Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Energy News Digest for February 10, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 10, 2015

Landslide Danger – Special Weather Statement

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Minority Groups Back Energy Companies in Fight against Solar Power “…Low-income households…paying higher…bills to subsidize solar arrays that only wealthier people can afford…” (Los Angeles Times, CA)

British Columbia: Sea Lion Flash Mobs Prey on Fishermen’s Catch (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Avista Seeking Washington State Rate Hikes in 2016 (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Lawsuit Over Ocean Acidification in Oregon, Washington Gets a Hearing in Seattle (Oregonian, Portland)

Mayor Moves to End Seattle’s Cable Franchise Districts (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)


NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  1. Avista Seeking Washington State Rate Hikes in 2016
  2. Pacific Gas & Electric Earns $1.44 Billion in 2014, $131 Million in Its Fourth Quarter
  3. GOP Plans for ‘Era of Abundance’ in Energy
  4. Annexation: Indiana Co-ops Fight Seizure of Members, Revenue
  5. Ohio: AEP Wants To Charge More for Smart Meters
  6. Pacific Gas & Electric Reacted Fast to Ex-PUC Chief’s Complaint about Size of His Bill
  7. British Columbia: Sea Lion Flash Mobs Prey on Fishermen’s Catch
  8. Decommissioning Abandoned Roads to Protect Fish
  9. Video: Port Orchard Homeowners Fight Special Utility District
  10. Why Lots of Rain Offers Little Relief to Drought-Stricken California
  11. Water Manager Faces Discipline for Urinating in San Francisco Reservoir
  12. Minority Groups Back Energy Companies in Fight against Solar Power
  13. Duke Buys Controlling Interest in Commercial Developer REC Solar
  14. Researchers Help Guard Sunken Tribe Artifacts from Offshore Wind Turbines
  15. New Tool Monitors Effects of Tidal, Wave Energy on Marine Habitat
  16. Wisconsin: Judge Sides with Solar Panel Users on Size Restrictions
  17. Stockholm Power Goes Green as Biomass Ousts Coal
  18. State Looks to Share Marijuana Taxes with Cities to Encourage Communities to Welcome Pot Businesses
  19. Lawsuit Over Ocean Acidification in Oregon, Washington Gets a Hearing in Seattle
  20. Canada: Climate Scientist Andrew Weaver Wins Defamation Suit against National Post
  21. California Utility Aims to Quadruple the State’s EV Charging Stations
  22. A Biofuel Debate: Will Cutting Trees Cut Carbon?
  23. Mayor Moves to End Seattle’s Cable Franchise Districts
  24. Time Warner Cable’s High-Speed Internet 97 Percent Profit Margin is a Big, Bright Red Flag; Critics Rebuked
  25. FCC Chief Delivers Details on His Net Neutrality Strategy
  26. Twitter Sees Surge in Government Requests for Data
  27. Six Ways to Improve Your Facebook Page Results
  28. Oregon Attorney General Says She’s Investigating Governor Kitzhaber
  29. Ports’ Strife Could Cause Customers to ‘Write Off West Coast’
  30. Nevada Asbestos Discovery – In Nevada, a Controversy in the Wind
  31. Watch Brazen Car Prowler Hit Truck as Owner Pumps Gas Feet Away at Olympia Station
  32. Barking Dog Could Cost North Seattle Family Its Home
WORD OF THE DAY

Antinomian • \ant-tin-NOME-ee-un\ • noun – 1: one who holds that under the gospel dispensation of grace the moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation 2: one who rejects a socially established morality.

Unused to the niceties of attending regular church services, the city’s new waste management official sauntered into the gracefully arched sanctuary exuding the very essence of his antinomian past. “Yep,” he uttered before his gravelly voice was drowned out by the organ, “I guessed that I should join y’all for singin’ and prayin’ at least once a year.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Avista Seeking Washington State Rate Hikes in 2016 (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Pacific Gas & Electric Earns $1.44 Billion in 2014, $131 Million in Its Fourth Quarter (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

GOP Plans for ‘Era of Abundance’ in Energy (The Hill, Washington, DC)

Annexation: Indiana Co-ops Fight Seizure of Members, Revenue (Electric Co-op Today)

Ohio: AEP Wants To Charge More for Smart Meters (Columbus Business First, OH)

Pacific Gas & Electric Reacted Fast to Ex-PUC Chief’s Complaint about Size of His Bill (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

British Columbia: Sea Lion Flash Mobs Prey on Fishermen’s Catch (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Decommissioning Abandoned Roads to Protect Fish (Bonneville Power Administration)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Video: Port Orchard Homeowners Fight Special Utility District (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Why Lots of Rain Offers Little Relief to Drought-Stricken California (Christian Science Monitor)

Water Manager Faces Discipline for Urinating in San Francisco Reservoir (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Minority Groups Back Energy Companies in Fight against Solar Power “…Low-income households…paying higher…bills to subsidize solar arrays that only wealthier people can afford…” (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Duke Buys Controlling Interest in Commercial Developer REC Solar (Utility Dive)

Researchers Help Guard Sunken Tribe Artifacts from Offshore Wind Turbines (Associated Press)

New Tool Monitors Effects of Tidal, Wave Energy on Marine Habitat (UW Today, Seattle, WA)

Wisconsin: Judge Sides with Solar Panel Users on Size Restrictions (Wisconsin Public Radio)

Stockholm Power Goes Green as Biomass Ousts Coal (Renewable Energy World)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

State Looks to Share Marijuana Taxes with Cities to Encourage Communities to Welcome Pot Businesses (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Lawsuit Over Ocean Acidification in Oregon, Washington Gets a Hearing in Seattle (Oregonian, Portland)

Canada: Climate Scientist Andrew Weaver Wins Defamation Suit against National Post (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

California Utility Aims to Quadruple the State’s EV Charging Stations (Forbes Magazine)

A Biofuel Debate: Will Cutting Trees Cut Carbon? (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Mayor Moves to End Seattle’s Cable Franchise Districts (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Time Warner Cable’s High-Speed Internet 97 Percent Profit Margin is a Big, Bright Red Flag; Critics Rebuked (Huffington Post)

FCC Chief Delivers Details on His Net Neutrality Strategy (USA Today)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter Sees Surge in Government Requests for Data (British Broadcasting Corporation)

Six Ways to Improve Your Facebook Page Results (Social Media Commander)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Oregon Attorney General Says She’s Investigating Governor Kitzhaber (Northwest Public Radio)

GENERAL NEWS

Ports’ Strife Could Cause Customers to ‘Write Off West Coast’ (Silicon Valley Business Journal, CA)

Nevada Asbestos Discovery – In Nevada, a Controversy in the Wind (NY Times)

Watch Brazen Car Prowler Hit Truck as Owner Pumps Gas Feet Away at Olympia Station (Oregonian, Portland)

Barking Dog Could Cost North Seattle Family Its Home (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

DIVERSIONS

Girl Scout Targets California Marijuana Dispensary for Maximum Sales – Again

Some Museums Banning Selfie Sticks Because “Duck Face” Is Not Art

This Cat Broke Out of a Shelter & Returned to His Original Rescuer

Science Finally Determines How Many Licks it Takes to Get to the Center of a Tootsie Pop

SONG OF THE DAY

Velvet Underground – Candy Says

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.