Post Number 1,002 - Energy News Digest for February 14, 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

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Wind Operators, RNP Protest Latest BPA Wind Power Proposal (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/02/wind-operators-rnp-protest-latest-bpa.html

Obama Seeks Billions for Home Energy Retrofits, Electric Vehicles (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2012/02/obama-seeks-6-billion-for-home-energy-retrofits/1?csp=34money

Death of Young Female Orca Due to Mysterious Trauma - Cause under investigation as body washes up on Washington coast (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Death+young+female+orca+mysterious+trauma/6148919/story.html

Hurricanes Pose Risk to Offshore Wind Farms (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2012-02-12/wind-farms-hurricane-danger/53083084/1

Mylar Balloon Causes Valentine’s Day Outage in San Francisco (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19962366

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Wind Operators, RNP Protest Latest BPA Wind Power Proposal
• Avista bills could reflect falling gas prices
• Mylar Balloon Causes Valentine’s Day Outage in San Francisco
• Washington Nuclear Cleanup Project Under Scrutiny
• Are These PNNL Layoffs the Sign of More to Come?
• Hearing Today in Southern Montana Bankruptcy Case
• California - Torrance, Other Cities Want to Shed Light on Edison Pole & Replacement Charges
• Downtown Victoria Gas Leak Caused by Vandals Could Have ‘Blown Them to Smithereens’
• Federal Legislation Could Limit Rural Utility Service Lending
• Conference Board of Canada: Investment in Electricity Infrastructure Generates Employment & Economic Growth
• Germany Powers France in Cold Despite Nuclear U-Turn
• Death of Young Female Orca Due to Mysterious Trauma
• Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Adopts Piping System to Transfer Coho Salmon
• Survey Shows Increase in Goats in Olympic Mountains
• Idaho Governor Offers 150 Wolves to Oregon to Make Up for One Idaho Hunter Shot
• Hurricanes Pose Risk to Offshore Wind Farms
• Washington State Senate Approves Hatfield-Sponsored Pulp Mill Biomass Bill
• California - Merced Irrigation District Questions State’s Green Energy Costs, Requirements
• Overcapacity Could Drag on Solar for Some Time
• SunPower Sues Five Former Employees, Rival SolarCity for Computer Fraud
• Big Solar Fights California County’s ‘Sun Tax’
• Obama Seeks Billions for Home Energy Retrofits, Electric Vehicles
• Why Electric Cars Are More Polluting than Gas Guzzlers - At Least in China
• Sierra Club - Answering for Taking a Driller’s Cash
• Cisco Systems: Mobile Traffic Will Multiply 18 Times in 5 Years
• Illinois - Co-Op Network Hopes to Bring Broadband to More Rural Areas
• Takko Withdraws Shoreline Permit Bill after Environmentalists Tie it to Coal
• Washington Same-Sex Marriage Bill Signed into Law
• Foes of Same-Sex Marriage File Referendum
• Josh Powell’s ‘Testament’ Found at Recycling Center
• Washington State Will Apply For Waiver to No Child Left Behind Law
• Did the AP Just Declare War on News Aggregators?
• FCC Urged to End Sports Blackout Rule

WORD OF THE DAY

Aubade • \oh-BOD\ • Noun - 1: a song or poem greeting the dawn 2a: a morning love song b: a song or poem of lovers parting at dawn 3: morning music

Young lovers’ aubade

Romeo and Juliet

Saddest end ever

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

Wind Operators, RNP Protest Latest BPA Wind Power Proposal (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/02/wind-operators-rnp-protest-latest-bpa.html

Avista bills could reflect falling gas prices (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/13/avista-bills-could-reflect-falling-gas-prices/

Mylar Balloon Causes Valentine’s Day Outage in San Francisco (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19962366

Washington Nuclear Cleanup Project Under Scrutiny (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/13/146826175/wash-nuclear-cleanup-project-under-scrutiny?ft=1&f=2

Are These PNNL Layoffs the Sign of More to Come? (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Are-more-layoffs-coming-to-PNNL-139269303.html

Hearing Today in Southern Montana Bankruptcy Case (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120214/NEWS01/202140313/Hearing-today-Southern-Montana-bankruptcy-case

California - Torrance, Other Cities Want to Shed Light on Edison Pole & Replacement Charges (Torrance Daily Breeze, CA)

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_19949519

Downtown Victoria Gas Leak Caused by Vandals Could Have ‘Blown Them to Smithereens’ (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Downtown+leak+caused+vandals+could+have+blown+them+smithereens/6150744/story.html

Federal Legislation Could Limit Rural Utility Service Lending (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/public-policy-watch/energy-environment/legislation-could-limit-rus-lending/39642

Conference Board of Canada: Investment in Electricity Infrastructure Generates Employment & Economic Growth (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=163353

Germany Powers France in Cold Despite Nuclear U-Turn (Reuters)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/14/europe-power-supply-idUKL5E8DD87020120214

FISH & WILDLIFE

Death of Young Female Orca Due to Mysterious Trauma - Cause under investigation as body washes up on Washington coast (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Death+young+female+orca+mysterious+trauma/6148919/story.html

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Adopts Piping System to Transfer Coho Salmon (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/feb/13/tribe-adopts-piping-system-to-transfer-coho/

Survey Shows Increase in Goats in Olympic Mountains (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017497085_apwaolympicmountaingoats.html

Idaho Governor Offers 150 Wolves to Oregon to Make Up for One Idaho Hunter Shot (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/02/idaho_gov_butch_otter_offers_1.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Hurricanes Pose Risk to Offshore Wind Farms (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2012-02-12/wind-farms-hurricane-danger/53083084/1

Washington State Senate Approves Hatfield-Sponsored Pulp Mill Biomass Bill (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/senate-approves-hatfield-sponsored-pulp-mill-biomass-bill/article_1385be6e-56b0-11e1-8bc8-001871e3ce6c.html

California - Merced Irrigation District Questions State’s Green Energy Costs, Requirements (Energy Central)

http://www.energycentral.com/generationstorage/wind/news/en/23369330/Merced-Irrigtation-District-questions-state-s-green-energy-costs-requirements?

Overcapacity Could Drag on Solar for Some Time (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/02/14/financial/f091025S83.DTL

SunPower Sues Five Former Employees, Rival SolarCity for Computer Fraud (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19960541

Big Solar Fights California County’s ‘Sun Tax’ (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/namarchetti/76306/big-solar-fights-california-county-s-sun-tax

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Obama Seeks Billions for Home Energy Retrofits, Electric Vehicles (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2012/02/obama-seeks-6-billion-for-home-energy-retrofits/1?csp=34money

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Why Electric Cars Are More Polluting than Gas Guzzlers - At Least in China (TIME Magazine)

http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/14/why-electric-cars-are-more-polluting-than-gas-guzzlers-at-least-in-china/

Sierra Club - Answering for Taking a Driller’s Cash (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/science/earth/after-disclosure-of-sierra-clubs-gifts-from-gas-driller-a-roiling-debate.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Cisco Systems: Mobile Traffic Will Multiply 18 Times in 5 Years (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2012/02/14/cisco-systems-mobile-traffic-18-times.html

Illinois - Co-Op Network Hopes to Bring Broadband to More Rural Areas (Springfield Journal-Register, IL)

http://www.sj-r.com/top-stories/x1341776344/Co-op-network-hopes-to-bring-broadband-to-more-rural-areas

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Takko Withdraws Shoreline Permit Bill after Environmentalists Tie it to Coal (Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/takko-withdraws-bill-after-environmentalists-tie-it-coal.html

GENERAL NEWS

Washington Same-Sex Marriage Bill Signed into Law (Northwest Cable News)

http://www.nwcn.com/news/139281688.html

Foes of Same-Sex Marriage File Referendum (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/connelly/article/Foes-of-same-sex-marriage-file-referendum-3312946.php

Josh Powell’s ‘Testament’ Found at Recycling Center (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19961810

Washington State Will Apply For Waiver to No Child Left Behind Law (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/State-will-apply-for-waiver-to-US-education-law-139238448.html

Did the AP Just Declare War on News Aggregators? (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2012/02/14/did-the-ap-just-declare-war-on-news-aggregators/

FCC Urged to End Sports Blackout Rule (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2017497299_apusfccsportsblackouts.html

DIVERSIONS

The Chieftains: For 50 Years, Irish Music for the World

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/14/146821406/the-chieftains-for-50-years-irish-music-for-the-world?ft=1&f=3

Surplus of California Chihuahuas Sent to Seattle to Find Owners

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=627590

Love Stinks! Brooklyn Sewage Plant Offers Special Valentine’s Day Tour

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/02/13/love-stinks-brooklyn-sewage-plant-offers-special-valentines-day-tour/

Shanghai Airport Customs Officers Seize 79 Live Turtles

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/02/13/shanghai-airport-customs-officers-seize-79-live-turtles/

SONG OF THE DAY

The Chieftains & Van Morrison - Have I Told You Lately

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4vAsdBHu3k

Obama seeks billions for home energy retrofits, electric vehicles (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2012/02/obama-seeks-6-billion-for-home-energy-retrofits/1?csp=34money

Energy News Digest for February 13, 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

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Including Washington & Oregon - 11 States Suing EPA over Soot Rules (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/10/ny-leads-11-states-in-suing-epa-over-soot-rules/

Dead Orca Washes Ashore Near Long Beach (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/02/dead_orca_whale_washes_ashore.html

Douglas PUD Plans New Transmission Line (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/10/douglas-pud-plans-new-transmission-line/

Marysville Looks To Expand LED Streetlight Initiative (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120213/NEWS01/702139933/-1/news01

Washington State Budget Writers Get Good News with $200 Million Windfall (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017479249_budget11m.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Douglas PUD Plans New Transmission Line
• Emerald People’s Utility District Supports Four Percent Rise in Utility Bills
• Oregon – Central Lincoln PUD Lineman Injured in Workday Accident
• Washington State Coal Railcars Proposal Draws Spirited Debate
• Fruit Industry Leader, Former Chelan PUD Commissioner & State Legislator Bob Mcdougall Passes
• Sun Setting on Sunset Falls? Snohomish PUD investigating Run of River Hydro
• Smart Grid Show A& Tell - Seven Projects That Say 'Look at Me' – Includes BPA Transmission Pilot
• Editorial - Bonneville Power Administration & Wind Power Producers - Happy to Pay Half the Subsidies
• The Energy Assistance Program Received More Funds to Help Those in Need
• South Carolina Electric Co-op Hit by Suspected Pot Ring
• Lights Out for Some Coal Plants
• Drillers Cut Natural Gas Production as Prices Drop
• French Nuclear Reliance Seen Easing Price Hikes
• Red Flag to Hackers - Iran Says Its Nuclear Facilities Immune to Cyber Attacks
• Pacific Gas & Electric Warns of Valentine's Hazard: Metallic-Coated Balloons
• Dead Orca Washes Ashore Near Long Beach
• Banks Lake at Grand Coulee Nears Normal Water Level
• California - Don't Expect a 'March Miracle' for Sierra Snowpack
• Would You Drink Toilet Water?
• Editorial - A needless shadow over Puget Sound cleanup efforts
• California - Pacific Gas & Electric Has Record 300 Bids for Renewable Energy Projects
• Washington State Senate Approves Legacy Biomass Bill
• Energy: Birds Big Concern for Solar Project
• Hawaiian Electric Says No Rate Increase for Solar Lost Revenue
• Op/Ed – Ohio: Lake Erie Windmill Outlook is Anything But Breezy
• Report: Solyndra Aside, Feds Stands to Lose Less than Expected in Energy Loans
• Feds Hold Up Loan for Large California Solar-Energy Farm, First Solar Stock Plummets
• Audit Shows Energy Loan Oversight is Needed
• Video - UK Company Turns Electricity Bills into Windmills
• Marysville Looks To Expand LED Streetlight Initiative
• Lynnwood’s Rec Center Earns LEED Certification
• Can Efficiency Counter a Loss of Nuclear Power?
• Massachusetts - Energy-Savings Bug Bites Towns
• Including Washington & Oregon - 11 States Suing EPA over Soot Rules
• Study Reveals Complex Picture of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in King County
• House Fit for a Green: Sustainable Home Construction Booms
• Startups Tap Government Energy Research - Includes Umpqua Energy of Medford, OR
• AT&T Customers Surprised by 'Unlimited Data' Limit
• Clark County Congresswoman Herrera Beutler Hailed as Key GOP Messenger
• Washington State Budget Writers Get Good News with $200 Million Windfall
• Illness at Everett Cheerleading Event Traced to Norovirus
• Residential Biomass - Olympia-Area's Dead Wood Being Put to Good Use
• Why Can't Oregonians Pump Their Own Gas? Let Us Count the Reasons

WORD OF THE DAY

Vade Mecum • \vay-dee – MEE-kum\ • Noun - 1: a book for ready reference: manual 2: something regularly carried about by a person

Professor Henry Jones’ Diary could be considered among his vade mecum:

Professor Henry Jones: Well, he who finds the Grail must face the final challenge.

Indiana Jones: What final challenge?

Professor Henry Jones: Three devices of such lethal cunning.

Indiana Jones: Booby traps?

Professor Henry Jones: Oh, yes. But I found the clues that will safely take us through them in the Chronicles of St. Anselm.

Indiana Jones: [pleased] Well, what are they?

[annoyed]

Indiana Jones: Can't you remember?

Professor Henry Jones: I wrote them down in my diary so that I wouldn't “have” to remember.

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

Douglas PUD Plans New Transmission Line (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/10/douglas-pud-plans-new-transmission-line/

Emerald People’s Utility District Supports Four Percent Rise in Utility Bills (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/web/newslocalnews/27590045-41/utility-increase-percent-power-rate.html.csp

Oregon – Central Lincoln PUD Lineman Injured in Workday Accident (PDF File - Central Lincoln PUD, OR)

http://www.clpud.org/news/Lineman-injured-2-10-12.pdf

Washington State Coal Railcars Proposal Draws Spirited Debate (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/02/13/1988111/coal-railcars-proposal-draws-spirited.html

Fruit Industry Leader, Former Chelan PUD Commissioner & State Legislator Bob Mcdougall Passes (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/11/fruit-industry-leader-and-state-legislator-bob/

Sun Setting on Sunset Falls? Snohomish PUD investigating Run of River Hydro (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://earthfix.opb.org/energy/article/sun-setting-on-sunset-falls/

Smart Grid Show A& Tell - Seven Projects That Say 'Look at Me' – Includes BPA Transmission Pilot (AOL Energy)

http://energy.aol.com/2012/02/10/smart-grid-show-and-tell-seven-projects-that-say-look-at-me/

Editorial - Bonneville Power Administration & Wind Power Producers - Happy to Pay Half the Subsidies (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/10/happy-to-pay-half-the-subsidies/

The Energy Assistance Program Received More Funds to Help Those in Need (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/The-Energy-Assistance-Program-received-more-funds-to-help-those-in-need-139135334.html

South Carolina Electric Co-op Hit by Suspected Pot Ring (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/industry/crime/co-op-hit-by-suspected-pot-ring/39652

Lights Out for Some Coal Plants (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2012/02/12/lights-out-for-some-coal-plants/

Drillers Cut Natural Gas Production as Prices Drop (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017490349_apusgasdrillingprice.html

French Nuclear Reliance Seen Easing Price Hikes (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/13/france-power-idUSL5E8DC3Q120120213

Red Flag to Hackers - Iran Says Its Nuclear Facilities Immune to Cyber Attacks (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017496543_apirannuclear.html

Pacific Gas & Electric Warns of Valentine's Hazard: Metallic-Coated Balloons (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19951070

FISH & WILDLIFE

Dead Orca Washes Ashore Near Long Beach (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/02/dead_orca_whale_washes_ashore.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Banks Lake at Grand Coulee Nears Normal Water Level (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/12/banks-lake-nears-normal-water-level/

California - Don't Expect a 'March Miracle' for Sierra Snowpack (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/11/4255596/dont-expect-a-march-miracle-for.html

Would You Drink Toilet Water? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Green-Economics/2012/0211/Would-you-drink-toilet-water

Editorial - A needless shadow over Puget Sound cleanup efforts (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/12/2022875/a-needless-shadow-over-puget-sound.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California - Pacific Gas & Electric Has Record 300 Bids for Renewable Energy Projects (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2012/02/13/pge-has-record-300-bids-renewable-energy.html

Washington State Senate Approves Legacy Biomass Bill (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3789

Energy: Birds Big Concern for Solar Project (The Press Enterprise, Riverside, CA)

http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20120211-energy-birds-big-concern-for-solar-project.ece

Hawaiian Electric Says No Rate Increase for Solar Lost Revenue (Pacific Business News, HI)

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/2012/02/hawaiian-electric-says-no-rate.html

Op/Ed – Ohio: Lake Erie Windmill Outlook is Anything But Breezy (Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH)

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/02/lake_erie_windmill_outlook_is.html

Report: Solyndra Aside, Feds Stands to Lose Less than Expected in Energy Loans (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19939473

Feds Hold Up Loan for Large California Solar-Energy Farm, First Solar Stock Plummets (Reuters)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19937622

Audit Shows Energy Loan Oversight is Needed (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/science/earth/energy-dept-loan-program-needs-oversight-audit-finds.html?_r=1

Video - UK Company Turns Electricity Bills into Windmills (EcoTricity/YouTube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ggg3C87UVCY

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Marysville Looks To Expand LED Streetlight Initiative (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120213/NEWS01/702139933/-1/news01

Lynnwood’s Rec Center Earns LEED Certification (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120213/NEWS01/702139929

Can Efficiency Counter a Loss of Nuclear Power? (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/can-efficiency-counter-a-loss-of-nuclear-power/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Massachusetts - Energy-Savings Bug Bites Towns (Boston Globe, MA)

http://articles.boston.com/2012-02-12/west/31045188_1_energy-efficiency-energy-manager-energy-savings

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Including Washington & Oregon - 11 States Suing EPA over Soot Rules (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/10/ny-leads-11-states-in-suing-epa-over-soot-rules/

Study Reveals Complex Picture of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in King County “…per-person sources of greenhouse gas emissions generated in King County are half the national average, thanks to abundant clean energy and the particular mix of industry in the region…” (Maple Valley Reporter, WA)

http://www.maplevalleyreporter.com/news/139189309.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington State Senate Passes $100 Annual Electric Car Fee (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/State-Senate-passes-100-annual-electric-car-fee--139181589.html

Residents of Olympia, Washington Want Tiny Homes (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/press-releases/article/Residents-of-Olympia-Washington-Want-Tiny-Homes-3272670.php

House Fit for a Green: Sustainable Home Construction Booms (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/green-home/house-fit-for-a-green-sustainable-home-construction-booms/

Startups Tap Government Energy Research - Includes Umpqua Energy of Medford, OR (Portfolio.com)

http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/capital/2012/02/10/startups-tap-government-energy-research-to-win-innovation-award

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

AT&T Customers Surprised by 'Unlimited Data' Limit (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017494500_apustecattdataslowdown.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Clark County Congresswoman Herrera Beutler Hailed as Key GOP Messenger (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017485737_herrerabuetler12.html

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Budget Writers Get Good News with $200 Million Windfall (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017479249_budget11m.html

Illness at Everett Cheerleading Event Traced to Norovirus (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120210/NEWS01/702109832

Residential Biomass - Olympia-Area's Dead Wood Being Put to Good Use (Olympian, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/12/2022872/areas-dead-wood-being-put-to-good.html

Why Can't Oregonians Pump Their Own Gas? Let Us Count the Reasons (Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2012/02/why_cant_oregonians_pump_their.html

DIVERSIONS

Purple Squirrel Spotted in Pennsylvania. Did it Fall into a Portable Toilet?

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0210/Purple-squirrel-spotted-in-Pennsylvania.-Did-it-fall-into-a-portable-toilet

Roses Lose Bloom as Hobby, Industry

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/12/4256980/roses-lose-bloom-as-hobby-industry.html

Calling Hari Seldon - US Seeks to Mine Social Media to Predict Future

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017490245_apusfbisocialmedia.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Chris Young & Willie Nelson - Rose in Paradise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l21OhZhKgyM