Friday, July 19, 2013

Energy News Digest for July 19, 2013

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for July 19, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

U-S House Oversight Committee to Investigate Bonneville Power Administration Hiring Problems & Retaliation against Whistleblowers (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Oregon Congressman DeFazio Wins Top Democratic Position on House Natural Resources Committee (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

British Columbia Smart Meter Holdouts Have Other Options But at a Cost (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Effort Underway to Form Portland Public Utility District (KXL Radio, Portland, OR)

Oyster House in Ashes - Raging Fire Destroys Landmark Olympia Seafood Restaurant (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • U-S House Oversight Committee to Investigate Bonneville Power Administration Hiring Problems & Retaliation against Whistleblowers
  • British Columbia Smart Meter Holdouts Have Other Options But at a Cost
  • Fallout over California Nuclear Energy Debacle Underway
  • California Keeps Its Energy Cool in Summer Scorcher
  • Seattle Engineering Students Win Awards for Seattle City Light Projects
  • Editorial – Columbia River; Just the Way it Flows
  • New England poised for energy-use record
  • Massachusetts - Seawater Temps Too High for Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant Cooling
  • NRC Cites Tennessee Valley Authority Again at Nation’s Worst-Rated Nuclear Plant
  • Southern Company Challenged on Nuclear Plant Costs
  • Colorado - Boulder Staff Urges City to Create Utility
  • Xcel Energy Criticizes Boulder’s Ability to Provide Efficient, Cheap Power
  • Congratulations, Utilities! Customer Satisfaction is Way In in the U-S
  • Who Decides How Your Power is Generated, Priced & Delivered?
  • Oregon Congressman DeFazio Wins Top Democratic Position on House Natural Resources Committee
  • ‘Blackfish’ Centers on the Dangers of Orcas in Captivity
  • Effort Underway to Form Portland Public Utility District
  • U-S Senate Confirms Gina McCarthy as EPA Administrator
  • Snohomish County Septic Firm Fined for Dumping Waste
  • Washington State Legislature Extends Renewable Energy Tax Benefits
  • China’s Feud with West on Solar Leads to Tax
  • Americans Continue to Use More Renewable Energy Sources
  • Is Renewable Energy Just ‘Hamburger Helper’?
  • Renewable Energy in Spain: The Cost Del Sol - Sustainable Energy Meets Unsustainable Costs
  • Britain to Limit Funding for New Power-Only Biomass Plants
  • NEEA Continues to Deliver Lasting Market Change to the Northwest
  • Are Geothermal Heat Pumps Ready for the Mainstream?
  • Energy Efficiency Could Be Lifeline for Aging Paper Mills
  • Pacific Northwest Key in Fight against Climate Change, Environmentalist Says
  • Washington State Governor’s Climate Change Workgroup Selects National & International Programs to be Studied
  • Carbon Tax Gaining Popularity, But Not With Lawmakers
  • Disbelief on Farm in Climate Change
  • Wretched Week for a Typical Trio of Climate Contrarians
  • Oregon - St. Helens Couple Goes Off the Grid in Eco Dome
  • Cover Your Eyes: NASA, ESA Set to Bring Broadband Speeds to Space Using Lasers
  • Microsoft Stock Slides As Company Books $900 Million Loss on Surface Tablet
  • Rural Areas Feel “Government Disconnect”
  • U-S Interior Secretary Jewell Dives into Pressing Issues
  • Long-Suffering Detroit Finally Turns to Bankruptcy
  • GOP Says Washington State Congresswoman Is in Trouble - In Illinois
  • Oyster House in Ashes - Raging Fire Destroys Landmark Olympia Seafood Restaurant
  • Montana - Evacuation Zone Widens near Superior Fire
  • Lightning Strikes Injure Ten in Colorado, Three in Montana
  • Drought Conditions Expand Across Inland Pacific Northwest
  • Heat Wave Spreads across U-S. When Will It End?
  • Cute Little Voter Stickers Go the Way of the Dodo
  • Beneath Soothing Lavender, A Tiff in Sequim

WORD OF THE DAY

Umbrage • \um-BRIDGE\ • Noun - 1: shade, shadow 2 a: vague suggestion: hint b: a reason for doubt 3: a feeling of resentment at some often fancied slight or insult

“A slight of the first order,” sniffed the designer to her fresh-faced digital design assistant. “When I say an RGB of 152-0-46, I mean it. NOT this dreck of 151-0-46.” The umbrage felt by the rookie designer was slightly eased by the fact that her boss was wearing a clashing yellow shirt with an ugly, bright PURPLE tie.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

U-S House Oversight Committee to Investigate Bonneville Power Administration Hiring Problems & Retaliation against Whistleblowers (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

British Columbia Smart Meter Holdouts Have Other Options But at a Cost (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Fallout over California Nuclear Energy Debacle Underway (Forbes Magazine)

California Keeps Its Energy Cool in Summer Scorcher (National Geographic Magazine)

Seattle Engineering Students Win Awards for Seattle City Light Projects (American Public Power Association)

Editorial – Columbia River; Just the Way it Flows (Grand Coulee Star, WA)

New England poised for energy-use record (New Hampshire Union-Leader)

Massachusetts - Seawater Temps Too High for Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant Cooling (Cape Cod Online, MA)

NRC Cites Tennessee Valley Authority Again at Nation’s Worst-Rated Nuclear Plant (Chattanooga Times-Free Press, TN)

Southern Company Challenged on Nuclear Plant Costs (Associated Press)

Colorado - Boulder Staff Urges City to Create Utility (Denver Business Journal, CO)

Xcel Energy Criticizes Boulder’s Ability to Provide Efficient, Cheap Power (Huffington Post)

Congratulations, Utilities! Customer Satisfaction is Way In in the U-S (Renew Grid)

Who Decides How Your Power is Generated, Priced & Delivered? (Breaking Energy)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon Congressman DeFazio Wins Top Democratic Position on House Natural Resources Committee (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

‘Blackfish’ Centers on the Dangers of Orcas in Captivity (Christian Science Monitor)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Effort Underway to Form Portland Public Utility District (KXL Radio, Portland, OR)

U-S Senate Confirms Gina McCarthy as EPA Administrator (Washington Post)

Snohomish County Septic Firm Fined for Dumping Waste (Everett Herald, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington State Legislature Extends Renewable Energy Tax Benefits (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

China’s Feud with West on Solar Leads to Tax (NY Times)

Americans Continue to Use More Renewable Energy Sources (Phys.Org)

Is Renewable Energy Just ‘Hamburger Helper’? (Forbes Magazine)

Renewable Energy in Spain: The Cost Del Sol - Sustainable Energy Meets Unsustainable Costs (The Economist Magazine)

Britain to Limit Funding for New Power-Only Biomass Plants (Reuters)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

NEEA Continues to Deliver Lasting Market Change to the Northwest (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Are Geothermal Heat Pumps Ready for the Mainstream? (Renewable Energy World)

Energy Efficiency Could Be Lifeline for Aging Paper Mills (Midwest Energy News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Pacific Northwest Key in Fight against Climate Change, Environmentalist Says (Longview Daily News, WA)

Washington State Governor’s Climate Change Workgroup Selects National & International Programs to be Studied (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

Carbon Tax Gaining Popularity, But Not With Lawmakers (National Public Radio)

Disbelief on Farm in Climate Change (Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, IN)

Wretched Week for a Typical Trio of Climate Contrarians (The Guardian, UK)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon - St. Helens Couple Goes Off the Grid in Eco Dome (KGW TV, Portland, OR)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Cover Your Eyes: NASA, ESA Set to Bring Broadband Speeds to Space Using Lasers (Engadget)

Microsoft Stock Slides As Company Books $900 Million Loss on Surface Tablet (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Rural Areas Feel “Government Disconnect” (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

U-S Interior Secretary Jewell Dives into Pressing Issues (Seattle Times - Paywall Advisory)

Long-Suffering Detroit Finally Turns to Bankruptcy (Associated Press)

GOP Says Washington State Congresswoman Is in Trouble - In Illinois (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

GENERAL NEWS

Oyster House in Ashes - Raging Fire Destroys Landmark Olympia Seafood Restaurant (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Montana - Evacuation Zone Widens near Superior Fire (Associated Press)

Lightning Strikes Injure Ten in Colorado, Three in Montana (Associated Press)

Drought Conditions Expand Across Inland Pacific Northwest (Northwest Public Radio)

Heat Wave Spreads across U-S. When Will It End? (Christian Science Monitor)

Cute Little Voter Stickers Go the Way of the Dodo (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Beneath Soothing Lavender, A Tiff in Sequim (Seattle Times - Paywall Advisory)

DIVERSIONS

Rules of English Spelling - Revealed!

Could Snail Slime be France’s Next Miracle Beauty Cure?

Colorado Town to Consider Drone Hunting License, Bounty

Noises in Tourist’s Head Were from Flesh-Eating Maggots (this story is NOT for the faint of heart!)

SONG OF THE DAY

Ella Fitzgerald - Summertime

Norah Jones - Summertime

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.