Energy News Digest for August 16, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

PROGRAMMING NOTE

The energy news digest will be on hiatus August 20-31 as it examines a certain west coast venue for tsunami debris; then visits a lake in a certain north central region of a western state for a final bake of the summer. The ND will return September 4, rested and relaxed. There may be some tweets of big energy items if they catch the ND’s interest.

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Major Puget Sound Energy Power Line Damaged in Cle Elum’s Taylor Bridge Fire  (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2012/08/15/major-power-line-damaged-in-taylor-bridge-fire

U-S House Natural Resources Committee Meeting in Pasco Draws Demonstrators (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/08/16/2257551/house-natural-resources-committee.html

Midwestern Drought, Election Year Politics Add to Pressure on Ethanol (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2012/0814/Midwestern-drought-election-year-politics-add-to-pressure-on-ethanol

Apple Has 'Green' Plans for Prineville Data Center (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/apple_has_green_plans_for_prin.html

Appeal Filed over Enloe Water Permit for Hydroelectric Dam Project (Methow Valley News, WA)

http://www.methowvalleynews.com/story.php?id=8436

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Major Puget Sound Energy Power Line Damaged in Cle Elum’s Taylor Bridge Fire 
• U-S House Natural Resources Committee Meeting in Pasco Draws Demonstrators
• Video from Pasco’s Save Our Dams Rally
• Hastings’ Hydro Bill Will Protect & Promote Hydropower Dams
• Legislation Protects & Promotes Northwest Hydropower
• Appeal Filed over Enloe Water Permit for Hydroelectric Dam Project
• Alaska Utility, Native Corporation Propose Idea to Cut Rural Energy Costs
• How Electricity Empowered Rural Alaska Politics
• David Kennedy, Stanford University Historian, To Speak on 75th Anniversary of BPA
• Editorial - Halt to Nuclear Licenses Certain to be Short-Lived
• Pepco to Washington, D-C: Hands Off Our Compensation
• Oregon Governor Seeks Columbia River Salmon Solution
• Murray, Dicks Visiting Shelton Today as Part of Proposed Wild Olympics Legislation
• Tribes, Biologists Work to Halt Slide of Lampreys
• Case Could Hamstring Washington State’s Control of Runoff Pollution
• California - Yuba River Hydroelectric Plan Called Threat to Fish
• Oregon’s Bull Run Powerhouse: History Looking for a Future
• Wind Energy Tax Credit: More Hot Air or Key Job Creator
• The Rise - And Possible Fall - Of U-S Wind Power
• Op/Ed - Clean Energy Law Drives Innovation, Creates Jobs, Attracts
• Keeping the Lights on in New York State
• Renewable Energy Corporation Showcasing New Products and Tailored Customer Programs at Solar Power International
• Midwestern Drought, Election Year Politics Add to Pressure on Ethanol
• Apple Has 'Green' Plans for Prineville Data Center
• Dish Network Said to Plan Nationwide Satellite Broadband
• August 21 - NoaNet Conducting Major Upgrade & Maintenance Work on Its Data Transmission System
• Could a Hurricane Take Down the Internet
• Google Buys Newspaper Ad to Show Why Newspaper Ads Don’t Work
• A Break in Uphill Battle with Kittitas County’s Taylor Bridge
• Fire-Prone Areas: To Build or Not to Build
• King/Pierce County Smog to Hit Unhealthy Levels by Weekend
• Mason County Senior Center Extends Shelton Hours During High
• List of cooling centers in Western Washington
• Littlerock-Area Man Shot Dead Had Been Behaving Erratically
• Washington State Jobs, Employment Numbers Contradict

WORD OF THE DAY

Maquette • \mah-KETT\ • Noun - A usually small preliminary model (as of a sculpture or a building)

The fresh faced intern at the famed architectural firm of Hunga Dunga, Hunga Dunga & Hunga Dunga was delighting attendees at the unveiling of the design of the multi-million dollar headquarters of the international marketing firm. The source of amusement was a young Macaque monkey that was jumping from person to person, looking through various hairdos for nits. Unfortunately for the short-lived career of the intern, he had been tasked with acquiring an intricately designed maquette of the building for the unveiling…not a monkey with a strikingly similar name.

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

Major Puget Sound Energy Power Line Damaged in Cle Elum’s Taylor Bridge Fire  (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2012/08/15/major-power-line-damaged-in-taylor-bridge-fire

U-S House Natural Resources Committee Meeting in Pasco Draws Demonstrators (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/08/16/2257551/house-natural-resources-committee.html

Video from Pasco’s Save Our Dams Rally (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/08/15/2063621/save-our-dams-rally.html

Hastings’ Hydro Bill Will Protect & Promote Hydropower Dams - Witnesses Provide Laundry List of Hydropower Benefits for Jobs, Economy and Environment (U-S House Natural Resources Committee)

http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=306490

Legislation Protects & Promotes Northwest Hydropower (Northwest River Partners)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2012/08/legislation-protects-and-promotes.html

Appeal Filed over Enloe Water Permit for Hydroelectric Dam Project (Methow Valley News, WA)

http://www.methowvalleynews.com/story.php?id=8436

Alaska Utility, Native Corporation Propose Idea to Cut Rural Energy Costs (Raleigh News & Observer, NC)

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/15/2270014/alaska-utility-native-corporation.html

How Electricity Empowered Rural Alaska Politics (Alaska Dispatch)

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/how-electricity-empowered-rural-alaska-politics

David Kennedy, Stanford University Historian, To Speak on 75th Anniversary of BPA (Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2012/08/david_kennedy_stanford_univers.html

Editorial - Halt to Nuclear Licenses Certain to be Short-Lived (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/08/15/2062767/halt-to-nuclear-licenses-certain.html

Pepco to Washington, D-C: Hands Off Our Compensation - Call to tie Pepco management’s compensation to the reliability of the company’s power system (Washington Business Journal, D-C)

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2012/08/pepco-to-dc-ratepayers-hands-off.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon Governor Seeks Columbia River Salmon Solution (Associated Press)

http://www.registerguard.com/web/newslocalnews/28597997-41/fish-salmon-columbia-gillnetters-state.html.csp

Murray, Dicks Visiting Shelton Today as Part of Proposed Wild Olympics Legislation (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120816/NEWS/120819977/murray-dicks-visiting-shelton-today-as-part-of-proposed-wild

Tribes, Biologists Work to Halt Slide of Lampreys (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120814/NEWS01/708149943/1122/NEWS01

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Case Could Hamstring Washington State’s Control of Runoff Pollution (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/case-could-hamstring-wa-s-control-runoff-pollution-0

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California - Yuba River Hydroelectric Plan Called Threat to Fish (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/16/4730227/yuba-river-hydroelectric-plan.html

Oregon’s Bull Run Powerhouse: History Looking for a Future (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://opbapp-production.herokuapp.com/news/article/bull-run-powerhouse-history-looking-for-a-future/

Wind Energy Tax Credit: More Hot Air or Key Job Creator? (U-S News & World Report)

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/08/14/wind-energy-tax-credit-more-hot-air-or-key-job-creator

The Rise - And Possible Fall - Of U-S Wind Power (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/14/the-rise-and-possible-fall-of-u-s-wind-power-in-five-charts/

Op/Ed - Clean Energy Law Drives Innovation, Creates Jobs, Attracts Investments (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/16/4729970/clean-energy-law-drives-innovation.html

Keeping the Lights on in New York State (Huffington Post)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jerry-kremer/keeping-the-lights-on_b_1777025.html

Renewable Energy Corporation Showcasing New Products and Tailored Customer Programs at Solar Power International (MarketWatch)

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rec-showcasing-new-products-and-tailored-customer-programs-at-solar-power-international-2012-in-orlando-florida-2012-08-16

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Midwestern Drought, Election Year Politics Add to Pressure on Ethanol (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2012/0814/Midwestern-drought-election-year-politics-add-to-pressure-on-ethanol

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Apple Has 'Green' Plans for Prineville Data Center (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/apple_has_green_plans_for_prin.html

Dish Network Said to Plan Nationwide Satellite Broadband (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-15/dish-network-said-to-plan-nationwide-satellite-broadband-service.html

August 21 - NoaNet Conducting Major Upgrade & Maintenance Work on Its Data Transmission System (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=1072

Could a Hurricane Take Down the Internet? (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2012/08/14/could-a-hurricane-take-down-the-internet-infographic/

Google Buys Newspaper Ad to Show Why Newspaper Ads Don’t Work (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2012/08/14/google-print-ad-shows-why-newspaper-ads-dont-work/

GENERAL NEWS

A Break in Uphill Battle with Kittitas County’s Taylor Bridge Fire (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018926612_wildfirescene16m.html

Fire-Prone Areas: To Build or Not to Build (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018926467_wildfirehomes16m.html

King/Pierce County Smog to Hit Unhealthy Levels by Weekend (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=723643

Mason County Senior Center Extends Shelton Hours During High Heat (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/37059-senior-center-extends-hours-during-high-heat

List of cooling centers in Western Washington (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/weather/list-cooling-centers-western-washington/nRCym/

Littlerock-Area Man Shot Dead Had Been Behaving Erratically (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/08/15/2215036/littlerock-area-man-shot-dead.html

Washington State Jobs, Employment Numbers Contradict (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/wash-jobs-employment-numbers-contradict

DIVERSIONS

Group: Scrabble Player Caught Cheating at U-S Event

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h26uZJ6b-ORfwT0dQ-k8FdMmk_4A?docId=b0ee79844f2a4317831ae3715cad0e68

The Physics of How Animals Shake Themselves Dry

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/15/the-physics-of-how-animals-shake-themselves-dry/

Google Wants to Know Why Washington is so Rainy & Liberal

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2012/08/14/google-wants-to-know-why-washington-is-so-rainy-and-liberal/

SONG OF THE DAY

KC & The Sunshine Band - Shake Your Booty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRwm9ppgJ40

Energy News Digest for August 15, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Excessive Heat Watch Issued for Western Washington as Temps to Climb into 90s (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Excessive-Heat-Watch-issued-for-region-as-temps-to-climb-into-90s-166194196.html

Winds Ease, Firefighters Attack Taylor Bridge Wildfire near Cle Elum (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Kittitas-Cle-Elum-Taylor-Bridge-Wildfire-Wednesday--166245586.html

Facebook Plans Third, Smaller Oregon Data Center (Associated Press)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/aug/14/facebook-plans-third-smaller-oregon-data-center/

Wind Accounts for 10.5 Percent of Electricity Generated in Oregon (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/wind_generates_105_percent_of.html

‘Save Our Dams’ Rally Planned August 15 in Pasco (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/08/10/2058458/save-our-dams-rally-planned-in.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Taylor Bridge Fire near Cle Elum Leads to Kittitas PUD Power Outages
• ‘Save Our Dams’ Rally Planned August 15 in Pasco
• RailAmerica Drops Pursuit of Coal Terminal for Grays Harbor
• Seattle City Light Seeks Rate Hike
• For New Nuclear Chief, Concerns over Plant Safety
• A Nuclear Regulator’s Wish List
• Germans Confront the Costs of a Nuclear-Free Future
• Could Minneapolis Get Cleaner Energy With a Utility Takeover?
• What Utilities Want From the Soft Grid
• Oregon Moving Ahead With Phase-Out of Gillnetting
• Fish vs. Farms on the Skagit Delta - Aggressive assertions of tribal water rights are threatening to imperil the crops of a fertile region
• Baker Lake Sockeye Fishery Fun Time for the Kids
• Conservation Groups Ask Obama to Keep Western Population of Northwest’s Gray Wolves on Endangered Species List
• Clean Water Act’s Next Role Could Play out on Pacific Northwest Logging Roads
• WSDOT to Address Chehalis River Flooding Near I-5
• Many Well Users Find Their Faucets Are Running Dry
• New Toilet Technology after 150 Years of Waste
• Wind Accounts for 10.5 Percent of Electricity Generated in Oregon
• SolarWorld Shares Slump as Questions about Survival Swirl
• Vestas Makes Layoff Round in Colorado Citing Slowdown
• New Mexico - Regulators Approve Showing Renewable Energy Costs on Electric Bills
• Power Link to Bring Mexican Wind into California Gets Local OK
• Renewable Energy Corp. ASA to File for Insolvency of Norway Solar Wafer Unit
• $400,000 Grant Will Upgrade Lighting at Three Major Western Washington Transit Centers
• No More Glaciers? Imagine That - Eight years until “Glacier National Park” is just “National Park”
• No Room for Parking at Many New Portland Apartment Projects
• UC Davis Ranked as ‘Coolest School’ for Sustainability
• Facebook Plans Third, Smaller Oregon Data Center
• FCC Report: Broadband Health Care Networks Improve Quality of Care for Rural Americans, Reduce Costs & Help Save Lives
• Utah Broadband - Orem Representatives Debate UTOPIA Issue
• Iowa - Broadband Providers Brace for New Rules
• Texas - School discounts for broadband questioned during telecom hearing
• Verizon Details Errors in Derecho, Calls Response to 911 Outages ‘Insufficient’
• FCC: Expanded Basic Cable TV Rates Climbed 5.4% in 2010
• Need a New Data Center? Here’s a Shopping Guide
• Utility’s Backing of Convention Tests Obama Fund-Raising Pledge
• Obama, Romney Campaigns Shift to Debate over Energy
• Where Did “Getting on a Soapbox” Come From?
• Excessive Heat Watch Issued for Western Washington as Temps to Climb into 90s
• Winds Ease, Firefighters Attack Taylor Bridge Wildfire near Cle Elum
• Cle Elum Wildfire Began at Highway Construction Site
• Mason County Fire Fighters Heading to Eastern Washington
• Smoke from Cle Elum Wildfire Expected to Reach Seattle by Week’s End
• 2012 Gas Prices Head for Record
• Olympia-Area Gasoline Costs Up; Relief May Come After Labor Day
• New Washington State Forever Stamp

WORD OF THE DAY

Palisade • \pal-uh-SAYD\ • Noun - 1: a fence of stakes especially for defense b: a long strong stake pointed at the top & set close with others as a defense 2: a line of bold cliffs

Thundering surf; pillars of white, foamy seawater pounded the rocky palisades off the storm-wracked Oregon coast. Occasionally, a daredevil seagull would shoot through the showering torrents, trying to snatch small fish or other tasty debris that had been churned up from the depths of the ocean. (great, now I’m all wet…)

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

Taylor Bridge Fire near Cle Elum Leads to Kittitas PUD Power Outages (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free/news/taylor-bridge-fire-leads-to-power-outages/article_7d7b4dc8-e640-11e1-8800-0019bb2963f4.html

‘Save Our Dams’ Rally Planned August 15 in Pasco (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/08/10/2058458/save-our-dams-rally-planned-in.html

RailAmerica Drops Pursuit of Coal Terminal for Grays Harbor (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/railamerica-drops-pursuit-coal-terminal-grays-harbor.html

Seattle City Light Seeks Rate Hike “…residential rates will go up 6.8 percent in 2013…the largest commercial energy users will actually see their rates go down by 4.1 percent…” (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=722519

For New Nuclear Chief, Concerns over Plant Safety (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/us/new-nuclear-commission-chief-faces-waste-storage-questions.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

A Nuclear Regulator’s Wish List (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/a-nuclear-regulators-wish-list/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Germans Confront the Costs of a Nuclear-Free Future (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2012/08/14/158760520/germans-confront-the-costs-of-a-nuclear-free-future?ft=1&f=2

Could Minneapolis Get Cleaner Energy With a Utility Takeover? (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2012/08/could-minneapolis-get-cleaner-energy-with-a-utility-takeover?cmpid=rss

What Utilities Want From the Soft Grid - Four utilities (including Seattle City Light) discuss their smart grid data analytics & integration challenges (Green Tech Media)

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/what-utilities-want-from-the-soft-grid/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon Moving Ahead With Phase-Out of Gillnetting (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/oregon_moving_ahead_with_phase-out_of_gillnetting/

Fish vs. Farms on the Skagit Delta - Aggressive assertions of tribal water rights are threatening to imperil the crops of a fertile region (Seattle Weekly, WA)

http://www.seattleweekly.com/2012-08-15/news/fish-vs-farms-on-the-skagit-delta/

Baker Lake Sockeye Fishery Fun Time for the Kids (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2018915140__it_was_a_special.html

Conservation Groups Ask Obama to Keep Western Population of Northwest’s Gray Wolves on Endangered Species List (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/08/conservation_groups_ask_obama.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Clean Water Act’s Next Role Could Play out on Pacific Northwest Logging Roads (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://earthfix.opb.org/water/article/replumbing-the-forest/

WSDOT to Address Chehalis River Flooding Near I-5 (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4460

Many Well Users Find Their Faucets Are Running Dry (Associated Press)

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/story/2012-08-14/drought-dry-wells/57054870/1?csp=34news

New Toilet Technology after 150 Years of Waste (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2018916936_apusreinventingthetoilet.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wind Accounts for 10.5 Percent of Electricity Generated in Oregon (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/wind_generates_105_percent_of.html

Report Cited Above - 2011 Wind Technologies Market Report - Data is actually estimated as of the end of 2011 (U-S Department of Energy)

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/pdfs/2011_wind_technologies_market_report.pdf

SolarWorld Shares Slump as Questions about Survival Swirl (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/solarworld_shares_slump_as_que.html

Vestas Makes Layoff Round in Colorado Citing Slowdown (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/08/vestas-makes-layoff-round-in-colorado.html

New Mexico - Regulators Approve Showing Renewable Energy Costs on Electric Bills (Santa Fe New Mexican, NM)
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/081512PNMrenewable

Power Link to Bring Mexican Wind into California Gets Local OK (Recharge)

http://www.rechargenews.com/energy/wind/article319790.ece

Renewable Energy Corp. ASA to File for Insolvency of Norway Solar Wafer Unit (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/rec-asa-to-file-for-insolvency-of-norway-solar-wafer-unit?cmpid=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

$400,000 Grant Will Upgrade Lighting at Three Major Western Washington Transit Centers (South Sound Business Examiner)

http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/August-2012/400K-grant-will-upgrade-lighting-at-three-major-transit-centers/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

No More Glaciers? Imagine That - Eight years until “Glacier National Park” is just “National Park” (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2018917789_danny15.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

No Room for Parking at Many New Portland Apartment Projects (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/no-room-parking-many-new-apartment-projects/

UC Davis Ranked as ‘Coolest School’ for Sustainability (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2012/08/14/uc-davis-ranked-as-coolest-school-sierra.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Facebook Plans Third, Smaller Oregon Data Center (Associated Press)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/aug/14/facebook-plans-third-smaller-oregon-data-center/

FCC Report: Broadband Health Care Networks Improve Quality of Care for Rural Americans, Reduce Costs & Help Save Lives (Federal Communications Commission)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2012/08/fcc-report-broadband-health-care.html

Utah Broadband - Orem Representatives Debate UTOPIA Issue (Daily Herald, Provo, UT)

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/orem/orem-reps-debate-utopia-issue/article_55e54b28-3cfa-5f4c-83fa-de0ba0c4131c.html

Iowa - Broadband Providers Brace for New Rules (Spencer Daily Reporter, IA)

http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/story/1881342.html

Texas - School discounts for broadband questioned during telecom hearing (KVUE-TV, Austin, TX)

http://www.kvue.com/news/School-discounts-for-broadband-questioned-during-telecom-hearing-166181576.html

Verizon Details Errors in Derecho, Calls Response to 911 Outages ‘Insufficient’ (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/verizon-details-errors-in-derecho-calls-response-to-911-outages-insufficient/2012/08/13/e2589596-e57f-11e1-8741-940e3f6dbf48_story.html?hpid=z3

FCC: Expanded Basic Cable TV Rates Climbed 5.4% in 2010 - Monthly Prices Higher in ‘Competitive’ Markets, According to Commission Survey (MultiChannel)

http://www.multichannel.com/article/488495-FCC_Expanded_Basic_Cable_TV_Rates_Climbed_5_4_In_2010.php

Need a New Data Center? Here’s a Shopping Guide (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cloud/backblaze-brings-data-center-proposal-process-out-of-the-closet/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Utility’s Backing of Convention Tests Obama Fund-Raising Pledge (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/us/politics/duke-energys-support-of-convention-tests-obama-fund-raising-pledge.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Obama, Romney Campaigns Shift to Debate over Energy (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/wind-energy-will-be-obama-focus-today-in-iowa/2012/08/14/11026ea4-e615-11e1-936a-b801f1abab19_story.html?wprss=rss_politics

Where Did “Getting on a Soapbox” Come From? (Wikipedia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soapbox

GENERAL NEWS

Excessive Heat Watch Issued for Western Washington as Temps to Climb into 90s (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Excessive-Heat-Watch-issued-for-region-as-temps-to-climb-into-90s-166194196.html

Winds Ease, Firefighters Attack Taylor Bridge Wildfire near Cle Elum (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Kittitas-Cle-Elum-Taylor-Bridge-Wildfire-Wednesday--166245586.html

Cle Elum Wildfire Began at Highway Construction Site - WSDOT contractor could be liable for millions (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-wsdot-contractor-could-be-liable-for-millions-in-wildfire-20120814,0,680268.story

Mason County Fire Fighters Heading to Eastern Washington (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/6994

Smoke from Cle Elum Wildfire Expected to Reach Seattle by Week’s End (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=722890

2012 Gas Prices Head for Record (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2012-08-14/gas-prices-rise/57059104/1?csp=34news

Olympia-Area Gasoline Costs Up; Relief May Come After Labor Day (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/08/14/2213642/olympia-area-gasoline-costs-up.html

New Washington State Forever Stamp (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/aug/14/new-washington-state-forever-stamp/

DIVERSIONS

Spokesman for Washington State Pot Group Fired at News Conference

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018917061_apwalegalizingmarijuana.html

Wonder Dog Places Pups in Fire Truck after Carrying Them Out of Burning House One by One

http://gawker.com/5934146/wonder-dog-places-pups-in-fire-truck-after-carrying-them-out-of-burning-house-one-by-one

Mountain Dew’s ‘Dub the Dew’ Online Poll Goes Horribly Wrong

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/08/14/mountain-dews-dub-the-dew-online-poll-goes-horribly-wrong/

High School Student Asks Yahoo! Answers for Help with Book Report, Gets Chewed Out by Book’s Author

http://gawker.com/5934157/high-school-student-asks-yahoo-answers-for-help-with-book-report-gets-chewed-out-by-books-author

SONG OF THE DAY

Sly & The Family Stone – Underdog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMQQcniF2Bg

Energy News Digest for August 14, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Cle Elum Wildfire Grows to 26,000 Acres; More Than 60 Homes Destroyed (KCPQ-TV, Tacoma/Seattle, WA)

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-50acre-fire-near-cle-elem-threatens-homes-20120813,0,110349.story

Earthquake Study Raises Risk Potential around Central Washington Dams (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/earthquake-study-raises-risk-potential-around-central-washington-dams

Snohomish PUD’s Puget Sound Tidal Energy Project Challenged (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/puget-sound-tidal-energy-project-challenged

Washington State’s New Data Center: Lawmaker Calls It ‘Complete Mistake’ (KCPQ-TV, Tacoma/Seattle, WA)

http://www.q13fox.com/news/politics/CRsTake/kcpq-states-new-data-center-lawmaker-calls-it-complete-mistake-20120813,0,2940845.story

New Battle Lines Drawn over Columbia River Gillnets (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/new_battle_lines_drawn_over_gillnets/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Earthquake Study Raises Risk Potential around Central Washington Dams
• Bonneville Dam, Timberline Lodge Turn 75; Enjoy Eight Columbia River, Mount Hood Videos
• New Mexico Utility PNM Overcharges Top 5,000 Customers - Problem came from a single meter reader who entered “false” & “fictitious” readings
• Heat Shuts Down a Coastal Connecticut Reactor
• Electricity Forecast: Disruptive, More Decentralized with a Strong Chance of Profits
• The Ultimate Over-Billing: Connecticut Woman Paid for Streetlights for 25 Years
• Kootenai Electric Cooperative Engages Thousands of Members in Annual Election with the Help of Survey & Ballot Systems
• New Battle Lines Drawn over Columbia River Gillnets
• Fans of Humpback Chub Lose Colorado River Spat with Dam Operators
• Clallam County Could Get State Grant to Help Pay for Carlsborg Sewer
• Tribe to Watch for Artifacts at Port Angeles Sewer Overflow Project
• Idaho - Is There Enough Water for a Thirsty Valley?
• Army Corps to Begin Work on Toutle River Spillway Project
• New Jersey - Cleaning a River That Was Given Up for Dead
• Snohomish PUD’s Puget Sound Tidal Energy Project Challenged
• BlogView - Utility Fight Realigns Idaho Industries’ Political Coalitions
• Efforts to Help Sage Grouse Increasingly Colliding with Idaho Energy Projects
• Wind Power Makes Gains in Oregon but Future Growth is Uncertain, Report Says
• White House Hopeful on Renewal of Wind Tax Credit
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Won’t Block California Solar Plant Construction
• Smart Meter Program Encourages Energy Conservation in California
• How to Convince Homeowners to Pull the Trigger on Energy Upgrades
• Energy Efficiency & the Rebound Effect: Neither Big Nor Bad
• Columnist - How Hot is It? Climate Change Settles In for the Long Haul
• California Governor Launches Website to Rebut Climate Change Skeptics
• Coquille Tribe Seeks Use for Logging Trash - Slash & Earn
• Tumwater’s Global Green Energy: Cleantech Open 2012 Semifinalist
• Oregon State Scientists Generate Electricity from Wastewater
• Washington State’s New Data Center: Lawmaker Calls It ‘Complete Mistake’
• Phone Companies Lose Broadband Subscribers for First Time, As Cable Modems Thrive
• CenturyLink Broadband, IPTV Business Up Even as Legacy Wireline Declines
• Kansas City Will Also Get Google Wi-Fi - Hotspots Being Set up at 400 Locations
• Minnesota - Broadband Battle Hits Rural Areas
• The Need for Speed - What Superfast Internet Connections Can Do for a City
• Facebook’s Number of Servers Soar to an Estimated 180K
• Port Orchard Records Requests Related to Billboards Cost Nearly $15,000
• Cle Elum Wildfire Grows to 26,000 Acres; More Than 60 Homes Destroyed
• Special Weather Statement - Hot Weather Expected over Western Washington Wednesday-Friday
• Mason County Garbage Hauling Contract Ruled Invalid
• Elwha Tribe Still Waiting for Money Congress Promised
• Longtime TV Anchorwoman Kathi Goertzen Dies after Battle with Tumors
• Home of Late Steve Jobs Burglarized

WORD OF THE DAY

Indubitable • \in-DOO-buh-tuh-bull\ • Adjective - Too evident to be doubted: unquestionable

“The sun will rise, the sun will set…that is an indubitable fact,” intoned the professor as he held sway over his 8 AM philosophy class. “As is the fact that that using the Socratic Method this early in the morning with teen-agers is a total waste,” he murmured under his breath to himself.

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

Earthquake Study Raises Risk Potential around Central Washington Dams (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/earthquake-study-raises-risk-potential-around-central-washington-dams

Bonneville Dam, Timberline Lodge Turn 75; Enjoy Eight Columbia River, Mount Hood Videos (Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2012/08/bonneville_dam_timberline_lodg.html

New Mexico Utility PNM Overcharges Top 5,000 Customers - Problem came from a single meter reader who entered “false” & “fictitious” readings (Albuquerque Journal, NM)

http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2012/08/13/biz/pnm-overcharges-top-5000.html

Heat Shuts Down a Coastal Connecticut Reactor (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/13/heat-shuts-down-a-coastal-reactor/

Electricity Forecast: Disruptive, More Decentralized with a Strong Chance of Profits (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2012/08/10/electricity-forecast-disruptive-more-decentralized-with-a-strong-chance-of-profitability/

The Ultimate Over-Billing: Connecticut Woman Paid for Streetlights for 25 Years (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0814/The-ultimate-over-billing-Connecticut-woman-paid-for-streetlights-for-25-years

Kootenai Electric Cooperative Engages Thousands of Members in Annual Election with the Help of Survey & Ballot Systems (Virtual Strategy Magazine)

http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2012/08/14/kootenai-electric-cooperative-engages-thousands-members-annual-election-help-survey-ballo

FISH & WILDLIFE

New Battle Lines Drawn over Columbia River Gillnets (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/new_battle_lines_drawn_over_gillnets/

Fans of Humpback Chub Lose Colorado River Spat with Dam Operators (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/08/14/49274.htm

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Clallam County Could Get State Grant to Help Pay for Carlsborg Sewer (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/8085

Tribe to Watch for Artifacts at Port Angeles Sewer Overflow Project (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120813/NEWS/308139993/tribe-to-watch-for-artifacts-at-port-angeles-sewer-overflow-project

Idaho - Is There Enough Water for a Thirsty Valley? (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/08/12/2228519/enough-water-for-a-thirsty-valley.html

Army Corps to Begin Work on Toutle River Spillway Project (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/army-corps-to-begin-work-on-toutle-river-spillway-project/article_a09b5678-e5ae-11e1-b9eb-0019bb2963f4.html

New Jersey - Cleaning a River That Was Given Up for Dead (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/cleaning-a-river-that-was-given-up-for-dead/?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Snohomish PUD’s Puget Sound Tidal Energy Project Challenged (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/puget-sound-tidal-energy-project-challenged

BlogView - Utility Fight Realigns Idaho Industries’ Political Coalitions (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/08/13/rockybarker/utility_fight_realigns_idaho_industries_political_coalitions

Efforts to Help Sage Grouse Increasingly Colliding with Idaho Energy Projects (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)

http://magicvalley.com/news/local/abdf956c-ea48-56e1-a0f3-b164acb6d8ab.html

Wind Power Makes Gains in Oregon but Future Growth is Uncertain, Report Says (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/08/wind_power_makes_gains_in_oreg.html

White House Hopeful on Renewal of Wind Tax Credit (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/14/us-usa-obama-energy-idUSBRE87D0BI20120814

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Won’t Block California Solar Plant Construction (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/08/13/49249.htm

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Smart Meter Program Encourages Energy Conservation in California (KABC-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/state&id=8769929

How to Convince Homeowners to Pull the Trigger on Energy Upgrades (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/justingerdes/2012/08/13/how-to-convince-homeowners-to-pull-the-trigger-on-energy-upgrades/

Energy Efficiency & the Rebound Effect: Neither Big Nor Bad (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2012/08/energy-efficiency-and-the-rebound-effect-neither-big-nor-bad?cmpid=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Columnist - How Hot is It? Climate Change Settles In for the Long Haul (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2018894366_robinsoncolumn12xml.html

California Governor Launches Website to Rebut Climate Change Skeptics (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/13/4722104/gov-jerry-brown-launches-website.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Coquille Tribe Seeks Use for Logging Trash - Slash & Earn (The World, Coos Bay, OR)

http://theworldlink.com/news/local/coquille-tribe-seeks-use-for-logging-trash/article_fc166dd6-c1f7-5c35-bc28-81997438d0e8.html

Tumwater’s Global Green Energy: Cleantech Open 2012 Semifinalist (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2012/08/13/global-green-energy-cleantech-open-2012-semifinalist/

Oregon State Scientists Generate Electricity from Wastewater (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/08/osu-scientists-generate-electricity.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State’s New Data Center: Lawmaker Calls It ‘Complete Mistake’ (KCPQ-TV, Tacoma/Seattle, WA)

http://www.q13fox.com/news/politics/CRsTake/kcpq-states-new-data-center-lawmaker-calls-it-complete-mistake-20120813,0,2940845.story

Phone Companies Lose Broadband Subscribers for First Time, As Cable Modems Thrive (Associated Press)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/phone-companies-lose-broadband-subscribers-for-first-time-as-cable-modems-thrive/2012/08/13/ec18cc64-e588-11e1-9739-eef99c5fb285_story.html

CenturyLink Broadband, IPTV Business Up Even as Legacy Wireline Declines (Fierce IPTV)

http://www.fierceiptv.com/story/centurylink-broadband-iptv-business-even-legacy-wireline-declines/2012-08-09

Kansas City Will Also Get Google Wi-Fi - Hotspots Being Set up at 400 Locations (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Kansas-City-Will-Also-Get-Google-WiFi-120749

Minnesota - Broadband Battle Hits Rural Areas (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, MN)

http://www.startribune.com/business/166061226.html

The Need for Speed - What Superfast Internet Connections Can Do for a City (The Economist)

http://www.economist.com/node/21560288

Facebook’s Number of Servers Soar to an Estimated 180K (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/facebooks-number-of-servers-soar-to-an-estimated-180k/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Port Orchard Records Requests Related to Billboards Cost Nearly $15,000 (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/aug/11/records-requests-related-to-billboards-cost/

GENERAL NEWS

Cle Elum Wildfire Grows to 26,000 Acres; More Than 60 Homes Destroyed (KCPQ-TV, Tacoma/Seattle, WA)

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-50acre-fire-near-cle-elem-threatens-homes-20120813,0,110349.story

Special Weather Statement - Hot Weather Expected over Western Washington Wednesday-Friday (National Weather Service)

http://tinyurl.com/8vevmcj

Mason County Garbage Hauling Contract Ruled Invalid (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/6974

Elwha Tribe Still Waiting for Money Congress Promised (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018894874_elwhamoney11m.html

Longtime TV Anchorwoman Kathi Goertzen Dies after Battle with Tumors (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018911694_goertzen14m.html

Home of Late Steve Jobs Burglarized (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-08-14/steve-jobs-home-burglarized/57047388/1?csp=34tech

DIVERSIONS

MLB Job Seeker: Thank You Padres for Forwarding My Vulgar Email

http://mashable.com/2012/08/13/mlb-job-seeker-padres-email/

Pennsylvania Woman Accused of Killing Fiancé on Wedding Day

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-08-13/fiance-wedding-slaying/57021710/1?csp=34news

Spokane’s Serial Picnic Table Stacker Wanted

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Another-picnic-table-pyramid-in-Spokane-park-165868216.html

1873 Dime Sells at Auction for $1.6 Million

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2012/08/1873_dime_sells_at_auction_for.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Bing Crosby - Brother Can You Spare A Dime?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I8-CbJYGMA

George Michael - Brother Can You Spare a Dime?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV3vsxhgauU