Friday, February 20, 2015

Energy News Digest for February 20, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 20, 2015

Whatever Happened to El Nino? (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
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 STORIES

John Kitzhaber Saga Fuels Conservatives’ Fight on Clean Energy (Politico)

‘Poison Pill’ in Washington State Gas Tax Plan Worry Enviros (Crosscut Seattle)

Last Year is Now Warmest Year on Record for Washington State (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

How the West's New Energy Imbalance Market is Building a Smarter Energy System (Utility Dive)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  1. How the West's New Energy Imbalance Market is Building a Smarter Energy System
  2. Pacific Gas & Electric Welcomes the Year of the Goat with Asian-American Communities
  3. Wyoming Bill Would Help Finance Coal Ports in the Northwest
  4. Inside a TVA Power Plant on the Busiest February Day on Record
  5. Natural Gas Inventory Exceeds Five-Year Average for First Time since November 2013
  6. Threatened Smelt Touches Off Battles in California’s Endless Water Wars
  7. Longview: Ecology Opts for $28 Million Cleanup Option for Former Reynolds Aluminum Plant
  8. 'Jaw-Dropping' Changes to the Elwha River Shoreline, Nearshore to be Presented Saturday at Annual Forum, Tour
  9. Colorado's Mountain Snowpack is a Bright Spot in Severe Drought Gripping Much of West
  10. How Do You Know Your Solar Panels Are Working Correctly? You Probably Don’t
  11. Bonneville Power Administration Changing Energy Conservation Program
  12. Oregon Medical Marijuana Growers Worried about Proximity of Hemp Farms
  13. CannaCon, ‘World’s Largest’ Cannabis Expo, Kicks Off in Seattle
  14. Last Year is Now Warmest Year on Record for Washington State
  15. Oil Industry Takes Aim at California’s War on Carbon
  16. Internet Taxes, Another Window into the Net Neutrality Debate
  17. Facebook ‘Likes’ Seattle in a Big Way with New South Lake Union Digs
  18. Comcast Rep Lies, Tells Customer That Data Cap is “Mandated by Law”
  19. Social Media Overload Causing Anxiety for Many Teens
  20. How to Handle an Employee’s Offensive Social Media Post
  21. How to Diplomatically Get Out of Horrible Meetings
  22. Everything You Never Want to Hear in a Radio Ad, in Two Very Funny Videos
  23. John Kitzhaber Saga Fuels Conservatives’ Fight on Clean Energy
  24. Ex-Governor Kitzhaber is Clean Energy Critics' New 'Poster Child'
  25. Can Kate Brown Restore Oregonians’ Confidence in the Governor’s Office?
  26. ‘Poison Pill’ in Washington State Gas Tax Plan Worry Enviros
  27. Tsunami Surge Could Push Far Up Columbia River
  28. Time Expires on Bill to Abolish Daylight Saving Time in Washington State
  29. Attendance Climbs Washington State’s Three National Parks
  30. Seattle's Crippled Bertha Tunneler Drills into Rescue Pit
  31. Police: Homeless Man Steals Box of Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires
WORD OF THE DAY

Doyen • \DOY-un\ • Noun – 1: the senior or most experienced member of a group 2: the oldest example of a category

“Man, at 98 years old you’re the oldest employee here,” shouted Biff at handsome Buck Mulligan. “The thing is you don’t look a day over 30. I’ll bet there’s a picture of Doyen Gray somewhere in your attic!” (Sorry, the best I could do this morning)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

How the West's New Energy Imbalance Market is Building a Smarter Energy System (Utility Dive)

Pacific Gas & Electric Welcomes the Year of the Goat with Asian-American Communities (PG&E Currents)

Wyoming Bill Would Help Finance Coal Ports in the Northwest (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Inside a TVA Power Plant on the Busiest February Day on Record (WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN)

Natural Gas Inventory Exceeds Five-Year Average for First Time since November 2013 (Energy Information Administration)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Threatened Smelt Touches Off Battles in California’s Endless Water Wars (NY Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Longview: Ecology Opts for $28 Million Cleanup Option for Former Reynolds Aluminum Plant (Longview Daily News, WA)

'Jaw-Dropping' Changes to the Elwha River Shoreline, Nearshore to be Presented Saturday at Annual Forum, Tour (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Colorado's Mountain Snowpack is a Bright Spot in Severe Drought Gripping Much of West (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

How Do You Know Your Solar Panels Are Working Correctly? You Probably Don’t (GreenTech Media)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Bonneville Power Administration Changing Energy Conservation Program (Wahkiakum Eagle, Cathlamet, WA)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Oregon Medical Marijuana Growers Worried about Proximity of Hemp Farms (Marijuana Business Daily)

CannaCon, ‘World’s Largest’ Cannabis Expo, Kicks Off in Seattle (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Last Year is Now Warmest Year on Record for Washington State (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Oil Industry Takes Aim at California’s War on Carbon (Sacramento Bee, CA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Internet Taxes, Another Window into the Net Neutrality Debate (NY Times)

Facebook ‘Likes’ Seattle in a Big Way with New South Lake Union Digs (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Comcast Rep Lies, Tells Customer That Data Cap is “Mandated by Law” (Consumerist)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media Overload Causing Anxiety for Many Teens (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

How to Handle an Employee’s Offensive Social Media Post (Associated Press)

How to Diplomatically Get Out of Horrible Meetings (Washington Post)

Everything You Never Want to Hear in a Radio Ad, in Two Very Funny Videos (AdWeek – Note: Some PG-13 Language)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

John Kitzhaber Saga Fuels Conservatives’ Fight on Clean Energy (Politico)

Ex-Governor Kitzhaber is Clean Energy Critics' New 'Poster Child' (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Can Kate Brown Restore Oregonians’ Confidence in the Governor’s Office? (Washington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

‘Poison Pill’ in Washington State Gas Tax Plan Worry Enviros (Crosscut Seattle)

Tsunami Surge Could Push Far Up Columbia River (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Time Expires on Bill to Abolish Daylight Saving Time in Washington State (Northwest Public Radio)

Attendance Climbs Washington State’s Three National Parks (Associated Press)

Seattle's Crippled Bertha Tunneler Drills into Rescue Pit (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Police: Homeless Man Steals Box of Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Beautiful Inland Pacific Northwest Cloud Formation Continues to Impress

Furious Owners Claim Delta Lost Their Show Dogs at Airport

Overly Tight, Cheap Underpants Force Canada MP Out of His Seat

After Years of Protests, Hong Kong Leader Tells People to be 'Like Sheep'

SONG OF THE DAY

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides, Now

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.