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
Energy Northwest Looking to Power Up a Kalama Plant by 2013 (Longview Daily News, WA)
Port Angeles Says No to Bonneville Power Administration Settlement (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
Jefferson PUD, Future Electricity Provider, Votes for Bonneville Power Administration’s Proposed Settlement (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
US Army Corps of Engineers’ Spill Program to Help Salmon, Steelhead Migration (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Data Center Expansion - Yahoo! Permit Completed (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Energy Northwest Looking to Power Up a Kalama Plant by 2013
· Port Angeles Says No to Bonneville Power Administration Settlement
· Jefferson PUD, Future Electricity Provider, Votes for Bonneville Power Administration’s Proposed Settlement
· Bonneville Power Administration Chief Outlines Rate Hike That Would Boost Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Bills
· Tacoma Power Tests New Siren System in Lewis County
· Lawmakers Smooth Recreational Liability Bumps for Chelan PUD
· Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative Continues to Grow
· Hydropower Buzz Gains Momentum with Senate Bills, Administration Investments
· Enron’s Skilling Won’t Get a New Trial, Appeals Court Says
· Avista’s Ann Carey Receives National Utility Customer Service Award
· California - Two Top Execs Will Resign as Pacific Gas & Electric Reorganizes
· Cal ISO President to Retire
· Natural Gas Drops after Supply Report; Oil Higher
· Vermont House Drops Vote on Energy Surcharge
· National Grid Reports Accounting Problems
· Report: Smart-Grid Benefits Far Outweigh Costs
· Copper Prices Climb on Global Demand Expectations
· Hanford Nuclear Plant Due Back on Line This Summer
· Japan Disaster Complicates Moves to Clean Energy
· US Army Corps of Engineers’ Spill Program to Help Salmon, Steelhead Migration
· Spring Chinook Fishing Season Extended
· Puget Sound Energy Recognized for Environmental Project on Baker River
· Oregon Big Fish Project Reels In Big Award
· Bold Experiment Hopes to Boost Salmon Population in British Columbia Waters
· EPA: Air-Quality Woes Lead Complaints from Tribal Land Residents
· At Kittitas Valley Wind Project, Turbines Don’t Always Turn
· Idaho - As Ethics Charges Fly, Wind Farm Siting Bill Dies
· West Michigan Lawmakers Propose Total Ban of Wind Turbines on Michigan’s Great Lakes
· GE to Build Nation’s Largest Solar Power Plant
· Watch out California, Here Comes the Rest of the US
· Waste to Energy - Environmental Group Files Petition Against ReVenture with NC Utilities Commission
· Clark Public Utilities Energy Adviser: It’s Easy to Cut Carbon Footprint
· Senate Votes down GOP Bill to Curb the EPA
· Data Center Expansion - Yahoo! Permit Completed
· Dell to Spend $1 Billion to Build Ten Data Centers
· Amazon.Com Threatens to Pull Plug on SC Distribution Center
· GoDaddy Goof Means Some Customers Get Gone - Video of Elephant Shooting Turns into Donations
· Microsoft, Toyota Team Up on Cloud Services for Vehicles
· Washington State House Budget Proposal Passes Key Committee
· Washington State Senate Approves Presidential Primary Suspension
· Government Shutdown: Oregon Still Gets Social Security, Mail & Bonneville Power
· What Will Government Shutdown Mean for Hanford?
· Military Pay Would Be Suspended by Government Shutdown
· 27% Of Communication by Members of Congress is Taunting, Professor Concludes
· Major Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Strikes Off Japan Coast
· 3.4 Magnitude Earthquake near Mount Rainier
· Race Enthusiasts Support Shelton-Area Race Track
· La Nina Keeps Wet Weather Coming
WORD OF THE DAY
Dogsbody • \DOGS-body\ • Noun - Drudge, gopher
“Poker playing dogs notwithstanding, get me a beer,” barked the bulldog to his dogsbody.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Energy Northwest Looking to Power Up a Kalama Plant by 2013 (Longview Daily News, WA)
Port Angeles Says No to Bonneville Power Administration Settlement (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
Jefferson PUD, Future Electricity Provider, Votes for Bonneville Power Administration’s Proposed Settlement (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Bonneville Power Administration Chief Outlines Rate Hike That Would Boost Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Bills (Baker City Herald, OR)
Tacoma Power Tests New Siren System in Lewis County (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Lawmakers Smooth Recreational Liability Bumps for Chelan PUD (Wenatchee World, WA)
Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative Continues to Grow (Big Sky Business Journal, Billings, MT)
Hydropower Buzz Gains Momentum with Senate Bills, Administration Investments (NY Times)
Enron’s Skilling Won’t Get a New Trial, Appeals Court Says (USA Today)
Avista’s Ann Carey Receives National Utility Customer Service Award (Electric Energy Online)
California - Two Top Execs Will Resign as Pacific Gas & Electric Reorganizes (SF Chronicle)
Cal ISO President to Retire (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
Natural Gas Drops after Supply Report; Oil Higher (Associated Press)
Vermont House Drops Vote on Energy Surcharge (Burlington Free Press, VT)
National Grid Reports Accounting Problems (Boston Business Journal, MA)
Report: Smart-Grid Benefits Far Outweigh Costs (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)
Copper Prices Climb on Global Demand Expectations (Associated Press)
NUCLEAR SCIENCE READING ROOM
Hanford Nuclear Plant Due Back on Line This Summer (Associated Press)
Japan Disaster Complicates Moves to Clean Energy (Associated Press)
FISH & WILDLIFE
US Army Corps of Engineers’ Spill Program to Help Salmon, Steelhead Migration (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Spring Chinook Fishing Season Extended (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Puget Sound Energy Recognized for Environmental Project on Baker River (South Sound Business Examiner)
Oregon Big Fish Project Reels In Big Award (Portland Business Journal, OR)
Bold Experiment Hopes to Boost Salmon Population in British Columbia Waters (Globe & Mail, Canada)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
EPA: Air-Quality Woes Lead Complaints from Tribal Land Residents (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
At Kittitas Valley Wind Project, Turbines Don’t Always Turn - Company is selling power on spot market (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)
Idaho - As Ethics Charges Fly, Wind Farm Siting Bill Dies (Associated Press)
West Michigan Lawmakers Propose Total Ban of Wind Turbines on Michigan’s Great Lakes (Muskegon Chronicle, MI)
GE to Build Nation’s Largest Solar Power Plant (Associated Press)
Watch out California, Here Comes the Rest of the US - California is still a very important solar market; however, it’s losing ground to a diverse range of up-and-coming states (Renewable Energy World)
Waste to Energy - Environmental Group Files Petition Against ReVenture with NC Utilities Commission (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Clark Public Utilities Energy Adviser: It’s Easy to Cut Carbon Footprint (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Senate Votes down GOP Bill to Curb the EPA (Los Angeles Times, CA)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Data Center Expansion - Yahoo! Permit Completed (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
Dell to Spend $1 Billion to Build Ten Data Centers (Austin Business Journal, TX)
Amazon.Com Threatens to Pull Plug on SC Distribution Center (Associated Press)
GoDaddy Goof Means Some Customers Get Gone - Video Of Elephant Shooting Turns Into Donations (Associated Press)
Microsoft, Toyota Team Up on Cloud Services for Vehicles (Seattle Times)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State House Budget Proposal Passes Key Committee (Associated Press)
Washington State Senate Approves Presidential Primary Suspension (Associated Press)
Government Shutdown: Oregon Still Gets Social Security, Mail & Bonneville Power (Oregonian, Portland)
What Will Government Shutdown Mean for Hanford? (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Military Pay Would Be Suspended by Government Shutdown (Northwest Cable News Network)
27% Of Communication by Members of Congress is Taunting, Professor Concludes (Washington Post)
GENERAL NEWS
Major Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Strikes Off Japan Coast (Christian Science Monitor)
3.4 Magnitude Earthquake near Mount Rainier (KING-TV, Seattle)
Race Enthusiasts Support Shelton-Area Race Track (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
La Nina Keeps Wet Weather Coming (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
DIVERSIONS
Truck Thefts from Texas Soda Distributors Make Dallas a Hub for Hot Dr Pepper
Including Snake “Service Animal” - Schrammie: Doling Out Plenty for a Wide Range of Bone-Headed Moves
Lights Out: Holy Site in Israel Goes Dark Because of an Unpaid Electricity Bill (Washington Post)
The New Commodore 64, Updated With Its Old Exterior
SONG OF THE DAY
Little Walter - Boom, Boom (Out Go the Lights)
Pat Travers - Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)
