Monday, January 12, 2015

Energy News Digest for January 12, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for January 12, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

2015 Legislative Session: Washington State Lawmakers Face Tough Tasks (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Yakima Basin Snowpack Levels About Half of Normal (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Oil-Terminal Decision: How Green Is Our Governor? - Jay Inslee, champion of action on climate change, must decide whether to approve the nation’s largest oil-by-rail terminal (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Oregon: Lincoln County Moving to Gather Wind Energy Data – Could Lead to Coastal Wind Farm (News Lincoln County, Newport, OR)

Garbage Incinerators Make Comeback, Kindling Both Garbage & Debate (NY Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  1. Oil-Terminal Decision: How Green Is Our Governor?
  2. Bureau of Land Management Releases Draft Plan for Boardman-To-Hemingway Transmission Project
  3. LIHEAP Backers Set Sights on Fiscal Year 2016
  4. Op/Ed: Salmon Recovery – The Time to Act Is Now
  5. Exploratory Mining Permits near Mount St. Helens Invalidated; Threats to Salmon/Steelhead Cited
  6. Montana: Fish Virus Detected in Kootenai River
  7. Washington Agency Seeks Protection for Tufted Puffin – Names New Director
  8. U-S Supreme Court Leaves Water Delivery Restrictions in Place to Protect California Delta Smelt
  9. Yakima Basin Snowpack Levels About Half of Normal
  10. Feds Seek Public Comment on Snoqualmie Pass Reservoir Expansion
  11. Turning Poop into Clean Water
  12. Hateful Little Cannibal Squirrels Could Help California Drought
  13. Oregon: Lincoln County Moving to Gather Wind Energy Data
  14. Garbage Incinerators Make Comeback, Kindling Both Garbage & Debate
  15. Analysis Suggests Large-Scale Wave Energy in PNW Should Have Lower Integration Costs than Wind Power
  16. Massachusetts: Money from the Sun: Solar Developer Links Financing, Buyers
  17. Thurston Energy Launches New Energy Efficiency Rebate Offer for Five-County Region
  18. National Energy Efficiency Bill Will Be First Amendment on Keystone Legislation
  19. Electric Bill Shocker: How to Keep Yours Down
  20. General Electric Launching App-Connected Washers, Ranges
  21. The Marijuana Effect - It’s Been a Year Since Colorado Became the First State to Legalize Recreational Pot
  22. Touchdown! NFL Playoffs Could Boost Colorado, Washington State Rec Sales
  23. The Chevy Bolt Promises 200 Miles EV Range for $30,000
  24. Report: Utilities Must Plan Electric Car Future
  25. Will Electric Cars Short-Circuit? Some Fear Sales Will Falter as Gas Prices Continue to Decline
  26. Your BMW is the Answer to Grid Instability
  27. In Southern Oregon, a $200 Million Project to Turn Forestry Waste into Jet Fuel
  28. Virginia: Amazon Data Center Under Construction Catches Fire
  29. 40 Hours Later, Verizon Says Its Cloud is Back
  30. Seattle: Here Are the Top Cloud Computing Companies Here in Cloud City
  31. Obama Asks FCC to Regulate Internet as Utility, Backing Net Neutrality in Showdown with Telecom Giants
  32. U-S Internet Speeds Are Getting Better, But Still Lag Behind Global Elite
  33. Baig: Cord-Cutters Rejoice as Streaming TV Grows
  34. Study: 58% of All American Adults Are on Facebook
  35. Viral Power: Negative Social Media Bad for Business
  36. Get More Followers & Increase Engagement with These Seven Twitter Tips
  37. Dog Travels the Country, Poses for Majestic Portraits
  38. 2015 Legislative Session: Washington State Lawmakers Face Tough Tasks
  39. Gridlock or Compromise? Divided Washington State Legislature Set to Convene
  40. Map: How Much Each State Relies on the Federal Government for Revenue
  41. Sheriff: Three Teens Killed in Kitsap County Crash
  42. Police Say Gunman in Idaho Shooting Spree Had Multiple Weapons
  43. Increased Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standards Ban Chemicals, Require Native Plant, Wildlife Protections
  44. Beware: Phishing Scams Targeting Businesses
  45. Tickets for Seahawks-Green Bay NFC Championship Game Go on Sale Tuesday
  46. Ducks, Buckeyes Finally Play Today for True National Championship
WORD OF THE DAY

Ne Plus Ultra • \nay-plus-UL-truh\ • Noun - 1: the highest point capable of being attained: acme 2: the most profound degree of a quality or state.

It’s Ne Plus Ultra
No generic “Mac & Cheese”
“Kraft” macaroni!

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Oil-Terminal Decision: How Green Is Our Governor? - Jay Inslee, champion of action on climate change, must decide whether to approve the nation’s largest oil-by-rail terminal (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Bureau of Land Management Releases Draft Plan for Boardman-To-Hemingway Transmission Project (Utility Dive)

LIHEAP Backers Set Sights on Fiscal Year 2016 (Electric Co-op Today)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Op/Ed: Salmon Recovery – The Time to Act Is Now (North Kitsap Herald, WA)

Exploratory Mining Permits near Mount St. Helens Invalidated; Threats to Salmon/Steelhead Cited (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Montana: Fish Virus Detected in Kootenai River (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)

Washington Agency Seeks Protection for Tufted Puffin – Names New Director (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

U-S Supreme Court Leaves Water Delivery Restrictions in Place to Protect California Delta Smelt (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Yakima Basin Snowpack Levels About Half of Normal (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Feds Seek Public Comment on Snoqualmie Pass Reservoir Expansion (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Turning Poop into Clean Water (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Hateful Little Cannibal Squirrels Could Help California Drought (Grist Online)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon: Lincoln County Moving to Gather Wind Energy Data – Could Lead to Coastal Wind Farm (News Lincoln County, Newport, OR)

Garbage Incinerators Make Comeback, Kindling Both Garbage & Debate (NY Times)

Analysis Suggests Large-Scale Wave Energy in PNW Should Have Lower Integration Costs than Wind Power (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Massachusetts: Money from the Sun: Solar Developer Links Financing, Buyers (Worcester Telegram, MA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Thurston Energy Launches New Energy Efficiency Rebate Offer for Five-County Region (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

National Energy Efficiency Bill Will Be First Amendment on Keystone Legislation (Utility Dive)

Electric Bill Shocker: How to Keep Yours Down (Boston Globe, MA)

General Electric Launching App-Connected Washers, Ranges (Cincinnati Courier Journal, OH)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

The Marijuana Effect - It’s Been a Year Since Colorado Became the First State to Legalize Recreational Pot, Bill Whitaker Checks In (CBS News – 60 Minutes)

Touchdown! NFL Playoffs Could Boost Colorado, Washington State Rec Sales (Marijuana Business Daily)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

The Chevy Bolt Promises 200 Miles EV Range for $30,000 (Jalopnik)

Report: Utilities Must Plan Electric Car Future (Electric Co-op Today)

Will Electric Cars Short-Circuit? Some Fear Sales Will Falter as Gas Prices Continue to Decline (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Your BMW is the Answer to Grid Instability (The Energy Collective)

In Southern Oregon, a $200 Million Project to Turn Forestry Waste into Jet Fuel (Portland Business Journal, OR)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Virginia: Amazon Data Center Under Construction Catches Fire (Cable News Network)

40 Hours Later, Verizon Says Its Cloud is Back (GigaOM)

Seattle: Here Are the Top Cloud Computing Companies Here in Cloud City (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Obama Asks FCC to Regulate Internet as Utility, Backing Net Neutrality in Showdown with Telecom Giants (GeekWire – See comments for info about Grant PUD)

U-S Internet Speeds Are Getting Better, But Still Lag Behind Global Elite (Consumerist)

Baig: Cord-Cutters Rejoice as Streaming TV Grows (USA Today)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Study: 58% of All American Adults Are on Facebook (Consumerist)

Viral Power: Negative Social Media Bad for Business (USA Today)

Get More Followers & Increase Engagement with These Seven Twitter Tips (Socialmediopolis)

Dog Travels the Country, Poses for Majestic Portraits (Mashable)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

2015 Legislative Session: Washington State Lawmakers Face Tough Tasks (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Gridlock or Compromise? Divided Washington State Legislature Set to Convene (Northwest Public Radio)

Map: How Much Each State Relies on the Federal Government for Revenue (Washington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

Sheriff: Three Teens Killed in Kitsap County Crash (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Police Say Gunman in Idaho Shooting Spree Had Multiple Weapons (Reuters)

Increased Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standards Ban Chemicals, Require Native Plant, Wildlife Protections (Oregonian, Portland)

Beware: Phishing Scams Targeting Businesses (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Tickets for Seahawks-Green Bay NFC Championship Game Go on Sale Tuesday (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Ducks, Buckeyes Finally Play Today for True National Championship (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

DIVERSIONS

How the Oreo Was Invented

Seismologists See Activity for Chancellor’s Touchdown, Sherman’s Interception

911 Call: Family in Minivan Stuck under Semi, Towed 16 Miles

Swiss Clamp Down on Cross-Border Pizza Delivery

SONG OF THE DAY

Supertramp – Give a Little Bit

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.