Thursday, July 12, 2012

Energy News Digest for July 12, 2012 - the “Hot Shots” Edition


Heavy Schedule this morning: here’s something to wet your beak today.

Electric Rates Not Falling Along with Fuel Costs (Associated Press)

Idaho Power Says Adding More Wind to Its System Will Cost More Money That Someone Has To Pay (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

Total Northwest hydropower output down modestly on month, year (SNL Financial)

Phone Scammers Targeting Electricity Customers in Grant, Douglas, And Chelan Counties (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

Crews Chip Away on White Salmon River’s Condit Dam - Dismantling of dam moves toward target of Aug. 31 (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Maryland Pepco, BGE Customers Will See Bill for 24 Hours of Lost Storm Income in Form of Bill Stabilization Adjustment (WUSA-TV, Washington, D-C)

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Energy News Digest for July 11, 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:

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Smoke from Asian Wildfires Makes for Cool Pacific Northwest Sunsets (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

BPA’s 75th Anniversary & Value of the River featured on Comcast Newsmakers (Bonneville Power Administration)

Editorial: Jefferson County PUD Tax Debate Should Be Over (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Yakama Nation Continues Program to Reintroduce Sockeye into Yakima River Basin (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Second Accident in a Month at REC Silicon Site (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • BPA’s 75th Anniversary & Value of the River featured on Comcast Newsmakers
  • Editorial: Jefferson County PUD Tax Debate Should Be Over
  • Culbertson Out as Grant County PUD Manager
  • Support Shown for Seniors to Lease Old Mason County PUD 3 Building
  • National Utility Scam Hits Franklin PUD
  • Grays Harbor PUD Now Offers Paperless Billing
  • Port of Pasco Position to be Filled July 26 - Former Franklin PUD Manager on the List
  • Pepco Customer Advocate: ‘We Performed Well’
  • Could a Power Outage Become a Teachable Moment About Grid Resiliency?
  • Official: Texas Electric Supply Will Be Tight
  • Will Duke Energy Customers Pay for CEO’s Severance?
  • Yakama Nation Continues Program to Reintroduce Sockeye into Yakima River Basin
  • Alaska Copper & Gold Mining Faces off Against Red Gold
  • Officials Mark Sale of Hammer Flat to Idaho Fish & Game
  • Three Bays in Puget Sound Closed Due to Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning Toxin
  • Mason County Lifts Regulation that Stopped Some Building in Belfair
  • West Sound Utility District Having No Problems Getting Rid of Highly Treated Biosolids
  • Fed Up with Comments about Fluoride, Three Bolt Everett Council Meeting
  • Second Accident in a Month at REC Silicon Site
  • North Carolina Plant First in State to Convert Human Waste to Energy
  • The LEDs of the Future Are Paper-Thin
  • U-S Department of Energy Gets Co-op Info on Water Heaters
  • Does Climate Change Increase the Odds of Extreme Weather Events?
  • The Controversial World of Clean Power & Data Centers
  • Google Fiber Still Probably Not Going Nationwide
  • Apple Privacy Breech Nets $22.5M Fine for Google
  • Smoke from Asian Wildfires Makes for Cool Pacific Northwest Sunsets
  • Mason County Burn Ban Starts Sunday
  • New Twist in Copper Thefts: Where Are My Water Pipes?
  • Three Charged with Metal Theft, One Says He Just Needed Fireworks Cash
  • Ancient Quake & Tsunami in Puget Sound Shake Researchers
  • Wood Poles Crash Through Woman’s Car; Driver Survives
  • Olympia – Capitol Building’s Dirty Dome to Get Long-Awaited Cleaning
  • Age Remarks Could Cost Wells Fargo Manager
WORD OF THE DAY

Surreal • \suh-REEL\ • Adjective - Marked by the intense irrational reality of a dream; also: unbelievable, fantastic

“Surreal is my art”
Trumpeted Dali proudly
“Dig my melting clocks”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

BPA’s 75th Anniversary & Value of the River featured on Comcast Newsmakers (Bonneville Power Administration)

Editorial: Jefferson County PUD Tax Debate Should Be Over (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Culbertson Out as Grant County PUD Manager (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Support Shown for Seniors to Lease Old Mason County PUD 3 Building (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

National Utility Scam Hits Franklin PUD (KVEW-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Grays Harbor PUD Now Offers Paperless Billing (KXRO-Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Port of Pasco Position to be Filled July 26 - Former Franklin PUD Manager on the List (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Pepco Customer Advocate: ‘We Performed Well’ (Washington Post)

Could a Power Outage Become a Teachable Moment About Grid Resiliency? (The Energy Collective)

Official: Texas Electric Supply Will Be Tight (CNBC)

Will Duke Energy Customers Pay for CEO’s Severance? (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Yakama Nation Continues Program to Reintroduce Sockeye into Yakima River Basin (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Alaska Copper & Gold Mining Faces off Against Red Gold (Yahoo! News)

Officials Mark Sale of Hammer Flat to Idaho Fish & Game (Boise Weekly, ID)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Three Bays in Puget Sound Closed Due to Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning Toxin (Northwest Public Radio)

Mason County Lifts Regulation that Stopped Some Building in Belfair (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

West Sound Utility District Having No Problems Getting Rid of Highly Treated Biosolids (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Fed Up with Comments about Fluoride, Three Bolt Everett Council Meeting (Everett Herald, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Second Accident in a Month at REC Silicon Site (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

North Carolina Plant First in State to Convert Human Waste to Energy (Waste & Recycling News)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

The LEDs of the Future Are Paper-Thin (Gizmodo)

U-S Department of Energy Gets Co-op Info on Water Heaters (Electric Co-op Today)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Does Climate Change Increase the Odds of Extreme Weather Events? (Christian Science Monitor)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The Controversial World of Clean Power & Data Centers “…The town of Quincy, Washington, has attracted companies like Microsoft, Dell & Yahoo that want to run data centers off of this clean hydro power in the Pacific Northwest…” (Gigaom)

Google Fiber Still Probably Not Going Nationwide (Broadband Reports)

Apple Privacy Breech Nets $22.5M Fine for Google (Jacksonville Business Journal, FL)
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2012/07/11/apple-privacy-breech-nets-225m-fine.html

GENERAL NEWS

Smoke from Asian Wildfires Makes for Cool Pacific Northwest Sunsets (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Mason County Burn Ban Starts Sunday (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

New Twist in Copper Thefts: Where Are My Water Pipes? (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

Three Charged with Metal Theft, One Says He Just Needed Fireworks Cash (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Ancient Quake & Tsunami in Puget Sound Shake Researchers (Seattle Times)

Wood Poles Crash Through Woman’s Car; Driver Survives (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Olympia – Capitol Building’s Dirty Dome to Get Long-Awaited Cleaning (Olympian, WA)

Age Remarks Could Cost Wells Fargo Manager (Courthouse News Service)

DIVERSIONS

Sequim Officials Seek Peace between Two Feuding Lavender Festivals

Soda Versus Pop, Visualized

Family Dealt Baseball Card Treasure

Need a New Lawn? Sounders Offer CenturyLink Sod

SONG OF THE DAY

Sanford Townsend Band - Smoke from a Distant Fire

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Energy News Digerst for July 10, 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:

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Grant PUD Fires General Manager for Relationship with Employee (Wenatchee World, WA)

Much at Stake for Montana in Rewrite of Columbia River Treaty (Billings Gazette, MT)

Grays Harbor PUD Commissioners Authorize Sale of Turbine at Paper Mill (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Analysis: Northwest on Track with Energy-Saving Goals (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Pacific Northwest Seeking Fed Help to Fend Off Mussel Scourge (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Grant PUD Fires General Manager for Relationship with Employee
  • Idaho Power Rates to Rise 6.8 Percent
  • Idaho – Avista Meeting Discusses Work at Post Falls Dam
  • Why B-C Hydro Rates Miss the Mark - Analysis: $2-billion-a-year spending plan outstrips revenues
  • High Temperatures Lead to Rotating Electricity Blackouts in Alberta
  • Petition Demands Pepco Bury Power Lines
  • Pepco Seeks Delay in Maryland Rate Increase Decision – Wants to focus on storm recovery
  • Outage Outrage - Lessons from the 'Derecho' Storm
  • Is Union Busting to Blame for Power Outages in D-C?
  • Wichita Man Sues Westar Energy - Was nearly killed while he worked to repair a cable TV line
  • Hot Dam: Hydropower Continues to Grow
  • Hydropower: Dammed If You Do
  • Beware of Bill Payment Scam
  • Keystone Oil Pipeline Finds Champions in Montana Democrats Eyeing Local Benefits
  • Pacific Northwest Seeking Fed Help to Fend Off Mussel Scourge
  • Puget Sound Troubles: Oysters on a Half-Life?
  • Invasive Plants, Fish Threaten Great Lakes Region
  • Much at Stake for Montana in Rewrite of Columbia River Treaty
  • Ocean Acidity Increases Surprise Researchers
  • Grays Harbor PUD Commissioners Authorize Sale of Turbine at Paper Mill
  • Monroe School District Awarded Snohomish PUD "Planet Power" Grant
  • Indiana Utility Pulling Plug on Renewable Energy Push
  • Wind Energy Tax Credits Divide Republicans
  • Analysis: Northwest on Track with Energy-Saving Goals
  • Michigan - DTE Lightens Electricity Load by Cycling Customers' Air Conditioning On & Off
  • Continental U-S Breaks Heat Record in First Half of 2012
  • Apple's Withdrawal from 'Green' Certification Program Surprises Purchasers
  • Seattle Pilot Program Would Allow 'Green' Buildings to be Taller
  • Washington State Governor to Celebrate Broadband Network Expansion July 26 in Kennewick
  • Malware Deadline Passes, Very Few Knocked Offline
  • The Ultimate Geek Road Trip: North Carolina’s Mega Data Center Cluster
  • Ten Reasons Apple, Facebook & Google Chose North Carolina for Their Mega Data Centers
  • Cell Site - Nod to Progress Endangers an Old Clock
  • How to Drive Co-op Website Traffic
  • Samsung Wins Court Case against Apple Because It's "Not as Cool"
  • Ongoing Budget Crisis Lands Tacoma New Financial Black Eye
  • Dino Rossi Appointed to Fill Vacated State Senate Seat
  • Alaskan Arrested in 1985 Chehalis Deaths
  • Hoodsport - Husband Assaults Wife with a Knife in Front of Child
  • Boeing lands another big deal at Farnborough Airshow
  • City of Shelton Still Considering Hiring Public Works Director
  • Editorial - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Deserves Respect in the Northwest & Beyond
  • Allyn Dog Owner Tracks Down Missing Pup on Craigslist
  • Tribal Canoe Journey Landing in Puget Sound
  • Photographer Captures Amazing Lightning Strike over Mt. Rainier
  • Am I Supposed to Tip at an Event with an Open Bar?
WORD OF THE DAY

Impertinent • \im-PERT-tih-nunt\ • Adjective – 1: not pertinent: irrelevant 2a: not restrained within due or proper bounds especially of propriety or good taste b: given to or characterized by insolent rudeness

The wise board chair was unsure as to whether the fresh-faced accounting wizard was being ignorant or impertinent. “When you address me and the other members of this august board, you will call SIR,” bellowed the chairman, spittle spattering over his notes. “Sure thing, daddy-o,” came the flippant reply.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Grant PUD Fires General Manager for Relationship with Employee (Wenatchee World, WA)

Idaho Power Rates to Rise 6.8 Percent (Twin Falls Times News, ID)

Idaho – Avista Meeting Discusses Work at Post Falls Dam (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Why B-C Hydro Rates Miss the Mark - Analysis: $2-billion-a-year spending plan outstrips revenues (Victoria Times Colonist, B-C)

High Temperatures Lead to Rotating Electricity Blackouts in Alberta (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Petition Demands Pepco Bury Power Lines (WTOP Radio, Washington, D-C)

Pepco Seeks Delay in Maryland Rate Increase Decision – Wants to focus on storm recovery (Washington Post)

Outage Outrage - Lessons from the 'Derecho' Storm (The Energy Collective)

Is Union Busting to Blame for Power Outages in D-C? (Truthout)

Wichita Man Sues Westar Energy - Was nearly killed while he worked to repair a cable TV line (KAKE-TV, Wichita, KS)

Hot Dam: Hydropower Continues to Grow (Grist Online)

Hydropower: Dammed If You Do (Consumer Energy Report)

Beware of Bill Payment Scam (Electric Co-op Today)

Keystone Oil Pipeline Finds Champions in Montana Democrats Eyeing Local Benefits (Washington Post)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pacific Northwest Seeking Fed Help to Fend Off Mussel Scourge (Associated Press)

Puget Sound Troubles: Oysters on a Half-Life? (Crosscut Seattle)

Invasive Plants, Fish Threaten Great Lakes Region (USA Today)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Much at Stake for Montana in Rewrite of Columbia River Treaty (Billings Gazette, MT)

Ocean Acidity Increases Surprise Researchers (Christian Science Monitor)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Grays Harbor PUD Commissioners Authorize Sale of Turbine at Paper Mill (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Monroe School District Awarded Snohomish PUD "Planet Power" Grant (Everett Herald, WA)

Indiana Utility Pulling Plug on Renewable Energy Push (Associated Press)

Wind Energy Tax Credits Divide Republicans (Portland Business Journal, OR)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Analysis: Northwest on Track with Energy-Saving Goals (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Michigan - DTE Lightens Electricity Load by Cycling Customers' Air Conditioning On & Off (Detroit Free Press, MI)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Continental U-S Breaks Heat Record in First Half of 2012 (Reuters)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Apple's Withdrawal from 'Green' Certification Program Surprises Purchasers (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Seattle Pilot Program Would Allow 'Green' Buildings to be Taller (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State Governor to Celebrate Broadband Network Expansion July 26 in Kennewick (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Malware Deadline Passes, Very Few Knocked Offline (Associated Press)

The Ultimate Geek Road Trip: North Carolina’s Mega Data Center Cluster (GigaOM)

Ten Reasons Apple, Facebook & Google Chose North Carolina for Their Mega Data Centers (GigaOM)

Cell Site - Nod to Progress Endangers an Old Clock (NY Times)

How to Drive Co-op Website Traffic (Electric Co-op Today)

Samsung Wins Court Case against Apple Because It's "Not as Cool" (Reuters – Samsung that is, not the court)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Ongoing Budget Crisis Lands Tacoma New Financial Black Eye (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Dino Rossi Appointed to Fill Vacated State Senate Seat (Everett Herald, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Alaskan Arrested in 1985 Chehalis Deaths (Olympian, WA)

Hoodsport - Husband Assaults Wife with a Knife in Front of Child (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Boeing lands another big deal at Farnborough Airshow (USA Today – And the accompanying photo is of an Airbus poster….)

City of Shelton Still Considering Hiring Public Works Director (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Editorial - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Deserves Respect in the Northwest & Beyond (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Allyn Dog Owner Tracks Down Missing Pup on Craigslist (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Tribal Canoe Journey Landing in Puget Sound (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Photographer Captures Amazing Lightning Strike over Mt. Rainier (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Am I Supposed to Tip at an Event with an Open Bar? (Consumerist)

DIVERSIONS

Facebook’s Yoga Teacher Fired for Banning Phones in Class

Man Accidentally Eats Steel Bristle During BBQ

Cut & Run - Burglar Steals Guns, Coins; Uses Riding Lawnmower for Getaway

AT&T Drops Fight over $1 Million Phone Bill

SONG OF THE DAY

Walter Egan - Magnet & Steel