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
ADAGE Plan for Wood Fired Power Plant near Shelton Officially Over (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Clallam County PUD Makes No Decision on Bonneville Power Administration Settlement (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
Local Seismologists Push for Better Quake Warning Systems (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
Hard to Forecast Spread of Radioactive Water from Japan, But Dilution Means Little Hazard (Washington Post)
Longview Looks To Trim Costs With New Traffic Signal Bulbs - Federal Stimulus & Cowlitz PUD rebate (Longview Daily News, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Clallam County PUD Makes No Decision on Bonneville Power Administration Settlement
· Refueling & Maintenance - Columbia Generating Station Shut Down
· Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Douglas PUD’s Wells Hydroelectric Project
· Alcoa Intalco Works Restart Celebration 2011
· Energy Transmission – Montana’s Eminent Domain Logjam Still Exists; New Proposal Floated
· California – Pacific Gas & Electric, Utilities Board Criticized in Natural Gas Pipeline Blast
· Puget Sound Energy Using Traditional & Digital Media to Urge Everyone to Dial 8-1-1 to “Call Before You Dig”
· Vermont - 55-Cent Charge On Energy Bills For Renewable Power Stirs Pot In Montpelier
· 80% of US Energy to be Made from Clean Energy by 2035
· Transocean Execs Donating “Safety” Bonuses to Fund for Gulf Oil Spill Victims
· Rights Group Urges Halt to Brazil Dam in Amazon
· Hard to Forecast Spread of Radioactive Water from Japan, But Dilution Means Little Hazard
· Radiation Found in Richland Drinking Water
· Energy Secretary Steven Chu: ‘Imprudent’ to Close US Nuclear Plants
· UN Expert: Fukushima Nuclear Accident Not as Bad as Chernobyl
· Public Utility Districts Tracking Sturgeon Habits
· For Now above Bonneville Tributaries Not Much Better Than the Fishing Below
· ADAGE Plan for Wood Fired Power Plant near Shelton Officially Over
· City of Shelton to Reissue Determination on Simpson Biomass
· Evergreen State College Sustainable-Energy Project Kaput after Clash of Greener-Than-Thou Crusaders
· Massachusetts - Biomass Pits Neighbor against Tradesmen
· A Reality Check for Wind Power Investors “…BPA…exports more than half of its power production…huh?”
· North Carolina - This Wind Farm Has a Chance
· Wind Farm Efficiency Queried by John Muir Trust Study
· Wind Becomes Spain’s Biggest Energy Source
· Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition Testifies at US Senate Energy Committee Hearing
· Fuel Cell Maker ReliOn Raises More Cash
· Residents Using Solar Panels May See Increase in Annual Costs
· Longview Looks To Trim Costs With New Traffic Signal Bulbs - Federal Stimulus & Cowlitz PUD rebate
· Energy Star Standards Could Boost LED Sales
· Microsoft Tries Plan B with Hohm Energy App
· New Fresh Water in Arctic Could Shift Gulf Stream
· ‘Shrillness’ of Greens Contributed to Climate Bill’s Failure in Washington
· Does Cap-And-Trade Work? Still a Work in Progress
· Chaos in Energy Sector Drives Gains in Clean Energy
· White House Pushing Ahead with Airwaves Auction Plan
· Planned Wireless Internetnetwork Threatens GPS
· Cell Carriers to Roll Out “Mobile Wallets” in Utah
· Vote-By-Mail is Now the Law in Washington
· Washington State Liquor Privatization Plan Raises Some Concerns
· Harassment Claim - Port of Shelton Legal Fee Reimbursement Made; Another Requested
· Local Seismologists Push for Better Quake Warning Systems
· Tumwater - Autopsy Set for Pair Found in Car on I-5 after Chase
· Mason County Health Rankings Remain Same
· Beer Just a Tweet Away at Mariners Games
· Hunt Is On For Remains of Possible Mona Lisa Model
WORD OF THE DAY
Stultify • \STUL-tuh-fye\ • Verb - 1: to cause to appear or be stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical 2a: to impair, invalidate, or make ineffective: negate b: to have a dulling or inhibiting effect on
The energy supply presentation ground on, seconds seemed like minutes…minutes like hours…hours like; well, you get the idea. The stultifying effects of the impenetrable PowerPoint presentation, text so dense as to have the gravitational pull of a ‘black hole,’ caused Brenda’s mind to wander, ‘Walter Mitty’-like into a fantasy world of unicorns and rainbows. Only the call for the lunch break brought her reluctantly back to the gloomy conference room and a “free” ham sandwich.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Clallam County PUD Makes No Decision on Bonneville Power Administration Settlement (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
Refueling & Maintenance - Columbia Generating Station Shut Down (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Douglas PUD’s Wells Hydroelectric Project (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
Alcoa Intalco Works Restart Celebration 2011 (Bonneville Power Administration – Public Power is still waiting for its thank you note…)
Energy Transmission – Montana’s Eminent Domain Logjam Still Exists; New Proposal Floated (Billings Gazette, MT)
California – Pacific Gas & Electric, Utilities Board Criticized in Natural Gas Pipeline Blast (SF Chronicle, CA)
Puget Sound Energy Using Traditional & Digital Media to Urge Everyone to Dial 8-1-1 to “Call Before You Dig” (Electric Energy Online)
Vermont - 55-Cent Charge On Energy Bills For Renewable Power Stirs Pot In Montpelier (Burlington Free Press, VT)
80% of US Energy to be Made from Clean Energy by 2035 (Renewable Energy World – Whee! Washington State PUDs are already there)
Transocean Execs Donating “Safety” Bonuses to Fund for Gulf Oil Spill Victims (Associated Press)
Rights Group Urges Halt to Brazil Dam in Amazon (Associated Press)
NUCLEAR SCIENCE READING ROOM
Hard to Forecast Spread of Radioactive Water from Japan, But Dilution Means Little Hazard (Washington Post)
Radiation Found in Richland Drinking Water (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Energy Secretary Steven Chu: ‘Imprudent’ to Close US Nuclear Plants (Christian Science Monitor)
UN Expert: Fukushima Nuclear Accident Not as Bad as Chernobyl (Associated Press)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Public Utility Districts Tracking Sturgeon Habits (Wenatchee World, WA)
For Now above Bonneville Tributaries Not Much Better Than the Fishing Below (Seattle Times)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
ADAGE Plan for Wood Fired Power Plant near Shelton Officially Over (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
City of Shelton to Reissue Determination on Simpson Biomass (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Evergreen State College Sustainable-Energy Project Kaput after Clash of Greener-Than-Thou Crusaders (Seattle Weekly – Ouch!)
Massachusetts - Biomass Pits Neighbor against Tradesmen: Tradesmen, neighbors opposed over energy project WWLP-TV, Springfield, MA)
A Reality Check for Wind Power Investors “…BPA…exports more than half of its power production…huh?” (Seeking Alpha)
North Carolina - This Wind Farm Has a Chance (Raleigh News & Observer, NC)
Wind Farm Efficiency Queried by John Muir Trust Study “…Wind farms are much less efficient than claimed, producing below 10% of capacity for more than a third of the time…” (British Broadcasting Corporation)
Wind Becomes Spain’s Biggest Energy Source (Renewable Energy World)
Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition Testifies at US Senate Energy Committee Hearing (Renewable Energy World)
Fuel Cell Maker ReliOn Raises More Cash (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Residents Using Solar Panels May See Increase in Annual Costs (iStock Analyst)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Longview Looks To Trim Costs With New Traffic Signal Bulbs - Federal Stimulus & Cowlitz PUD rebate (Longview Daily News, WA)
Energy Star Standards Could Boost LED Sales (Sustainable Business Oregon)
Microsoft Tries Plan B with Hohm Energy App (CNET News)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
New Fresh Water in Arctic Could Shift Gulf Stream (Associated Press)
‘Shrillness’ of Greens Contributed to Climate Bill’s Failure in Washington (NY Times)
Does Cap-And-Trade Work? Still a Work in Progress (Associated Press)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Chaos in Energy Sector Drives Gains in Clean Energy (USA Today)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
White House Pushing Ahead with Airwaves Auction Plan (Washington Post)
Planned Wireless Internetnetwork Threatens GPS (Associated Press)
Cell Carriers to Roll Out “Mobile Wallets” in Utah (Associated Press)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Vote-By-Mail is Now the Law in Washington (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Washington State Liquor Privatization Plan Raises Some Concerns (Associated Press)
Harassment Claim - Port of Shelton Legal Fee Reimbursement Made; Another Requested (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
GENERAL NEWS
Local Seismologists Push for Better Quake Warning Systems (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
Tumwater - Autopsy Set for Pair Found in Car on I-5 after Chase (Olympian, WA)
Mason County Health Rankings Remain Same (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Beer Just a Tweet Away at Mariners Games (KING-TV, Seattle)
Hunt Is On For Remains of Possible Mona Lisa Model (SF Chronicle, CA)
DIVERSIONS
The Physics Of: Clown Cars
Couple Survives Six Natural Disasters on Honeymoon
Horse Dreams Dashed, German Teen Turns to Cow Luna
Police in Nebraska Cite Man on Allegations He Used Vacuum to Steal Money from Laundry Machines
SONG OF THE DAY
Lou Christie – Lightning Strikes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyRqdzF8swY
