cows-climate-change-and-the-high-court/

States, Utilities Ask EPA to Boost Regional Cap-And-Trade Plans (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/04/19/19greenwire-states-utilities-ask-epa-to-boost-regional-cap-98267.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Google Maps Deal to Boost Electric Autos (Detroit News, MI)

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110420/AUTO01/104200331/1001/Google-Maps-deal-to-boost-electric-autos

China’s Electric Car Tactics Rattle Automakers (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/China-s-electric-car-tactics-rattle-automakers-1344587.php

Just How Green is Your City? (USA Today)

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011/04/Just-how-green-is-your-city/46252062/1?csp=34news

Green Glossary (Detroit Free Press, MI)
http://www.freep.com/article/20110417/BUSINESS06/104170463/Green-glossary

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Police: Wireless Network Hacker Targeted Seattle-Area Businesses (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Police-Wireless-network-hacker-targeted-1344185.php

Clearwire Investors May be Disappointed as Sprint Pays $1 Billion to Use 4G Network (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014817732_clearwire20.html

Charter Offers Faster Internet Service in Tri-City Area (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/04/16/1452562/charter-offers-faster-internet.html

More People Ditching Home Phone for Mobile (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-04-20-cellphone-study.htm?csp=34money

Facebook & Greenpeace Coal Debate Heats Up (Brand Channel)

http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2011/04/20/Facebook-Greenpeace.aspx

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State’s Capital Budget Hinges on Debt Limit Amendment (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14482911

Muni Bankruptcy Threat Makes Michigan Train Financial-Emergency SWAT Teams (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-18/muni-bankruptcy-threat-makes-michigan-train-financial-emergency-swat-teams.html

Volunteer Cleanup in Parks Seen by Seattle City Union as Threat (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014809676_cleanscapes19m.html

GENERAL NEWS

Human Remains Found Near Shelton Identified – Murder Indicated (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/19/1622511/human-remains-found-near-shelton.html

Mason Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Resigns (South Sound Business Examiner)

http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/mason-habitat-humanity-executive-director

Olympia City Council OKs No-Panhandling Zones Near ATMs, Parking Areas (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/04/19/1632953/olympia-city-council-oks-no-panhandling.html

Family Claims Officer Slept Instead of Issue Amber Alert for Zina Linnik (KING-TV, Seattle – How NOT to respond to something like this…)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Family-claims-officer-slept-instead-of-issue-Amber-Alert-120262819.html

Microsoft Goes Grays Harbor 100 Green with Recycled Printer Paper Deal (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=260

Bothell Cops Bust Serial Drain Cover Thief (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/2011/04/20/bothell-cops-bust-serial-drain-cover-thief/

DIVERSIONS

Here’s Your Beef - Taco Bell Ads Take Parting Shot at Law Firm

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014823333_apustacobelllawsuit.html

Complaints Force Tacoma Bar to End Goldfish Racing

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014824031_apwagoldfishraces.html

Classic Kids Games Like Kickball Deemed Unsafe by State of New York in Effort to Increase Summer Camp Regulation

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/04/19/2011-04-19_classic_kids_games_like_kickball_deemed_unsafe_by_state_in_effort_to_increase_su.html

Ouch! Fans Push to Send Shyamalan to Film School

http://www.kirotv.com/entertainment/27589946/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Steely Dan – My Old School

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq8OU-7JDFA