Friday, February 13, 2015

Energy News Digest for February 13, 2015

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Weather Forecast for February 13, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Oregon Governor Announces Resignation amid Ethics Probe (Associated Press)

Snohomish County PUD's CEO Announces Retirement (Everett Herald, WA)

Bill Would Grant Washington Tax Exemption to TransAlta for Centralia Coal Plant Transition to Natural Gas (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

In Aiming to Reinvent I-937, Critics Question Environmental Benefits of Renewable Energy (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

Social Media for Utilities is Becoming Indispensable (Breaking Energy)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  1. Snohomish County PUD's CEO Announces Retirement
  2. Bill Would Grant Washington Tax Exemption to TransAlta for Centralia Coal Plant Transition to Natural Gas
  3. Lawmakers Eye Tax Break Extension for Washington State’s Last Two Aluminum Plants
  4. Montana: Will Closure of Billings Energy Plant Increase the Cost of Electricity?
  5. Oregon's Nuclear Giant Tests System in Italy, Prepares for U-S Application
  6. Okanogan PUD Commissioners Preserve All Options for Enloe Dam
  7. EPA Wants Assurances Coos Bay Natural Gas Project Won't Harm Oregon's Environment
  8. U-S Senator Murkowski Announces Members of Senate Energy Subcommittees
  9. Chicago Joins Growing List Opposing Canadian Nuclear Waste Dump near Lake Huron
  10. California: Ex-PUC Chief’s Tribute Made Everyone Look Bad
  11. Sea Lions Desperate for Nourishment Dying Off in Alarming Numbers on California Coast
  12. Environmentalists Warn EPA of Lawsuit over Salmon
  13. Smelt-Limit Violators Net about 100 Citations in a Single Dipping Day
  14. Agriculture Agency: Sage Grouse Spending to Top $750 Million by 2018, Conserve 8 Million Acres
  15. A ‘Megadrought’ Will Grip U-S in the Coming Decades, NASA Researchers Say
  16. In Aiming to Reinvent I-937, Critics Question Environmental Benefits of Renewable Energy
  17. Why the Department of Energy is Going Big on Community Shared Solar
  18. Solar Energy is Playing Surprisingly Well in Conservative Parts of the U-S
  19. Sally Jewell: ‘Plenty of Time’ for Energy Plan Comment
  20. The World’s Ten Biggest Solar Farms
  21. Delay in LEED Decision for Whatcom Jail Makes Green-Building Standard Harder to Attain
  22. A Glimpse Inside a Super Energy-Efficient Home
  23. Want to Save Money on Your Energy Bill? There’s a Game for That
  24. Moses Lake Extends Halt on Medical Marijuana Gardens
  25. Tribal Cannabis Conference - With State Contract in Legislature & Possible On-Site Tribal Retail And Consumptive Venues This Should Be Informative
  26. Suquamish Back Tribal Pot Bills
  27. Judge Denies Dismissal of Marijuana Case against ‘Kettle Falls Five’
  28. Return of the Dust Bowl? Climate Change Study Highlights How West Must Adapt
  29. Will the Carbon Bubble be the Next Financial Crisis?
  30. How One City That’s Vulnerable to Climate Change is Fighting Back
  31. Poll Results: Lack of Range Thwarts Electric Vehicle Purchases
  32. Green Ways Boost Manufacturers - Sustainable Building Practices Providing New Opportunities
  33. Who’s Going to Sue the FCC over Net Neutrality? Probably the Cable Lobby
  34. 43 Muni-Broadband Communities Say They Oppose Title II
  35. Waverly, Iowa, Gets Approval to Join Ranks as a Gigabit City
  36. Judge: State Broadband Contracts for Idaho Schools Are Void
  37. Comcast Addresses Customer Service - Makeover of Xfinity Stores Aims for Better Experience
  38. Are You a Hack Waiting to Happen? Your Boss Wants to Know
  39. Social Media for Utilities is Becoming Indispensable
  40. A Bit TOO Transparent: Jeb Bush Releases Emails Containing Personal Information of More Than 12,000 People
  41. Washington State Senators Propose 11.7-Cent Gas Tax Increase for Roads
  42. Oregon Governor Announces Resignation amid Ethics Probe
  43. Bustling West Coast Ports Fall Quiet amid Labor Dispute
  44. Portland's Loss Is Seattle's Gain as Hanjin Ends Operations at Oregon Port
  45. Mason County Fire Commissioners Discuss Regional Fire Authority
  46. Exasperated New Englanders Brace for another Snowstorm That Could Bring a Foot or More of Snow
  47. District Basketball: North Mason & Shelton Fall; Mary M Knight in Semi Finals
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Snohomish County PUD's CEO Announces Retirement (Everett Herald, WA)

Bill Would Grant Washington Tax Exemption to TransAlta for Centralia Coal Plant Transition to Natural Gas (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Lawmakers Eye Tax Break Extension for Washington State’s Last Two Aluminum Plants (Crosscut Seattle)

Montana: Will Closure of Billings Energy Plant Increase the Cost of Electricity? (KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT)

Oregon's Nuclear Giant Tests System in Italy, Prepares for U-S Application (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Okanogan PUD Commissioners Preserve All Options for Enloe Dam (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)

EPA Wants Assurances Coos Bay Natural Gas Project Won't Harm Oregon's Environment (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

U-S Senator Murkowski Announces Members of Senate Energy Subcommittees (American Public Power Association)

Chicago Joins Growing List Opposing Canadian Nuclear Waste Dump near Lake Huron (Macomb Daily, MI)

California: Ex-PUC Chief’s Tribute Made Everyone Look Bad (Sacramento Bee, CA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sea Lions Desperate for Nourishment Dying Off in Alarming Numbers on California Coast (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Environmentalists Warn EPA of Lawsuit over Salmon (Associated Press)

Smelt-Limit Violators Net about 100 Citations in a Single Dipping Day (Longview Daily News, WA)

Agriculture Agency: Sage Grouse Spending to Top $750 Million by 2018, Conserve 8 Million Acres (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

A ‘Megadrought’ Will Grip U-S in the Coming Decades, NASA Researchers Say (Washington Post)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

In Aiming to Reinvent I-937, Critics Question Environmental Benefits of Renewable Energy (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

Why the Department of Energy is Going Big on Community Shared Solar - DOE's SunShot initiative awarded $14 million to develop business models for shared solar (Utility Dive)

Solar Energy is Playing Surprisingly Well in Conservative Parts of the U-S (Washington Post)

Sally Jewell: ‘Plenty of Time’ for Energy Plan Comment (Palm Springs Desert Sun, CA)

The World’s Ten Biggest Solar Farms (TIME Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Delay in LEED Decision for Whatcom Jail Makes Green-Building Standard Harder to Attain (Bellingham Herald, WA)

A Glimpse Inside a Super Energy-Efficient Home (Renewable Energy World)

Want to Save Money on Your Energy Bill? There’s a Game for That (Washington Post)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Moses Lake Extends Halt on Medical Marijuana Gardens (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Tribal Cannabis Conference - With State Contract in Legislature & Possible On-Site Tribal Retail And Consumptive Venues This Should Be Informative (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

Suquamish Back Tribal Pot Bills (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Judge Denies Dismissal of Marijuana Case against ‘Kettle Falls Five’ (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Return of the Dust Bowl? Climate Change Study Highlights How West Must Adapt (Christian Science Monitor)

Will the Carbon Bubble be the Next Financial Crisis? (Forbes Magazine)

How One City That’s Vulnerable to Climate Change is Fighting Back (Washington Post)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Poll Results: Lack of Range Thwarts Electric Vehicle Purchases (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Green Ways Boost Manufacturers - Sustainable Building Practices Providing New Opportunities (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Who’s Going to Sue the FCC over Net Neutrality? Probably the Cable Lobby (Washington Post)

43 Muni-Broadband Communities Say They Oppose Title II (Broadband Reports)

Waverly, Iowa, Gets Approval to Join Ranks as a Gigabit City (American Public Power Association)

Judge: State Broadband Contracts for Idaho Schools Are Void (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

Comcast Addresses Customer Service - Makeover of Xfinity Stores Aims for Better Experience (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Are You a Hack Waiting to Happen? Your Boss Wants to Know (Tri-City Herald, WA)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media for Utilities is Becoming Indispensable (Breaking Energy)

A Bit TOO Transparent: Jeb Bush Releases Emails Containing Personal Information of More Than 12,000 People (Associated Press)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Senators Propose 11.7-Cent Gas Tax Increase for Roads (Northwest Public Radio)

GENERAL NEWS

Oregon Governor Announces Resignation amid Ethics Probe (Associated Press)

Bustling West Coast Ports Fall Quiet amid Labor Dispute (Associated Press)

Portland's Loss Is Seattle's Gain as Hanjin Ends Operations at Oregon Port (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Mason County Fire Commissioners Discuss Regional Fire Authority (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

Exasperated New Englanders Brace for another Snowstorm That Could Bring a Foot or More of Snow (Associated Press)

District Basketball: North Mason & Shelton Fall; Mary M Knight in Semi Finals (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Poo Fighters: Detectives Use Doggie DNA to Bust Lazy Owners

This Oregon Town Had to Put Up Signs Warning People about Its Angry Owl

'Nut Rage' Heiress Sentenced to Year in Prison

Just ‘Cuz I Can: Washington State Wire Senior Editor Jim Boldt Publishes Second Novel

SONG OF THE DAY

Ray Anthony – Theme from Dragnet

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.