Energy News Digest for March 8, 2011

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

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices: http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

TransAlta Plans to End Burning Coal by 2025, Convert to Natural Gas (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?TransAlta-plans-to-end-burning-coal-by-2=1&blockID=434865&feedID=410

Hawaii - Deal Reached to End Hawaiian Electric Company Strike, Workers Say (Honolulu Advertiser, HI)

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/Workers_say_deal_reached_to_end_HECO_strike.html

California Utilities Miss Green Energy Deadline (SF Chronicle, CA)

http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-03-04/business/28652863_1_wind-farms-renewable-energy-renewable-sources

Water Forecast Indicates There’s Enough to Go Around (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/03/07/water-forecast-indicates-there-s-enough-to-go-around

More Douglas PUD Power, Tenants for Data Center (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/mar/02/more-power-tenants-for-data-center/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         TransAlta Plans to End Burning Coal by 2025, Convert to Natural Gas

·         Hawaii - Deal Reached to End Hawaiian Electric Company Strike, Workers Say

·         Bonneville Power Administration Rate Hike Looms for Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative

·         Hydropower ‘Stealing’ Share from Natural Gas: Energy Markets

·         Editorial - As It Reaches a Century of Service, Eugene Water & Electricity Board Has Grown at the Direction of the Community

·         City of Great Falls Seeks to Leave Montana Power Cooperative

·         Juj Named Vice President BPA Transmission Planning & Asset Management

·         Raven Who Knocked Out Anchorage Power ‘Nevermore’

·         Tennessee Valley Authority - 20-Year Power Plan Adds Nuclear, Natural Gas, Cuts Coal

·         Op/Ed - Stopping Coal at the Coast

·         Editorial - The Grand Canyon Uranium Rush

·         Georgia - As the Cobb Electric Co-Op Turns

·         Washington DC’s Electricity - Pepco Reliability Plan ‘Cobbled Together’ Without Detailed Study

·         Dams Power Turkey’s Future, But Drown Its Rich History

·         Study Says British Columbia Killer Whales Choking on Boat Exhaust

·         Grizzly’s Threatened Status Appealed in Oregon Court

·         Idaho Caviar & High Desert Aquaculture

·         Water Forecast Indicates There’s Enough to Go Around

·         Tidewater Brings Back Employees as Columbia River Locks Reopen

·         Longview Pulp Mill Spills Bleach into Columbia River

·         Clallam County to Sign New Sewer Agreement With PUD for Carlsborg

·         Farmers, EPA Clash over Chesapeake Bay Regulations

·         California Utilities Miss Green Energy Deadline

·         Montana Bill Classifies Hydroelectricity as Renewable Energy

·         Companies Examine the Alternatives for Clean-Energy Credit in Idaho

·         Wind Farm Siting - Wyoming Legislature Fails to Settle Eminent Domain Issue

·         Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Pushes Affordable Batteries to Store Green Power

·         Op/Ed – Pacific Gas & Electric’s Real Problem: Resisting a Clean Energy Future

·         Inspector Faults Energy Department over Renewable Energy Loan Program

·         Deep in the Biomass Belt

·         Washington State University Applying for Federal Biomass Grant

·         Many in the Dark on Incandescent Light Bulb Phase-Out

·         Ground Source Heat Pump - Digging Up Energy Savings Right in Your Backyard

·         China Reportedly Plans Strict Goals to Save Energy

·         European Union Plans to Double Energy Efficiency by 2020

·         North Korea Wants to Trade Carbon Credits – By selling UN-backed carbon offsets from hydro-power projects

·         Coastal Cities Prepare for Rising Sea Levels

·         Wording Change Softens Global Warming Skeptics

·         Friends without Benefits - Behind the Feud between Greenpeace & Facebook over Renewable Energy

·         Ethanol Industry Feels Squeeze as Congress Tightens Belt

·         Ecoroofs: Industry Grows, Costs Come Down

·         More Douglas PUD Power, Tenants for Data Center

·         Oregon - Clearwire Withdraws Controversial Wireless Site Applications After Northeast Portland Neighbors & Others Push Back

·         Microsoft to write $1 billion check to phone-maker

·         Washington State Lawmakers Reach Key Legislative Deadline

·         Coal & Fertilizers - Environment Bills Get Past Important Deadline

·         State Senate Overwhelmingly OKs Bill Limiting Eminent Domain

·         Congressional Office? Not in Thurston County

·         Shelton Mayor John Tarrant Not Seeking Re-Election

·         Gary Locke to be Named New Ambassador to China

·         AAA: Gas Prices in Washington Average $3.60

WORD OF THE DAY

Raffish • \RAFF-ish\ • Adjective - 1: marked by or suggestive of flashy vulgarity or crudeness 2: marked by a careless unconventionality: rakish

Abner loved his propeller beanie. He felt that the raffish tilt he applied to the iconic headgear lent him a “devil may care” look as he strutted down the street. Unfortunately for his love life, it was interpreted by the sorority row residents as a look that said “fool without a clue.”

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

TransAlta Plans to End Burning Coal by 2025, Convert to Natural Gas (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?TransAlta-plans-to-end-burning-coal-by-2=1&blockID=434865&feedID=410

Hawaii - Deal Reached to End Hawaiian Electric Company Strike, Workers Say (Honolulu Advertiser, HI)

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/Workers_say_deal_reached_to_end_HECO_strike.html

Bonneville Power Administration Rate Hike Looms for Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (The Blue Mountain Eagle, Grant County, OR)

http://www.bluemountaineagle.com/news/breaking_news/bpa-rate-hike-looms-for-otec/article_6f344594-44fc-11e0-85a9-001cc4c03286.html

Hydropower ‘Stealing’ Share from Natural Gas: Energy Markets (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-03/rain-means-hydropower-is-stealing-share-from-natural-gas-energy-markets.html

Editorial - As It Reaches a Century of Service, Eugene Water & Electricity Board Has Grown at the Direction of the Community (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/web/newslocalnews/25950121-57/power-eugene-eweb-utility-community.html.csp

City of Great Falls Seeks to Leave Montana Power Cooperative (Associated Press)

http://helenair.com/news/article_88c643de-4558-11e0-8a05-001cc4c002e0.html

Juj Named Vice President BPA Transmission Planning & Asset Management (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/1032087/

Raven Who Knocked Out Anchorage Power ‘Nevermore’ (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014424716_apakanchorageoutage.html

Tennessee Valley Authority - 20-Year Power Plan Adds Nuclear, Natural Gas, Cuts Coal (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/04/us-utilities-tva-generation-idUSTRE7236RQ20110304

Op/Ed - Stopping Coal at the Coast: Plans to Export More Coal to China Will Only Hurt Efforts to Combat Climate Change (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/05/opinion/la-oe-mckibben-coal-20110305

Editorial - The Grand Canyon Uranium Rush (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/opinion/08tue4.html

Georgia - As the Cobb Electric Co-Op Turns: The co-op wants to rehire its former CEO while he awaits trial on a 31-count RICO indictment (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/03/08/34737.htm

Washington DC’s Electricity - Pepco Reliability Plan ‘Cobbled Together’ Without Detailed Study, Report Finds (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/07/AR2011030705133.html

Dams Power Turkey’s Future, But Drown Its Rich History (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0307/Dams-power-Turkey-s-future-but-drown-its-rich-history

FISH & WILDLIFE

Study Says British Columbia Killer Whales Choking on Boat Exhaust (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/killer+whales+choking+boat+exhaust+Study/4383525/story.html

Grizzly’s Threatened Status Appealed in Oregon Court (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/07/1570085/grizzlys-threatened-status-appealed.html

Idaho Caviar & High Desert Aquaculture (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=8463

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Water Forecast Indicates There’s Enough to Go Around (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/03/07/water-forecast-indicates-there-s-enough-to-go-around

Tidewater Brings Back Employees as Columbia River Locks Reopen - Barge Company Had Laid Off 100 Workers (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/mar/07/tidewater-brings-back-employees-as-locks-reopen-ba/

Longview Pulp Mill Spills Bleach into Columbia River (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014432181_apwapulpmillspill.html

Clallam County to Sign New Sewer Agreement With PUD for Carlsborg (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/6699

Farmers, EPA Clash over Chesapeake Bay Regulations (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2011/0307/Farmers-EPA-clash-over-Chesapeake-Bay-regulations

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California Utilities Miss Green Energy Deadline (SF Chronicle, CA)

http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-03-04/business/28652863_1_wind-farms-renewable-energy-renewable-sources

Montana Bill Classifies Hydroelectricity as Renewable Energy (KXLH-TV, Helena, MT)

http://www.kxlh.com/news/montana-bill-classifies-hydro-as-renewable-energy/

Companies Examine the Alternatives for Clean-Energy Credit in Idaho (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/07/1555146/companies-examine-the-alternatives.html

Wind Farm Siting - Wyoming Legislature Fails to Settle Eminent Domain Issue (Associated Press)

http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/article_bd368bc2-2a33-52f5-89eb-6fb963a9890c.html

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Pushes Affordable Batteries to Store Green Power (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/03/08/1398101/pnnl-pushes-affordable-batteries.html

Op/Ed – Pacific Gas & Electric’s Real Problem: Resisting a Clean Energy Future (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_17523278

Inspector Faults Energy Department over Renewable Energy Loan Program (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/business/energy-environment/08guarantee.html

Deep in the Biomass Belt - Southeast pursues renewable woody biomass for baseload power despite uncertain market conditions (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/03/deep-in-the-biomass-belt?cmpid=rss

Washington State University Applying for Federal Biomass Grant (Puget Sound Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2011/03/wsu-applying-for-federal-biomass-grant.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Many in the Dark on Incandescent Light Bulb Phase-Out (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110307/biz/703079837/-1/rss03

Ground Source Heat Pump - Digging Up Energy Savings Right in Your Backyard (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/science/08geothermal.html

China Reportedly Plans Strict Goals to Save Energy (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/05/business/energy-environment/05energy.html

European Union Plans to Double Energy Efficiency by 2020 (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014432575_apeuclimate.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

North Korea Wants to Trade Carbon Credits – By selling UN-backed carbon offsets from hydro-power projects (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/07/north-korea-trade-carbon-credits

Coastal Cities Prepare for Rising Sea Levels (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-newport-sea-levels-20110306,0,3204468.story

Wording Change Softens Global Warming Skeptics (Grist)

http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-07-wording-change-softens-global-warming-skeptics

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Friends without Benefits - Behind the Feud between Greenpeace & Facebook over Renewable Energy (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2287548/

Ethanol Industry Feels Squeeze as Congress Tightens Belt (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/03/07/07greenwire-ethanol-industry-feels-squeeze-as-congress-tig-30519.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Ecoroofs: Industry Grows, Costs Come Down (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/03/ecoroofs-industry-grows-costs-come.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

More Douglas PUD Power, Tenants for Data Center (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/mar/02/more-power-tenants-for-data-center/

Oregon - Clearwire Withdraws Controversial Wireless Site Applications After Northeast Portland Neighbors & Others Push Back (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/03/clearwire_withdraws_controvers.html

Microsoft to Write $1 Billion Check to Phone-Maker (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/08/1574731/microsoft-to-write-1-billion-check.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Lawmakers Reach Key Legislative Deadline (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014428890_apwaxgrlegislature3rdldwritethru.html

Coal & Fertilizers - Environment Bills Get Past Important Deadline (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/08/1574707/environment-bills-get-past-important.html

State Senate Overwhelmingly OKs Bill Limiting Eminent Domain (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/mar/07/state-senate-overwhelmingly-oks-bill-limiting/

Congressional Office? Not in Thurston County (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/07/1570153/congressional-office-not-in-thurston.html

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton Mayor John Tarrant Not Seeking Re-Election (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2116:tarrant-not-seeking-re-election&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=106

Gary Locke to be Named New Ambassador to China (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/08/us-china-usa-locke-idUSTRE72672620110308

AAA: Gas Prices in Washington Average $3.60 (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014422484_apwagasprices.html

DIVERSIONS

Police Find Field of Money in US Highway Median

http://www.kirotv.com/money/27118409/detail.html

Want to Date Your Doppelgänger? There’s a Site for That

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/03/08/want-to-date-your-doppelganger-theres-a-site-for-that/

Intruder Calls Police When Southwest Portland Homeowner Returns

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/03/intruder_calls_police_on_homeo.html

Sick Groom Marries Bride in Skype Wedding

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/07/us-wedding-skype-odd-idUSTRE7263I620110307

SONG OF THE DAY

For the Love of Money - O’ Jays

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll3uipTO-4A

Energy News Digest for March 7, 2011

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

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices: http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Hawaiian Electric Company Workers Strike on Oahu, Big Isle & Maui County - will slow efforts to restore power to about 8,000 customers still without electricity on Oahu (Honolulu Star Advertiser, HI)

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/117442318.html

Deal Headed to Lawmakers Lets Centralia’s TansAlta Plant Gradually End Coal Power (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/mar/06/deal-headed-to-lawmakers-lets-plant-gradually-end/

Columbia-Snake River Shipping Resuming This Month (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014424381_apwacolumbiasnakedams.html

Wood Stove Smoke in Tacoma Area Has More Health Risks, Study Says - Smoke from Tacoma area wood stoves poses health risks significantly higher than elsewhere in the state (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/02/1567446/smoke-from-tacoma-area-wood-stoves.html

Vestas ‘Under Investigation’ by Italian Authorities for Tax Evasion (Windpower Monthly)

http://www.windpowermonthly.com/news/1058247/Vestas-under-investigation-Italian-authorities/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Hawaiian Electric Company Workers Strike on Oahu, Big Isle & Maui County - will slow efforts to restore power to about 8,000 customers

·         Deal Headed to Lawmakers Lets Centralia’s TansAlta Plant Gradually End Coal Power

·         Chelan PUD Locks in Revenue by Auctioning Off Electricity

·         Grant PUD settles with PacifiCorp over Power Contract

·         Update on Mason County PUD 3 Operations Center Set

·         Oregon - Court Decision Puts Bradwood Landing Liquefied Natural Gas Project ‘in Grave Doubt’

·         Natural Gas Supplies Decline, as Analysts Expected

·         Bellingham: Back to Coal with Planned Shipping Terminal?

·         Copper Theft Drops After Arrests in Benton County

·         Seattle Homeowner: Extreme Pruning by Utility Contractors Mutilated Tree

·         Alcoa Says Contested North Carolina Hydroelectric Dams Generated $8 Million Profit

·         Small States Grapple with Big Canadian Hydropower

·         Federal Officials Say They’ll Examine Fracking Practices

·         ‘Frankenfish’ – US Senator Murray Fights Transgenic Salmon

·         Colville National Forest Has ‘Too Many Trees’ - Coalition Hopes to Thin Forest

·         France - Fishy Thieves Poach 20,000 Dozen Oysters

·         Columbia-Snake River Shipping Resuming This Month

·         Wood Stove Smoke in Tacoma Area Has More Health Risks, Study Says

·         Portland Water Ratepayers to Pay Up to $500 Million to Prevent a Rare Drinking Water Threat

·         Vestas ‘Under Investigation’ by Italian Authorities for Tax Evasion

·         Iberdrola Renovables to Slash Wind Power Growth in 2012

·         Ohio - Solar Panels Cause Uproar Among Neighbors in Subdivision

·         United Kingdom - Timber Prices Up as Power Plants Boost Biomass Use

·         European Carbon Emissions Trading: More Buy in, Small Impact

·         United Nations Says Climate Change, Biofuels Threaten Food Security

·         Climate Change Takes Toll on Coffee Growers, Drinkers Too

·         Whatcom County Gets Nod from EPA for Purchases of Green Power

·         Do Green Cars Just Make People Drive More?

·         AT&T Shows Off Massive Backbone Facility in Bothell

·         Oregon - Frontier Pulls Out of Cable TV Franchises, Hikes Installation Charges Dramatically

·         FCC to Increase Oversight of Phone Subsidy Plan

·         Cheap, Ultrafast Broadband? Hong Kong Has It

·         Editorial - Net Neutrality, Back in Court

·         Microsoft Begs Users to Stop Using Internet Explorer 6

·         Local Governments Leading the Way in Washington State Lobbyist Spending

·         Four Washington State Government Entities Fined for Unreported Lobbying

·         Woman Sentenced for Forging Initiative Signatures

·         Three Killed, Two Injured in Mason County Possible DUI Crash

·         Body Found In Ditch Identified As Shelton Man

·         Shelton Nursing Home Evacuated After Morning Fire

·         Washington Weather: February Among Coldest

·         State’s Small Towns Getting Smaller

WORD OF THE DAY

Eponymous • \uh-PON-uh-muss\ • - Giving one’s name to a tribe, place, etc.

“Howdy folks,” the local chamber of commerce volunteer called to the timid tourists. “Welcome to Shelton, the eponymous haven of its founder, David Shelton.”

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

Hawaiian Electric Company Workers Strike on Oahu, Big Isle & Maui County - will slow efforts to restore power to about 8,000 customers still without electricity on Oahu (Honolulu Star Advertiser, HI)

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/117442318.html

Deal Headed to Lawmakers Lets Centralia’s TansAlta Plant Gradually End Coal Power (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/mar/06/deal-headed-to-lawmakers-lets-plant-gradually-end/

Chelan PUD Locks in Revenue by Auctioning Off Electricity (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/mar/04/chelan-pud-locks-in-revenue-by-auctioning-off/

Grant PUD settles with PacifiCorp over Power Contract (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/business/article_ab89a22a-46a3-11e0-91ae-001cc4c002e0.html

Update on Mason County PUD 3 Operations Center Set (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2012:update-on-pud-3-ops-center-set&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=106

Oregon - Court Decision Puts Bradwood Landing Liquefied Natural Gas Project ‘in Grave Doubt’ (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/71464-court-decision-puts-bradwood-landing-lng-project-grave-doubt/

Natural Gas Supplies Decline, as Analysts Expected (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014386508_apusnaturalgasstorage.html

Bellingham: Back to Coal with Planned Shipping Terminal? (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2011/03/04/bellingham/20688/Bellingham:-Back-to-coal-with-planned-shipping-terminal--/

Copper Theft Drops After Arrests in Benton County (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/117443413.html

Seattle Homeowner: Extreme Pruning by Utility Contractors Mutilated Tree (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/117445548.html

Alcoa Says Contested North Carolina Hydroelectric Dams Generated $8 Million Profit (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014394385_apusalcoawater.html

Small States Grapple with Big Canadian Hydropower - That should qualify as renewable energy & what should be the goals of renewable portfolio standards (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2011/03/small-states-grapple-with-big-canadian-hydropower

Federal Officials Say They’ll Examine Fracking Practices (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/federal-officials-say-theyll-examine-fracking-practices/

FISH & WILDLIFE

‘Frankenfish’ – US Senator Murray Fights Transgenic Salmon (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/07/1569098/murray-fights-transgenic-salmon.html

Colville National Forest Has ‘Too Many Trees’ - Coalition Hopes to Thin Forest (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/mar/05/forest-has-too-many-trees/

France - Fishy Thieves Poach 20,000 Dozen Oysters (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/Fishy+thieves+poach+dozen+oysters/4378737/story.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Columbia-Snake River Shipping Resuming This Month (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014424381_apwacolumbiasnakedams.html

Wood Stove Smoke in Tacoma Area Has More Health Risks, Study Says - Smoke from Tacoma area wood stoves poses health risks significantly higher than elsewhere in the state (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/02/1567446/smoke-from-tacoma-area-wood-stoves.html

Portland Water Ratepayers to Pay Up to $500 Million to Prevent a Rare Drinking Water Threat (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/03/portland_ratepayers_poised_to.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Vestas ‘Under Investigation’ by Italian Authorities for Tax Evasion (Windpower Monthly)

http://www.windpowermonthly.com/news/1058247/Vestas-under-investigation-Italian-authorities/

Iberdrola Renovables to Slash Wind Power Growth in 2012 (REVE)

http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=10542

Ohio - Solar Panels Cause Uproar Among Neighbors in Subdivision (Dayton Daily News, OH)

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/solar-panels-cause-uproar-among-neighbors-in-subdivision-1099120.html

United Kingdom - Timber Prices Up as Power Plants Boost Biomass Use: Government subsidies to encourage power companies to burn wood are distorting the market for timber (Channel 4 News)

http://www.channel4.com/news/timber-prices-up-as-power-plants-boost-biomass-use

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

European Carbon Emissions Trading: More Buy in, Small Impact (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0304/Carbon-emissions-trading-more-buy-in-small-impact

United Nations Says Climate Change, Biofuels Threaten Food Security (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/07/us-food-fao-idUSTRE7261M520110307

Climate Change Takes Toll on Coffee Growers, Drinkers Too (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014412762_climatechange06.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Whatcom County Gets Nod from EPA for Purchases of Green Power (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/03/03/1896936/whatcom-county-gets-nod-from-epa.html

Do Green Cars Just Make People Drive More? The Jevons Paradox: make something more efficient, and people will use it more (Mother Jones Magazine)

http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2011/03/green-cars-jevons-paradox

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

AT&T Shows Off Massive Backbone Facility in Bothell (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/ATT-shows-off-massive-server-farm-in-Bothell-117387028.html

Oregon - Frontier Pulls Out of Cable TV Franchises, Hikes Installation Charges Dramatically (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/03/frontier_pulls_out_of_cable_tv.html

FCC to Increase Oversight of Phone Subsidy Plan (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014389599_apustecfccphonesubsidyplan.html

Cheap, Ultrafast Broadband? Hong Kong Has It (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/business/06digi.html

Editorial - Net Neutrality, Back in Court (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/07/opinion/07mon3.html

Microsoft Begs Users to Stop Using Internet Explorer 6 (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2011/03/microsoft-begs-users-to-stop-using-ie6/1?csp=34tech

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Local Governments Leading the Way in Washington State Lobbyist Spending (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014421355_lobbying07.html

Four Washington State Government Entities Fined for Unreported Lobbying (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/06/1568561/4-govt-entities-fined-for-unreported.html

Woman Sentenced for Forging Initiative Signatures (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/117441088.html

GENERAL NEWS

Three Killed, Two Injured in Mason County Possible DUI Crash (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/27097275/detail.html

Body Found in Ditch Identified as Shelton Man (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/06/1568796/body-found-in-ditch-identified.html

Shelton Nursing Home Evacuated After Morning Fire (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/06/1568641/shelton-nursing-home-evacuated.html

Washington Weather: February Among Coldest (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/03/1567767/wind-delivers-big-bang-in-gig.html

State’s Small Towns Getting Smaller (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/436645_smalltowns06.html

DIVERSIONS

Police: Woman Masqueraded as Dead Mom to Collect Pension Checks

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/117452673.html

Omg! Text Lingo Appearing in Schoolwork

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/117488524.html

Store Bandit Nearly Loses His Pants - ‘Droopy Drawers Bandit’ Made Off with Beer, Cigarettes

http://www.kirotv.com/news/27074344/detail.html

Dog Euthanized Friday, Found Alive Saturday - Hundreds Interested in Adopting Wall-E

http://www.kirotv.com/family/27055773/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

John Fred & His Playboy Band - Judy in Disguise

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/117452673.html