Energy News Digest for July 17, 2012

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

Thurston County Public Power Vote Certain - Auditor certifies enough signatures for ballot (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/07/17/2175736/public-power-vote-certain.html

Sockeye Salmon Return to Lake Cle Elum after 100 Years (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/top_story/sockeye-salmon-return-to-lake-cle-elum-after-years/article_50008e0a-cf64-11e1-8128-0019bb2963f4.html

Oregon Tax Break Juices Troutdale Power Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2012/07/tax_break_juices_power_plant.html

EPA Slows Down Green House Gas Tailoring Rule (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/07/16/48429.htm

Vancouver Island - Three Governments Announce Deal for Greater Victoria Sewage Plant (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/Three+governments+announce+deal+Greater+Victoria+sewage+plant/6941399/story.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Thurston County Public Power Vote Certain - Auditor certifies enough signatures for ballot
• Oregon Tax Break Juices Troutdale Power Plant
• Editorial - Columbia Generating Station’s Licensing Renewal a Win for Clean Energy Future
• July 27-29 - Customers Invited to Visit PUD 3 Booth at the Mason Area Fair & Rodeo
• Montana - City Files Complaint against Southern Montana Electric
• Schweitzer Labs Opening Spokane Valley Office
• Smart Meters - So Much Data, but Who Can Analyze It?
• Maine Court Sides with Smart-Meter Foes on Health Issue
• Sockeye Salmon Return to Lake Cle Elum after 100 Years
• Giant Fish Collector Key to Recolonizing Upper Lewis River
• Chelan County PUD Thanked for Supporting Wenatchee River Salmon Festival
• Eatonville Man Pleads Guilty to 14 Counts of Bear Baiting
• California - Bald Eagles Soaring to Recovery in Bay Area & State
• Vancouver Island - Three Governments Announce Deal for Greater Victoria Sewage Plant
• Washington among Five States to Get Help for Tsunami Debris
• Belfair Water Reclamation Ribbon Cutting
• Editorial - Is Fluoridation in Everett Worthy of Another Vote?
• Obama Official Touts Production Tax Credits
• This Is What 37,000 Layoffs in the Wind Industry Looks Like
• Southwest Wind Power Turbines Power Remote Water Treatment Plant in Alaska
• United Kingdom Delays Green Power Subsidy Decision for Second Time
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District to Participate In $2 Million Renewable Intermittency Study
• Dirty Air Conditioner Filters Can Make You Lose Your Cool
• Before Anyone Complained About the Air-Conditioning, an Idea
• Commercial Lighting Staple - T12 Fluorescent Tubes - Fades Out
• ‘Stair Step’ Approach Can Boost Energy Efficiency Implementation
• EPA Slows Down Green House Gas Tailoring Rule
• Epic Drought Covers Widest Area since 1956
• Why Drought Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Ruin for U-S Farmers
• Oregon - Washington County’s First Fast-Charge Electric Vehicle Charging Station Opens in Hillsboro
• Using ‘Smart Growth’ Language May Not Always Be That Smart
• White Space Broadband as a White Knight for Rural America
• Rural Broadband Tales: Slow Speeds & a Love of Amazon.com
• Mason County PUD 3 Conducting Maintenance Work on Downtown Shelton Fiber Optic Network
• Data Centers Aren’t the Answer to Reno’s Woes
• Sprint Fires Up New 4G Data Network
• Yahoo Turns to Former Nemesis to be Its CEO Savior
• Washington State Congressional Candidate’s Mom Funds Attack Ad Targeting Rival
• McKenna Campaign Staffer Apologizes for Tweets
• Volunteer Watchdogs Sniff Out Code Violations for Money-Short Cities
• Teen Charged as Adult in Fatal Stabbing of Washington Corrections Center Officer
• Swords & Gasoline - Bizarre Incidents at Washington & Oregon State Capitols
• North Central Washington - Thunderstorms Batter the Region
• El Nino Looms & Could Help Snuff Out Hurricane Season
• City of Shelton Awards Contract for “K” Street Project
• Oregon Transportation Officials Take Blame for Weekend Traffic Mess on Portland Highways
• Washington State Patrol Issues Last Crown Victoria Cruiser
• Stephen Covey, Author of ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,’ Dies at 79

WORD OF THE DAY

Wifty • \WIFF-tee\ • Adjective - Eccentrically silly, giddy, or inane: ditzy

Wide-eyed and naive, Dodie Goodman made oodles of money off her wifty personae.

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

Thurston County Public Power Vote Certain - Auditor certifies enough signatures for ballot (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/07/17/2175736/public-power-vote-certain.html

Oregon Tax Break Juices Troutdale Power Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2012/07/tax_break_juices_power_plant.html

Editorial - Columbia Generating Station’s Licensing Renewal a Win for Clean Energy Future (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/07/15/2021754/licensing-renewal-a-win-for-clean.html

July 27-29 - Customers Invited to Visit PUD 3 Booth at the Mason Area Fair & Rodeo (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=1056

Montana - City Files Complaint against Southern Montana Electric (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120717/NEWS01/207170315

Schweitzer Labs Opening Spokane Valley Office (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jul/17/schweitzer-labs-opening-valley-office/

Smart Meters - So Much Data, but Who Can Analyze It? (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/11/so-much-data-from-smart-meters-but-who-can-analyze-it/

Maine Court Sides with Smart-Meter Foes on Health Issue (Smart Grid News)

http://www.smartgridnews.com/artman/publish/Technologies_Metering/Maine-court-sides-with-smart-meter-foes-on-health-issue-4963.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sockeye Salmon Return to Lake Cle Elum after 100 Years (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/top_story/sockeye-salmon-return-to-lake-cle-elum-after-years/article_50008e0a-cf64-11e1-8128-0019bb2963f4.html

Giant Fish Collector Key to Recolonizing Upper Lewis River (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/giant-fish-collector-key-to-recolonizing-upper-lewis-river/article_5194bf28-cdc2-11e1-b49a-0019bb2963f4.html

Chelan County PUD Thanked for Supporting Wenatchee River Salmon Festival (North Central Washington TV)

http://www.ncwtv.com/pud-thanked-for-supporting-wenatchee-river-salmon-festival-3603/

Eatonville Man Pleads Guilty to 14 Counts of Bear Baiting - Lured bears with doughnuts & then shot them (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/Eatonville-man-pleads-guilty-to-17-counts-of-bear-baiting-162670296.html

California - Bald Eagles Soaring to Recovery in Bay Area & State (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_21087222

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Vancouver Island - Three Governments Announce Deal for Greater Victoria Sewage Plant (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/Three+governments+announce+deal+Greater+Victoria+sewage+plant/6941399/story.html

Washington among Five States to Get Help for Tsunami Debris (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Washington-among-5-states-to-get-help-for-tsunami-debris-162685896.html

Belfair Water Reclamation Ribbon Cutting (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/34744-belfair-water-reclamation-ribbon-cutting

Editorial - Is Fluoridation in Everett Worthy of Another Vote? (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120713/NEWS01/707139957/1056/comm0615

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Obama Official Touts Production Tax Credits (Houston Business Journal, TX)

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/drilling-down/2012/07/obama-official-touts-production-tax.html

This Is What 37,000 Layoffs in the Wind Industry Looks Like (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/07/this-is-what-37000-layoffs-in-the-wind-industry-looks-like?cmpid=rss

Southwest Wind Power Turbines Power Remote Water Treatment Plant in Alaska (Renewable Energy Magazine)

http://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/article/southwest-windpower-turbines-power-remote-water-treatment/

United Kingdom Delays Green Power Subsidy Decision for Second Time (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/17/us-britain-renewables-subsidies-idUSBRE86G0MT20120717

Sacramento Municipal Utility District to Participate In $2 Million Renewable Intermittency Study (Fierce Energy)

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/smud-participate-2m-renewable-intermittency-study/2012-07-13

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Dirty Air Conditioner Filters Can Make You Lose Your Cool (Consumer Reports)

http://news.consumerreports.org/home/2012/07/how-to-maintain-your-air-conditioner-during-a-heat-wave.html

Before Anyone Complained About the Air-Conditioning, an Idea (NY Times)

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/before-anyone-complained-about-the-air-conditioning-an-idea/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Commercial Lighting Staple - T12 Fluorescent Tubes - Fades Out (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/industry/trends-reports-analyses/commercial-lighting-staple-fades-out/46345

‘Stair Step’ Approach Can Boost Energy Efficiency Implementation (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=183425&issueID=26803

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

EPA Slows Down Green House Gas Tailoring Rule (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/07/16/48429.htm

Epic Drought Covers Widest Area since 1956 (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/story/2012-07-16/drought-us/56257054/1?csp=34news

Why Drought Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Ruin for U-S Farmers (U-S News & World Report)

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/07/17/why-drought-doesnt-necessarily-mean-ruin-for-us-farmers

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon - Washington County’s First Fast-Charge Electric Vehicle Charging Station Opens in Hillsboro (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2012/07/washington_countys_first_fast-.html

Using ‘Smart Growth’ Language May Not Always Be That Smart (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-07-16/smart-growth-lingo/56250622/1?csp=34news

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

White Space Broadband as a White Knight for Rural America (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2012/07/15/white-space-broadband-as-a-white-knight-for-rural-america/

Rural Broadband Tales: Slow Speeds & a Love of Amazon.com (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2012/07/13/rural-broadband-tales-slow-speeds-and-a-love-of-amazon-com/

Mason County PUD 3 Conducting Maintenance Work on Downtown Shelton Fiber Optic Network (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=1059

Data Centers Aren’t the Answer to Reno’s Woes (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2012/07/15/data-centers-arent-the-answer-to-renos-woes/

Sprint Fires Up New 4G Data Network (Associated Press)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120716/BIZ/707169856

Yahoo Turns to Former Nemesis to be Its CEO Savior (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2018702288_apustecyahooceo.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Congressional Candidate’s Mom Funds Attack Ad Targeting Rival (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Mailers-attacking-Suzan-Del-Bene-paid-for-by-opponent-162664196.html

McKenna Campaign Staffer Apologizes for Tweets (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/07/16/2175467/mckenna-campaign-staffer-apologizes.html

Volunteer Watchdogs Sniff Out Code Violations for Money-Short Cities (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2018664779_realenforcers15.html

GENERAL NEWS

Teen Charged as Adult in Fatal Stabbing of Washington Corrections Center Officer (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/6425

Swords & Gasoline - Bizarre Incidents at Washington & Oregon State Capitols (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/bizarre_incidents_at_wash._and_oregon_state_capitols/

North Central Washington - Thunderstorms Batter the Region (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/jul/17/thunderstorms-batter-region/

El Nino Looms & Could Help Snuff Out Hurricane Season (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/story/2012-07-16/el-nino-atlantic-hurricane-season/56257174/1?csp=34news

City of Shelton Awards Contract for “K” Street Project (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/6430

Oregon Transportation Officials Take Blame for Weekend Traffic Mess on Portland Highways (Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2012/07/oregon_transportation_official_1.html

Washington State Patrol Issues Last Crown Victoria Cruiser (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4355

Stephen Covey, Author of ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,’ Dies at 79 (Associated Press)

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/07/16/stephen-covey-7-habits-author-dies-at-79/

DIVERSIONS

Woman Tries to Sell Home by Advertising Husband’s Infidelity

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Woman-uses-husbands-cheating-as-home-selling-incentive-162497346.html

Farm-Friendly Speed Dating? Try ‘Weed Dating’

http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Family/2012/0716/Farm-friendly-speed-dating-Try-weed-dating

Bad Date Rescue App Helps You End Miserable Dates Early

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kdaf-bad-date-rescue-app-story,0,6490573.story

Kitty Wells, Country Music Star, Dies at 92

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/17/entertainment-us-kittywells-death-idUSBRE86F1AT20120717

SONG OF THE DAY

Kitty Wells - It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyGnX7J2pfE