Monday, September 21, 2015

Energy News Digest for September 21, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for September 21, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Whistling Ridge Wind Farm Faces New Legal Challenge – Petition seeks to block BPA decision to allow wind farm on grid (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Water in Columbia, Willamette Rivers Lowest in Years (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

Canada: First Nations Lose Bid to Nullify Government OK for Peace River Dam Site (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Killing Cormorants to Save Salmon: 11,000 in Crosshairs of Controversial Program (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Water in Columbia, Willamette Rivers Lowest in Years (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Canada: First Nations Lose Bid to Nullify Government OK for Peace River Dam Site
  • Idaho Falls Keeps Hydropower Heritage Alive
  • Nebraska’s Unique Public Power System Facing Market Pressure
  • Vancouver Neighbors Hope New Lights Will Deter Illegal Activity by Bike Path – Thanks to Clark Public Utilities
  • Oregon: Nguyen Given Year-Long Contract to Manage Columbia River PUD
  • Editorial: City Council Should Keep Exceptional Tacoma Public Utilities Director
  • Dam Safety & Security
  • Puerto Rico Utility Fails to Extend Contract with Insurers
  • The Top Ten Trends Transforming the Electric Power Sector
  • Killing Cormorants to Save Salmon: 11,000 in Crosshairs of Controversial Program
  • Shoshone-Paiute Tribes on Duck Valley Reservation Harvest Salmon in Owyhee First Time in 87 Years
  • Northwest Power & Conservation Council Report Recommends Steps for ‘Long-Term Cost Planning’ for Fish/Wildlife Program
  • Does California Water District’s Dam Blocking Salmon Violate State Law?
  • California Fishing License Fees Ruled Unfair
  • Water in Columbia, Willamette Rivers Lowest in Years
  • Puget Sound ‘S.O.S.’ Act Announced by Congressmen
  • Flushing the Toilet Has Never Been Riskier
  • Whistling Ridge Wind Farm Faces New Legal Challenge
  • South Dakota: Wind Farm Blames Utilities for $800 Million Bill
  • A Good Rate Design is Hard to Find: Experts Push Utility-Solar Compromise
  • Public Power: A Lone Star Leader in Solar
  • Huge Solar, Wind Projects Have Biggest Impact on Hawaii’s Environment, New Report Says
  • Five Unexpected States That Are Growing Renewable Energy in the U-S
  • LED Streetlight Conversion Project Saves Energy, Money for Public Power Utility
  • Should I Stop Plugging In My Laptop?
  • Oregon’s Legal Sale of Marijuana Comes with Reprieve
  • Seattle Climatologist: Time to Get Real about Climate Change Issues
  • Climate Change: Biggest Threat to Plants May Be Competition, Not Heat
  • Energy Department Selects Five Projects in First Step to Produce Fresh Water from Carbon Dioxide Storage Sites
  • The Curious Case of the Green Ribbons at the 2015 Emmy Awards
  • Older Pierce County Wood Stoves Become Illegal October 1
  • Editorial:  Imagine California Electric Utilities as Disrupters
  • The Nonprofit Bringing High-School Broadband into the Modern Era
  • Electric Co-ops Develop High-speed Internet Service
  • Are Internet Providers Ripping Off Some of Their Biggest Customers? This Data May Tell
  • Check Your iPhone, iPad Apps: Malware Gets into the App Store
  • Skype Service Disrupted for Some Users Worldwide
  • Web Companies Are Fighting in Court for the FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules
  • Retailers’ Use of Their Fans’ Photos Draws Scrutiny
  • Move Over, Millennials, Here Comes Generation Z
  • How Facebook Actually Helps You Look on the Bright Side of Life
  • Adrian Frutiger Dies at 87; His Type Designs Show You the Way
  • Scout Leader Found Alive & Well on Mt. Washington after Missing for 24 Hours
  • Seattle Teachers Vote to Ratify a Tentative Agreement
  • Kelso Teachers Vote to Continue Strike, Defying Judge’s Order
  • Jobless Rates Fall in 29 States in August amid Job Gains
  • Traffic Nightmare This Week as Chinese President Visits Seattle
  • Chinook Press White House for Federal Recognition as Tribe
  • Your Guide to Dieselgate: Volkswagen’s Diesel Cheating Catastrophe
WORD OF THE DAY

Sublimate • \SUB-lih-mayt\ • Verb – 1: to cause to pass directly from the solid to the vapor state 2: to direct the expression of (a desire or impulse) from a primitive to a more socially and culturally acceptable form.

For the love of Jane, Tarzan sublimated his jungle instincts and wild tendencies. That is, until he was out of her sight in the jungle. Then, look out.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Canada: First Nations Lose Bid to Nullify Government OK for Peace River Dam Site (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Idaho Falls Keeps Hydropower Heritage Alive (Twin Falls Times News, ID)

Nebraska’s Unique Public Power System Facing Market Pressure (Midwest Energy News)

Vancouver Neighbors Hope New Lights Will Deter Illegal Activity by Bike Path – Thanks to Clark Public Utilities (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

Oregon: Nguyen Given Year-Long Contract to Manage Columbia River PUD (Pamplin Media Group, OR)

Editorial: City Council Should Keep Exceptional Tacoma Public Utilities Director (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Dam Safety & Security (Renewable Energy World)

Puerto Rico Utility Fails to Extend Contract with Insurers (Bloomberg News)

The Top Ten Trends Transforming the Electric Power Sector (Utility Dive)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Killing Cormorants to Save Salmon: 11,000 in Crosshairs of Controversial Program (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Shoshone-Paiute Tribes on Duck Valley Reservation Harvest Salmon in Owyhee First Time in 87 Years (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Northwest Power & Conservation Council Report Recommends Steps for ‘Long-Term Cost Planning’ for Fish/Wildlife Program (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Does California Water District’s Dam Blocking Salmon Violate State Law? (Sacramento Bee, CA)

California Fishing License Fees Ruled Unfair

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Water in Columbia, Willamette Rivers Lowest in Years (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

Puget Sound ‘S.O.S.’ Act Announced by Congressmen (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Flushing the Toilet Has Never Been Riskier – Some of today’s sewers were built before bathrooms as we know them existed & It’s time to upgrade (The Atlantic)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Whistling Ridge Wind Farm Faces New Legal Challenge – Petition seeks to block BPA decision to allow wind farm on grid (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

South Dakota: Wind Farm Blames Utilities for $800 Million Bill (Courthouse News Service)

A Good Rate Design is Hard to Find: Experts Push Utility-Solar Compromise (Utility Dive)

Public Power: A Lone Star Leader in Solar (USA Today)

Huge Solar, Wind Projects Have Biggest Impact on Hawaii’s Environment, New Report Says (Pacific Business News, HI)

Five Unexpected States That Are Growing Renewable Energy in the U-S (Forbes Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

LED Streetlight Conversion Project Saves Energy, Money for Public Power Utility (American Public Power Association)

Should I Stop Plugging In My Laptop? (Grist Online)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Oregon’s Legal Sale of Marijuana Comes with Reprieve (NY Times)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Seattle Climatologist: Time to Get Real about Climate Change Issues (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Climate Change: Biggest Threat to Plants May Be Competition, Not Heat (Christian Science Monitor)

Energy Department Selects Five Projects in First Step to Produce Fresh Water from Carbon Dioxide Storage Sites (Breaking Energy)

The Curious Case of the Green Ribbons at the 2015 Emmy Awards (Mashable)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Older Pierce County Wood Stoves Become Illegal October 1 (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Editorial:  Imagine California Electric Utilities as Disrupters (Sacramento Bee, CA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The Nonprofit Bringing High-School Broadband into the Modern Era (USA Today)

Electric Co-ops Develop High-speed Internet Service (Electric Co-op Today)

Are Internet Providers Ripping Off Some of Their Biggest Customers? This Data May Tell (Washington Post)

Check Your iPhone, iPad Apps: Malware Gets into the App Store (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

Skype Service Disrupted for Some Users Worldwide (NY Times)

Web Companies Are Fighting in Court for the FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules (Washington Post)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Retailers’ Use of Their Fans’ Photos Draws Scrutiny (NY Times)

Move Over, Millennials, Here Comes Generation Z (NY Times)

How Facebook Actually Helps You Look on the Bright Side of Life – It might change the way you approach social media (AdWeek)

Adrian Frutiger Dies at 87; His Type Designs Show You the Way (NY Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Scout Leader Found Alive & Well on Mt. Washington after Missing for 24 Hours (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Seattle Teachers Vote to Ratify a Tentative Agreement (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Kelso Teachers Vote to Continue Strike, Defying Judge’s Order (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Jobless Rates Fall in 29 States in August amid Job Gains (Associated Press)

Traffic Nightmare This Week as Chinese President Visits Seattle (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Chinook Press White House for Federal Recognition as Tribe (Oregonian, Portland)

Your Guide to Dieselgate: Volkswagen’s Diesel Cheating Catastrophe (Jalopnik)

DIVERSIONS

With Half-Court Shot, College Student Won Tuition, Car, Fame

Priest Builds Lego Replica of the Vatican

The New York Jets Want to Sell You a $50 Bagel Sandwich

Iowa School Board Candidate Runs Unopposed, Still Gets No Votes

SONG OF THE DAY

Eric Carmen - All by Myself

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY


All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their websites 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.