The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for September 20, 2013

Ninth Circuit Orders Amendments to Northwest Power & Conservation Council's Sixth Power Plan
FERC Follow-Up: Odds Grow Longer for Obama’s Nominee to U-S Energy Panel
Grays Harbor PUD Pulling the Plug on Harbor Paper Mill
Port Angeles Officials Warn of Utility Phone Scam
Addressing Error Could Mean Higher Tax Payments for Some Chelan PUD Customers
Former Bonneville Power Employee: Richland Woman's Lawsuit Found Meritless
Many Natural Gas Bills to Drop across British Columbia This Winter
California Water Agency Sounds Alarm over Pacific Gas & Electric Hydropower Move
Nevada: Wells Rural Electric Hosts Rate Information Workshops
Editorial: Electricity Deregulation Is an Idea Ahead of Its Time
Colorado Springs Utility Provider Facing Significant Flood Damage
NRECA: EPA Enforcing an 'All-But-One' Energy Policy
Why Utility Downgrades are a Big Deal
Electricity in Japan - Power struggle
Germany’s Effort at Clean Energy Proves Complex
Returning Fish Face Thermal Blockage at Lower Granite Dam
Witnesses Agree Federal Regulatory Changes will Benefit Current and Future Hydropower Projects
Rare Bumblebee Raises Concerns about Mt. Hood Bike Park
Regulators: Renegotiate Columbia River Treaty
Power Struggles at Klamath Basin Task Force
Oregon’s Antelope Ridge Wind Farm Withdrawn
In Minnesota, Looking for Lessons from Goodhue Wind Fight
Alaska: Washington State Company to Study Hydro Idea at Thomas Bay
The North American Hydropower Opportunity
U.S. Revives Aid Program for Clean Energy
Google Is On the Way to Quietly Becoming an Electric Utility
Study: Battery Energy Storage Works for Solar; Not Wind
Home Buyers of Two Minds on Energy Efficiency
Virtual Audits Uncover Surprising Trends in Building Energy Efficiency
GE Imagines the Home of 2025, Automated Laundry & Robot Bees Included
Administration to Press Ahead with Carbon Limits
City of Tumwater Oks Plastic Grocery-Bag Ban
Google Tax Deal Opens Door to $200 Million Data Center in the Dalles
Kansas: Overland Park First City to Block Google Fiber
Why the Internet of Things is Moving from Industry to Consumers Sooner Than You Think
Twitter Flies from Obscurity to the Height of Fame
Everything You Need to Know About Twitter
Fall Isn’t Waiting - Stormy Weather Coming
Special Weather Statement for Rain & Wind This Weekend
Nintendo Exec, Mariners Owner Hiroshi Yamauchi Dies at 85
Source of Mystery Bellingham Odor Remains… A Mystery
Tribal Casinos Move into New Territory: High-End Luxury

WORD OF THE DAY

Importune • \imp-per-TOON\ • Verb - 1: to urge or beg with troublesome persistence 2: annoy, trouble

Importune defense

Seahawks, the legion of boom

Poor Jaguars - Beware

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

Ninth Circuit Orders Amendments to Northwest Power & Conservation Council's Sixth Power Plan (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

http://www.energynaturalresourceslaw.com/2013/09/ninth-circuit-orders-amendments-to-northwest-power-conservation-councils-sixth-power-plan.html

FERC Follow-Up: Odds Grow Longer for Obama’s Nominee to U-S Energy Panel (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-19/odds-grow-longer-for-obama-s-nominee-to-u-s-energy-commission.html

Grays Harbor PUD Pulling the Plug on Harbor Paper Mill (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6015

Port Angeles Officials Warn of Utility Phone Scam (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130920/NEWS/309209986/port-angeles-officials-warn-of-utility-phone-scam

Addressing Error Could Mean Higher Tax Payments for Some Chelan PUD Customers (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/sep/17/addressing-error-could-mean-higher-tax-payments-for-some-chelan-pud-customers/

Former Bonneville Power Employee: Richland Woman's Lawsuit Found Meritless (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/09/19/3213827/richland-womans-lawsuit-found.html

Many Natural Gas Bills to Drop across British Columbia This Winter (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/many-natural-gas-bills-to-drop-across-b-c-this-winter-1.1860817?cmp=rss

California Water Agency Sounds Alarm over Pacific Gas & Electric Hydropower Move (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/19/5751731/water-agency-sounds-alarm-over.html

Nevada: Wells Rural Electric Hosts Rate Information Workshops (Elko Daily Free Press, NV)

http://elkodaily.com/business/wells-rural-electric-hosts-rate-information-workshops/article_813f6450-1cc5-11e3-86f2-001a4bcf887a.html

Editorial: Electricity Deregulation Is an Idea Ahead of Its Time (Arizona Republic, Phoenix)

http://www.azcentral.com/opinions/articles/20130913deregulation-an-idea-ahead-its-time.html

Colorado Springs Utility Provider Facing Significant Flood Damage (KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO)
http://www.fox21news.com/news/story.aspx?id=948579#.UjyNHHfcB8E

NRECA: EPA Enforcing an 'All-But-One' Energy Policy (Utility Products)

http://www.utilityproducts.com/articles/elp-archives/2013/09/nreca-epa-enforcing-an-all-but-one-energy-policy.html

Why Utility Downgrades are a Big Deal (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/eliashinckley/275346/why-utility-downgrades-are-big-deal

Electricity in Japan - Power struggle (Economist Magazine)

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21586570-shadow-fukushima-worlds-worst-nuclear-disaster-after-chernobyl-hangs-over-japans-energy

Germany’s Effort at Clean Energy Proves Complex (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/19/world/europe/germanys-effort-at-clean-energy-proves-complex.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

FISH & WILDLIFE

Returning Fish Face Thermal Blockage at Lower Granite Dam (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA)

http://union-bulletin.com/news/2013/sep/19/returning-fish-face-thermal-blockage-lower-granite/

Witnesses Agree Federal Regulatory Changes will Benefit Current and Future Hydropower Projects (U-S House Natural Resources Committee – Hey Look! Okanogan’s John Grubich is here!)

http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350265

Rare Bumblebee Raises Concerns about Mt. Hood Bike Park (Northwest Cable News Network)

http://www.nwcn.com/news/224508021.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Regulators: Renegotiate Columbia River Treaty (Associated Press)

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/20/3638987/regulators-renegotiate-columbia.html

Power Struggles at Klamath Basin Task Force (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/power-struggles-klamath-basin-task-force

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon’s Antelope Ridge Wind Farm Withdrawn (Oregon Department of Energy)

http://www.oregon.gov/energy/Siting/Pages/ARW.aspx

In Minnesota, Looking for Lessons from Goodhue Wind Fight (Midwest Energy News)

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2013/09/20/in-minnesota-looking-for-lessons-from-goodhue-wind-fight/

Alaska: Washington State Company to Study Hydro Idea at Thomas Bay (Alaska Public Media)

http://www.alaskapublic.org/2013/09/13/washington-company-to-study-hydro-idea-at-thomas-bay/

The North American Hydropower Opportunity (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2013/09/the-north-american-hydropower-opportunity?cmpid=rss

U.S. Revives Aid Program for Clean Energy (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/business/energy-environment/us-revives-aid-program-for-clean-energy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Google Is On the Way to Quietly Becoming an Electric Utility (Quartz)

http://qz.com/125407/google-is-on-the-way-to-quietly-becoming-an-electric-utility/

Study: Battery Energy Storage Works for Solar; Not Wind (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/silviomarcacci/274151/study-battery-energy-storage-works-solar-not-wind

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Home Buyers of Two Minds on Energy Efficiency (SF Chronicle, CA)

http://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Home-buyers-of-2-minds-on-energy-efficiency-4828348.php

Virtual Audits Uncover Surprising Trends in Building Energy Efficiency (The Energy Collective)

https://theenergycollective.com/stephenlacey/275396/virtual-audits-uncover-surprising-trends-building-energy-efficiency

GE Imagines the Home of 2025, Automated Laundry & Robot Bees Included (ReViewed)

http://www.reviewed.com/features/ge-imagines-the-home-of-2025-automated-laundry-and-robot-bees-included

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Administration to Press Ahead with Carbon Limits (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/us/politics/obama-administration-carbon-limits.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

City of Tumwater Oks Plastic Grocery-Bag Ban (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/City-of-Tumwater-OKs-plastic-grocery-bag-ban-224460531.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Tax Deal Opens Door to $200 Million Data Center in the Dalles (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2013/09/google_reaches_new_data_center.html

Kansas: Overland Park First City to Block Google Fiber (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Overland-Park-First-City-to-Block-Google-Fiber-125899

Why the Internet of Things is Moving from Industry to Consumers Sooner Than You Think (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2013/09/18/why-the-internet-of-things-is-moving-from-industry-to-consumers-sooner-than-you-think/

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter Flies from Obscurity to the Height of Fame (Associated Press)

http://www.katu.com/news/national/Twitter-flies-from-obscurity-to-the-height-of-fame-223828541.html

Everything You Need to Know About Twitter (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/09/20/twitter-history/

GENERAL NEWS

Fall Isn’t Waiting - Stormy Weather Coming (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/09/fall-isnt-waiting-stormy-weather-coming.html

Special Weather Statement for Rain & Wind This Weekend (National Weather Service, Seattle)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/09/special-weather-statement-for-rain-wind.html

Nintendo Exec, Mariners Owner Hiroshi Yamauchi Dies at 85 (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.katu.com/news/local/Mariners-owner-Hiroshi-Yamauchi-dies-at-85-224423461.html

Source of Mystery Bellingham Odor Remains… A Mystery (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2013/09/20/source-of-mystery-odor-remains-a-mystery/

Tribal Casinos Move into New Territory: High-End Luxury (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/tribal-casinos-move-new-territory-high-end-luxury

DIVERSIONS

18-Wheeler Crashes, Spills Hundreds of Bottles of Champagne on Highway

http://gizmodo.com/18-wheeler-crashes-spills-hundreds-of-bottles-of-champ-1348928536

Clown Terrorizes Town: Why Are Clowns Scary?

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/0919/Clown-terrorizes-town-Why-are-clowns-scary

And They’re Off! Seahawks to Host Halftime Wiener Dog Race

http://q13fox.com/2013/09/19/and-theyre-off-seahawks-to-host-wiener-dog-halftime-race/

Every Original Star Trek Episode as a Vintage Movie Poster

http://gizmodo.com/every-original-star-trek-episode-as-a-vintage-movie-pos-1315030958

SONG OF THE DAY

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - The Tears of a Clown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zww7FQILQec

When the Cat's Away - Tears of a clown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ttam59Wjf8

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.

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Friday, September 20, 2013

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