The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for January 9, 2013

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Energy News Digest for January 9, 2013

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

Last Year Was Hottest on Record (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2020087776_heatrecordxml.html

When It Comes to Polluting Puget Sound, Ballard Takes Cake (Ballard News-Tribune, WA)

http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2013/01/07/news/when-it-comes-polluting-puget-sound-ballard-takes

Benton PUD Proposes Rate Increase to Start in April (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/01/09/2229752/benton-pud-proposes-rate-increase.html

Is Broadband Internet Access a Public Utility? Is Broadband Internet Access a Public Utility (TIME Magazine)

http://business.time.com/2013/01/09/is-broadband-internet-access-a-public-utility/

Fireflies Are Inspiring Brighter LEDs (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2013/01/08/fireflies-are-inspiring-brighter-leds/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

Benton PUD Proposes Rate Increase to Start in April
Mason County PUD 3 Linemen Restore Electricity to Customers in Mission/Tiger Lake Areas
Farmer Elected Chair of Mason County PUD 3 Board of Commissioners
Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for January 8, 2013
Grays Harbor PUD Board Chair - Skolrood Says He’ll Focus on Savings & Efficiencies
Clallam Public Utility District Commissioners Elect New President
Attempt to Move Cowlitz PUD Meetings to Evenings Fails
Bonneville Power Administration Open House on Energy Transmission is Thursday in Camas
Rising Public Power Star - Stacey Azure Promoted to Franklin PUD Communications Specialist
Anita Decker, Acting WAPA Administrator, Extended Through February
Obama Could Appoint New EPA, Energy Leaders to Focus on Domestic Energy Production
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notes Co-op Smart Grid Growth
Fitch: Long Island Power Authority Proposal Could be Money for Nothing
Why Power Outlets Look So Weird in Other Countries
State of British Columbia’s Pacific Salmon
When It Comes to Polluting Puget Sound, Ballard Takes Cake
Drought Makes Stretch of Mississippi River ‘Ghost Town’
How Social Networks Are Fueling the Solar Boom
Fireflies Are Inspiring Brighter LEDs
The Cost of Running Home Electronics
Last Year Was Hottest on Record
EPA Head Calls Climate-Change Shift a Proud Milestone
Record Heat Fuels Widespread Fires in Australia
Rogue Geoengineering Could ‘Hijack’ World’s Climate
Is Broadband Internet Access a Public Utility? Is Broadband Internet Access a Public Utility
Dish Targets Clearwire in Bid That Tops Sprint’s
Google Rolls Out Biggest Free Wi-Fi Network in New York City
What Constitutes Good & Bad Web Design?
Faulty iPhone Burns Through $30,000 of Mobile Data
Report: Washington State Senator Roach Mistreated Staffer
Shelton Man Falls into Well
Fuel Leak Is Latest Setback for Boeing’s Dreamliner
Ferguson Flowers & Lynch Creek Floral Combine

WORD OF THE DAY

Epiphany • \ih-PIFF-fun-nee\ • Noun – 1 capitalized: January 6 observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ 2: an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being 3a (1): a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2): an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple & striking (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b: a revealing scene or moment

An epiphany

Use more electricity

Pay a higher bill

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

Benton PUD Proposes Rate Increase to Start in April (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/01/09/2229752/benton-pud-proposes-rate-increase.html

Mason County PUD 3 Linemen Restore Electricity to Customers in Mission/Tiger Lake Areas (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1176

Farmer Elected Chair of Mason County PUD 3 Board of Commissioners (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/8935

Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for January 8, 2013 (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=1175

Grays Harbor PUD Board Chair - Skolrood Says He’ll Focus on Savings & Efficiencies (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/skolrood-says-he%E2%80%99ll-focus-savings-and-efficiencies.html

Clallam Public Utility District Commissioners Elect New President (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130109/news/301099997/clallam-public-utility-district-commissioners-elect-new-president

Attempt to Move Cowlitz PUD Meetings to Evenings Fails (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/attempt-to-move-pud-meetings-to-evenings-fails/article_d70019be-59fe-11e2-862b-001a4bcf887a.html

Bonneville Power Administration Open House on Energy Transmission is Thursday in Camas (Camas-Washougal Post Record, WA)

http://www.camaspostrecord.com/news/2013/jan/08/bpa-open-house-is-thursday-in-camas/

Rising Public Power Star - Stacey Azure Promoted to Franklin PUD Communications Specialist (Franklin County PUD)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/01/rising-public-power-star-stacey-azure.html

Anita Decker, Acting WAPA Administrator, Extended Through February (Western Area Power Administration)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/01/anita-decker-acting-wapa-administrator.html

Obama Could Appoint New EPA, Energy Leaders to Focus on Domestic Energy Production (Houston Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2013/01/obama-could-appoint-new-epa-energy.html

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notes Co-op Smart Grid Growth (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/editors-pick/ferc-notes-coop-smart-grid-growth/51331

Fitch: Long Island Power Authority Proposal Could be Money for Nothing (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=168447

Why Power Outlets Look So Weird in Other Countries (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/5972640/why-power-outlets-look-so-weird-in-other-countries

FISH & WILDLIFE

State of British Columbia’s Pacific Salmon (Watershed Sentinel, BC)

http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/content/state-pacific-salmon

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

When It Comes to Polluting Puget Sound, Ballard Takes Cake (Ballard News-Tribune, WA)

http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2013/01/07/news/when-it-comes-polluting-puget-sound-ballard-takes

Drought Makes Stretch of Mississippi River ‘Ghost Town’ (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/08/drought-makes-stretch-of-mississippi-river-ghost-town/1818997/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

How Social Networks Are Fueling the Solar Boom “…many Americans still view solar as a solution to environmental woes rather than high utility bills…” (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2013/01/08/how-social-networks-are-fueling-the-solar-boom/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Fireflies Are Inspiring Brighter LEDs (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2013/01/08/fireflies-are-inspiring-brighter-leds/

The Cost of Running Home Electronics (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/editors-pick/crn-plug-load-data-spreadsheet/51337

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Last Year Was Hottest on Record (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2020087776_heatrecordxml.html

EPA Head Calls Climate-Change Shift a Proud Milestone (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/09/epa-head-jackson-leaving-global-warming/1818857/

Record Heat Fuels Widespread Fires in Australia (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/10/world/asia/record-heat-fuels-widespread-fires-in-australia.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Rogue Geoengineering Could ‘Hijack’ World’s Climate - Techniques aimed at averting global warming could lead to an unpredictable international crisis, a report has warned (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jan/08/geoengineering-hijack-world-climate

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Is Broadband Internet Access a Public Utility? Is Broadband Internet Access a Public Utility (TIME Magazine)

http://business.time.com/2013/01/09/is-broadband-internet-access-a-public-utility/

Dish Targets Clearwire in Bid That Tops Sprint’s (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2020087750_clearwiresprintxml.html

Google Rolls Out Biggest Free Wi-Fi Network in New York City (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/01/08/google-nyc-wifi/

What Constitutes Good & Bad Web Design? (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/arts/design/what-constitutes-good-and-bad-web-design.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Faulty iPhone Burns Through $30,000 of Mobile Data (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/5974069/faulty-iphone-burns-through-30000-of-mobile-data

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE