Friday, February 12, 2016

Energy News Digest for February 12, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 12, 2016

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

$15.8 Million for Yakima Basin Water Plan in Jeopardy as Energy Bill Stalls in D-C (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Investors in Huge California Wind Farm Might End Up Repaying Federal Subsidies (Miami Herald, FL)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article59876436.html

Obama: ‘Don’t Despair’ over Supreme Court Intervention in Carbon Emission Case (Washington Post)

Energy Efficiency Anchors Pacific Northwest Power Plan (American Public Power Association)

Washington State Issues Report on Life Expectancy by Legislative District – What’s up with the 19th District? (PubliCola)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Energy Efficiency Anchors Pacific Northwest Power Plan
  • Kevin Nordt Named New Grant PUD General Manager
  • Cowlitz PUD to Audit Meters, Retain Usage App
  • Bonneville Power Administration COO Claudia Andrews Announces Retirement
  • Energy Northwest Ruling from Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on “Whistleblower” Claims
  • Utility Says It Has Stopped Natural Gas Leak near Los Angeles after Nearly 4 Months
  • Here’s How Much Exelon Has Spent Pursuing Its $6.8 Billion Merger with Pepco
  • Report: Customer Engagement for Utilities Still Elusive
  • First Meeting on Washington State Salmon Forecasts, Season-Setting Scheduled, for March 1
  • Editorial: Washington State Still Obstinate on Tribal Rights; Fix Culverts to Save Salmon, Now
  • $15.8 Million for Yakima Basin Water Plan in Jeopardy as Energy Bill Stalls in D-C
  • Puyallup Residents See Utility Rate Increases as City Searches for Sustainable Funding
  • Investors in Huge California Wind Farm Might End Up Repaying Federal Subsidies
  • Worries over Firearms Surface in Rooftop-Solar Debate
  • SolarCity & Other Rooftop Providers Face a Cloudier Future
  • California Rejects New Plan for Palen Solar Farm
  • California Solar Industry Job Growth Reaches Record Levels
  • Going Solar? Here Are nine Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Installer
  • Portland Looks to Add Home Efficiency Scores to Seller Listings
  • Social Media Massacre: Marijuana Businesses Scrambling as Facebook, Instagram Shutter Accounts
  • Obama: ‘Don’t Despair’ over Supreme Court Intervention in Carbon Emission Case
  • Five States Forging Ahead With Obama Power Plan, Court Hold or Not
  • Group Issues ‘Stop Work’ Order to States on Climate Rule
  • Op/Ed: Some State Businesses Lead Way on Low Carbon
  • Competing Carbon Tax Initiatives Likely in 2016
  • Tesla Lobbies Nevada Regulators to Reconsider Net Metering Changes
  • CenturyLink Follows Comcast’s Lead, to Start Charging Broadband Overage Fees
  • What’s Wrong with Your Internet?
  • Congress Moves near Final OK of Local Internet Tax Ban
  • EPA Chief Hits Back on ‘Propaganda’ Charges about Water Rule
  • Twitter Woes Deepen as Lack of User Growth Threatens Sales
  • Pandora Is Said to Have Held Talks about Selling Itself
  • Myspace Still Exists? Yes, & Now Time Inc. Owns It
  • Washington State Issues Report on Life Expectancy by Legislative District – What’s up with the 19th District?
  • Snapchat Bets Big on Quick-Fire Approach to Campaign Coverage
  • Mason County School Levies Passing
  • Key Player in Prisoners’ Early Release Resigns Washington State Post
  • Residents Oppose Proposed Methanol Plant at Port of Tacoma
  • Oregon Standoff: Last Four Occupiers Surrender at Malheur Refuge
  • Oregon Standoff Ends, But Its New Kind of ‘Protest’ Is Just Beginning
  • Way to Go, Einstein! Gravitational Wave Discovery Hailed as Monumental
  • High School Basketball: Shelton Girls Drop First District Game
WORD OF THE DAY

Antebellum • \ANT-i-bell-um\ • Adjective – Existing before a war; especially: existing before the American Civil War. Etymology: Latin ante bellum before the war

Sitting on the front porch of the antebellum mansion in Mississippi, Beauregard thought dreamily of his old home in the far north of Saskatchewan. “Somewhere near Uranium City,” he mused, “a small child is being carried away by a hungry mosquito. Here, the bugs are so laid back that they just expect you to offer a meaty arm or well-turned ankle for their consideration.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Energy Efficiency Anchors Pacific Northwest Power Plan (American Public Power Association)

Kevin Nordt Named New Grant PUD General Manager (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Cowlitz PUD to Audit Meters, Retain Usage App (Longview Daily News, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration COO Claudia Andrews Announces Retirement (Bonneville Power Administration)

Energy Northwest Ruling from Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on “Whistleblower” Claims (PDF – Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals)

Utility Says It Has Stopped Natural Gas Leak near Los Angeles after Nearly 4 Months (Associated Press)

Here’s How Much Exelon Has Spent Pursuing Its $6.8 Billion Merger with Pepco (Chicago Business Journal, IL)

Report: Customer Engagement for Utilities Still Elusive (Utility Dive)

FISH & WILDLIFE

First Meeting on Washington State Salmon Forecasts, Season-Setting Scheduled, for March 1 (Longview Daily News, WA)

Editorial: Washington State Still Obstinate on Tribal Rights; Fix Culverts to Save Salmon, Now (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

$15.8 Million for Yakima Basin Water Plan in Jeopardy as Energy Bill Stalls in D-C (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Puyallup Residents See Utility Rate Increases as City Searches for Sustainable Funding (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Investors in Huge California Wind Farm Might End Up Repaying Federal Subsidies (Miami Herald, FL)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article59876436.html

Worries over Firearms Surface in Rooftop-Solar Debate (Las Vegas Review Journal, NV)

SolarCity & Other Rooftop Providers Face a Cloudier Future (NY Times)

California Rejects New Plan for Palen Solar Farm (Palm Springs Desert Sun, CA)

California Solar Industry Job Growth Reaches Record Levels (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Going Solar? Here Are nine Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Installer (GreenTech Media)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Portland Looks to Add Home Efficiency Scores to Seller Listings (Portland Business Journal, OR)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Social Media Massacre: Marijuana Businesses Scrambling as Facebook, Instagram Shutter Accounts (Marijuana Business Daily)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Obama: ‘Don’t Despair’ over Supreme Court Intervention in Carbon Emission Case (Washington Post)

Five States Forging Ahead With Obama Power Plan, Court Hold or Not (Renewable Energy World)

Group Issues ‘Stop Work’ Order to States on Climate Rule (Washington Examiner)

Op/Ed: Some State Businesses Lead Way on Low Carbon (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Competing Carbon Tax Initiatives Likely in 2016 (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Tesla Lobbies Nevada Regulators to Reconsider Net Metering Changes (Utility Dive)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

CenturyLink Follows Comcast’s Lead, to Start Charging Broadband Overage Fees (TechDirt)

What’s Wrong with Your Internet? (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Congress Moves near Final OK of Local Internet Tax Ban (Associated Press)

MARKETING & MEDIA

EPA Chief Hits Back on ‘Propaganda’ Charges about Water Rule (Morning Consult)

Twitter Woes Deepen as Lack of User Growth Threatens Sales (Bloomberg News)

Pandora Is Said to Have Held Talks about Selling Itself (NY Times)

Myspace Still Exists? Yes, & Now Time Inc. Owns It (Associated Press)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Issues Report on Life Expectancy by Legislative District – What’s up with the 19th District? (PubliCola)

Snapchat Bets Big on Quick-Fire Approach to Campaign Coverage (NY Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County School Levies Passing (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Key Player in Prisoners’ Early Release Resigns Washington State Post (Associated Press)

Residents Oppose Proposed Methanol Plant at Port of Tacoma (Associated Press)

Oregon Standoff: Last Four Occupiers Surrender at Malheur Refuge (Oregonian, Portland)

Oregon Standoff Ends, But Its New Kind of ‘Protest’ Is Just Beginning (Christian Science Monitor)

Way to Go, Einstein! Gravitational Wave Discovery Hailed as Monumental (Christian Science Monitor)

High School Basketball: Shelton Girls Drop First District Game (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Amazon Wrote a Zombie Apocalypse Clause into Its Terms of Service & Here’s Why

Animal Rights Protest Scrapped after “Greased Pig” Dust-Up

Officials in New York City Say It’s Too Cold for the Annual Ice Festival in Central Park

Smithsonian Uncovers Apollo 11 ‘Graffiti’ Not Seen in Decades

SONG OF THE DAY

Adron & Blair Crimmins – The Galaxy Song (from Monty Python)

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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.