The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for March 29, 2013

Retiring Manager Wyla Wood, Successor Named - Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for March 26, 2013
PUD Ready to Flip Switch in Jefferson
Op/Ed - CleanHydro Highlights Hydropower & River Values
Puget Sound Energy’s Green Rep Gets Black Eye
Avista Rate Case Ok’d by Idaho PUC
Coal Export Foes Vow to Fight Port Westward Industrial Park Expansion
Is the U.S. Too Dependent on Natural Gas for Electricity?
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Exempts Consumer-Owned Utilities from Dodd-Frank Rules
Study Links 2011 Quake to Technique at Oil Wells
Japanese Utility Takes Blame for Nuclear Crisis
Interior Rejects Bias Claim on Klamath Dams
PacifiCorp Signs Over 400 Acres along Hood River for Restoration, Recreation
Preparing for Zebra Mussels in the Pacific Northwest
Rise in Bee Deaths Alarms Growers
California Snow Survey Points to Dry Year
New Front in Western Wind War: FERC Files Suit Against Idaho PUC, Second Suit Waits in Wings
A Gust of Wind from D-C Helps the Economy
Arizona Pro-Solar Group Formed to Battle Utilities
Canadian Hydro-Power: Niagara Tunnel Now Fully Functional
Op/Ed – New Hampshire: In the Name of Green Energy, Ratepayers Socked with Costly Bills
Olympia ‘Passive House’ Creates More Energy than It Uses
Thinking Of Replacement Windows for Your Home? Choose the Right High-Efficiency Window
Colorado Co-ops Spotlight Efficiency
Los Angeles Maps Electricity Use at the Block Level
Editorial - Legislature Should Pass Sensible Bill to Conserve Energy, Water
Carbon Offsets Program Slammed by British Columbia’s Auditor General
Washington State Electric Car Bill Would Fine Drivers Who Park at Charging Stations
Dairy Finds a Way to Let Cows Power Trucks
Family Converts Forest into Source of Electricity
Comcast Increasing Internet Speeds at No Additional Cost
Video - Cheap Broadband Offered to 100 Million Underprivileged
U-S Senate - Fischer Teams with Al Franken on Broadband Amendmen
Cybersecurity & the Threat to Networked Business
Survey Details Data Theft Concerns for U-S Firms in China
an Teens
Washington State Legislature - MacEwen Chosen for Leadership Role on Capital Budget Committee
Washington State Budget - Gov. Inslee Proposes Extension of Temporary Taxes
Shelton Teen Arrested With BB Gun at School
Whidbey Landslide May Have Started Moving in 2002
Mason County Health Director Comments on Health Rankings
Mariners Are Baseball’s 12th-Most Valuable Team
Oregon Lawmakers Considering Reversing Ban on Native American Mascots
Pot Consultant: ‘The World’s Going To Learn A Lot’ From Washington State
Christians Mark Crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday

WORD OF THE DAY

Fuliginous • \fyoo-LIDJ-uh-nuss\ • Adjective - 1a: sooty b: obscure, murky 2: having a dark or dusky color

Barty was often flummoxed by the fuliginous comic references his co-worker Slartibartfast made regarding his previous life in some sort of city called Magrathea. He much preferred the comic references from his office-mate Moe, whose communications were (for some reason) peppered with much more accessible references to the “Three Stooges.”

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

Retiring Manager Wyla Wood, Successor Named - Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for March 26, 2013 (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1197

PUD Ready to Flip Switch in Jefferson (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130329/news/303299982/pud-ready-to-flip-switch-in-jefferson

Op/Ed - CleanHydro Highlights Hydropower & River Values (Mason County PUD No. 3 & PUD No. 1)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1196

Puget Sound Energy’s Green Rep Gets Black Eye (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2013/03/26/environment/113508/puget-sound-energys-green-reputation-gets-black-ey/

Avista Rate Case Ok’d by Idaho PUC (Zack’s Equity Research)

https://ebiz.publicpower.org/APPAEbiz/ProductCatalog/Product.aspx?ID=4192

Coal Export Foes Vow to Fight Port Westward Industrial Park Expansion (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/03/coal_export_foes_vow_to_fight.html

Is the U.S. Too Dependent on Natural Gas for Electricity? (U-S News & World Report)

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/03/28/is-the-us-too-dependent-on-natural-gas-for-electricity

Commodity Futures Trading Commission Exempts Consumer-Owned Utilities from Dodd-Frank Rules (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=212872&issueID=26984

Study Links 2011 Quake to Technique at Oil Wells (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/science/earth/2011-oklahoma-quake-tied-to-wastewater-disposal-at-oil-wells.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Japanese Utility Takes Blame for Nuclear Crisis (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/energy/article/Japanese-utility-takes-blame-for-nuclear-crisis-4394067.php

FISH & WILDLIFE

Interior Rejects Bias Claim on Klamath Dams (Associated Press)

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/viewart/20130328/UPDATE/130328034/Interior-rejects-bias-claim-Klamath-dams

PacifiCorp Signs Over 400 Acres along Hood River for Restoration, Recreation (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/03/pacificorp_signs_over_400_acre.html

Preparing for Zebra Mussels in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://earthfix.opb.org/water/article/preparing-for-zebra-mussels-in-the-pnw/

Rise in Bee Deaths Alarms Growers (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/29/5301341/rise-in-bee-deaths-alarms-growersloss.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

California Snow Survey Points to Dry Year (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/28/5300469/snow-survey-points-to-dry-year.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

New Front in Western Wind War: FERC Files Suit Against Idaho PUC, Second Suit Waits in Wings (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

http://www.energynaturalresourceslaw.com/2013/03/new-front-in-western-wind-war-ferc-files-suit-against-idaho-puc-second-suit-waits-in-wings.html

A Gust of Wind from D-C Helps the Economy (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/03/28/wind-energy-gdp/2028229/

Arizona Pro-Solar Group Formed to Battle Utilities (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2013/03/28/arizona-pro-solar-group-formed-to.html

Canadian Hydro-Power: Niagara Tunnel Now Fully Functional (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/ecskris/203201/hydro-power-niagara-tunnel-now-fully-functional

Op/Ed – New Hampshire: In the Name of Green Energy, Ratepayers Socked with Costly Bills (Concord Monitor, NH)

http://www.concordmonitor.com/home/5343599-95/electricity-ratepayers-energy-solar

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Olympia ‘Passive House’ Creates More Energy than It Uses (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2013/03/28/2481165/passive-house-creates-more-energy.html#storylink=cpy

Thinking Of Replacement Windows for Your Home? Choose the Right High-Efficiency Window (Thurston Talk, Olymia, WA)

http://www.thurstontalk.com/2013/03/28/replacement-windows-olympia/

Colorado Co-ops Spotlight Efficiency (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/efficiency-conservation/energy-efficiency/colorado-energy-efficient-project/54151

Los Angeles Maps Electricity Use at the Block Level (MIT Technology Review)

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/512991/los-angeles-maps-electricity-use-at-the-block-level/

Editorial - Legislature Should Pass Sensible Bill to Conserve Energy, Water (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2020663736_columndickieenvironmentxml.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Carbon Offsets Program Slammed by British Columbia’s Auditor General (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/03/27/bc-carbon-neutral-report.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington State Electric Car Bill Would Fine Drivers Who Park at Charging Stations (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/03/washington_electric_car_bill_w.html

Dairy Finds a Way to Let Cows Power Trucks (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/28/us/dairy-finds-way-to-let-cows-power-trucks.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Family Converts Forest into Source of Electricity (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130328/NEWS01/703289947

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast Increasing Internet Speeds at No Additional Cost (Vancouver Columbian, WA – assuming the current cost was appropriate to begin with…)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/mar/29/comcast-increasing-internet-speeds-no-additional-c/

Video - Cheap Broadband Offered to 100 Million Underprivileged (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/03/28/connect2compete-digital-divide-underprivileged-cheap-interent-access/2029565/

U-S Senate - Fischer Teams with Al Franken on Broadband Amendment (Lincoln Jounral Star, NE)

http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/federal-politics/fischer-teams-with-al-franken-on-broadband-amendment/article_0e6c715a-fafd-52d5-ac9c-30825abfa138.html

Cybersecurity & the Threat to Networked Business (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhawes/2013/03/27/cybersecurity-and-the-threat-to-networked-business/

Survey Details Data Theft Concerns for U-S Firms in China (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/30/business/global/survey-details-data-theft-concerns-for-us-firms-in-china.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Study Reveals Adults Are Texting While Driving Even More than Teens (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/03/28/texting-while-driving/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Legislature - MacEwen Chosen for Leadership Role on Capital Budget Committee (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/9716

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Budget - Gov. Inslee Proposes Extension of Temporary Taxes (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Gov-Inslee-proposes-extension-of-temporary-taxes-200477541.html

Shelton Teen Arrested With BB Gun at School (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5279

Whidbey Landslide May Have Started Moving in 2002 (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/35-homes-evacuated-near-Whidbey-Island-landslide-200419841.html

Mason County Health Director Comments on Health Rankings (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/9709

Mariners Are Baseball’s 12th-Most Valuable Team (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2013/03/mariners-are-baseballs-12th-most.html

Oregon Lawmakers Considering Reversing Ban on Native American Mascots (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.katu.com/politics/Lawmakers-considering-reversing-ban-on-Native-American-mascots-200552381.html

Pot Consultant: ‘The World’s Going to Learn a Lot’ from Washington State (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/pot-consultant-worlds-going-learn-lot-washington

Christians Mark Crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2013/03/christians_mark_crucifixion_of.html

DIVERSIONS

Hysteria Much? Tennessee Lawmakers Confuse Mop Sink for Muslim Foot-Washing Sink

http://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20130325/NEWS02/303250057/TN-lawmakers-confuse-mop-sink-Muslim-foot-washing-sink

21-Ton Cheese Theft Ranks Among Biggest Recent Food Heists

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/national-international/Cheese-Theft-is-the-Latest-in-String-of-Mysterious-Food-Heists-200459691.html

So Why Do We Get Goosebumps When We’re Cold or Scared?

http://gizmodo.com/5992748/so-why-do-we-get-goosebumps-when-were-cold-or-scared

Authorities Arrest Suspects In Porta-Potty Arsons

http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/mar/28/authorities-arrest-suspects-porta-potty-arsons/

SONG OF THE DAY

Lana Del Rey - Chelsea Hotel No 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj_myXdOLV0

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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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