Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Energy News Digest for March 22, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for March 22, 2016

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Council Approves New Head of Seattle City Light (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Oregon’s Top Utility Regulator Resigns (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Carbon Emissions Highest in 66 Million Years, Since Dinosaur Age (Reuters)

Legal Marijuana Sales Forecast to Hit $23B in Four Years (USA Today)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Council Approves New Head of Seattle City Light
  • City Light CEO Appointment Sparks Charged Debate
  • Oregon’s Top Utility Regulator Resigns
  • Franklin PUD Rate Hike May Be Canceled
  • Cowlitz PUD Hires Consultants for Meter Audit
  • Meeting Oregon’s New Energy Standard
  • Mason PUD 3 Honors Students for Electricity-Related Projects
  • Editorial: Puget Sound Energy Gingerly Steps toward Future with Less Coal
  • Op/Ed: Need for Transmission Project Is Still Strong
  • California: Davis, Yolo County Take Charge of Electricity Purchases
  • Amid a Graying Fleet of Nuclear Plants, a Hunt for Solutions
  • Next Generation Utility Workforce: The New Energy Resource
  • Sturgeon, Smelt, Lamprey Showing Declining Numbers in Columbia/Snake River Mainstem
  • Op/Ed: Flores – Returns Prove Salmon Plan Working
  • Oregon Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Plan Fails to Protect Salmon Streams, State Loses $1.2 Million
  • DNR Study Sees Seagrass Recovering in Puget Sound
  • Oregon: Sea Lions Take Over Rainier Docks, Leaving Damage in Wake
  • Big Ambitions in Parts of Northwest to Put Water Back Underground
  • Federal Regulators Divvying Up Oregon’s Stored Water
  • The Alliance for Solar Choice Sues to Overturn Nevada Net Metering Decision
  • SolarWorld Sales Rise, But a $770 Million Lawsuit Looms
  • Op/Ed: Will Washington State Support Going Solar?
  • Utilities See Growing Opportunity in the Community Solar Market
  • Including Biomass Fuel: Wood Product Companies Consider Bellingham Shipping Terminal
  • How Prepaid Electricity Saves Energy
  • Smart Energy Use Helps the Budget
  • Legal Marijuana Sales Forecast to Hit $23B in 4 Years
  • Supreme Court Rejects Suit against Colorado over Marijuana Law
  • Five Things You Probably Don’t Know About Washington State Marijuana Laws
  • Carbon Emissions Highest in 66 Million Years, Since Dinosaur Age
  • Colorado Company to Help Big Utility Turn Pig Plop into Power
  • Seattle Mayor: Municipal Broadband Too Costly; Public-Private Deal is the Way to Go
  • How Washington State Became a Battleground for Bitcoin Mining
  • Number of U-S Government ‘Cyber Incidents’ Jumps in 2015
  • Officials Seek to Reassure Congress on U-S Internet Giveaway
  • Infographic: As Social Platforms Grow Older, So Do Their Users
  • When Kickstarter Blows Up: Crowdfunding Site Wasn’t Built for Big-Time Projects
  • Counsel for the Environment Influential in Energy Project Siting
  • Belgium under Attack: Dozens Killed, More Injured as Three Explosions Rip through Brussels
  • Updated Information on Lynch Road Propane Leak, Emergency Power Outage
  • Olympic Peninsula Forest Collaborative Meeting in Shelton
  • Remembering the Oso Landslide Two Years Later
WORD OF THE DAY

Debutant • \DEB-yoo-tawnt\ • Noun – One making a debut.

The new employee was figuratively shaking in his boots. His first task was to make a twenty-minute presentation to the board of directors on the duties of his position. For a debutant, having the entire job description being listed as “other duties as assigned,” was daunting enough…but to hold forth for 20 minutes on his mysterious duties was the figurative “Mount Everest” of public speaking.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Council Approves New Head of Seattle City Light (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

City Light CEO Appointment Sparks Charged Debate (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Oregon’s Top Utility Regulator Resigns (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Franklin PUD Rate Hike May Be Canceled (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Cowlitz PUD Hires Consultants for Meter Audit (Longview Daily News, WA)

Meeting Oregon’s New Energy Standard (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Mason PUD 3 Honors Students for Electricity-Related Projects (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Stand By for Rate Increases – Editorial: Puget Sound Energy Gingerly Steps toward Future with Less Coal (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Op/Ed: Need for Transmission Project Is Still Strong (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

California: Davis, Yolo County Take Charge of Electricity Purchases (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Amid a Graying Fleet of Nuclear Plants, a Hunt for Solutions (NY Times)

Next Generation Utility Workforce: The New Energy Resource (Renewable Energy World)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sturgeon, Smelt, Lamprey Showing Declining Numbers in Columbia/Snake River Mainstem (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Op/Ed: Flores – Returns Prove Salmon Plan Working (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Oregon Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Plan Fails to Protect Salmon Streams, State Loses $1.2 Million (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

DNR Study Sees Seagrass Recovering in Puget Sound (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Oregon: Sea Lions Take Over Rainier Docks, Leaving Damage in Wake (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Big Ambitions in Parts of Northwest to Put Water Back Underground (KLCC, Eugene, OR)

Federal Regulators Divvying Up Oregon’s Stored Water (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

The Alliance for Solar Choice Sues to Overturn Nevada Net Metering Decision (Utility Dive)

SolarWorld Sales Rise, But a $770 Million Lawsuit Looms (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Op/Ed: Will Washington State Support Going Solar? (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

Utilities See Growing Opportunity in the Community Solar Market (Greentech Media)

Including Biomass Fuel: Wood Product Companies Consider Bellingham Shipping Terminal (Bellingham Herald, WA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

How Prepaid Electricity Saves Energy (Electric Co-op Today)

Smart Energy Use Helps the Budget (Fairbanks News Miner, AK)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Legal Marijuana Sales Forecast to Hit $23B in Four Years (USA Today)

Supreme Court Rejects Suit against Colorado over Marijuana Law (Reuters)

Five Things You Probably Don’t Know About Washington State Marijuana Laws (Canna Law Blog)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Carbon Emissions Highest in 66 Million Years, Since Dinosaur Age (Reuters)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Colorado Company to Help Big Utility Turn Pig Plop into Power (Denver Business Journal, CO)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Seattle Mayor: Municipal Broadband Too Costly; Public-Private Deal is the Way to Go (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

How Washington State Became a Battleground for Bitcoin Mining (CoinDesk)

Number of U-S Government ‘Cyber Incidents’ Jumps in 2015 (Reuters)

Officials Seek to Reassure Congress on U-S Internet Giveaway (Washington Examiner)

MARKETING & MEDIA

Infographic: As Social Platforms Grow Older, So Do Their Users – Women outnumber men on social media (AdWeek)

When Kickstarter Blows Up: Crowdfunding Site Wasn’t Built for Big-Time Projects (Oregonian, Portland)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Counsel for the Environment Influential in Energy Project Siting – Little-known, state-appointed lawyer could have big role in oil-terminal decision

GENERAL NEWS

Belgium under Attack: Dozens Killed, More Injured as Three Explosions Rip through Brussels (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Updated Information on Lynch Road Propane Leak, Emergency Power Outage (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Olympic Peninsula Forest Collaborative Meeting in Shelton (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Remembering the Oso Landslide Two Years Later (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Couple Accidentally Texts Strangers about Newborn, Strangers Show Up to Congratulate Them at Hospital

China to Banish ‘Bizarre’ Foreign Names for Residential Compounds

Library Book Overdue Nearly 50 Years Returned to Ohio School

Cops Say They Cracked Case of Who Egged Home 100-Plus Times

SONG OF THE DAY

Paul Anka – You’re Having My Baby

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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.