Energy News Digest for February 8, 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

Bonneville Power Administration Offers to Split Costs When It Pulls the Plug on Wind Farms (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/02/bpa_offers_to_split_costs_of_c.html

Oregon Tribes Say No to Large Wind Farms (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

http://www.eastoregonian.com/free/tribes-say-no-to-large-wind-farms/article_577212ba-51bc-11e1-8df4-001871e3ce6c.html

Injured Cowlitz PUD Line Foreman Upgraded to ‘Satisfactory’ Condition (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/injured-pud-line-foreman-upgraded-to-satisfactory/article_b364c2fc-51f3-11e1-8f24-0019bb2963f4.html

Washington State Utilities & Transportation Commission Creates a Conservation Energy Section (Access Washington)

http://www.utc.wa.gov/aboutUs/Lists/News/DispForm.aspx?ID=130

Chelan PUD Banks Big Gain in 2011 (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/07/chelan-pud-finishes-2011-way-in-the-black/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Bonneville Power Administration Offers to Split Costs When It Pulls the Plug on Wind Farms
• Bonneville Power Offers to Pay Wind Producers for Oversupply
• Bonneville Power Administration Proposes Resolution to Electricity Oversupply
• Chelan PUD Banks Big Gain in 2011
• Grays Harbor PUD Service Requests Falling in Tough Economy
• Corps Clearing Boulders at Bonneville Dam
• Injured Cowlitz PUD Line Foreman Upgraded to ‘Satisfactory’ Condition
• Salmon Creek Resident to Seek Clark Public Utilities Seat
• Montana Public Service Commission Agrees on Fine $99,000 for Electric City Power
• BC Hydro Seeks PR Help Before Hiking Rates
• Massachusetts - Court Settlement Mandates Salem Power Plant to Stop Burning Coal by 2014
• Energy Takes Twice as Much Income for Half of US Households
• Columbia River Coho Forecasts for 2012 Look Good on Paper
• Ruckelshaus Center Will Mediate Chehalis Basin Flooding Issue
• Clallam County PUD Discusses Next Steps for Carlsborg
• Oregon Tribes Say No to Large Wind Farms
• Richland Medical Center Gets Energy Efficient with Solar Panels, Wind Turbines
• Montana – Flathead Electric to Buy Output - Columbia Falls Biomass Plant to be Online by 2013
• Vestas Posts Big 2011 Loss; Chief Finance Officer Quits
• Renewable Energy Corporation Profit Misses Estimates as Polysilicon Surplus Curbs Prices
• Chinese Solar Factories, Spooked by Threat of Retroactive Tariffs, Halt Export Surge, Says Oregon Wholesaler
• Hydropower, Biomass Groups Say Jobs to Be Lost without Tax Break
• California Reveals Price it Pays for Renewable Energy
• Judge OKs Sale of Beacon Power to Equity Firm
• Learn More about Solar Energy Benefits, Discounts, Credits at Snohomish PUD Community Meetings
• Washington State Utilities & Transportation Commission Creates a Conservation Energy Section
• Energy Mythbusting: The Truth About Those Energy-Saving Tips
• January Was USA’s 4th-Warmest on Record
• Green Big Brother? Why the Backlash Against Environmentalism Has Grown
• Sierra Club Faces Gas-Cash Fallout
• Study Indicates Green Economy Lost Fewer Jobs in US Recession
• Greenpeace Praises Google, Slams Apple in Latest Green IT Ranking
• Ohio - State-Run Broadband Network to Get Ten Times Faster
• Google Steps Into Georgia Municipal Broadband Fight
• Four Yahoo Board Member Including Chair Leaving
• Washington State Legislature Poised to Approve Gay Marriage
• Washington State Senate Democrats Tout Long-Term Jobs Agenda
• Oregon Democrat Sworn In to House
• Washington Post Reports Congressman Dicks Channeled Federal Money to Puget Sound Project His Son Ran
• Congressman Doc Hastings Defends Earmark Near His Pasco Property
• Bainbridge Island Administrators Fear Councilmembers’ Blogs Could Run Afoul of Law
• 911 Recording Reveals Worker’s Frantic Call Outside Powell Home
• Drag Strip Stripped from New Kitsap County Race-Park Plans
• Olympic National Park Superintendent Calls It Quits
• Thieves Steal Warmth from Rivercrest Community Church in Portland, Taking $62,000 Heating System
• Washington Cheerleaders Sick after Attending Statewide High School Competition
• Grays Harbor Forests Stripped of Floral Salal

WORD OF THE DAY

Perdition • \perr-DISH-shun\ • Noun - 1: eternal damnation 2: hell

“The road to perdition is paved with what?” Screamed the venture capitalist to his client upon learning that his precious windmills had been shut down to protect the Pacific Northwest’s transmission grid stability.

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

Bonneville Power Administration Offers to Split Costs When It Pulls the Plug on Wind Farms (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/02/bpa_offers_to_split_costs_of_c.html

Bonneville Power Offers to Pay Wind Producers for Oversupply (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/02/bonneville-power-offers-to-pay-wind.html

Bonneville Power Administration Proposes Resolution to Electricity Oversupply (Bonneville Power Administration – Links to PDF File)

http://www.bpa.gov/corporate/AgencyTopics/ColumbiaRiverHighWaterMgmnt/20120207-proposed-protocol/PR-08-12-pressrelease-oversupply-management-proposal-Feb2012.pdf

Chelan PUD Banks Big Gain in 2011 (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/07/chelan-pud-finishes-2011-way-in-the-black/

Grays Harbor PUD Service Requests Falling in Tough Economy (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/pud-service-requests-falling-tough-economy.html

Corps Clearing Boulders at Bonneville Dam (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/02/08/1981864/corps-clearing-boulders-at-bonneville.html

Injured Cowlitz PUD Line Foreman Upgraded to ‘Satisfactory’ Condition (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/injured-pud-line-foreman-upgraded-to-satisfactory/article_b364c2fc-51f3-11e1-8f24-0019bb2963f4.html

Salmon Creek Resident to Seek Clark Public Utilities Seat (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/feb/07/salmon-creek-resident-seek-utility-seat/

Montana Public Service Commission Agrees on Fine $99,000 for Electric City Power (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120207/NEWS01/202070309/Montana-Public-Service-Commission-agrees-fine-99-000-Electric-City-Power

BC Hydro Seeks PR Help Before Hiking Rates (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/Hydro+seeks+help+before+hiking+rates/6117565/story.html

Massachusetts - Court Settlement Mandates Salem Power Plant to Stop Burning Coal by 2014 (Boston Globe, MA)

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/salem/2012/02/court_settlement_mandates_sale.html

Energy Takes Twice as Much Income for Half of U.S. Households (Bloomberg Businessweek)

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-07/energy-takes-twice-as-much-income-for-half-of-u-s-households.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia River Coho Forecasts for 2012 Look Good on Paper (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2017448823_columbia_river_coho_forecasts.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Ruckelshaus Center Will Mediate Chehalis Basin Flooding Issue (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/ruckelshaus-center-will-mediate-chehalis-basin-flooding-issue.html

Clallam County PUD Discusses Next Steps for Carlsborg (Sequim Gazette, WA)

http://search.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2012-02-08_pud_discusses_next_steps_for_carlsborg

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Tribes Say No to Large Wind Farms (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

http://www.eastoregonian.com/free/tribes-say-no-to-large-wind-farms/article_577212ba-51bc-11e1-8df4-001871e3ce6c.html

Richland Medical Center Gets Energy Efficient with Solar Panels, Wind Turbines (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/08/2017116/kadlec-gets-energy-efficient-with.html

Montana – Flathead Electric to Buy Output - Columbia Falls Biomass Plant to be Online by 2013 (Hungry Horse News, MT)

http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/hungryhorsenews/article_2683b66c-5267-11e1-8f28-0019bb2963f4.html

Vestas Posts Big 2011 Loss; Chief Finance Officer Quits (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2012/02/vestas-posts-big-2011-loss-senior.html

Renewable Energy Corporation Profit Misses Estimates as Polysilicon Surplus Curbs Prices (Bloomberg)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-08/rec-profit-misses-estimates-as-polysilicon-surplus-curbs-prices.html

Chinese Solar Factories, Spooked by Threat of Retroactive Tariffs, Halt Export Surge, Says Oregon Wholesaler (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/02/threat_of_retroactive_tariffs.html

Hydropower, Biomass Groups Say Jobs to Be Lost without Tax Break (Bloomberg Businessweek)

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-08/hydropower-biomass-groups-say-jobs-to-be-lost-without-tax-break.html

California Reveals Price it Pays for Renewable Energy (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2012/02/07/california-reveals-price-it-pays-for-renewable-energy/

Judge OKs Sale of Beacon Power to Equity Firm (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017448857_apusbeaconpowerbankruptcy.html

Learn More about Solar Energy Benefits, Discounts, Credits at Snohomish PUD Community Meetings (MyEdmonds News, WA)

http://myedmondsnews.com/2012/02/learn-more-about-solar-energy-benefits-discounts-credits-at-pud-community-meetings/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington State Utilities & Transportation Commission Creates a Conservation Energy Section (Access Washington)

http://www.utc.wa.gov/aboutUs/Lists/News/DispForm.aspx?ID=130

Energy Mythbusting: The Truth About Those Energy-Saving Tips (Chicago Tribune, IL)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/sns-homes-energy-mythbusting-the-truth-about-those-energysaving-tips-20120207,0,7301195.story

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

January Was USA’s 4th-Warmest on Record (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/story/2012-02-07/warm-january-climate-report/52999508/1?csp=34news

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Green Big Brother? Why the Backlash Against Environmentalism Has Grown (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Green-Economics/2012/0207/Green-Big-Brother-Why-the-backlash-against-environmentalism-has-grown

Sierra Club Faces Gas-Cash Fallout (Politico)

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72581.html

Study Indicates Green Economy Lost Fewer Jobs in US Recession (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2012/02/green-economy-lost-fewer-jobs-in-recession-than-us-overall/1?csp=34news

Greenpeace Praises Google, Slams Apple in Latest Green IT Ranking (Business Green)

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2144760/greenpeace-praises-google-slams-apple-green-ranking

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Ohio - State-Run Broadband Network to Get Ten Times Faster (Columbus Business First, OH)

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/02/07/state-run-broadband-network-to-get-10.html

Google Steps Into Georgia Municipal Broadband Fight - Argues SB313 Is a Job Killer (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Google-Steps-Into-Georgia-Broadband-Fight-118270

Four Yahoo Board Member Including Chair Leaving (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/4-Yahoo-board-member-including-chair-leaving-3110172.php

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Legislature Poised to Approve Gay Marriage (Associated Press)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/08/2017200/wa-legislature-poised-to-approve.html

Washington State Senate Democrats Tout Long-Term Jobs Agenda (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017449000_apwaxgrdemsjobsplan.html

Oregon Democrat Sworn In to House (NY Times)

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/oregon-democrat-sworn-in-to-house/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Washington Post Reports Congressman Dicks Channeled Federal Money to Puget Sound Project His Son Ran (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017449699_dicksearmarks08m.html

Congressman Doc Hastings Defends Earmark Near His Pasco Property (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2012/02/08/doc-hastings-defends-earmark-near-his-pasco-property

Bainbridge Island Administrators Fear Councilmembers’ Blogs Could Run Afoul of Law (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/feb/08/legal-concerns-stymie-bainbridge-councilmember/

GENERAL NEWS

911 Recording Reveals Worker’s Frantic Call Outside Powell Home (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/07/2016851/911-recording-reveals-workers.html

Drag strip stripped from new race-park plans - Could it be that drag racing, the meat & potatoes of local racing since at least 1952, is headed to Shelton? (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/feb/07/drag-strip-stripped-from-new-race-park-plans/

Olympic National Park Superintendent Calls It Quits (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/7648

Thieves Steal Warmth from Rivercrest Community Church in Portland, Taking $62,000 Heating System (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/02/burglars_steal_warmth_from_riv.html

Washington Cheerleaders Sick after Attending Statewide High School Competition (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Cheerleaders-sick-after-attending-statewide-competition-138912594.html

Grays Harbor Forests Stripped of Floral Salal (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017455048_apwagraysharborsalal.html

DIVERSIONS

Juror Could Face Jail Time for ‘Friending’ Defendant

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-02-07/juror-facebook-friend-defendant/53000186/1?csp=34news

Report: Syrian Leader’s Office Hacked, Password Was ‘12345’

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/report-assads-office-hacked-password-was-12345

Legend Of Bottomless Hole Near Ellensburg Grows, But Why Can’t We Find It?

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/Legend-of-bottomless-hole-near-Ellensburg-grows-3145650.php

Bacon Shake Latest Innovation in the Fried Food Renaissance

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/bacon-shake-latest-entry-fried-food-renaissance-175523130.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Joni Mitchel - You Turn Me On, I’m A Radio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcAX33CQhjs