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
TransAlta’s Centralia Power Plant under Fire - Business ranks 125th in nation in mercury emissions, according to new report (Olympian, WA)
Shelton - Clean Air Agency Will Hold Biomass Hearings (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
New Law Could Change How Local Governments Communicate with the Public (Longview Daily News, WA)
Monroe Prison Guard Complained About Working Solo Before Inmate Killed Her (Seattle Times)
Obama? Bon Jovi? Redford? Olympic National Park Seeks Big Names to Celebrate Start of Dam Removals (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· TransAlta’s Centralia Power Plant under Fire - Business ranks 125th in nation in mercury emissions
· First of 16 New Turbine Runners at Chief Joseph Dam Enters Commercial Testing Phase
· Susitna Dam Projected to Cost $4.5 Billion
· Alcoa Appeals North Carolina Move Blocking Dam Relicensing
· Oregon - Harnessing the Power of Water: City of Ashland
· Obama? Bon Jovi? Redford? Olympic National Park Seeks Big Names to Celebrate Start of Dam Removals
· Disputed Oversized Loads to Start Rolling in Idaho
· Montana - Could the City of Great Falls Convert Electric Utility to Co-Op?
· Utility Giant National Grid to Lay Off 1,200 in Restructuring
· Kansas - As Smart Meter Use Grows Across Kansas, So Do Options for Easy Use
· New Electricity Meters Stir Fears
· Nuclear Plants Expected to Hire 50,000 in Next Five Years
· After Clean Energy Buzz Last Week, Talks Could Restart Soon in Senate
· Op/Ed - The Snake River Basin Is a Model of Environmental & Economic Sustainability
· Alaska Senator Sends Obama Salmon Sample
· Klickitat PUD - New Water Will Boost Business Expansion in White Salmon
· Longview to Spend Thousands on Water Plant It Plans to Abandon
· 200 Billion Gallons of Water Drawn Each Day for US Coal, Nuclear Power
· Shelton - Clean Air Agency Will Hold Biomass Hearings
· Study to Examine Olympic Peninsula’s Potential for Renewable Energy
· Ohio Op/Ed - Brake on Biomass: A case before the Ohio Supreme Court should have a lot to say about the state’s renewable-energy standards
· Sale of Energy Credits in California Supports Canada Wind Farms
· Wyoming - Interior Official Addresses Wind Energy, Transmission Lines
· Editorial – Wind Power Transmission: Spinning the Color Wheel for a ‘Green’ Alternative
· Idaho - Solar Roadways Traveling Toward Another $100K Grant
· Smart Appliance Sales to Surge, Pike Research Says
· Alaska Seeing Impact of Climate Change in Its Infrastructure, Villages
· Fertilizing Oceans Seen Fruitless in Climate Fight
· Some States Offer Electric Car Incentives
· Cold Truths About Electric Cars’ Cold-Weather Shortcomings
· Once Popular, Car Pools Go the Way of Hitchhiking
· Want to Toss That Tree? Get a Permit First, Seattle Tree Group Proposes
· NFL Promises the Greenest Gridiron Yet in Dallas Area
· Stimulus Funds Help Wire Rural Homes for Internet
· AT&T Expects USF Reform Starting February 8
· Portland’s Dream of the ‘00s -- Fast, Cheap Broadband -- Is Alive
· Free Wi-Fi on Amtrak Cascade Trains Starts February 1
· FCC Seeks to Dismiss Challenges to Internet Rules
· New Law Could Change How Local Governments Communicate with the Public
· Washington State Redistricting Board Selects Chairwoman
· Oregon Treasurer Ted Wheeler Says Legal Costs of Ethics Investigation Waste Public Money
· Spin Control: West Side Plays Victim in County-Merging Pitch
· Agencies in Cost-Cutting California Told Not to Buy New Cars
· Monroe Prison Guard Complained About Working Solo Before Inmate Killed Her
· Puget Sound Residents Traveling in Egypt Trying to Get Home
· Cosmopolis Pulp Mill Coming Back on Line
· Even County Fairs May Fall Victim to Washington State’s Budget Cuts
· Prizes for Thriftiness? Washington State Eyes Savings Lotteries
· Insurers Are Scouring Social Media for Evidence of Fraud
· Microbreweries Turning from Glass to Metal
WORD OF THE DAY
Interminable • \in-TERM-nuh-bull\ • Adjective - Having or seeming to have no end; especially: wearisomely protracted
Sorry classical fans…my definition of interminable includes the “Impressionistic” period. ‘Nuff Said. Baroque=Bach….yeah baby!
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
TransAlta’s Centralia Power Plant under Fire - Business ranks 125th in nation in mercury emissions, according to new report (Olympian, WA)
First of 16 New Turbine Runners at Chief Joseph Dam Enters Commercial Testing Phase (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
Susitna Dam Projected to Cost $4.5 Billion (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
Alcoa Appeals North Carolina Move Blocking Dam Relicensing (Associated Press)
Oregon - Harnessing the Power of Water: City of Ashland’s Watershed Hydroelectric Power Plant Supplies 2 Percent of City’s Electricity (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)
Obama? Bon Jovi? Redford? Olympic National Park Seeks Big Names to Celebrate Start of Dam Removals (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Disputed Oversized Loads to Start Rolling in Idaho (Associated Press)
Montana - Could the City of Great Falls Convert Electric Utility to Co-Op? (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
Utility Giant National Grid to Lay Off 1,200 in Restructuring (Associated Press)
Kansas - As Smart Meter Use Grows Across Kansas, So Do Options for Easy Use (Lawrence Journal World, KS)
New Electricity Meters Stir Fears (NY Times)
Nuclear Plants Expected to Hire 50,000 in Next Five Years - LTC students need to be strong in science, math (Gannett Wisconsin Media)
After Clean Energy Buzz Last Week, Talks Could Restart Soon in Senate (NY Times)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Op/Ed - The Snake River Basin Is a Model of Environmental & Economic Sustainability (Oregonian, Portland)
Alaska Senator Sends Obama Salmon Sample (Associated Press)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Klickitat PUD - New Water Will Boost Business Expansion in White Salmon, Washington “…allows White Salmon to divert more water from Buck Creek, mitigated in part by water formerly used at the Goldendale Aluminum Plant…” (Water World Magazine)
Longview to Spend Thousands on Water Plant It Plans to Abandon (Longview Daily News, WA)
200 Billion Gallons of Water Drawn Each Day for US Coal, Nuclear Power (Sustainable Business)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Shelton - Clean Air Agency Will Hold Biomass Hearings (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Study to Examine Olympic Peninsula’s Potential for Renewable Energy (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Ohio Op/Ed - Brake on Biomass: A case before the Ohio Supreme Court should have a lot to say about the state’s renewable-energy standards & the utility-industry actions that are acceptable to meet them (Toledo Blade, OH)
Sale of Energy Credits in California Supports Canada Wind Farms (Bloomberg News)
Wyoming - Interior Official Addresses Wind Energy, Transmission Lines (Billings Gazette, MT)
Editorial – Wind Power Transmission: Spinning the Color Wheel for a ‘Green’ Alternative (Tri-City Herald, WA)
Idaho - Solar Roadways Traveling Toward Another $100K Grant (Bonner County Daily Bee, Sandpoint, ID)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Smart Appliance Sales to Surge, Pike Research Says (Bloomberg News)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Alaska Seeing Impact of Climate Change in Its Infrastructure, Villages (Fairbanks News Miner, AK)
Fertilizing Oceans Seen Fruitless in Climate Fight (STV)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Some States Offer Electric Car Incentives (USA Today)
Cold Truths About Electric Cars’ Cold-Weather Shortcomings (Washington Post)
Once Popular, Car Pools Go the Way of Hitchhiking (NY Times)
Want to Toss That Tree? Get a Permit First, Seattle Tree Group Proposes (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
NFL Promises the Greenest Gridiron Yet in Dallas Area (Dallas Morning News, TX)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Stimulus Funds Help Wire Rural Homes for Internet (USA Today)
AT&T Expects USF Reform Starting February 8 - Will Begin Shift Toward Funding Rural Broadband (Broadband Reports)
Portland’s Dream of the ‘00s -- Fast, Cheap Broadband -- Is Alive (Oregonian, Portland)
Free Wi-Fi on Amtrak Cascade Trains Starts February 1 (Tacoma Index, WA)
FCC Seeks to Dismiss Challenges to Internet Rules (Reuters)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
New Law Could Change How Local Governments Communicate with the Public (Longview Daily News, WA)
Washington State Redistricting Board Selects Chairwoman (Associated Press)
Oregon Treasurer Ted Wheeler Says Legal Costs of Ethics Investigation Waste Public Money (Oregonian, Portland)
Spin Control: West Side Plays Victim in County-Merging Pitch (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Agencies in Cost-Cutting California Told Not to Buy New Cars (NY Times)
GENERAL NEWS
Monroe Prison Guard Complained About Working Solo Before Inmate Killed Her (Seattle Times)
Puget Sound Residents Traveling in Egypt Trying to Get Home (KING-TV, Seattle)
Cosmopolis Pulp Mill Coming Back on Line (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Even County Fairs May Fall Victim to Washington State’s Budget Cuts (Seattle Times)
Prizes for Thriftiness? Washington State Eyes Savings Lotteries (Associated Press)
Insurers Are Scouring Social Media for Evidence of Fraud (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
Microbreweries Turning from Glass to Metal (Associated Press)
DIVERSIONS
Irony Alert - ‘Nuclear Sludge’ Candy Has Lead in it, Says FDA
California Mayor Wants to Broadcast Bird Songs
How IKEA Seduces Its Customers: by Trapping Them
Triple-Overtime Basketball Game Finishes with Bizarre 38-31 Score
SONG OF THE DAY
John Lee Hooker - One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
