The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for February 4, 2013

Monday, February 4, 2013

Energy News Digest for February 4, 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.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Super Bowl Extravaganza Hit by Power Failure (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/04/us-nfl-superbowl-lights-idUSBRE91300U20130204

Bonneville Power Administration’s Steve Wright Says Goodbye after 12 Years as Administrator (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/02/bonneville_power_administratio_1.html

At Shelton Presentation - BPA Administrator Educates Community about Hydroelectricity: Outgoing administrator lauds hydropower (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/feb/01/bpa-administrator-educates-community-about-hydroel/

Investigators Begin to Test Other Electrical Parts on the 787 (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/02/business/inquiry-into-787-batteries-expands-to-other-components.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Solar Development Absorbing California Farmland (Associated Press)

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/national/Solar-development-absorbing-Calif-farmland_00095559

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

Super Bowl Extravaganza Hit by Power Failure
Blackout Is a Boon for Super Bowl Ratings
Bonneville Power Administration’s Steve Wright Says Goodbye after 12 Years as Administrator
At Shelton Presentation - BPA Administrator Educates Community about Hydroelectricity
Op/Ed - Bonneville Power Administration’s Power Line Decision Will Cost Everyone
Cowlitz PUD Documents Shed Light on Events Surrounding GM’s Firing
Thurston County Not Much Better Off a Year after Big Snowstorm
Editorial - Thumbs Up to Energy Northwest for Record-Breaking Year
Regulated Energy Companies Top of Washington State Consumer Complaint List
Vancouver School Wins Nation’s Largest Regional Science Bowl, For 2nd Year
Trade Groups Sue to Stop Collection of Federal Nuclear Waste Fee
Energy Companies & Landowners Are Clashing over Property Rights
U-S Energy Secretary Chu’s Resignation Memo
Tennessee Public Utility CEOs Rake in Six-Figure Salaries
Hundreds Watch as San Diego Power Plant Imploded
Fewer Early Columbia Chinook Expected
Final Brief Filed in Appeals Court Challenge to Council’s Northwest Power Plan, Fish Mitigation
Washington State Bill Would Allow Counties to Ban Fish Farming
Hundreds of Miles of Forest Streams for Fish Habitat Are Re-Opening
Solar Development Absorbing California Farmland
Arizona - Cuts to Renewable-Energy Incentives Blasted
Ocean Energy on the Move in the Pacific Northwest
Four Reasons Why it’s a Bad Argument to Say Cats Kill More Birds Than Wind Turbines
Energy Efficiency First – Olympia Home Energy Audits & Performance Contracting
City of Kennewick to Get Rebate for Conserving Energy
Big Switch Under Way in U-S Energy Use: Report
Coal-Burning Utilities Seek a Role in EPA Rule-Making on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Pacific Northwest Paying High Price for Carbon Emissions
Beer Helps Power Alaskan Brewery
Cellulose Fuel Slow to Start Pumping, But This May Be the Year
Regulators Working to Fix Scam-Ridden U-S Biofuel Program
Op/Ed - Chelan PUD Working Hard to Fix the Fiber
Click! Gets Deal with Fisher Broadcasting
Speedy Fiber Has Kansas City All Googley
How Sports Networks Inflate Your TV Bill
Investigators Begin to Test Other Electrical Parts on the 787
Grapeview School District Asks Voters to Approve $12.5 Million Bond
WSP Trooper Testing Draws Nearly 100 Hopefuls

WORD OF THE DAY

Redolent • \RED-duh-lunt\ • Adjective - 1: exuding fragrance: aromatic 2a: full of a specified fragrance: scented b: evocative, suggestive

“Little Trees”; Axe Spray

Old cars and teen angst on show

Redolent device

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

Super Bowl Extravaganza Hit by Power Failure (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/04/us-nfl-superbowl-lights-idUSBRE91300U20130204

Blackout Is a Boon for Super Bowl Ratings (NY Times)

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/04/blackout-is-a-boon-for-super-bowl-ratings/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Bonneville Power Administration’s Steve Wright Says Goodbye after 12 Years as Administrator (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/02/bonneville_power_administratio_1.html

At Shelton Presentation - BPA Administrator Educates Community about Hydroelectricity: Outgoing administrator lauds hydropower (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/feb/01/bpa-administrator-educates-community-about-hydroel/

Op/Ed - Bonneville Power Administration’s Power Line Decision Will Cost Everyone (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/opinion/guest-column-bpa-s-decision-will-cost-everyone/article_ba63126a-6bfc-11e2-a9e2-0019bb2963f4.html

Cowlitz PUD Documents Shed Light on Events Surrounding GM’s Firing (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/74639f60-6ce1-11e2-afcc-001a4bcf887a.html

Thurston County Not Much Better Off a Year after Big Snowstorm - Generators needed to keep shelters open when South Sounders are displaced (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2013/02/03/2408666/county-not-much-better-off-a-year.html

Editorial - Thumbs Up to Energy Northwest for Record-Breaking Year (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/02/04/2260455/thumbs-up-to-energy-northwest.html

Regulated Energy Companies Top of Washington State Consumer Complaint List (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/49067-energy-companies-top-of-consumer-complaint-list

Vancouver School Wins Nation’s Largest Regional Science Bowl, For 2nd Year - Sponsored by Bonneville Power Administration (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Vancouver-school-wins-nations-largest-regional-sc/ZhNnqPPb9kqnu1DzyN8UXQ.cspx

Trade Groups Sue to Stop Collection of Federal Nuclear Waste Fee (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=205520&issueID=26945

Energy Companies & Landowners Are Clashing over Property Rights (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2013/02/02/energy-companies-and-landowners-are-clashing-over-property-rights/

U-S Energy Secretary Chu’s Resignation Memo (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/02/01/2259478/energy-sec-chus-resignation-memo.html

Tennessee Public Utility CEOs Rake in Six-Figure Salaries (Watchdog.Org)

http://watchdog.org/68000/tn-public-utility-ceos-rake-in-six-figure-salaries/

Hundreds Watch as San Diego Power Plant Imploded (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/hundreds-watch-san-diego-power-plant-imploded-205442650.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fewer Early Columbia Chinook Expected (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/02/01/2861272/fewer-early-columbia-chinook-expected.html

Final Brief Filed in Appeals Court Challenge to Council’s Northwest Power Plan, Fish Mitigation (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/424838.aspx

Washington State Bill Would Allow Counties to Ban Fish Farming (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130204/news/302049995/bill-would-allow-counties-to-ban-fish-farming

Hundreds of Miles of Forest Streams for Fish Habitat Are Re-Opening (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/49064-hundreds-of-miles-of-forest-streams-for-fish-habitat-are-re-opening-

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Solar Development Absorbing California Farmland (Associated Press)

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/national/Solar-development-absorbing-Calif-farmland_00095559

Arizona - Cuts to Renewable-Energy Incentives Blasted: Enviros, solar officials fear AZ panel’s move could hurt industry (Arizona Daily Star, Tucson)

http://azstarnet.com/business/local/cuts-to-renewable-energy-incentives-blasted/article_04f839b1-3e8a-56fb-a143-68e96720018b.html

Ocean Energy on the Move in the Pacific Northwest - Oregon Adopts New Rules, FERC Finds No Significant Environmental Impacts for Snohomish PUD’s Admiralty Inlet Tidal Project (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog) http://www.energynaturalresourceslaw.com/2013/01/ocean-energy-on-the-move-in-the-northwest-oregon-adopts-new-rules-snohomish-pud-files-eis-on-admiral.html

Four Reasons Why it’s a Bad Argument to Say Cats Kill More Birds Than Wind Turbines (KCET-TV, Burbank, CA)

http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/wildlife/4-reasons-cats-bird-kills-dont-excuse-wind-turbine-bird-kills.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency First – Olympia Home Energy Audits & Performance Contracting: Improving Your Comfort, Health & Bottom Line (Thurston Talk, Olympia, WA)

http://www.thurstontalk.com/2013/02/02/energy-efficiency-first-olympia-home-energy-audits-and-performance-contracting-improving-your-comfort-health-and-bottom-line/

City of Kennewick to Get Rebate for Conserving Energy (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/02/04/2261852/kennewick-to-get-rebate-for-conserving.html

Big Switch Under Way in U-S Energy Use: Report (Bloomberg News)

http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/big-switch-under-way-in-us-energy-use-report-20130201-2doyw.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Coal-Burning Utilities Seek a Role in EPA Rule-Making on Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/coal-burning-utilities-seek-a-role-in-epa-rule-making-on-greenhouse-gas-emissions/2013/02/03/a0095c8a-6b39-11e2-95b3-272d604a10a3_story.html

Pacific Northwest Paying High Price for Carbon Emissions (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/article/pacific-northwest-paying-high-price-for-carbon-emissions/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Beer Helps Power Alaskan Brewery (Associated Press)