Energy News Digest for March 2, 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

18-Term Congressman Norm Dicks Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Rep-Norm-Dicks-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election--141184633.html

Ex-City of Seattle Worker Fined $1,500 for Adjusting Her Utility Bills 71 Times (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017641870_ethics02m.html

PacifiCorp Files for Three Requests to Increase Rates by 4.3 Percent to Cover Power, Coal Plant Upgrades & Transmission Lines (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/pacificorp_files_for_3_rate_re.html

Portland Mayor Sam Adams Considers Using Ratepayer Funds to Help Build a $55 Million Energy Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/03/mayor_sam_adams_weighs_using_r.html

Pacific Power Announces Major Oregon Solar Project (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/pacific-power-announces-major-solar-project/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Ex-City of Seattle Worker Fined $1,500 for Adjusting Her Utility Bills 71 Times
• PacifiCorp Files for Three Requests to Increase Rates by 4.3 Percent to Cover Power, Coal Plant Upgrades & Transmission Lines
• Inland Power & Light Boosts Its Net Margins
• Coal Is Coming to Port of St. Helens Oregon
• Oklahoma - Thief Posed as Worker to Steal Copper Wiring
• California – Pacific Gas & Electric Proposes Targeted Rate Reduction to Promote Economic Development
• Debate or Dithering - Council Decides to Continue Study of Rate Hike Proposals
• Texas Grid Warns of Tight Summer Power Supply
• North Carolina - Duke Energy’s Cliffside Coal Plant on Target for September Opening
• Entergy Indian Point 3 Nuke Plant in New York Back in Service
• US Natural Gas Supplies Fell Last Week
• Improper Grounds Alleged - Court Revives Suit over Electrocuted Guardsman
• Central Asia’s Dam Debacle
• Grant PUD to Avoid Fines with Hatchery Project
• Puget Sound Salmon Forecast Predicts Drop in Coho Return
• How Carbon Dioxide Acidifies Ocean Water
• Bend Mayor Proposes Delaying Parts of Water Project
• Two-Thirds of China’s Cities Fail on Air Standards
• Portland Mayor Sam Adams Considers Using Ratepayer Funds to Help Build a $55 Million Energy Plant
• Pacific Power Announces Major Oregon Solar Project
• US Loses Its Solar Trade Surplus with China as Commerce Agency Mulls Tariffs Sought by SolarWorld
• Oregon Wave Energy Trust Opens Grant Program
• US Senator Jeff Bingaman Launches Uphill Battle With ‘Clean’ Power Proposal
• Chelan County Public Utility District Joins Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
• More Than 25 Million Smart Energy Devices to be Shipped to US Consumers
• Seattle’s First Urban Food Forest Will Be Open to Foragers
• What’s Most Precious to the Hobbit? Broadband!
• A Gigabit Is the Loneliest Number
• Google, AT&T Sign Deal for Access to Utility Poles in Missouri, Kansas
• AT&T Relents on ‘Unlimited Data’ Plan Limits
• 18-Term Congressman Norm Dicks Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election
• Top Appropriator, Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington State to Retire
• Washington State House Budget Passes; Finn among Three Dems Voting No
• Environmentalists on Edge as Legislature Nears an End
• Gregoire Signs Bill to Help Stave Off Wenatchee Arena Debt
• Attorney Says Bremerton School Shooting Was ‘No Accident’
• BP Refinery Using Outage for Spring Maintenance
• Men Sentenced for Defacing Pictographs
• Co-Author of ‘Broken Windows’ Policing Theory Dies
• Legislature Approves Tire Socks as New Traction Device
• Police: Recognize These Thieves Who Took Miss Washington’s Crown?

WORD OF THE DAY

Mordant • \MORE-dunt\ • Adjective - 1: biting and caustic in thought, manner, or style: incisive 2: burning, pungent

“Mmmmm, curry,” sighed Albert to his table-mates in the busy hub-bub of the bustling Thai restaurant. The mordant fumes of the tasty tidbits wafted through the air, curling his nose hairs and eliciting an involuntary bead of sweat on his upper lip.

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

Ex-City of Seattle Worker Fined $1,500 for Adjusting Her Utility Bills 71 Times (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017641870_ethics02m.html

PacifiCorp Files for Three Requests to Increase Rates by 4.3 Percent to Cover Power, Coal Plant Upgrades & Transmission Lines (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/pacificorp_files_for_3_rate_re.html

Inland Power & Light Boosts Its Net Margins (Journal of Business, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokanejournal.com/article.php?id=7915

Coal Is Coming to Port of St. Helens Oregon (Coast River Business Journal, Asotria, OR)

http://www.crbizjournal.com/news/article_73d139fe-6337-11e1-88dc-0019bb2963f4.html

Oklahoma - Thief Posed as Worker to Steal Copper Wiring: Police Say Man Confessed To Removing Wire from Utility Poles (KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City, OK)

http://www.koco.com/r/30588336/detail.html

California – Pacific Gas & Electric Proposes Targeted Rate Reduction to Promote Economic Development (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=163729

Debate or Dithering - Council Decides to Continue Study of Rate Hike Proposals (Austin Statesman-American, TX)

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/council-decides-to-continue-study-of-rate-hike-2210966.html

Texas Grid Warns of Tight Summer Power Supply (Reuters)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/01/utilities-texas-ercot-idUKL2E8E1F1E20120301

North Carolina - Duke Energy’s Cliffside Coal Plant on Target for September Opening (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/power_city/2012/03/duke-energys-cliffside-plant-on.html

Entergy Indian Point 3 Nuke Plant in New York Back in Service (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017639607_apusindianpointnewyork.html

US Natural Gas Supplies Fell Last Week (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/03/01/financial/f081000S40.DTL

Improper Grounds Alleged - Court Revives Suit over Electrocuted Guardsman (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/03/01/44332.htm

Central Asia’s Dam Debacle (China Dialogue)

http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/4790

FISH & WILDLIFE

Grant PUD to Avoid Fines with Hatchery Project (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_a488b008-62fc-11e1-a40a-001871e3ce6c.html

Puget Sound Salmon Forecast Predicts Drop in Coho Return (Issaquah Press, WA)

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2012/02/29/puget-sound-salmon-forecast-predicts-decline-in-coho/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

How Carbon Dioxide Acidifies Ocean Water (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localpages/2017640867_acidgraphics_flat.html

Bend Mayor Proposes Delaying Parts of Water Project (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/bend-mayor-proposes-delaying-parts-water-project/

Two-Thirds of China’s Cities Fail on Air Standards (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Two-thirds-of-China-s-cities-fail-on-air-standards-3375933.php

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Portland Mayor Sam Adams Considers Using Ratepayer Funds to Help Build a $55 Million Energy Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/03/mayor_sam_adams_weighs_using_r.html

Pacific Power Announces Major Oregon Solar Project (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/pacific-power-announces-major-solar-project/

US Loses Its Solar Trade Surplus with China as Commerce Agency Mulls Tariffs Sought by SolarWorld (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/us_loses_its_solar_trade_surpl.html

Oregon Wave Energy Trust Opens Grant Program (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/02/oregon-wave-energy-trust-opens-grant.html

US Senator Jeff Bingaman Launches Uphill Battle With ‘Clean’ Power Proposal (The Hill)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/213585-bingaman-floats-long-awaited-clean-energy-standard

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Chelan County Public Utility District Joins Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (PR Newswire)

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chelan-county-public-utility-district-joins-northwest-energy-efficiency-alliance-141049793.html

More Than 25 Million Smart Energy Devices to be Shipped to US Consumers (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display.articles.electric-light-power.smart-grid.2012.March.More_than_25_million_smart_energy_devices_to_be_shipped_to_U_S__consumers.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Seattle’s First Urban Food Forest Will Be Open to Foragers (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/02/29/147668557/seattles-first-urban-food-forest-will-be-free-to-forage

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

What’s Most Precious to the Hobbit? Broadband! (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/mobile/whats-most-precious-to-the-hobbit-broadband/

A Gigabit Is the Loneliest Number (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/broadband/a-gigabit-is-the-loneliest-number/

Google, AT&T Sign Deal for Access to Utility Poles in Missouri, Kansas (Kansas City Business Journal, MO)

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2012/03/01/google-att-sign-deal-utility-pole-access.html

AT&T Relents on ‘Unlimited Data’ Plan Limits (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-03-01/att-data-usage/53319770/1?csp=34tech

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

18-Term Congressman Norm Dicks Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Rep-Norm-Dicks-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election--141184633.html

Top Appropriator, Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington State to Retire (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/top-appropriator-rep-norm-dicks-to-retire/2012/03/02/gIQAXsnnmR_blog.html?wprss=rss_politics

Washington State House Budget Passes; Finn among Three Dems Voting No (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/03/01/2416448/house-budget-passes-rep-finn-among.html

Environmentalists on Edge as Legislature Nears an End (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2012/03/02/washington-legislature/22016/Environmentalists-on-edge-as-Legislature-nears-an-end/

Gregoire Signs Bill to Help Stave Off Wenatchee Arena Debt (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017636589_apwaxgrarenadebttroubles.html

GENERAL NEWS

Attorney Says Bremerton School Shooting Was ‘No Accident’ (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Family-of-Bremerton-girl-shot-in-class-lawyer-141102393.html

BP Refinery Using Outage for Spring Maintenance - It will likely be another month before BP’s Cherry Point refinery resumes operations (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017632070_apwabprefinery.html

Men Sentenced for Defacing Pictographs (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/mar/02/men-sentenced-for-defacing-pictographs/

Co-Author of ‘Broken Windows’ Policing Theory Dies (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017646795_apusobitjamesqwilson.html

Legislature Approves Tire Socks as New Traction Device (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=3019

Police: Recognize These Thieves Who Took Miss Washington’s Crown? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/Police-Recognize-these-thieves-who-took-Miss-3376023.php

DIVERSIONS

Peeing Frenchman Sues Google Over Embarrassing Street View Photo

http://gizmodo.com/5889795/peeing-frenchman-sues-google-over-embarrassing-street-view-photo

Smart Phone Makes Dumb Mistake, Locks Down Two Schools

http://www.11alive.com/news/article/230432/40/Smart-Phone-Makes-Dumb-Mistake-Locks-Down-Two-Schools

This Guy Needed Just 28.80 Seconds to Solve a Rubik’s Cube. While Blindfolded.

http://gizmodo.com/5888842/this-guy-needed-just-28-seconds-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube-while-blindfolded

New Section of Great Wall Discovered in Mongolia

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/02/28/new-section-of-the-great-wall-discovered-in-mongolia/

SONG OF THE DAY

T’Pau - China In Your Hand

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

18-Term Congressman Norm Dicks Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Rep-Norm-Dicks-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election--141184633.html

Energy News Digest for March 1, 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

Energy Northwest Nuclear Plant Nears Completion Of License Renewal (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/energy_northwest_nuclear_plant_nears_completion_of_license_renewal/

Avista Exec Compensation Grows (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/29/avista-exec-compensation-grows/

Montana - Baucus Presses Bonneville Power Administration to Help Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant Reopen “…The market conditions for reaching a contract & committing to a restart just are not there right now… Former CFA Official…” (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/local/baucus-presses-bpa-to-help-columbia-falls-aluminum-plant-reopen/article_152e498a-6352-11e1-a720-001871e3ce6c.html

Legacy Biomass – Washington State House Sends Hatfield’s Biomass Bill to the Governor (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/house-sends-hatfield-s-biomass-bill-to-gov-gregoire/article_49a720d6-634f-11e1-bee5-0019bb2963f4.html

Commercial, Sport Anglers Might See Huge Fall Chinook Returns for Klamath & Sacramento Rivers (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/02/commercial_sport_anglers_might.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Energy Northwest Nuclear Plant Nears Completion of License Renewal
• Avista Exec Compensation Grows
• Avista Lowers Natural Gas Rates in Idaho
• Montana - Baucus Presses Bonneville Power Administration to Help Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant Reopen
• Man Electrocuted North of Rochester – Watch for Overhead Lines
• Mason County PUD 3 Ops Center Substantially Complete
• Oregon - Public Power Not High Priority for Clatsop County Commission
• Columbia River PUD Begins Utility Pole Testing in St. Helens, Warren
• Port Angeles Smart Meter Project Hits Snags, Delayed
• Kittitas County PUD Catching Up on Accounting
• Utilities Announce Closure of Ten Aging Power Plants in Midwest, East
• New York – Entergy’s Indian Point 3 Nuke Plant Offline for Transformer Repairs
• North Dakota – In Exchange for Higher Rates, Xcel Would Promise Fewer Outages
• Colorado - Xcel Energy & City of Boulder Fight over Customers
• Will Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order 1000 Affect Hydro?
• There’s a 1-in-8 Chance of a Catastrophic Solar Megastorm by 2020
• Missouri - Neighbors Upset by Electric Cooperative’s Tree-Cutting
• Commercial, Sport Anglers Might See Huge Fall Chinook Returns for Klamath & Sacramento Rivers
• Tribes Use Bonneville Power Administration Funds to Restore Westslope Cutthroat Trout
• Grant PUD-Sponsored Education Program Brings Salmon to Students
• Spotted Owl Funds Reported Missing
• Sea Lion Wound Suggest Sharks in Puget Sound
• Debris from Tsunami to Reach West Coast, Join Great Pacific Garbage Patch
• Legacy Biomass – Washington State House Sends Hatfield’s Biomass Bill to the Governor
• Washington State’s Largest Wind-Power Site Begins Generating Electricity
• Idaho Utilities to Senate: Give Us Energy Credits
• Port Angeles - Cutting-Edge System Stores Power at the Landing
• Study: Turbine Blades, Not Air Pressure, Kill Bats
• US Senator Launches Uphill Battle with ‘Clean’ Power Proposal
• Thurston County To Widen Its Energy Saving Efforts
• Washington State Employees Encouraged to Use Less, Save More Energy
• Rethinking Carbon Dioxide: From a Pollutant to a Moneymaker
• Hybrid Cars Still a Rarity in the Pacific Northwest
• Green Jobs, Pink Slips: Weatherization Cuts Hit Hard
• Why Your Solar Mission Statement is Useless & Meaningless - and How to Fix It
• Counting the Family Carbon
• Microsoft Windows Azure Cloud Suffers Outage; Blame Leap Year
• Ship’s Anchor Cuts Internet Access to Six East African Countries
• Consultants: Changes Needed to Chelan PUD Fiber
• Rural Utilities Find Revenue Stream with Broadband Fiber
• For Impatient Web Users, an Eye Blink Is Just Too Long to Wait
• How eBay’s Data Center Makes e-Commerce More Energy Efficient
• Initial Reaction Positive as Microsoft Shows Off Consumer Test Version of Windows 8
• Rider Jams Cell Phones on SEPTA Buses
• Washington State Caucuses Make GOP Voters ‘Princess for the Week’
• Ron Paul Threatens to Disrupt Washington State GOP Caucus
• Washington State House Passes Bill to Rescue Wenatchee Arena Debt
• Gregoire names Jim Dixon to Thurston County Superior Court
• State’s Jobless Rate Falls to 8.3 Percent
• Former Cop Accused of Selling Cars Bought with Money for Slain Lakewood Officers
• Environmentalists Vow to Fight Proposed Coal Terminals
• Mason County Senior Center Purchase Option for PUD 3 Downtown Shelton Property Extended
• Washington & Four Other States to Allow Honda’s Hybrid Mileage Settlement
• Soap Lake Could Revert to Water’s Original Name

WORD OF THE DAY

Pretentious • \prih-TENT-shush\ • Adjective - 1: characterized by pretension: as a: making usually unjustified or excessive claims b: expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature 2: making demands on one’s skill, ability, or means: ambitious

Nose held firmly in the air, the new supervisor waddled into his workplace with the pretentious pose of one who had just ascended to the “Sun King” throne of historic France. “This department will be a reflection of me,” he intoned to his awestruck new minions. “As the staple boxing process goes, so goes ME,” he pronounced. (Insert hubristic story end here: ____________________)

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

Energy Northwest Nuclear Plant Nears Completion of License Renewal (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/energy_northwest_nuclear_plant_nears_completion_of_license_renewal/

Avista Exec Compensation Grows (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/29/avista-exec-compensation-grows/

Avista Lowers Natural Gas Rates in Idaho (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/29/avista-lowers-natural-gas-rates-idaho/

Montana - Baucus Presses Bonneville Power Administration to Help Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant Reopen “…The market conditions for reaching a contract & committing to a restart just are not there right now… Former CFA Official…” (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/local/baucus-presses-bpa-to-help-columbia-falls-aluminum-plant-reopen/article_152e498a-6352-11e1-a720-001871e3ce6c.html

Man Electrocuted North of Rochester – Watch for Overhead Lines (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/03/01/2011615/man-electrocuted-north-of-rochester.html

Mason County PUD 3 Ops Center Substantially Complete (Mason Web TV)

http://masonwebtv.com/?p=2974

Oregon - Public Power Not High Priority for Clatsop County Commission (Coast River Business Journal, Astoria, OR)
http://www.crbizjournal.com/news/article_aa5ac674-632e-11e1-9133-0019bb2963f4.html

Columbia River PUD Begins Utility Pole Testing in St. Helens, Warren (St Helens Chronicle, OR)

http://thechronicleonline.com/news/article_b28eee9c-6301-11e1-a167-0019bb2963f4.html

Port Angeles Smart Meter Project Hits Snags, Delayed (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120301/news/303019985/port-angeles-smart-meter-project-hits-snags-delayed

Kittitas County PUD Catching Up on Accounting (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/news/kittitas-county-pud-catching-up-on-accounting/article_5b3e689e-6305-11e1-9468-001871e3ce6c.html

Utilities Announce Closure of Ten Aging Power Plants in Midwest, East (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/utilities-announce-closure-of-10-aging-power-plants-in-midwest-east/2012/02/29/gIQANSLEiR_story.html?wprss=rss_economy

New York – Entergy’s Indian Point 3 Nuke Plant Offline for Transformer Repairs (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017625221_apusindianpointnewyork.html

North Dakota – In Exchange for Higher Rates, Xcel Would Promise Fewer Outages (CBS News)

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57387627/xcel-higher-electric-rates-fewer-outages/

Colorado - Xcel Energy & City of Boulder Fight over Customers (KUNC Radio, Denver, CO)
http://www.kunc.org/post/xcel-energy-and-city-boulder-fight-over-customers

Will Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order 1000 Affect Hydro? What are the implications of FERC’s new ruling on interstate transmission for hydropower development? (Penn Energy)

http://www.pennenergy.com/index/power/display/3414384256/articles/hydro-review/volume-31/issue-02/article/will-ferc-order-1000-affect-hydro.html

There’s a 1-in-8 Chance of a Catastrophic Solar Megastorm by 2020 (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/5889238/theres-a-1+in+8-chance-of-a-catastrophic-solar-megastorm-by-2020

Missouri - Neighbors Upset by Electric Cooperative’s Tree-Cutting: Central Electric co-op clearing right-of-way (Springfield News-Tribune, MO)

http://www.newstribune.com/news/2012/mar/01/neighbors-upset-electric-cooperative-tree-cutting/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Commercial, Sport Anglers Might See Huge Fall Chinook Returns for Klamath & Sacramento Rivers (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/02/commercial_sport_anglers_might.html

Tribes Use Bonneville Power Administration Funds to Restore Westslope Cutthroat Trout (High Country News)

http://www.hcn.org/blogs/range/tribes-use-funds-to-restore-westslope-cutthroat-trout

Grant PUD-Sponsored Education Program Brings Salmon to Students (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/school_news/article_898624e4-6238-11e1-b8dc-001871e3ce6c.html

Spotted Owl Funds Reported Missing (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/03/01/44304.htm

Sea Lion Wound Suggest Sharks in Puget Sound (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/140970633.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Debris from Tsunami to Reach West Coast, Join Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0229/Debris-from-tsunami-to-reach-West-Coast-join-Great-Pacific-Garbage-Patch

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Legacy Biomass – Washington State House Sends Hatfield’s Biomass Bill to the Governor (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/house-sends-hatfield-s-biomass-bill-to-gov-gregoire/article_49a720d6-634f-11e1-bee5-0019bb2963f4.html

Washington State’s Largest Wind-Power Site Begins Generating Electricity - Puget Sound Energy completes Lower Snake River Wind Facility, its third wind farm (BusinessWire)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/washington-largest-wind-power-begins-211100632.html

Idaho Utilities to Senate: Give Us Energy Credits (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.khq.com/story/17046238/idaho-utilities-to-senate-give-us-energy-credits

Port Angeles - Cutting-Edge System Stores Power at the Landing (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120301/news/303019984/cutting-edge-system-stores-power-at-the-landing

Study: Turbine Blades, Not Air Pressure, Kill Bats (Midwest Energy News)

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/03/01/study-turbine-blades-not-air-pressure-kill-bats/

US Senator Launches Uphill Battle with ‘Clean’ Power Proposal (The Hill)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/213585-bingaman-floats-long-awaited-clean-energy-standard

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Thurston County To Widen Its Energy Saving Efforts - Courthouse changes last year lowered bill by $5,000 a month (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/03/01/2011188/thurston-county-to-widen-its-energy.html

Washington State Employees Encouraged to Use Less, Save More Energy (South Sound Business Examiner, WA)
http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/state-employees-encouraged-to-save

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Rethinking Carbon Dioxide: From a Pollutant to a Moneymaker (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/Change-Agent/2012/0229/Rethinking-Carbon-Dioxide-CO2-from-a-pollutant-to-a-moneymaker

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Hybrid Cars Still a Rarity in the Pacific Northwest (KPLU Radio, Tacoma, WA)

http://kplu.org/post/hybrid-cars-still-rarity-northwest

Green Jobs, Pink Slips: Weatherization Cuts Hit Hard (Midwest Energy News)

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/03/01/green-jobs-pink-slips-weatherization-cuts-hit-hard/

Why Your Solar Mission Statement is Useless & Meaningless - and How to Fix It (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2012/02/why-your-solar-mission-statement-is-useless-and-meaninglessand-how-to-fix-it?cmpid=rss

Counting the Family Carbon (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/counting-the-family-carbon/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Microsoft Windows Azure Cloud Suffers Outage; Blame Leap Year (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/02/29/microsoft-windows-azure-cloud-service-suffers-big-outage/

Ship’s Anchor Cuts Internet Access to Six East African Countries (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2012/0229/Ship-s-anchor-cuts-Internet-access-to-six-East-African-countries

Consultants: Changes Needed to Chelan PUD Fiber - Utility will seek customer input at upcoming community meetings (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/29/pud-consultants-suggest-changes-to-fiber/

Rural Utilities Find Revenue Stream with Broadband Fiber (Fierce Smart Grid)

http://www.fiercesmartgrid.com/story/rural-utilities-find-revenue-stream-broadband-fiber/2012-02-29

For Impatient Web Users, an Eye Blink Is Just Too Long to Wait (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/01/technology/impatient-web-users-flee-slow-loading-sites.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

How eBay’s Data Center Makes e-Commerce More Energy Efficient (GreenBiz)

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/02/28/ebay-data-center-energy-efficiency

Initial Reaction Positive as Microsoft Shows Off Consumer Test Version of Windows 8 (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017631160_microsoftwindows01.html

Rider Jams Cell Phones on SEPTA Buses (NBC Philadelphia)

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Rider-Annoyed-by-Calls-Jams-Phones-on-Septa-Bus-140966733.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Caucuses Make GOP Voters ‘Princess for the Week’ (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/29/2046057/gop-voters-princess-for-the-week.html

Ron Paul Threatens to Disrupt Washington State GOP Caucus (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/29/ron-paul-threatens-to-disrupt-wash-gop-caucus/

Washington State House Passes Bill to Rescue Wenatchee Arena Debt (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017630944_apwaxgrarenadebttroubles.html

Gregoire names Jim Dixon to Thurston County Superior Court (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/02/29/2010881/gregoire-names-james-dixon-to.html

GENERAL NEWS

State’s Jobless Rate Falls to 8.3 Percent (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017625401_jobs1.html

Former Cop Accused of Selling Cars Bought with Money for Slain Lakewood Officers (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=636792

Environmentalists Vow to Fight Proposed Coal Terminals (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Environmentalists-come-out-against-proposed-coal-terminals-140970033.html

Mason County Senior Center Purchase Option for PUD 3 Downtown Shelton Property Extended (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/25111-senior-center-purchase-option-extended

Washington & Four Other States to Allow Honda’s Hybrid Mileage Settlement (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017631090_hybridsuit01.html?syndication=rss

Soap Lake Could Revert to Water’s Original Name - Historian says native people called it Lake Smokiam (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/03/01/2011194/soap-lake-could-revert-to-waters.html

DIVERSIONS

Former Monkee Davy Jones Dies at Age 66 in Florida

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/29/us-davyjones-idUSTRE81S1T520120229

Break out the Violins – Wall Street Bonus Drop Means Trading Aspen for Coupons

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-29/wall-street-bonus-withdrawal-means-trading-aspen-for-cheap-chex.html

Humongous Prehistoric Fleas Fed on Dinosaurs, Couldn’t Jump

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0229/Humongous-prehistoric-fleas-fed-on-dinosaurs-couldn-t-jump

Toy Jolly Roger Flag Banned from Garden for Breaching Advertising Laws

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/891769-toy-jolly-roger-flag-banned-from-garden-for-breaching-advertising-laws

SONG OF THE DAY

The Monkees - I’m a Believer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f4GpZQk6rw

The Monkees - Daydream Believer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6EQjAsQAt8

The Monkees - She

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ub4yAEElxE