Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Energy News Digest for July 28, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for July 28, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Google Lays Groundwork for another Data Center in the Dalles (Oregonian, Portland)

Washington Regulators Examine Cost of Closing Puget Sound Coal Facilities (Utility Dive)

Pacific Power’s High-Energy Parent Joins Climate Change Fight (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Will the Pacific Northwest Have a Water Problem This Fall? (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

Inslee Weighs Action on Climate Change against ‘Poison Pill’ In Washington State Transportation Bill (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Washington Regulators Examine Cost of Closing Puget Sound Coal Facilities
  • Green Groups Split with Cantwell on Senate Energy Bill
  • New Study Highlights Impact of Increased Electricity Prices
  • FERC’s 2015 Energy Primer Reflects Changes in Energy Markets
  • Despite Court Setbacks, Michigan Smart-Meter Opponents ‘Not Going Away’
  • Why We Need Nuclear Power
  • Will the Pacific Northwest Have a Water Problem This Fall?
  • Capitol Land Trust Moves Forward on Black River, Goldsborough Creek & Nelson Family Ranch Projects
  • Pacific Northwest Tribal Members Report Early Start to Huckleberry Season
  • Buyer Beware of Solar Sales Pitches
  • Expansion-Minded Sacramento Biomass Company Takes Over Connecticut Plant
  • For Those without Electricity Solar is Shining Brighter
  • Spring & Summer Energy-Saving Tips
  • Let There Be More Light for Surprise Winner
  • Pacific Power’s High-Energy Parent Joins Climate Change Fight
  • Google Lays Groundwork for another Data Center in the Dalles
  • Wired to Fail
  • AT&T Fumes Over $100M FCC Fine for Throttling Unlimited Users
  • Google Pulling Back on Social Network as Key User Gateway
  • LinkedIn, Notorious for Sending Too Many Emails, Cuts Back
  • The Surprising Way Smartphones Are Changing the Way We Shop
  • Inslee Weighs Action on Climate Change against ‘Poison Pill’ In Washington State Transportation Bill
  • Editorial: Inslee: Don’t Forfeit Washington State Green Projects for Fuel Mandate
  • Puget Sound Cities Activate Drought Plans as River Levels Drop
  • City of Shelton, Mason County & EDC Talk Use of Simpson Mill Closure Relief Funds
  • Downtown Shelton Port-A-Potty Pilot Project Proposed
  • Pacific Northwest True Crime Writer Ann Rule Dead at 83
WORD OF THE DAY

Effulgence • \ih-FULL-junss\ • Noun - Radiant splendor: brilliance

The attending flacks stood in awe of their Chief Operating Officer’s dazzling effulgence. The rollout of a new light-emitting diode disco cape was apparently a huge success, with sparking lights from the COO’s clothes sending iridescent reflections off the mirror ball onto the slack-jawed faces of the media elites, whom had been called to witness the event.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Washington Regulators Examine Cost of Closing Puget Sound Coal Facilities (Utility Dive)

Green Groups Split with Cantwell on Senate Energy Bill (National Journal)

New Study Highlights Impact of Increased Electricity Prices (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

FERC’s 2015 Energy Primer Reflects Changes in Energy Markets (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

Despite Court Setbacks, Michigan Smart-Meter Opponents ‘Not Going Away’ (Midwest Energy News)

Why We Need Nuclear Power – Some scientists are calling for 100 percent renewable energy, that’s the wrong approach (Mother Jones)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Will the Pacific Northwest Have a Water Problem This Fall? (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

Capitol Land Trust Moves Forward on Black River, Goldsborough Creek & Nelson Family Ranch Projects (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

Pacific Northwest Tribal Members Report Early Start to Huckleberry Season (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Buyer Beware of Solar Sales Pitches (Electric Co-op Today)

Expansion-Minded Sacramento Biomass Company Takes Over Connecticut Plant (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

For Those without Electricity Solar is Shining Brighter (Christian Science Monitor)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Spring & Summer Energy-Saving Tips (Breaking Energy)

Let There Be More Light for Surprise Winner (Electric Co-op Today)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Pacific Power’s High-Energy Parent Joins Climate Change Fight (Portland Business Journal, OR)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Lays Groundwork for another Data Center in the Dalles (Oregonian, Portland)

Wired to Fail – How a little known agency mishandled several billion dollars of stimulus money trying to expand broadband coverage to rural communities (Politico)

AT&T Fumes Over $100M FCC Fine for Throttling Unlimited Users (Broadband Reports)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Google Pulling Back on Social Network as Key User Gateway (SF Chronicle)

LinkedIn, Notorious for Sending Too Many Emails, Cuts Back (NY Times)

The Surprising Way Smartphones Are Changing the Way We Shop (SF Chronicle)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Inslee Weighs Action on Climate Change against ‘Poison Pill’ In Washington State Transportation Bill (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Editorial: Inslee: Don’t Forfeit Washington State Green Projects for Fuel Mandate (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

GENERAL NEWS

Puget Sound Cities Activate Drought Plans as River Levels Drop (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

City of Shelton, Mason County & EDC Talk Use of Simpson Mill Closure Relief Funds (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Downtown Shelton Port-A-Potty Pilot Project Proposed (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Pacific Northwest True Crime Writer Ann Rule Dead at 83 (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

DIVERSIONS

Man’s Selfie with Rattlesnake Lands Him $150,000 Hospital Bill

Peaches or Plums? Tree Bears 40 Kinds of Fruit

ATM Workers Forget Bag of Cash, Man Drives Off with $150,000

Fugitive’s Role in Horror Film Leads to His Olympia Arrest

SONG OF THE DAY

Somebody That I Used to Know – Walk off the Earth

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.