Friday, February 26, 2016

Energy News Digest for February 26, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 26, 2016

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Report: Man Says He Shot Wife, Children in Belfair (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Coal, Climate Change Clash in Colstrip – Residents Defend Fuel That Built This Town (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

Windstorm Damages Add Up for Avista – Part of Rate Increase Tagged for Storm Expenses (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

These States Are Setting Wind Energy Records – And Suing over Obama’s Climate Plans (Washington Post)

AT&T Sues Louisville over ‘Google Fiber’ Proposal – Decries Use of Its Poles by Other Service Providers (USA Today)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Coal, Climate Change Clash in Colstrip – Residents Defend Fuel That Built This Town
  • Windstorm Damages Add Up for Avista – Part of Rate Increase Tagged for Storm Expenses
  • Three Ways Mason PUD 3 is Building a Better Power Grid in Mason County
  • British Columbia: Politicians Say BC Hydro is Obscuring Data on Temporary Foreign Workers
  • Alaska Co-op Sees Federal Role in Affordable Power
  • Mason PUD 3 Commission Cancels March Regular Meetings & Reschedules
  • Feds Advise Utilities to Pull Plug on Internet after Ukraine Attack
  • Federal Budget for Fiscal 2017 Does Not Raise Idea of Selling TVA
  • DC Regulators Reject Exelon-Pepco Deal, But Could Reconsider
  • Massachusetts: Attorney General Says Gas Pipeline Vet Could Drain $650,000
  • Government & Environment Concerns over Salmon Extinction in Warming Columbia & Snake Rivers
  • Colville Tribe Seeks Community Input Concerning Bonneville Power Administration Purchased Properties
  • NOAA Fisheries Releases Critical Habitat Designation for Lower Columbia River Coho
  • Cantwell Pushes NOAA to Reduce Delays in Approving Hatchery Genetic Management Plans
  • Environmentalists Sue for More Rules to Protect Sage Grouse
  • The Slowly Fading (But Near Normal) Pacific Northwest Snowpack
  • Could El Niño Turn Into a Dud for California?
  • These States Are Setting Wind Energy Records – And Suing over Obama’s Climate Plans
  • How Utilities & Their Regulators Will Determine the Future of Solar – Washington State is a Long Way from Grid Price Parity
  • FERC Chairman: Energy Storage Potential “Game Changer”
  • California: Pacific Gas & Electric ‘Far Surpassed’ State Renewable Energy Goal
  • The Hidden Genius of Geothermal HVAC Systems
  • Scientists Say California Methane Leak Was Biggest Ever In U-S
  • EPA Awards Washington State University Students nearly $15,000 for 'TrashWalls' Project Proposal
  • AT&T Sues Louisville over ‘Google Fiber’ Proposal – Decries Use of Its Poles by Other Service Providers
  • Apple Goes to Court, and FBI Presses Congress to Settle iPhone Privacy Fight
  • Old Fire Towers Could Help Broadband Expansion in Northern Wisconsin
  • City of Montesano Back On Social Media
  • Gorgeous New WPA-Style Posters Celebrate the U-S Energy Revolution
  • Yankees Get Lesson in Handling Defeat from Russell Wilson
  • Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds
  • Congressman Reichert Calls for Probe into Health of Aluminum Industry
  • Editorial: Governor Kate Brown Doubles Down On Muzzling of Oregon’s No-Coal Plan Critics
  • Report: Man Says He Shot Wife, Children in Belfair
  • Daytime Traffic Alert for Downtown Shelton – State Route 3 Gas-Line Work Delays Could Last a Month
  • Semi-Truck Roll Over Blocks SR 108
  • Geocacher Finds Homemade Bombs at Everett Park
  • State's Newest Ferry Out of Commission Due to Corrosion
  • Resilient Mason County WA – Bouncing Back with Teamwork
  • Cowlitz Tribe to Launch Brand, Begin Employee Search for Casino
WORD OF THE DAY

Keelhaul ● /KEEL-hawl/ ● Verb - 1: to haul under the keel of a ship as punishment or torture 2: to rebuke severely.

Word Origin (Merriam Webster) – In the mid-1600s, British monarchs were intent on using their powerful navy to expand their empire. Insubordination was not tolerated, and mutinous sailors were disciplined severely to discourage others from similar rebellion. Keelhauling was one of the worst penalties that could befall a renegade mariner. Although they definitely practiced the gruesome punishment, the British did not invent it—the Dutch did. Keelhaul is a translation of the Dutch word kielhalen, "to haul under the keel of a ship." Even after the practice was banned on European naval vessels in the mid-1800s, the word keelhaul remained in English as a term for a severe scolding.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Coal, Climate Change Clash in Colstrip – Residents Defend Fuel That Built This Town (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

Windstorm Damages Add Up for Avista – Part of Rate Increase Tagged for Storm Expenses (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Three Ways Mason PUD 3 is Building a Better Power Grid in Mason County (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

British Columbia: Politicians Say BC Hydro is Obscuring Data on Temporary Foreign Workers (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Alaska Co-op Sees Federal Role in Affordable Power (Electric Co-op Today)

Mason PUD 3 Commission Cancels March Regular Meetings & Reschedules (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Feds Advise Utilities to Pull Plug on Internet after Ukraine Attack (Washington Times)

Federal Budget for Fiscal 2017 Does Not Raise Idea of Selling TVA (American Public Power Association)

DC Regulators Reject Exelon-Pepco Deal, But Could Reconsider (Associated Press)

Massachusetts: Attorney General Says Gas Pipeline Vet Could Drain $650,000 (Boston Herald, MA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Government & Environment Concerns over Salmon Extinction in Warming Columbia & Snake Rivers (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Colville Tribe Seeks Community Input Concerning Bonneville Power Administration Purchased Properties (Tribal Tribune, Nespelem, WA)

NOAA Fisheries Releases Critical Habitat Designation for Lower Columbia River Coho (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Cantwell Pushes NOAA to Reduce Delays in Approving Hatchery Genetic Management Plans (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Environmentalists Sue for More Rules to Protect Sage Grouse (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

The Slowly Fading (But Near Normal) Pacific Northwest Snowpack (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

Could El Niño Turn Into a Dud for California? (Sacramento Bee, CA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

These States Are Setting Wind Energy Records – And Suing over Obama’s Climate Plans (Washington Post)

How Utilities & Their Regulators Will Determine the Future of Solar – Washington State is a Long Way from Grid Price Parity (Utility Dive)

FERC Chairman: Energy Storage Potential “Game Changer” (Fuelfix)

California: Pacific Gas & Electric ‘Far Surpassed’ State Renewable Energy Goal (Solar Industry Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

The Hidden Genius of Geothermal HVAC Systems (Renewable Energy World)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Scientists Say California Methane Leak Was Biggest Ever In U-S (Reuters)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

EPA Awards Washington State University Students nearly $15,000 for 'TrashWalls' Project Proposal (Utility Dive)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

AT&T Sues Louisville over ‘Google Fiber’ Proposal – Decries Use of Its Poles by Other Service Providers (USA Today)

Apple Goes to Court, and FBI Presses Congress to Settle iPhone Privacy Fight (NY Times)

Old Fire Towers Could Help Broadband Expansion in Northern Wisconsin (Wisconsin Public Radio)

MARKETING & MEDIA

City of Montesano Back On Social Media (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Gorgeous New WPA-Style Posters Celebrate the U-S Energy Revolution (Vox)

Yankees Get Lesson in Handling Defeat from Russell Wilson (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds (Consumerist)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Congressman Reichert Calls for Probe into Health of Aluminum Industry (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Editorial: Governor Kate Brown Doubles Down On Muzzling of Oregon’s No-Coal Plan Critics (Oregonian, Portland)

GENERAL NEWS

Report: Man Says He Shot Wife, Children in Belfair (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Daytime Traffic Alert for Downtown Shelton – State Route 3 Gas-Line Work Delays Could Last a Month (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Semi-Truck Roll Over Blocks SR 108 (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Geocacher Finds Homemade Bombs at Everett Park (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

State's Newest Ferry Out of Commission Due to Corrosion (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Resilient Mason County WA – Bouncing Back with Teamwork (Tazdo Consulting)

Cowlitz Tribe to Launch Brand, Begin Employee Search for Casino (Longview Daily News, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Canadian Banned From Owning Turtles after Smuggling 38 in Pants

Police Arrest Man Who Taunted Them Online, Taunt Him Back

Gnome Homes Enchant a Pennsylvania Park, Until They’re Evicted

Five Things You Didn't Know About Leap Day

SONG OF THE DAY

The Cowsills - The Rain, the Park & Other Things

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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.