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
Wind Farm Owners Ask Federal Agency to Intervene in Curtailment Dispute with Bonneville Power Administration (Oregonian, Portland)
Puget Sound Energy Wants to Raise Utility Bills 8.1 Percent - Electricity would go up 8.1%, gas by 3% if state gives OK (Olympian, WA)
Date Set to Breach Condit Dam - Demolition to begin in October, PacifiCorp announces (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Oregon - Wood Waste Fuels Debate on Measure to Exempt Biomass from State Solid Waste Regulations (Oregonian, Portland)
Washington State Economic Index Suggests Growth Ahead (Seattle Times)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Wind Farm Owners Ask Federal Agency to Intervene in Curtailment Dispute with Bonneville Power Administration
- Wind Power & Water Power Collide in the Pacific Northwest
- Wind Power Companies Ask for Bonneville Power Administration Stop to Nighttime Shutdowns
- Puget Sound Energy Wants to Raise Utility Bills 8.1 Percent
- Illinois - Consumers’ Electric Bills Likely to Spike as Coal Plants Close
- Bird Triggers Power Outage Affecting Thousands in Shoreline, Lake Forest Park
- Chelan County PUD Reorganizes for Efficiency & Clarity
- Smarter Homes in Magic Valley as Energy Meter Overhaul Reaches South-Central Idaho
- BC Hydro is Looking at Factors Pushing Up Costs
- BPA? Montana’s Great Falls School Board to Choose New Power Supplier
- Bosses Imperil Cleanup at Hanford, Agency Says
- Millennium Focused on Cleanup as Coal Terminal Process Plays Out
- White House Pushes Policies to Upgrade Nation’s Aging Electrical Network
- Natural Gas May Surge This Week on Rising Demand
- Georgia Supreme Court rules against Cobb Electric Members Cooperative in Proxy Fight
- News Whiz - New Study Shows Benefits of Regional Transmission Cost Sharing
- Date Set to Breach Condit Dam - Demolition to begin in October, PacifiCorp announces
- Idaho - Hecla to Pay $263M to Settle Superfund Suit
- Snow, Big Run-Off Celebrated in Water-Hungry West
- California - Warm Spell Fills Waterfalls, Rivers with Melting Sierra Snowpack
- Spokane County Will Get Sewage Permit
- South Seattle Residents, Scientists Look for Answers on Air Pollution’s Health Threats
- Oregon - Wood Waste Fuels Debate on Measure to Exempt Biomass from State Solid Waste Regulations
- Longview Fibre Upgrades Existing Biomass Plant
- Region Strives to be Wind Energy Hub
- United Kingdom - Wind Turbines Switched Off 38 Days Every Year
- More U.S. homes lease solar panels with no upfront costs
- Oregon House Passes ‘Cool Schools’ Bill Establishing Fund for Energy Efficient Schools
- EPA Delays Rule on Power Plant Emissions
- Cap & Trade Sparks Renewed Political Debate
- California Revises Its Greenhouse Gas Analysis
- Op/Ed - Saving Puget Sound a Rain Garden at a Time
- Plan to Cut California Forest for Vineyards Faces Opposition
- US Senate to Vote on Repealing Ethanol Tax Credits
- Comcast Plans to Bring Skype to Television
- Microsoft: A Danger for Skype Users?
- Apple Sued Over iCloud Name
- NOAA Moving Email to Google’s Cloud
- Wyoming - Powell’s Fiber Success Story: Population: 5,000 & Profitable
- Washington State Governor Gregoire Not Seeking Re-Election
- Sonntag: I’ll Look at Washington State Governor’s Race
- Washington Congressman Inslee: “I Will Talk Soon About 2012 Plans”
- Washington State Economic Index Suggests Growth Ahead
- Washington State Auditor Objects to Audit Cuts
- Hearing to Begin in Labor Complaint against Boeing
- Arizona & Colorado Wildfires Fanned by Windy, Dry Conditions
WORD OF THE DAY
Grating • \GRATE-ing\ • Verb - 1: to rub or rasp noisily 2: to cause irritation: jar
The grating sounds of Dilbert’s ukulele faded away to a soft “plink” as he finished his excoriating version of “Walk on the Wild Side.” The curious, but disengaged bystanders started wandering away from the scene, still wondering what it was all about. (kinda like this lame example sentence)
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
A MIGHTY RIVER vs. A MIGHTY WIND
Wind Farm Owners Ask Federal Agency to Intervene in Curtailment Dispute with Bonneville Power Administration (Oregonian, Portland)
Wind Power & Water Power Collide in the Pacific Northwest (Los Angeles Times, CA)
Wind Power Companies Ask for Bonneville Power Administration Stop to Nighttime Shutdowns (Associated Press)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Puget Sound Energy Wants to Raise Utility Bills 8.1 Percent - Electricity would go up 8.1%, gas by 3% if state gives OK (Olympian, WA)
Illinois - Consumers’ Electric Bills Likely to Spike as Coal Plants Close: As stricter environmental regulations approach, some power generators are choosing to shutter their coal-fired plants (Chicago Tribune, IL)
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-06-11/business/ct-biz-0612-rates-20110611_1_generators-electricity-illinois-power-agency
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-06-11/business/ct-biz-0612-rates-20110611_1_generators-electricity-illinois-power-agency
Bird Triggers Power Outage Affecting Thousands in Shoreline, Lake Forest Park (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)
Chelan County PUD Reorganizes for Efficiency & Clarity (NCWTV)
Smarter Homes in Magic Valley as Energy Meter Overhaul Reaches South-Central Idaho (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)
BC Hydro is Looking at Factors Pushing Up Costs (Vancouver Sun, BC)
BPA? Montana’s Great Falls School Board to Choose New Power Supplier (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
Bosses Imperil Cleanup at Hanford, Agency Says (Seattle Times)
Millennium Focused on Cleanup as Coal Terminal Process Plays Out (Longview Daily News, WA)
White House Pushes Policies to Upgrade Nation’s Aging Electrical Network (Washington Post)
Natural Gas May Surge This Week on Rising Demand (Commodity Online)
Georgia Supreme Court rules against Cobb Electric Members Cooperative in Proxy Fight (Atlanta Business Journal, GA)
News Whiz - New Study Shows Benefits of Regional Transmission Cost Sharing (SF Chronicle)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Date Set to Breach Condit Dam - Demolition to begin in October, PacifiCorp announces (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Idaho - Hecla to Pay $263M to Settle Superfund Suit (Associated Press)
Snow, Big Run-Off Celebrated in Water-Hungry West (Associated Press)
California - Warm Spell Fills Waterfalls, Rivers with Melting Sierra Snowpack (Sacramento Bee, CA)
Spokane County Will Get Sewage Permit (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
South Seattle Residents, Scientists Look for Answers on Air Pollution’s Health Threats – “…The majority of the pollution…comes…from the cars, trucks & buses whizzing by these neighborhoods — especially those with diesel engines…” (Crosscut Seattle)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Oregon - Wood Waste Fuels Debate on Measure to Exempt Biomass from State Solid Waste Regulations (Oregonian, Portland)
Longview Fibre Upgrades Existing Biomass Plant (Biomass Power & Thermal)
Region Strives to be Wind Energy Hub - Firms, Development Groups Intensify Focus on Industry (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
United Kingdom - Wind Turbines Switched Off 38 Days Every Year - Wind turbines will have to be switched off on 38 days every year because it is too windy (The Telegraph, UK)
More U.S. homes lease solar panels with no upfront costs (USA Today)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Oregon House Passes ‘Cool Schools’ Bill Establishing Fund for Energy Efficient Schools (Oregonian, Portland)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
EPA Delays Rule on Power Plant Emissions (NY Times)
Cap & Trade Sparks Renewed Political Debate (SF Chronicle)
California Revises Its Greenhouse Gas Analysis (NY Times)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Op/Ed - Saving Puget Sound a Rain Garden at a Time (Seattle Times)
Plan to Cut California Forest for Vineyards Faces Opposition (Associated Press)
US Senate to Vote on Repealing Ethanol Tax Credits (USA Today)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Comcast Plans to Bring Skype to Television (Everett Herald, WA)
Microsoft: A Danger for Skype Users? (Seattle Times)
Apple Sued Over iCloud Name (Austin Business Journal, TX)
NOAA Moving Email to Google’s Cloud (Washington Business Journal, DC)
Wyoming - Powell’s Fiber Success Story: Population: 5,000 & Profitable (Broadband Reports)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State Governor Gregoire Not Seeking Re-Election (Associated Press)
Sonntag: I’ll Look at Washington State Governor’s Race (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Washington Congressman Inslee: “I Will Talk Soon About 2012 Plans” (Associated Press)
GENERAL NEWS
Washington State Economic Index Suggests Growth Ahead (Seattle Times)
Washington State Auditor Objects to Audit Cuts - Brian Sonntag wants Gregoire to veto the Legislature’s cut to his performance audits, the voter-created reports that he says have saved the state hundreds of millions of dollars (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Hearing to Begin in Labor Complaint against Boeing (Northwest Cable News Network)
Arizona & Colorado Wildfires Fanned by Windy, Dry Conditions (USA Today)
DIVERSIONS
Unfortunate Architecture: Glass Staircases + Dresses = Awkward
Grandma’s Ashes Donated to Goodwill
Shades of “Dewey Defeats Truman” - Miami Herald Runs Ad Touting Miami Heat Win
The World’s Fastest Toy Car Hits Speeds of 161 MPH
SONG OF THE DAY
Charley Ryan & the Timberline Riders - Hot Rod Lincoln
