Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Energy News Digest for February 11, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 11, 2015

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGESTTWITTER FEED

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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Apple Investing $850 Million in California Solar Farm (Reuters)

Montana Coal Plant to Shut Down in August (Associated Press)

California: Appeals Court Rejects Challenges to Fish Hatcheries’ Impact (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Washington State Governor’s Cap-And-Trade Bill Needs More Votes (Crosscut Seattle)

School Board Votes to Close Shelton High Pool (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  1. Montana Coal Plant to Shut Down in August
  2. Energy Quote of the Day: GOP Releases “Architecture of Abundance” Legislative Framework
  3. FERC Proposes $5 Million Fine against Maxim, Subsidiaries Tied to Alleged Manipulation
  4. NRECA Pushes for More LIHEAP Funds
  5. Pacific Gas & Electric Urges Customers to Be Safe & Keep Metallic Balloons Secure on Valentine’s Day
  6. Before 1948, LA’s Power Grid Was Incompatible with the Rest of the U-S
  7. California: Appeals Court Rejects Challenges to Fish Hatcheries’ Impact
  8. Despite Low Snowpack, There’s no Need to Panic
  9. Apple Investing $850 Million in California Solar Farm
  10. Build it, We Dare you – Why are Green Groups Unhappy with Apple’s Big Solar Buy?
  11. California: Google Buys Altamont Wind Energy to Power Googleplex
  12. Hundreds Protest Salt River Project’s Proposed $50 per Month Solar Charge in Arizona
  13. The Great Solar Panel Debate: To Lease or to Buy?
  14. Should You Be Worried About Solar Leasing? Utilities Think So
  15. Obama Sets Goal to Raise $2 Billion from Private Sector for Clean Energy Technology
  16. Europe Loses Billions in Badly Sited Renewable Power Plants
  17. LED Outdoor Lighting: $6 Billion Annual Savings Opportunity Ripe for the Picking
  18. Give your Water Heater a Little Love this Valentine’s Day
  19. Study: 85% of Broadband Households Tried to Save on Energy in 2014
  20. Colorado Collected About $76 Million in Recreational Marijuana Revenue in 2014
  21. Traditional Colleges Enter Cannabis Education
  22. Washington State Governor’s Cap-And-Trade Bill Needs More Votes
  23. Climate Change: California Lawmakers to Introduce Sweeping New Measures to Increase Renewable Energy, Cut Fossil Fuel Use
  24. Panel Urges More Research on Geoengineering as a Tool against Climate Change
  25. How to Turn Carbon Dioxide into Rock & Bury It Forever – Hopefully
  26. CenturyLink Internet Map: Sluggish Speeds Persist in Portland Neighborhoods amid Gigabit Rollout
  27. Otter Aide: Idaho Broadband Impasse Threatens $245 Million in Federal Funding
  28. FCC Dissenter Takes on Net Neutrality Proposal
  29. Republicans Are About to ‘Benghazi All Over Again’ on Net Neutrality
  30. Louisiana: Lafayette May Petition FCC for Muni-Broadband Help
  31. U-S Bill Seeks more Wi-Fi Airwaves Alongside Smart Cars
  32. Samsung Smart TV Can Hear, Transmit Owners’ Conversations
  33. Samsung: Our Televisions Aren’t Secretly Eavesdropping on You
  34. Here Is the Captivating Ad Format Facebook Hopes Will Wow Its Users
  35. Tim Eyman Mortgages House to Get Back in the Initiative Game
  36. Ouch: Portland to Homeowners - Fix Your Own Unimproved Street
  37. School Board Votes to Close Shelton High Pool
  38. Pioneer School Bond Passing
  39. Pilot OK after Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing along Hood Canal
  40. Driver Crashes after Fleeing from Mason County Deputy
  41. Port Townsend Paper Sold to Atlanta Holding Company
  42. Union Says Little Progress in U-S Refinery Contract Talks
  43. Questionable Recruiting: Jackie Robinson West Stripped of Its National Little League Title
  44. Jon Stewart Leaving Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show’
  45. Brian Williams Suspended From NBC for Six Months without Pay
WORD OF THE DAY

Contumely • \kahn-TOO-muh-lee\ • Noun – Harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt; also: an instance of such language or treatment

For the rest of his life, Alberto had an unnatural fear of salad. It started innocently enough at a grade school play, where he starred in the role of a tasty stalk of celery. Unfortunately, his method acting and the upstaging of the “lesser vegetables” were overbearing. So much so, that all the other children dressed as vegetables unleashed a contumely attack that had to be broken up by the teachers, who were dressed as salad spoons.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Montana Coal Plant to Shut Down in August (Associated Press)

Energy Quote of the Day: GOP Releases “Architecture of Abundance” Legislative Framework (Breaking Energy)

FERC Proposes $5 Million Fine against Maxim, Subsidiaries Tied to Alleged Manipulation (American Public Power Association)

NRECA Pushes for More LIHEAP Funds (Electric Co-op Today)

Pacific Gas & Electric Urges Customers to Be Safe & Keep Metallic Balloons Secure on Valentine’s Day (PG&E Currents)

Before 1948, LA’s Power Grid Was Incompatible with the Rest of the U-S (Gizmodo)

FISH & WILDLIFE

California: Appeals Court Rejects Challenges to Fish Hatcheries’ Impact (Sacramento Bee, CA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Despite Low Snowpack, There’s no Need to Panic (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Apple Investing $850 Million in California Solar Farm (Reuters)

Build it, We Dare you – Why are Green Groups Unhappy with Apple’s Big Solar Buy? (Breaking Energy)

California: Google Buys Altamont Wind Energy to Power Googleplex (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Hundreds Protest Salt River Project’s Proposed $50 per Month Solar Charge in Arizona (Utility Dive)

The Great Solar Panel Debate: To Lease or to Buy? (National Public Radio)

Should You Be Worried About Solar Leasing? Utilities Think So (Grist Online)

Obama Sets Goal to Raise $2 Billion from Private Sector for Clean Energy Technology (Associated Press)

Europe Loses Billions in Badly Sited Renewable Power Plants (The Energy Collective)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

LED Outdoor Lighting: $6 Billion Annual Savings Opportunity Ripe for the Picking (The Energy Collective)

Give your Water Heater a Little Love this Valentine’s Day (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

Study: 85% of Broadband Households Tried to Save on Energy in 2014 (Utility Dive)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Colorado Collected About $76 Million in Recreational Marijuana Revenue in 2014 (Associated Press)

Traditional Colleges Enter Cannabis Education (Marijuana Business Daily)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Governor’s Cap-And-Trade Bill Needs More Votes (Crosscut Seattle)

Climate Change: California Lawmakers to Introduce Sweeping New Measures to Increase Renewable Energy, Cut Fossil Fuel Use (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Panel Urges More Research on Geoengineering as a Tool against Climate Change (NY Times)

How to Turn Carbon Dioxide into Rock & Bury It Forever – Hopefully (Gizmodo)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

CenturyLink Internet Map: Sluggish Speeds Persist in Portland Neighborhoods amid Gigabit Rollout (Oregonian, Portland)

Otter Aide: Idaho Broadband Impasse Threatens $245 Million in Federal Funding (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

FCC Dissenter Takes on Net Neutrality Proposal (NY Times)

Republicans Are About to ‘Benghazi All Over Again’ on Net Neutrality (Washington Post)

Louisiana: Lafayette May Petition FCC for Muni-Broadband Help (Broadband Reports)

U-S Bill Seeks more Wi-Fi Airwaves Alongside Smart Cars (Reuters)

Samsung Smart TV Can Hear, Transmit Owners’ Conversations (Associated Press)

Samsung: Our Televisions Aren’t Secretly Eavesdropping on You (Washington Post)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Here Is the Captivating Ad Format Facebook Hopes Will Wow Its Users (AdWeek)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Tim Eyman Mortgages House to Get Back in the Initiative Game (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

Ouch: Portland to Homeowners - Fix Your Own Unimproved Street (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

GENERAL NEWS

School Board Votes to Close Shelton High Pool (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Pioneer School Bond Passing (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

Pilot OK after Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing along Hood Canal (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Driver Crashes after Fleeing from Mason County Deputy (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Port Townsend Paper Sold to Atlanta Holding Company (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Union Says Little Progress in U-S Refinery Contract Talks (Reuters)

Questionable Recruiting: Jackie Robinson West Stripped of Its National Little League Title (NY Times)

Jon Stewart Leaving Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show’ (Reuters)

Brian Williams Suspended From NBC for Six Months without Pay (NY Times)

DIVERSIONS

Neil Armstrong’s Secret Stash of Lunar Mission Artifacts Found in a Closet

Why You’d Want to Go on a One-Way Trip to Mars

If You Inherit a Bunch of Jewelry, Don’t Brag About It on Facebook

Man Suspected of Trying to Break into Apartment Building Gets Stuck in Wall, Has to Be Cut Out

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beatles – Day Tripper

Jimi Hendrix – Day Tripper

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.