Friday, February 19, 2016

Energy News Digest for February 19, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 19, 2016

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Olympic Mountains – Winter Weather Advisory

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Oregon Legislature Moving Fast on Coal, Renewables Deal (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

Idaho Eyed as Potential Site for Small Nuclear Reactors (SF Chronicle)

The Surprisingly Huge Energy Footprint of the Booming Marijuana Industry (Washington Post)

Clallam PUD Eyes Sequim Solar Power Project (Sequim Gazette, WA)

Another Month, another Heat Record on Earth (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Oregon Legislature Moving Fast on Coal, Renewables Deal
  • Idaho Eyed as Potential Site for Small Nuclear Reactors
  • Kshama Sawant Wants an Environmentalist to Run Seattle City Light
  • Snohomish PUD Responds after Loud Public Meeting
  • Okanogan PUD Awards Bid for Twisp-Pateros Transmission Line
  • Op/Ed: Bonneville Power Administration’s Credibility Is on the Line
  • Engineering Students Win Grants to Develop Innovations for Electric Utilities
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Profits Slump During 2015 as Company Prepares for San Bruno Trial
  • Smart Grid Getting Smarter as New Technology Reduces Outage Time for Pacific Gas & Electric Customers
  • Electricity Regulation Is Back at the Supreme Court, Again
  • Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner Ostendorff Will Step Down in June
  • Skagit PUD, Anacortes Extend Deadline for Drafting Water Rights Transfer Policy
  • Report Says Contaminated Flint Water among Most Expensive In the U-S
  • Clallam PUD Eyes Sequim Solar Power Project
  • Oregon: Milwaukie Mayor Hopes City Changes Can Spark Solar Revolution
  • North Portland Solar Plant to Lay Off 40 in Restructuring
  • SolarCity Moves Away from Its MyPower Solar Loan Product
  • Op/Ed: Oregon Electricity Ratepayers about to be Ripped Off with So-Called ‘Clean Energy’ Bill
  • Visualizing the Power of Today’s Solar Panels: An Infographic
  • Editorial: Bright Ideas – Simple Changes to Save Energy & Prosper Economically
  • The Surprisingly Huge Energy Footprint of the Booming Marijuana Industry
  • Clark County Hit Especially Hard by Oregon Pot Sales
  • Oregon Dispensaries See Huge Revenue Spike from Rec Sales, But Picture Not All Rosy
  • Another Month, another Heat Record on Earth
  • Why the U-S Is Cutting Carbon Emissions No Matter What Happens with the Supreme Court
  • ‘Consequences’ for the US If It Quits Paris Climate Deal
  • A Chat with the Portland Designer Behind Seattle’s $32 Million ‘Living’ Office Building
  • Douglas County Audited over Data Center Tax Break Refunds
  • Comcast to Credit Customers for Major Outage…If You Ask
  • Apple CEO Opposes Court Order to Help FBI Unlock iPhone
  • Bitcoin Mining Company Settles FTC Charges over Deceiving Customers
  • Lacey City Councilman’s Comments on Facebook Test Social Media Guidelines for Public Officials
  • Winners of the 2016 World Press Photo Contest
  • Washington State Drops Revenue Projections $78 Million for Current Budget
  • Mason County Sheriff Hands Roadside Litter, Courthouse Security Back to Commissioners
  • Update: Mason Transit Manager Makes Statement after Resignation
  • Congressman Kilmer Holds Town Hall in Shelton
  • Oregon: Grant County Sheriff Viewed as ‘Security Leak,’ State Seeks Investigation
  • Oh Great, Now ‘Anti-El Niño’ Is on Its Way
WORD OF THE DAY

Rictus • \RIK-tus\ • noun 1: the gape of a bird's mouth 2a: the mouth orifice *b: a gaping grin or grimace.

Beowulf’s insincerity was evident: his facial rictus did not reflect any smile or flicker of emotion in his cold, dark eyes.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Oregon Legislature Moving Fast on Coal, Renewables Deal (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

Idaho Eyed as Potential Site for Small Nuclear Reactors (SF Chronicle)

Kshama Sawant Wants an Environmentalist to Run Seattle City Light (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA – I’d say SCL already has a pretty good record on this…)

Snohomish PUD Responds after Loud Public Meeting (My Everett News, WA)

Okanogan PUD Awards Bid for Twisp-Pateros Transmission Line (Wenatchee World, WA)

Op/Ed: Bonneville Power Administration’s Credibility Is on the Line (Longview Daily News, WA)

Engineering Students Win Grants to Develop Innovations for Electric Utilities (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

Pacific Gas & Electric Profits Slump During 2015 as Company Prepares for San Bruno Trial (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Smart Grid Getting Smarter as New Technology Reduces Outage Time for Pacific Gas & Electric Customers (PG&E Currents)

Electricity Regulation Is Back at the Supreme Court, Again (The Energy Collective)

Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner Ostendorff Will Step Down in June (Utility Dive)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Skagit PUD, Anacortes Extend Deadline for Drafting Water Rights Transfer Policy (Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, WA)

Report Says Contaminated Flint Water among Most Expensive In the U-S (Reuters)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Clallam PUD Eyes Sequim Solar Power Project (Sequim Gazette, WA)

Oregon: Milwaukie Mayor Hopes City Changes Can Spark Solar Revolution (Oregonian, Portland)

North Portland Solar Plant to Lay Off 40 in Restructuring (Portland Business Journal, OR)

SolarCity Moves Away from Its MyPower Solar Loan Product (Utility Dive)

Op/Ed: Oregon Electricity Ratepayers about to be Ripped Off with So-Called ‘Clean Energy’ Bill (Oregonian, Portland)

Visualizing the Power of Today’s Solar Panels: An Infographic (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Editorial: Bright Ideas – Simple Changes to Save Energy & Prosper Economically (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

The Surprisingly Huge Energy Footprint of the Booming Marijuana Industry (Washington Post)

Clark County Hit Especially Hard by Oregon Pot Sales (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Oregon Dispensaries See Huge Revenue Spike from Rec Sales, But Picture Not All Rosy (Marijuana Business Daily)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Another Month, another Heat Record on Earth (Associated Press)

Why the U-S Is Cutting Carbon Emissions No Matter What Happens with the Supreme Court (Washington Post)

‘Consequences’ for the US If It Quits Paris Climate Deal (British Broadcasting Corporation)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

A Chat with the Portland Designer Behind Seattle’s $32 Million ‘Living’ Office Building (Portland Business Journal, OR)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Douglas County Audited over Data Center Tax Break Refunds (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Comcast to Credit Customers for Major Outage…If You Ask (Broadband Reports)

Apple CEO Opposes Court Order to Help FBI Unlock iPhone (Reuters)

Bitcoin Mining Company Settles FTC Charges over Deceiving Customers (Reuters)

MARKETING & MEDIA

Lacey City Councilman’s Comments on Facebook Test Social Media Guidelines for Public Officials (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Winners of the 2016 World Press Photo Contest (The Atlantic Magazine)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Drops Revenue Projections $78 Million for Current Budget (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Sheriff Hands Roadside Litter, Courthouse Security Back to Commissioners (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Update: Mason Transit Manager Makes Statement after Resignation (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Congressman Kilmer Holds Town Hall in Shelton (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Oregon: Grant County Sheriff Viewed as ‘Security Leak,’ State Seeks Investigation (Oregonian, Portland)

Oh Great, Now ‘Anti-El Niño’ Is on Its Way (Gizmodo)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Truthers Think Gravity Waves Are a Hoax to Convince Us the World Is Round

A Special Place in Hell – Tourists Swarmed a Baby Dolphin for Photos, Then Left It for Dead

Store Straightens Croissants Because Curved Pastries Are Hard Work

 ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Author Harper Lee Dies

SONG OF THE DAY

Elmer Bernstein – Theme from “To Kill a Mockingbird”

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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.