Energy News Digest for February 1, 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

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http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Washington State Legislature Approves Redistricting Plan (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Washington-Legislature-approves-redistricting-plan-138507014.html

Clallam Public Utility District Gives Nod on Renewable-Energy Bills (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120201/news/302019987/clallam-public-utility-district-gives-nod-on-renewable-energy-bills

Amboy Meeting on BPA Transmission Line Set for Saturday (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/amboy-meeting-on-bpa-transmission-line-set-for-saturday/article_a4e9b440-4c7a-11e1-9b02-001871e3ce6c.html

NASA: Global Warming Caused Mostly by Humans (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2012/01/nasa-global-warming-caused-mostly-by-humans/1?csp=34money

FCC Looking to Help Connect Low-Income Homes to Broadband (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2012/01/fcc-looking-to-help-connect-low-income-homes-to-broadband/1?csp=34tech

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Amboy Meeting on BPA Transmission Line Set for Saturday
• Mason County - Winter Storm Declaration; Most Damage Done to Electricity Distribution System
• Woman Leads Police on High-Speed Chase in Stolen Utility Truck
• Natural Gas Price Drops on Supplies, Weak Demand
• Maryland - Copper Thefts from Electric Utility Poles Plague Region
• Florida Power & Light $100 Million Offer for Vero Beach Utility Unchanged
• United Kingdom - Burying Electricity Power Lines ‘Cheaper than National Grid Claims’
• West Coast Fisherman Clear Hurdle in Antitrust Complaint against Clackamas-Based Pacific Seafood Group
• Op/Ed - Declining Fisheries Will Affect Us All Soon Enough
• Snakes In The Grass: Is The Burmese Python Wiping Out Everglades Mammals?
• $4M Toilet Irks Residents of Washington State Town
• Clallam Public Utility District Gives Nod on Renewable-Energy Bills
• California Solar Plans Exceed State Goals: Regulator
• Wind Power Blowing Up in California
• Op/Ed - Recent Montana Wind Energy Projects Hint at Economic
• Wisconsin Regulators Defend Renewable Energy
• Vermont - Wind Farms: Large, Visible … And Necessary
• The Dilemma of Creating & Cutting Solar Jobs
• Obama Administration Aims to Clear Roadblocks to Tribal Renewable Energy
• RePower Kitsap Offers Kitsap County Residents Energy-Efficiency
• Tacoma - Russell T. Joy Building Earns LEED Distinction
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District Incentives Promote Money-Saving Lighting Control Systems
• The National Mall Gets More Efficient LED Lighting
• Is Your Building Gobbling Energy?
• NASA: Global Warming Caused Mostly by Humans
• Canada - Pace Have Warming Quicker Than Previously Thought
• Did Global Warming Destroy My Hometown?
• FCC Looking to Help Connect Low-Income Homes to Broadband
• Under the Covers of eBay’s Big Data Operation
• Washington State Legislature Approves Redistricting Plan
• Washington State Downgraded by Moody’s to ‘Negative’
• Washington State Lawmakers Consider Allowing Cities to Add Gas Tax
• Limits to Washington State Public Record Requests Discussed
• Franklin County Left Holding The Bill after Wenatchee Defaults on $300,000 Note

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

Amboy Meeting on BPA Transmission Line Set for Saturday (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/amboy-meeting-on-bpa-transmission-line-set-for-saturday/article_a4e9b440-4c7a-11e1-9b02-001871e3ce6c.html

Mason County - Winter Storm Declaration; Most Damage Done to Electricity Distribution System (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/23009-winter-storm-declaration

Woman Leads Police on High-Speed Chase in Stolen Utility Truck (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Woman-lead-police-on-high-speed-chase-in-stolen-utility-truck-138461649.html

Natural Gas Price Drops on Supplies, Weak Demand (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/01/31/national/a095303S44.DTL

Maryland - Copper Thefts from Electric Utility Poles Plague Region (Southern Maryland Online, California, MD)

http://somd.com/news/headlines/2012/14973.shtml

Florida Power & Light $100 Million Offer for Vero Beach Utility Unchanged (Tcpalm, Stuart, FL)

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/jan/31/100m-purchase-price-unchanged-fpls-draft-proposal/

United Kingdom - Burying Electricity Power Lines ‘Cheaper than National Grid Claims’ (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/31/burying-electric-pylons-cheaper-government

FISH & WILDLIFE

West Coast Fisherman Clear Hurdle in Antitrust Complaint against Clackamas-Based Pacific Seafood Group (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/01/courts_awards_west_coast_fishe.html

Op/Ed - Declining Fisheries Will Affect Us All Soon Enough (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Declining+fisheries+will+affect+soon+enough/6081220/story.html

Snakes In The Grass: Is The Burmese Python Wiping Out Everglades Mammals? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2012/0131/Snakes-in-the-grass-Is-the-Burmese-Python-wiping-out-Everglades-mammals

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

$4M Toilet Irks Residents of Washington State Town (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/4M-toilet-Pathetic-How-else-can-you-put-it-138495824.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Clallam Public Utility District Gives Nod on Renewable-Energy Bills (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120201/news/302019987/clallam-public-utility-district-gives-nod-on-renewable-energy-bills

California Solar Plans Exceed State Goals: Regulator (Reuters)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/01/us-solar-california-idUKTRE81001M20120201

Wind Power Blowing Up in California (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-wind-power-california-20120131,0,7573547.story

Op/Ed - Recent Montana Wind Energy Projects Hint at Economic Promise (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MT)

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/guest_columnists/article_32596d84-4c30-11e1-bf82-001871e3ce6c.html

Wisconsin Regulators Defend Renewable Energy Cuts “…program geared toward renewable energy was over budget & not cost effective…” (Associated Press)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-renewableenergy-f,0,177293.story

Vermont - Wind Farms: Large, Visible … And Necessary (Vermont Digger, Montpelier, VT)

http://vtdigger.org/2012/01/31/patt-wind-farms-large-visible-and-necessary/

The Dilemma of Creating & Cutting Solar Jobs (Gigaom)

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/the-dilemma-of-creating-and-cutting-solar-jobs/

Obama Administration Aims to Clear Roadblocks to Tribal Renewable Energy (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/justingerdes/2012/01/31/obama-administration-aims-to-clear-roadblocks-holding-up-tribal-renewables/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

RePower Kitsap Offers Kitsap County Residents Energy-Efficiency Solutions (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal)

http://kpbj.com/business_weekly/2012-01-30/repower_kitsap_offers_kitsap_county_residents_energy_efficiency_solutions

Tacoma - Russell T. Joy Building Earns LEED Distinction (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/01/2007319/russell-t-joy-building-earns-leed.html

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Incentives Promote Money-Saving Lighting Control Systems (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/01/4229551/smud-incentives-promote-money.html

The National Mall Gets More Efficient LED Lighting (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2012/01/leds-light-the-national-mall-boost-energy-efficiency/1?csp=34money

Is Your Building Gobbling Energy? (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/is-your-building-gobbling-energy/?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

NASA: Global Warming Caused Mostly by Humans (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2012/01/nasa-global-warming-caused-mostly-by-humans/1?csp=34money

Canada - Pace Have Warming Quicker Than Previously Thought, University of Victoria Researchers Say (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Pace+warming+quicker+than+previously+thought+UVic+researchers/6081717/story.html

Did Global Warming Destroy My Hometown? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

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

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Looking to Help Connect Low-Income Homes to Broadband (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2012/01/fcc-looking-to-help-connect-low-income-homes-to-broadband/1?csp=34tech

Under the Covers of eBay’s Big Data Operation (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cloud/under-the-covers-of-ebays-big-data-operation/

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Legislature Approves Redistricting Plan (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Washington-Legislature-approves-redistricting-plan-138507014.html

Washington State Downgraded by Moody’s to ‘Negative’ (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Washington-state-downgraded-by-Moodys-to-negative-138435869.html

Washington State Lawmakers Consider Allowing Cities to Add Gas Tax (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=620273

Limits to Washington State Public Record Requests Discussed (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/02/01/1972137/limits-to-record-requests-discussed.html

Franklin County Left Holding The Bill after Wenatchee Defaults on $300,000 Note (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Franklin-County-left-holding-the-bill-after-Wenatchee-defaults-on-300000-note-138462924.html

DIVERSIONS

Study Says Women Park Their Cars Better Than Men

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=619910

Washington State Man Roughs Up Burglar, Throws Him Off a Balcony

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Wash-man-roughs-up-burglar-throws-him-off-a-balcony-138413319.html

Forest Service to Montana Jesus: You Can Stay for Now

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017385980_apusmountainjesusstatue.html

64-Year-Old Tub of Lard Found in Germany, Still Edible

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/year+lard+found+Germany+still+edible/6084898/story.html

SONG OF THE DAY

MFSB - “TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)” Soul Train Theme (RIP Don Cornelius)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfs1y6L3E7k