Energy News Digest for December 13, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

French Nuclear Giant Areva to Post Large Loss (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/12/12/financial/f090058S57.DTL

Washington State House Passes Bill to Aid Cle Elum Solar Project (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/12/12/1911068/house-passes-bill-to-aid-cle-elum.html

Washington State Lawmakers Announce $479M in Budget Cuts (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/washington-state-lawmakers-announce-479m-budget-cu/nFzxY/

Mason County PUD 3 Adopts $57 Million 2012 Budget - Renewable Energy Costs & Bonneville Power Administration Increase to Affect Local Rates (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=954

Big Spring Chinook Run Forecast for Columbia River (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/dec/12/big-spring-chinook-run-forecast-columbia-river/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• French Nuclear Giant Areva to Post Large Loss
• Household Electricity Bills Skyrocket
• Mason County PUD 3 Adopts $57 Million 2012 Budget - Renewable Energy Costs & Bonneville Power Administration Increase to Affect Local Rates
• Mason County PUD 1 Overnight Power Outage 12/19 - 12/20
• EPA To Unveil Stricter Rules For Power Plants
• Indiana - Ex-Regulatory Chief's Indictment is Latest Black Eye
• When Dogs, Roosters or Bulls Attack
• Big Spring Chinook Run Forecast for Columbia River
• Clark County Groups Receive $925,383 for Fish Projects
• Op/Ed - Federal Salmon Plan Stands Strong
• Northern California Oyster Farm Dispute Spreads to Capitol Hill
• Op/Ed - Shellfish: Restoring Past to Benefit Future
• Rare sighting of blue whales off Washington State Coast
• Belfair Sewer Project on Mason County Commission Agenda
• Stage 1 Burn Ban for Mason County
• Quality of Air? That’s as Murky as Western Sky
• Washington State House Passes Bill to Aid Cle Elum Solar Project
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratories Studies Storing Wind Power Underground
• Cow Manure to Power New King County Power Plant
• GridMobility Winner 2011 Cleantech Open Global Business Competition Smart Power Category
• Pacific Gas & Electric CEO Lays Off Solar Investor Group
• Wind Leading to Midwest Energy Transmission Congestion
• United Kingdom - Over-Reliance On Wind Farms 'Will Lead To Power Cuts'
• Wind Energy is Turning Out New Fields of Study in Texas
• New York - Trash Burner Ends Subsidy Bid
• Power Savings on Auto Pilot
• Energy Conservation Spurs LED Lighting Acceptance
• Top Five Energy Efficiency Smartphone Apps
• Canada Pulls Out of Kyoto Protocol
• Climate Strategists: To Cut Emissions, Focus On Forests
• Solar-Powered Seattle Home Uses Clever, Quirky Ways to be Green
• Electric Cars Trump Flex-Fuel Cars on Places to Fill Up
• The ‘Green’ Debate on Christmas Trees: Fresh vs. Fake?
• Washington, DC: We’ll See Your 1 Gig, Raise You 100 Gig
• Tweets Cause US Death Row Conviction to be Overturned
• Washington State Lawmakers Announce $479M in Budget Cuts
• Jay Inslee Faces Challenges in Washington State Governor’s Race
• Four Dead in Chopper Crash at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
• Occupy Portland Protesters Block Work at Three Port of Portland Terminals
• Boeing Lands Biggest Order in Its History
• Seattle Schools Face $50M in 'Glass Palace' Headquarters Debt
• Downtown Shelton Goes Retro with Revamped Neon Lights
• Conviction Upheld for Warden Metal Thief
• Editorial - State Of California Needs Mettle to Stop Metal Thieves
• FCC: TV Commercials Will Be A Lot Quieter One Year from Now

WORD OF THE DAY

Swivet • \ SWIV-utt\ • Noun - A state of extreme agitation

Anne was a-swivet

Over the loss of her trivet

Burn marks on the counter

From a hot pot encounter

Was said to be the cause of it

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

French Nuclear Giant Areva to Post Large Loss (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/12/12/financial/f090058S57.DTL

Household Electricity Bills Skyrocket (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2011-12-13/electric-bills/51840042/1?csp=34news

Mason County PUD 3 Adopts $57 Million 2012 Budget - Renewable Energy Costs & Bonneville Power Administration Increase to Affect Local Rates (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=954

Mason County PUD 1 Overnight Power Outage 12/19 - 12/20 (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/19958-overnight-power-outage-1219-1220

EPA To Unveil Stricter Rules For Power Plants (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/13/143592187/epa-to-unveil-new-rules-for-power-plants

Indiana - Ex-Regulatory Chief's Indictment is Latest Black Eye: Former regulatory agency chairman is accused of having secret discussions with utility (Indianapolis Star, IN)

http://www.indystar.com/article/20111213/BUSINESS/112130315/Ex-IURC-chief-s-indictment-latest-black-eye-Duke-scandal

When Dogs, Roosters or Bulls Attack (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/industry/trends-reports-analyses/animals-attack-electric-co-op-workers/37163

FISH & WILDLIFE

Big Spring Chinook Run Forecast for Columbia River (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/dec/12/big-spring-chinook-run-forecast-columbia-river/

Clark County Groups Receive $925,383 for Fish Projects (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/dec/12/clark-county-groups-receive-925383-fish-projects/

Op/Ed - Federal Salmon Plan Stands Strong (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/columns/2011/12/federal-salmon-plan-stands-strong.html

Northern California Oyster Farm Dispute Spreads to Capitol Hill (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19516880

Op/Ed - Shellfish: Restoring Past to Benefit Future (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://m.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/dec/09/my-turn-shellfish-restoring-past-to-benefit/

Rare sighting of blue whales off Washington State Coast (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Rare-sighting-of-blue-whales-off-Wash-coast-135520128.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Belfair Sewer Project on Mason County Commission Agenda (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/19961-belfair-water-project

Stage 1 Burn Ban for Mason County (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3493

Quality of Air? That’s as Murky as Western Sky (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/us/air-quality-difficult-to-gauge-in-dustier-american-west.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington State House Passes Bill to Aid Cle Elum Solar Project (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/12/12/1911068/house-passes-bill-to-aid-cle-elum.html

Pacific Northwest National Laboratories Studies Storing Wind Power Underground (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/12/11/1940973/pnnl-studies-storing-wind-power.html

Cow Manure to Power New King County Power Plant (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=592603

GridMobility Winner 2011 Cleantech Open Global Business Competition Smart Power Category (PR-Web)

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/12/prweb9027351.htm

Pacific Gas & Electric CEO Lays Off Solar Investor Group (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2011/12/pge-ceo-lays-off-solar-investor-group.html

Wind Leading to Midwest Energy Transmission Congestion - Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, affecting both the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO) and the PJM Interconnection Energy Biz Insider)

http://www.scoop.com/remote/article/include/305367707/53616c7465645f5f4178727db026ffd54f13001c90669ebda01a7cb2ee069057eb17ca3485842373

United Kingdom - Over-Reliance On Wind Farms 'Will Lead To Power Cuts' (The Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8949993/Over-reliance-on-wind-farms-will-lead-to-power-cuts.html

Wind Energy is Turning Out New Fields of Study in Texas (San Antonio Express-News, TX)

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Wind-energy-is-turning-out-new-fields-of-study-in-2398759.php

New York - Trash Burner Ends Subsidy Bid - Environmental groups opposed aid extension designed for wind, solar (Albany Times-Union, NY)

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Trash-burner-ends-subsidy-bid-2393598.php

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Power Savings on Auto Pilot (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/business/marriott-in-deal-to-reduce-energy-use-at-hotels.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1323803244-im/Q0PPGkOTK+eRdOt2PFA

Energy Conservation Spurs LED Lighting Acceptance (EDN)

http://www.edn.com/article/520290-Energy_conservation_spurs_LED_lighting_acceptance.php

Top Five Energy Efficiency Smartphone Apps (Climate Progress)

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/10/385006/top-5-energy-efficiency-smartphone-apps/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Canada Pulls Out of Kyoto Protocol (CBS News)

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57341730/canada-pulls-out-of-kyoto/

Climate Strategists: To Cut Emissions, Focus On Forests (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/10/143454111/climate-activists-to-cut-emissions-focus-on-forests?ft=1&f=7

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Solar-Powered Seattle Home Uses Clever, Quirky Ways to be Green (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2011/12/09/solar-powered-home-uses-clever-quirky.html

Electric Cars Trump Flex-Fuel Cars on Places to Fill Up (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/12/recharging-easier-to-find-for-electric-cars-than-e85-for-flex-fuel-cars/1

The ‘Green’ Debate on Christmas Trees: Fresh vs. Fake? (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-green-debate-on-christmas-trees-fresh-vs-fake/2011/12/07/gIQAk3mLjO_story.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington, DC: We’ll See Your 1 Gig, Raise You 100 Gig (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/broadband/d-c-well-see-your-1-gig-raise-you-100-gig/

Tweets Cause US Death Row Conviction to be Overturned (British Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16108000

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Lawmakers Announce $479M in Budget Cuts (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/washington-state-lawmakers-announce-479m-budget-cu/nFzxY/

Jay Inslee Faces Challenges in Washington State Governor’s Race (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20111211/NEWS01/712119939#Jay-Inslee-faces-challenges-in-governor%26%23146s-race%0A

GENERAL NEWS

Four Dead in Chopper Crash at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Northwest Cable News Network)

http://www.nwcn.com/news/135490743.html

Occupy Portland protesters block work at three Port of Portland terminals (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/12/occupy_portland_protestors_pre.html

Boeing Lands Biggest Order in Its History (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=592868

Seattle Schools Face $50M in 'Glass Palace' Headquarters Debt (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017001813_johnstanford13m.html

Downtown Shelton Goes Retro with Revamped Neon Lights (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://shelton.komonews.com/news/business/698772-downtown-shelton-goes-retro-revamped-neon-lights

Conviction Upheld for Warden Metal Thief (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/crime-fire/article_d718bf92-24e8-11e1-9984-0019bb2963f4.html

Editorial - State Of California Needs Mettle to Stop Metal Thieves (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/13/4118248/state-needs-mettle-to-stop-metal.html

FCC: TV Commercials Will Be A Lot Quieter One Year from Now (Consumerist)

http://consumerist.com/2011/12/fcc-tv-commercials-will-be-a-lot-quieter-one-year-from-now.html

DIVERSIONS

North Korea is Threatening South Korea with "Psychological Warfare" Because of Christmas Lights

http://gizmodo.com/5867308/north-korea-is-threatening-south-korea-with-psychological-warfare-because-of-christmas-lights

Bell-Ringers Aim to Break National Record (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-11/salvation-army-bell/51799548/1?csp=34news

Here Is the Official Color of Next Year

http://gizmodo.com/5867074/here-is-the-official-color-of-next-year

Authorities Say Man Published Obituary for His Still-Living Mother to Get Paid Time Off

http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/Hey_Im_Not_Dead_Yet_135344888.html?ref=888

SONG OF THE DAY

George Harrison - It Don't Come Easy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p5yzdCa2GE

Ringo Starr - It Don't Come Easy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGlOUc0LTiE