Monday, April 27, 2015

Energy News Digest for April 27, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 27, 2015

Small Craft Advisory in effect for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Western Drought Steals Clean Energy Along with Fresh Water at Power Plants (Washington Post)

Power Needs of Marijuana: Industry’s Use of Electricity Sparks Concerns (The Daily Astorian, OR)

Responding to De-List Petition, NOAA Fisheries Announces Status Review for Snake River Fall Chinook (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Audit: Hanford Failed To Take Advantage of Energy Incentive Payments (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Nevada’s Lake Mead on Track to Reach Record Low Water Level amid Drought (Reuters)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Western Drought Steals Clean Energy Along with Fresh Water at Power Plants
  • Power Needs of Marijuana: Industry’s Use of Electricity Sparks Concerns
  • Cowlitz PUD Looking at Refinancing Bonds to Cut Debt
  • Taking the Power Back: Public Power Utilities Empower Customers
  • Editorial: New England Energy Infrastructure to Blame for High Electricity Rates
  • Viridian in the Hot Seat: Fluctuating Electricity Rates, My Foot
  • Week Ahead: Moniz Takes Energy Infrastructure Pitch to Congress
  • Responding to De-List Petition, NOAA Fisheries Announces Status Review for Snake River Fall Chinook
  • Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em, Sea Lions Raise Concerns on the Columbia River
  • Complex – And Expensive - System Transports Lewis River Fish
  • Tri-Cities: Biologists Say West Fork of Amon Wasteway is Poor Habitat for Salmon, Trout
  • Oregon Officials Discover Zebra Mussel Infestation on Boat Being Hauled from Ohio
  • Nevada’s Lake Mead on Track to Reach Record Low Water Level amid Drought
  • Kitsap PUD Wins State Water Quality Award
  • Below-Average Snowpack in Clearwater Basin Calls for Early Fill of Dworshak Reservoir
  • Drought Frames Economic Divide of Californians
  • How Much Water Does a Water Leak Waste?
  • How a Portland-Area Company is Powering Washington D-C’s Biggest Solar (energy) System
  • Solar Oven: 3,500 Birds Died at Ivanpah ‘Power Towers’ in First Year
  • More, Bigger Co-op Solar Coming
  • Thirsty for Clean Power, California Taps Winds in Mexico
  • Audit: Hanford Failed To Take Advantage of Energy Incentive Payments
  • Bonneville Power Administration Testing Conservation Measures to Brace for High Demand, Low Supply
  • With Legalization, Lawyers Turn to the Business of Marijuana
  • Washington State House Democrats See Carbon Emissions Tax as Educational Funding Fix
  • Op/Ed: Higher Taxes Not the Best Way to Reduce Emissions
  • EPA’s McCarthy Tells Industry to Ignore ‘Doomsday’ Talk, Focus on Innovation
  • Pope Francis Poised to Weigh in on Climate Change with Major Document
  • How to Get More Electric Cars on the Roads
  • Conspicuous Consumption for the Smug Environmentalist
  • Rays from Exploding Stars May Help Measure Strength of Thunderstorms
  • Comcast’s Deal Is Dead, So Now Charter Wants to Buy Time Warner Cable
  • Comcast-Time Warner Cable Deal’s Collapse Leaves Frustrated Customers Out in the Cold
  • With Amazon atop the Cloud, Big Tech Rivals Are Giving Chase
  • Minnesota: Rural Broadband Download Disrupted by Politics
  • The Kind of Hacker Your City Wants
  • Pinterest Opens Up to Brands with New Ways to Plan Posts & Buy Ads
  • Top Nine Facebook Marketing Questions Answered
  • Wimbledon Bans Selfie Sticks at the Tournament Because of Contraption’s ‘Nuisance Value’
  • Washington State Auditor: Troy Kelley Recall Petition Advances to Pierce County Court
  • Gunman Who Fired Shots at North Thurston High School Tackled by Teacher (Shelton Alum)
  • Nepal: Earthquake Death Toll Passes 4,000 & Climbing; Basic Goods in Short Supply
  • Western Washington Couple Missing in Nepal
  • Rafter Dies in Sultan River
  • Low Snow Pack May be a Win for Some Outdoor Enthusiasts
  • Scam Alert: Con Artists Posing as Heating, Air Conditioning Workers
  • As Students Refuse Tests, Washington State Superintendent Warns of Consequences
WORD OF THE DAY

Peregrine • \PAIR-uh-grin\ • adjective – Having a tendency to wander

Walter Mitty sat immobile at his desk, his unfocused eyes betraying his peregrine mind, as it took a flight of fancy to a Renaissance Festival in Belfair, Washington…

WORD HISTORY FROM MERRIAM WEBSTER DICTIONARY – The current meaning of "peregrine" has wandered a bit from its earlier meanings. The word originally meant "foreign," as did its Latin predecessor "peregrinus." But even before "peregrine" appeared on its own in English, it was part of the name of that well-known bird of prey, the peregrine falcon. The bird's appellation derives from "falco peregrinus" -- literally, "pilgrim falcon" in Medieval Latin. Peregrine falcons typically nest in high places, such as on cliff ledges or, in modern times, city skyscrapers. Because of the nests' inaccessibility, medieval falconers who wanted young peregrine falcons to train had captured them on their first flights or migratory "pilgrimages." That practice led to a new sense of "peregrine" ("engaged in or traveling on a pilgrimage"), which was later broadened to "wandering." 

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Western Drought Steals Clean Energy Along with Fresh Water at Power Plants (Washington Post)

Power Needs of Marijuana: Industry’s Use of Electricity Sparks Concerns (The Daily Astorian, OR)

Cowlitz PUD Looking at Refinancing Bonds to Cut Debt (Longview Daily News, WA)

Taking the Power Back: Public Power Utilities Empower Customers (American Public Power Association)

Editorial: New England Energy Infrastructure to Blame for High Electricity Rates (The Hill, Washington, DC)

Viridian in the Hot Seat: Fluctuating Electricity Rates, My Foot (Courthouse News Service)

Week Ahead: Moniz Takes Energy Infrastructure Pitch to Congress (The Hill, Washington, DC)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Responding to De-List Petition, NOAA Fisheries Announces Status Review for Snake River Fall Chinook (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em, Sea Lions Raise Concerns on the Columbia River (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Complex – And Expensive - System Transports Lewis River Fish (Longview Daily News, WA)

Tri-Cities: Biologists Say West Fork of Amon Wasteway is Poor Habitat for Salmon, Trout (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Oregon Officials Discover Zebra Mussel Infestation on Boat Being Hauled from Ohio (Oregonian, Portland)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Nevada’s Lake Mead on Track to Reach Record Low Water Level amid Drought (Reuters)

Kitsap PUD Wins State Water Quality Award (Central Kitsap Reporter, WA)

Below-Average Snowpack in Clearwater Basin Calls for Early Fill of Dworshak Reservoir (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Drought Frames Economic Divide of Californians (NY Times)

How Much Water Does a Water Leak Waste? (The Energy Collective)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

How a Portland-Area Company is Powering Washington D-C’s Biggest Solar (energy) System (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Solar Oven: 3,500 Birds Died at Ivanpah ‘Power Towers’ in First Year (E&E Publishing)

More, Bigger Co-op Solar Coming (Electric Co-op Today)

Thirsty for Clean Power, California Taps Winds in Mexico (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Audit: Hanford Failed To Take Advantage of Energy Incentive Payments (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Testing Conservation Measures to Brace for High Demand, Low Supply (Longview Daily News, WA)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

With Legalization, Lawyers Turn to the Business of Marijuana (Associated Press)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State House Democrats See Carbon Emissions Tax as Educational Funding Fix (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Op/Ed: Higher Taxes Not the Best Way to Reduce Emissions (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

EPA’s McCarthy Tells Industry to Ignore ‘Doomsday’ Talk, Focus on Innovation (E&E Publishing)

Pope Francis Poised to Weigh in on Climate Change with Major Document (Washington Post)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

How to Get More Electric Cars on the Roads (Christian Science Monitor)

Conspicuous Consumption for the Smug Environmentalist (Slate Magazine)

Rays from Exploding Stars May Help Measure Strength of Thunderstorms (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast’s Deal Is Dead, So Now Charter Wants to Buy Time Warner Cable (Oregonian, Portland)

Comcast-Time Warner Cable Deal’s Collapse Leaves Frustrated Customers Out in the Cold (NY Times)

With Amazon atop the Cloud, Big Tech Rivals Are Giving Chase (NY Times)

Minnesota: Rural Broadband Download Disrupted by Politics (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, MN)

The Kind of Hacker Your City Wants (USA Today)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Pinterest Opens Up to Brands with New Ways to Plan Posts & Buy Ads (AdWeek)

Top Nine Facebook Marketing Questions Answered (Social Media Examiner)

Wimbledon Bans Selfie Sticks at the Tournament Because of Contraption’s ‘Nuisance Value’ (Associated Press)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Auditor: Troy Kelley Recall Petition Advances to Pierce County Court (Northwest Public Radio)

GENERAL NEWS

Gunman Who Fired Shots at North Thurston High School Tackled by Teacher (Shelton Alum) (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Nepal: Earthquake Death Toll Passes 4,000 & Climbing; Basic Goods in Short Supply (Oregonian, Portland)

Western Washington Couple Missing in Nepal (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

Rafter Dies in Sultan River (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Low Snow Pack May be a Win for Some Outdoor Enthusiasts (Associated Press)

Scam Alert: Con Artists Posing as Heating, Air Conditioning Workers (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

As Students Refuse Tests, Washington State Superintendent Warns of Consequences (Northwest Public Radio)

DIVERSIONS

How the Tea Bag Was Invented

Man Sidetracked by Tater Tots during Suspected Robbery Burglary Attempt

This Sneaky Turtle Just Photobombed a Group Picture in the Philippines

Quacking Duck Ringtone Helps Firefighter Rescue Ducklings

SONG OF THE DAY

The Doobie Brothers – Black Water

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.