Thursday, July 31, 2014

Energy News Digest for July 31, 2014

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest word cloud for July 31, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Local Law Enforcement Launch New Campaign to Curb Social Media during Emergencies (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Are New Advanced Electric Meters Gonna Fry Your Brain?  Investigating a Seattle City Light Decision That’s Causing Tinfoil-Hat Panic (The Stranger)

Pacific Gas & Electric Calls Criminal Charges Against Agency ‘Unwarranted,’ Says It Didn’t Break the Law (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Some of America’s Best Solar Incentives Are in Washington State (Clean Technica)

Are You a Verizon Customer With Unlimited Data? Get Ready to be Throttled (Yahoo! News)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Are New Advanced Electric Meters Gonna Fry Your Brain?  Investigating a Seattle City Light Decision That’s Causing Tinfoil-Hat Panic
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Calls Criminal Charges Against Agency ‘Unwarranted,’ Says It Didn’t Break the Law
  • Portland General Electric Logs Bounceback, Of Sorts, As Report Shows a $35 Million Profit
  • Judge Orders Cowlitz PUD Recall Backers to Pay Commissioner Piper $30,000 in Legal Fees
  • Could Oregon Help Energize Mexico?
  • Simulation Models Optimize Columbia River Water Power
  • Clallam PUD Moves Ahead with Carlsborg Expansion
  • Suzuki Foundation Takes Aim at Peace River’s Site C Dam, Other British Columbia Projects
  • Editorial: California Public Utilities Commission Sweetly Snuggles Up to Pacific Gas & Electric
  • The Biggest Threat to the Economy is from Outer Space
  • FEMA Regulations Pose Electric Co-op Challenges
  • Report on Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) Application Data is Released
  • Columbia River Fall Salmon Seasons Kick Off This Friday with Buoy 10 Opener
  • Diggin’ In: Oyster Gardeners Help Save Chesapeake Bay
  • Columbia River Treaty Review Could Be Massive Water Grab
  • Some of America’s Best Solar Incentives Are in Washington State
  • How to Invest in Renewable Energy
  • Beyond Energy Efficiency - We’re Not Just Reducing Demand for Electricity, We’re Destroying It
  • Energy Data Miner Opower Is Taking Big Steps into Asia
  • Are You a Verizon Customer With Unlimited Data? Get Ready to be Throttled
  • FCC ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Verizon’s Plan to Slow Down LTE for Unlimited Data Customers
  • Verizon Explains Why It’s Throttling Its ‘Unlimited’ Data Customers
  • How the History of Electricity Explains Municipal Broadband
  • CenturyLink: How Dare Cities Challenge the Laws We Paid For
  • Local Law Enforcement Launch New Campaign to Curb Social Media during Emergencies
  • Permit Needed by News Media to Cover a Forest Fire? Legislation is Dead
  • Google Maps on Your Feet: Smartshoes Vibrate to Tell You Where to Go
  • Snubbed by the South: Washington State Loses Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to South Carolina
  • Is Marijuana an Oregon Cash Crop? Advocates Say Yes, State Says No
  • Rare Look inside Bonneville Power Administration’s Vancouver Lightning Lab
  • Defying Death in Utah Arches: A Thrill Too Far?
WORD OF THE DAY

Rill • \RILL\ • noun – A very small brook

Tommy was very proud of his hydroelectric project. Built on a rill that fed the upper reaches of the Columbia River, it generated one watt of electricity. He was confused as to why he couldn’t get a feed-in tariff for what he considered a valuable run of river project.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Are New Advanced Electric Meters Gonna Fry Your Brain?  Investigating a Seattle City Light Decision That’s Causing Tinfoil-Hat Panic (The Stranger)

Pacific Gas & Electric Calls Criminal Charges Against Agency ‘Unwarranted,’ Says It Didn’t Break the Law (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Portland General Electric Logs Bounceback, Of Sorts, As Report Shows a $35 Million Profit (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Judge Orders Cowlitz PUD Recall Backers to Pay Commissioner Piper $30,000 in Legal Fees (Longview Daily News, WA)

Could Oregon Help Energize Mexico? (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Simulation Models Optimize Columbia River Water Power (Phys.Org)

Clallam PUD Moves Ahead with Carlsborg Expansion (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Suzuki Foundation Takes Aim at Peace River’s Site C Dam, Other British Columbia Projects (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Editorial: California Public Utilities Commission Sweetly Snuggles Up to Pacific Gas & Electric (Sacramento Bee, CA)

The Biggest Threat to the Economy is from Outer Space (Bloomberg News)

FEMA Regulations Pose Electric Co-op Challenges (Electric Co-op Today)

Report on Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) Application Data is Released (American Public Power Association)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia River Fall Salmon Seasons Kick Off This Friday with Buoy 10 Opener (The Dalles Chronicle, OR)

Diggin’ In: Oyster Gardeners Help Save Chesapeake Bay (Bellingham Herald, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Columbia River Treaty Review Could Be Massive Water Grab (Coeur d’Alene Press, ID)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Some of America’s Best Solar Incentives Are in Washington State (Clean Technica)

How to Invest in Renewable Energy (Associated Press)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Beyond Energy Efficiency - We’re Not Just Reducing Demand for Electricity, We’re Destroying It (Slate Magazine)

Energy Data Miner Opower Is Taking Big Steps into Asia (Forbes Magazine)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Are You a Verizon Customer With Unlimited Data? Get Ready to be Throttled (Yahoo! News)

FCC ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Verizon’s Plan to Slow Down LTE for Unlimited Data Customers (The Verge)

Verizon Explains Why It’s Throttling Its ‘Unlimited’ Data Customers (Yahoo! News)

How the History of Electricity Explains Municipal Broadband (Washington Post)

CenturyLink: How Dare Cities Challenge the Laws We Paid For (Broadband Reports)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Local Law Enforcement Launch New Campaign to Curb Social Media during Emergencies (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Permit Needed by News Media to Cover a Forest Fire? Legislation is Dead (Courthouse News Service)

Google Maps on Your Feet: Smartshoes Vibrate to Tell You Where to Go (Washington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

Snubbed by the South: Washington State Loses Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to South Carolina (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Is Marijuana an Oregon Cash Crop? Advocates Say Yes, State Says No (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Rare Look inside Bonneville Power Administration’s Vancouver Lightning Lab (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Defying Death in Utah Arches: A Thrill Too Far? (NY Times)

DIVERSIONS

Why Songs Get Stuck in Your Head (and How to Stop It)

These Maniacs Cooked Steak with Molten Lava & Lightning

Odd Cause of Gaping Siberian Holes Possibly Found

Crashed Drone Carried Contraband Aimed at South Carolina Prison

SONG OF THE DAY

The Archies - Sugar Sugar (Earworm Food)

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.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Energy News Digest for July 30, 2014

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

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

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for July 30, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Washington State Attorney General’s Office Urges Lower Avista Electric Rates (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

U-S House Passes Endangered Species Act Bill (Capital Press)

Is Lewis County in Consideration for a Massive Tesla Motors Battery ‘Gigafactory’? (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Thirteen Oregon Counties, One Third of Nation Experiencing Notable Drought (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Frontier CEO Says She’ll Beat Google Fiber ‘Hype’ with Better Prices “…10 to 12 megabits per second will be perfectly adequate for at least the next couple years…” (Oregonian, Portland)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Washington State Attorney General’s Office Urges Lower Avista Electric Rates
  • California: Pacific Gas & Electric Faces New Criminal Charges over Fatal 2010 Pipeline Explosion
  • Moody’s Assigns Aa1 to Energy Northwest Bonds, Rating Outlook Stable
  • Thanks to Hydro: BMW i8 Visits Nation’s Capitol - Car Made with Moses Lake Carbon Fiber
  • Tri-Cities Official: Fire Sparked after Bird Hits Power Pole
  • No Fukushima Radiation in Oregon, Group Says
  • Tennessee Valley Authority Ends LiveWell Program, Closes Employee Gyms to Cut Costs
  • U-S House Passes Endangered Species Act Bill
  • News Release: U-S House Approves Legislation to Improve & Update the Endangered Species Act
  • Thirteen Oregon Counties, One Third of Nation Experiencing Notable Drought
  • British Columbia Leader Promises Victoria Sewage Treatment to U-S Politicians, But Details Remain Vague
  • Windfall from Carlsborg Sewer Plan: Sequim Could See More Than $6 Million in Revenue
  • How Many Solar Panels Would It Take to Power Earth?
  • Turning Wind Energy into a Waltz
  • Gadgets, Apps & The Science Of Changing Energy Consumer Behavior
  • Puget Sound Energy, Habitat for Humanity, Bonneville Power Administration Showcase New, Super-Efficient Manufactured Home
  • Is Third Party Financing for Energy Efficiency Ready for Prime Time?
  • Governor Inslee’s Seattle Wastewater Plant Tour Highlights Sea Rise Woes
  • Eugene Passes Carbon Emissions Reduction Law
  • Is Lewis County in Consideration for a Massive Tesla Motors Battery ‘Gigafactory’?
  • Which Utilities Are Doing the Most in Clean Energy? Hint: Some of Them Are Here
  • Frontier CEO Says She’ll Beat Google Fiber ‘Hype’ with Better Prices
  • Montana: Study Finds Missoula City, County Should Spend $10 Million on Broadband
  • Up to Speed: Windstream’s Novel Spinoff Could Save Billions & Inspire Copycats in Communications Industry
  • The Government Accounting Office Finds a Few Problems with Broadband Data Caps
  • Twitter Users Are Growing & the Stock Market is Pleased
  • Social Media Has Changed the Way That War Reporting Works — And That’s a Good Thing
  • Cyber-Men to the Rescue: Out West, Power Works Hard for Co-op Members
  • Instagram Launches Bolt App Abroad
  • Skokomish River: Bremerton Man Rescued from High Steel Bridge
  • Senators from Colorado, Washington Want Federal Pot Laws Applied Fairly
  • News Release: Washington, Colorado Senators Press Obama Administration on Marijuana Policies
  • Don’t Like the Smell of Your Neighbor’s Pot? Too Bad!
  • Biotech Giant Leaves Seattle, Cuts Hundreds of Jobs
  • Problems Persist After Ferry Breakdown in Puget Sound
WORD OF THE DAY

Polyandry • \POLLY-and-ree\ • Noun – The state or practice of having more than one husband or male mate at one time

The lack of eligible women in the remote Russian village had led over the years to practice of polyandry. After several generations, the shortage was revealed as a hoax, as a village one valley over was the seething hotbed for polygamy.  The two leaders decided to end their respective practices during a summit session last week. Said one leader “my agreement to your terms is big of me.” “No,” replied his adversary, “what we were practicing was bigamy!”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Washington State Attorney General’s Office Urges Lower Avista Electric Rates (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

California: Pacific Gas & Electric Faces New Criminal Charges over Fatal 2010 Pipeline Explosion (Silicon Valley Business Journal, CA)

Moody’s Assigns Aa1 to Energy Northwest Bonds, Rating Outlook Stable (TWST.COM)

Thanks to Hydro: BMW i8 Visits Nation’s Capitol - Car Made with Moses Lake Carbon Fiber (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Tri-Cities Official: Fire Sparked after Bird Hits Power Pole (Associated Press)

No Fukushima Radiation in Oregon, Group Says (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

Tennessee Valley Authority Ends LiveWell Program, Closes Employee Gyms to Cut Costs (Chattanooga Times-Free Press, TN)

FISH & WILDLIFE

U-S House Passes Endangered Species Act Bill (Capital Press)

News Release: U-S House Approves Legislation to Improve & Update the Endangered Species Act (Committee on Natural Resources, U-S House of Representatives)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Thirteen Oregon Counties, One Third of Nation Experiencing Notable Drought (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

British Columbia Leader Promises Victoria Sewage Treatment to U-S Politicians, But Details Remain Vague (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Windfall from Carlsborg Sewer Plan: Sequim Could See More Than $6 Million in Revenue (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

How Many Solar Panels Would It Take to Power Earth? (Christian Science Monitor)

Turning Wind Energy into a Waltz (The Energy Collective)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Gadgets, Apps & The Science Of Changing Energy Consumer Behavior (Forbes Magazine)

Puget Sound Energy, Habitat for Humanity, Bonneville Power Administration Showcase New, Super-Efficient Manufactured Home (Bonneville Power Administration)

Is Third Party Financing for Energy Efficiency Ready for Prime Time? (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Governor Inslee’s Seattle Wastewater Plant Tour Highlights Sea Rise Woes (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

Eugene Passes Carbon Emissions Reduction Law (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Is Lewis County in Consideration for a Massive Tesla Motors Battery ‘Gigafactory’? (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Which Utilities Are Doing the Most in Clean Energy? Hint: Some of Them Are Here (Sustainable Business Oregon)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Frontier CEO Says She’ll Beat Google Fiber ‘Hype’ with Better Prices “…10 to 12 megabits per second will be perfectly adequate for at least the next couple years…” (Oregonian, Portland)

Montana: Study Finds Missoula City, County Should Spend $10 Million on Broadband (The Missoulian, MT)

Up to Speed: Windstream’s Novel Spinoff Could Save Billions & Inspire Copycats in Communications Industry “…categorize copper & fiber-optic lines as real estate, then spin off those properties…” (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

The Government Accounting Office Finds a Few Problems with Broadband Data Caps (GigaOM)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter Users Are Growing & the Stock Market is Pleased (GigaOM)

Social Media Has Changed the Way That War Reporting Works — And That’s a Good Thing (GigaOM)

Cyber-Men to the Rescue: Out West, Power Works Hard for Co-op Members (Electric Co-op Today)

Instagram Launches Bolt App Abroad (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Skokomish River: Bremerton Man Rescued from High Steel Bridge (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

Senators from Colorado, Washington Want Federal Pot Laws Applied Fairly (Reuters)

News Release: Washington, Colorado Senators Press Obama Administration on Marijuana Policies (U-S Senator Patty Murray)

Don’t Like the Smell of Your Neighbor’s Pot? Too Bad! (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

Biotech Giant Leaves Seattle, Cuts Hundreds of Jobs (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Problems Persist After Ferry Breakdown in Puget Sound (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

DIVERSIONS

A Multi-Function Clip That Hides a Toolbox in Your Hair

Oak Ridge Cancels Class to Reduce Southern Accents

Couple Wants Middle Names to Include ‘Seamonster’

More Mysterious Craters Found in Russia’s Remote Siberia Region

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beatles - Fixing a Hole

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.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Energy News Digest for July 29, 2014

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

New Bill Pushes for $50 Million to Restore Columbia River (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)
http://ijpr.org/post/new-bill-pushes-50-million-restore-columbia-river

Draft Snake River Sockeye Recovery Plan Released for Comment; $101 Million over 25 Years (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Avista Thanks Customers for Patience during Worst Spokane-Area Outage since 1996 Ice Storm (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

Washington State Governor Inslee to Lay Out Ideas for Cap-And-Trade, Carbon Tax (Crosscut Seattle)

Dry Weather, Warm Temps for the Next Week across Washington State (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Avista Thanks Customers for Patience during Worst Spokane-Area Outage since 1996 Ice Storm
  • Squirrel Causes Transformer to Explode, Loss of TV in Grant County
  • Zapped Critters Cause 17% of Snohomish PUD Outages
  • Clallam Public Utility District to Take Bids on an Estimated $12.6 Million in Construction Projects
  • California: Emails Show Pacific Gas & Electric, Regulator Have ‘Illegal, Unethical Relationship,’ San Bruno Official Says
  • Southern Montana Electric Co-op Exits Bankruptcy
  • Legal Marathon Continues over Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Warrenton
  • Small Idaho Town Gets Smarter with Automation
  • West’s Largest Coal-Fired Plant on Track to Close
  • Taiwan’s Nuclear Power Plants Are Magnets for Protesters – And Snorkelers
  • Critical Grid Standards OK, but FERC Seeks More
  • Draft Snake River Sockeye Recovery Plan Released for Comment; $101 Million over 25 Years
  • Scientists Hoping to Restore Salmon in Ellensburg
  • Puget Sound Hatchery Plans Opened to Public Comment
  • Rocky Barker: Renewing Idaho’s Wild Salmon & Wild Rivers
  • Oregon Historical Photo: Salmon Wheel Boat on the Columbia River, 1883
  • New Bill Pushes for $50 Million to Restore Columbia River
  • British Columbia: Kettle River, Long Abused, Serves as a Warning Sign for B-C’S Water Supply
  • Editorial: B-C Premier Vows Sewage Treatment for Victoria — Someday
  • Solar Panel Prices Expected to Rise in the U-S Due to New Tariffs on Chinese Panels
  • How Clean Tech, After Notable Failures, Grew Up in Oregon
  • Massachusetts: Hydropower Plan Vital in Climate Change Fight, Officials Say
  • Your Giant American Refrigerator is Making You Fat & Poor
  • Washington State Governor Inslee to Lay Out Ideas for Cap-And-Trade, Carbon Tax
  • White House Report Presses Economic Case for Carbon Rule
  • Report: More Acidic Seawater Poses Risks in Alaska
  • Getting a Charge Out of Work: Oregon Employers to Provide Stations for Plug-In Vehicles
  • Frontier Has Fiber Plans for the Portland Suburbs
  • How Much Data Can One Smart Home Generate? About 1 GB a Week
  • Major League Baseball Latest Opposed to FCC’s ‘Fast Lane’ Proposal
  • Free Solar Marketing on Facebook Is Mostly Dead, Now What?
  • Your Facebook Page’s Organic Reach Is About to Plummet
  • Can Reddit Grow Up?
  • Inside the EPA climate rule hearings — FERC weighs in on EPA rules — U.S., EU to toughen Russian sanctions
  • State Senate Races: Republicans Dishing Dirt through Mail
  • Dry Weather, Warm Temps for the Next Week across Washington State
  • Why Gas Prices Remain Static despite U-S Oil Production Surge
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Avista Thanks Customers for Patience during Worst Spokane-Area Outage since 1996 Ice Storm (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

Squirrel Causes Transformer to Explode, Loss of TV in Grant County (iFiber One, Ephrata, WA)

Zapped Critters Cause 17% of Snohomish PUD Outages (Everett Herald, WA)

Clallam Public Utility District to Take Bids on an Estimated $12.6 Million in Construction Projects (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

California: Emails Show Pacific Gas & Electric, Regulator Have ‘Illegal, Unethical Relationship,’ San Bruno Official Says (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Southern Montana Electric Co-op Exits Bankruptcy (Electric Co-op Today)

Legal Marathon Continues over Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Warrenton (Oregonian, Portland)

Small Idaho Town Gets Smarter with Automation (Bonneville Power Administration)

West’s Largest Coal-Fired Plant on Track to Close (Associated Press)

Taiwan’s Nuclear Power Plants Are Magnets for Protesters – And Snorkelers (Christian Science Monitor)

Critical Grid Standards OK, but FERC Seeks More (Electric Co-op Today)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Draft Snake River Sockeye Recovery Plan Released for Comment; $101 Million over 25 Years (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Scientists Hoping to Restore Salmon in Ellensburg (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

Puget Sound Hatchery Plans Opened to Public Comment (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Rocky Barker: Renewing Idaho’s Wild Salmon & Wild Rivers (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

Oregon Historical Photo: Salmon Wheel Boat on the Columbia River, 1883 “…This new technology was so efficient it eventually decimated the salmon population, contributing to the decline of native communities & culture…” (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

New Bill Pushes for $50 Million to Restore Columbia River (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)
http://ijpr.org/post/new-bill-pushes-50-million-restore-columbia-river

British Columbia: Kettle River, Long Abused, Serves as a Warning Sign for B-C’S Water Supply (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Editorial: B-C Premier Vows Sewage Treatment for Victoria — Someday (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Solar Panel Prices Expected to Rise in the U-S Due to New Tariffs on Chinese Panels (Renewable Energy World)

How Clean Tech, After Notable Failures, Grew Up in Oregon (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Massachusetts: Hydropower Plan Vital in Climate Change Fight, Officials Say “…would require utility companies in the state to sign long-term agreements to buy large amounts of hydroelectric power from Canada…” (Boston Globe, MA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Your Giant American Refrigerator is Making You Fat & Poor (Gawker Domesticity)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Governor Inslee to Lay Out Ideas for Cap-And-Trade, Carbon Tax (Crosscut Seattle)

White House Report Presses Economic Case for Carbon Rule (NY Times)

Report: More Acidic Seawater Poses Risks in Alaska (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Getting a Charge Out of Work: Oregon Employers to Provide Stations for Plug-In Vehicles (Sustainable Business Oregon)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Frontier Has Fiber Plans for the Portland Suburbs (Portland Business Journal, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/07/frontier-has-fiber-plans-for-the-portland-suburbs.html

How Much Data Can One Smart Home Generate? About 1 GB a Week (GigaOM)

Major League Baseball Latest Opposed to FCC’s ‘Fast Lane’ Proposal (Broadband Reports)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Free Solar Marketing on Facebook Is Mostly Dead, Now What? (Renewable Energy World)

Your Facebook Page’s Organic Reach Is About to Plummet (Social Media Today)

Can Reddit Grow Up? (NY Times)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Inside the EPA climate rule hearings — FERC weighs in on EPA rules — U.S., EU to toughen Russian sanctions — House takes up ESA bill (Politico)

State Senate Races: Republicans Dishing Dirt through Mail (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Dry Weather, Warm Temps for the Next Week across Washington State (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Why Gas Prices Remain Static despite U-S Oil Production Surge (Christian Science Monitor)

DIVERSIONS

Study: Fist Bumps Are Less Germy Than Handshakes (But Are They “Terrorist” Fist Bumps?)

Clowns Help Fellow Clown Who Crashed Car into Pole (White greasepaint all over the highway!)

Wedding Reception Shut Down When Brawl Breaks Out

Elegant Louvre Garden in Paris Infested with Rats

SONG OF THE DAY

Camille - Le Festin(Ratatouille Soundtrack)

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.