Energy News Digest for January 12, 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

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

EPA: Power Plants, Refineries Are Top Pacific NW Greenhouse Gas Polluters (Oregon Public Broadcasting – That is, if you discount transportation)

http://earthfix.opb.org/communities/article/nations-first-greenhouse-gas-data-released/

Grant PUD Supports Federal Hydropower Bill (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_e17704bc-3c71-11e1-bfc0-0019bb2963f4.html

Denmark’s Vestas Wind-Turbine Company Slashing Jobs - 1,600 US layoffs also possible if tax credit not extended (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/01/denmarks_vestas_wind-turbine_c.html

Bankrupt Solyndra Wants to Pay Worker Bonuses (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2012/01/12/bankrupt-solyndra-wants-to-pay-execs.html

Snow on the Horizon in Western Washington (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/01/12/1945800/chance-of-first-snow-in-western.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• EPA: Power Plants, Refineries Are Top Pacific NW Greenhouse Gas Polluters
• 2010 Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Large Facilities
• Grant PUD Supports Federal Hydropower Bill
• Electric Co-ops Press FERC in Pacific Northwest Wind-Water Case
• Oregon - Clatsop County PUD Proposal Irks Pacific Power
• Kittitas County PUD Seeking New Hires
• Mason PUD 3 Commission Report for January 10, 2011
• Natural Gas Falls to Lowest Price in a Decade
• Rigged Market? Law Professors See $300 Million New York Electric Scheme
• Canada - Rising Costs, Coal Plant Closings Leave Grid’s Future Uncertain
• No-Fishing Rule Roils Southern California
• Saving the Unloved Chum Salmon
• Denmark’s Vestas Wind-Turbine Company Slashing Jobs - 1,600 US layoffs also possible
• Bankrupt Solyndra Wants to Pay Worker Bonuses
• Snohomish PUD Adds Wind to Energy Alternatives it is Exploring
• Pacific Gas & Electric Tallies Renewable Energy Gains in 2011
• Michigan - Proposal Would Raise State’s Renewable Electricity Goal to 25% by 2025
• California Considers First-In-Nation Energy Efficiency Standards for Battery Chargers
• Tennessee - Energy Efficiency Is the Target of $26.4 Million in Tennessee Valley Authority Settlement Funds
• Reddit is Having a Blackout on 18 January in Protest Against Anti-Piracy Act
• Amazon’s Big Presence in South Lake Union Ruffling Feathers
• Bing Passes Yahoo in Share of US Searches
• Tacoma City Workers Question New City Manager’s Salary
• Mason County - Trio Burst Into Lilliwaup Home, Steal Guns & Drugs
• Burn Ban - Stage Two Called for Thurston; Still Stage One for Mason
• Snow on the Horizon in Western Washington
• Debris Field from Japan’s Tsunami ‘Lost At Sea’
• More Megaloads Possible for Inland Pacific NW Roads
• Film Crew to Infect Willing Sheltonians

WORD OF THE DAY

Shibboleth • \SHIBB-uh-leth\ • Noun - 1a: a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning b: a widely held belief c: truism, platitude 2a: a use of language regarded as distinctive of a particular group b: a custom or usage regarded as distinguishing one group from others

“We are the party of the people!” proclaimed the animal rights group spokesman. “Did he just realize what he said,” whispered the dubious reporter to her seatmate over the odd shibboleth that rolled off the tongue of the wide-eyed speaker.

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

EPA: Power Plants, Refineries Are Top Pacific NW Greenhouse Gas Polluters (Oregon Public Broadcasting – That is, if you discount transportation)

http://earthfix.opb.org/communities/article/nations-first-greenhouse-gas-data-released/

2010 Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Large Facilities (Environmental Protection Agency)

http://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/main.do#/facility/?q=Facility%20or%20Location&st=WA&fid=&lowE=0&highE=23000000&&g1=1&g2=1&g3=1&g4=1&g5=1&g6=1&g7=1&s1=1&s2=1&s3=1&s4=1&s5=1&s6=1&s7=1&s8=1&s9=1&s301=1&s302=1&s303=1&s304=1&s305=1&s306=1&s401=1&s402=1&s403=1&s404=1&s701=1&s702=1&s703=1&s704=1&s705=1&s706=1&s707=1&s708=1&s709=1&s710=1&s711=1&ss=&so=0&ds=E

Grant PUD Supports Federal Hydropower Bill (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_e17704bc-3c71-11e1-bfc0-0019bb2963f4.html

Electric Co-ops Press FERC in Pacific Northwest Wind-Water Case (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/regulatory-watch/ferc/electric-co-ops-ferc-wind-water-case/38449

Oregon - Clatsop County PUD Proposal Irks Pacific Power (The Daily Astorian, OR)

http://www.dailyastorian.com/free/pud-proposal-irks-pacific-power/article_0330e52e-3c8a-11e1-b2f5-001871e3ce6c.html

Kittitas County PUD Seeking New Hires (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/news/kittitas-county-pud-seeking-new-hires/article_3f487e4a-3c90-11e1-8c38-001871e3ce6c.html

Mason PUD 3 Commission Report for January 10, 2011 (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=960

Natural Gas Falls to Lowest Price in a Decade (Associated Press)

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2012/01/11/oil_price_drops_close_to_101_on_europe_concerns/

Rigged Market? Law Professors See $300 Million New York Electric Scheme (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/01/12/42983.htm

Canada - Rising Costs, Coal Plant Closings Leave Grid’s Future Uncertain (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Rising+costs+coal+plant+closings+leave+grid+future+uncertain/5979039/story.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

No-Fishing Rule Roils Southern California (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/no-fishing-rule-roils-southern-california/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Saving the Unloved Chum Salmon (KLCC Radio, Eugene, OR)

http://klcc.org/Feature.asp?FeatureID=3050

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Denmark’s Vestas Wind-Turbine Company Slashing Jobs - 1,600 US layoffs also possible if tax credit not extended (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/01/denmarks_vestas_wind-turbine_c.html

Bankrupt Solyndra Wants to Pay Worker Bonuses (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2012/01/12/bankrupt-solyndra-wants-to-pay-execs.html

Snohomish PUD Adds Wind to Energy Alternatives it is Exploring (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120112/NEWS01/701129951

Pacific Gas & Electric Tallies Renewable Energy Gains in 2011 (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/11/4180347/pge-tallies-renewable-energy-gains.html

Michigan - Proposal Would Raise State’s Renewable Electricity Goal to 25% by 2025 (Detroit Free Press, MI)

http://www.freep.com/article/20120112/NEWS06/201120551/Proposal-would-raise-state-s-renewable-electricity-goal-to-25-by-2025

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California Considers First-In-Nation Energy Efficiency Standards for Battery Chargers (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_19722712

Tennessee - Energy Efficiency Is the Target of $26.4 Million in Tennessee Valley Authority Settlement Funds (The Tennessean, Nashville)

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120111/NEWS/301110120/TN-energy-efficiency-target-2-64-million-TVA-settlement-funds

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Reddit is Having a Blackout on 18 January in Protest Against Anti-Piracy Act (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/5875439/reddit-is-having-a-blackout-on-18-january-in-protest-against-sopa

Amazon’s Big Presence in South Lake Union Ruffling Feathers (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2012/01/11/amazons-big-presence-in-south-lake.html

Bing Passes Yahoo in Share of US Searches (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2017215655_bing_passes_yahoo_in_share_of_us_searches.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Tacoma City Workers Question New City Manager’s Salary (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Tacoma-city-workers-question-new-city-managers-salary-137145758.html

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County - Trio Burst Into Lilliwaup Home, Steal Guns & Drugs (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Trio-burst-into-Lilliwaup-home-steal-guns-and-drugs-137184443.html

Burn Ban - Stage Two Called for Thurston; Still Stage One for Mason (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/21767--stage-two-called-for-thurston-still-stage-one-for-mason

Snow on the Horizon in Western Washington (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/01/12/1945800/chance-of-first-snow-in-western.html

Debris Field from Japan’s Tsunami ‘Lost At Sea’ (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Debris-field-from-Japans-tsunami-lost-at-sea-137137238.html

More Megaloads Possible for Inland Pacific NW Roads (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jan/12/more-megaloads-possible-inland-northwest-roads/

Film Crew to Infect Willing Sheltonians (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/21769-film-crew-to-infect-willing-sheltonians

DIVERSIONS

Ringing iPhone halts New York Philharmonic

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19728244

Velvet Underground Sues Warhol Foundation over Banana

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19721734

NYC Subway Workers Running “Rate My Rat” Contest

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/nyc-subway-workers-running-rate-rat-contest-213428206.html

Germans Mock President with New "Wulffen" Verb

http://news.yahoo.com/germans-mock-president-wulffen-verb-171235292.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Lou Reed - Satellite of Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH2EgYq_NCY