Thursday, March 24, 2016

Energy News Digest for March 24, 2016

The energy news digest will be seeking the perfect order of fish and chips on the Oregon coast next week. That means a short hiatus until April 4. During that time, watch the Twitter feed for tidbits that may divert the news digest’s attention from deep fried chunks of cod, halibut or salmon.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for March 24, 2016

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Three Dead in Tacoma Alley Car vs. Utility Truck Crash “…car was going about 55 miles per hour through the alley, plowed through traffic barrier and then slammed into the back of a cable utility truck…” (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Grant County Sheriff Asks for Vigilance Regarding Power Facilities (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Cannabis Production on the Power Grid in Mason County (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

As Seattle Hosts Broadband Conference, Mayor Doubles Down on Refusal to Build Municipal Internet Network (The Stranger, Seattle, WA)

To The Tune of $10 Million, Wind Power Pays Off for Oregon Landowners (Portland Business Journal, OR)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Three Dead in Tacoma Alley Car vs. Utility Truck Crash
  • Grant County Sheriff Asks for Vigilance Regarding Power Facilities
  • Chelan County PUD Mulls Smaller Rate Hike for Bitcoin Miners
  • Franklin PUD: No Rate Increase in 2016
  • Grays Harbor PUD Looks to Restructure Billing System
  • Energy Northwest: Small Modular Reactors Are the Future
  • The Grand Coulee Powers On, 75 Years after Its First Surge of Electricity
  • U-S Justice Department Announces Charges in New York Dam Cyberattack
  • Updated: Washington, D-C Approves Exelon-Pepco Merger
  • In Supreme Court's Second Power Case of 2016, Renewable Energy Advocates Are on Edge
  • Con Edison Prepares for Major NYC Smart Meter Rollout
  • Homeowners Warned to Look for Fake Utility Workers
  • Study: Farms, Hydropower at Risk in West's Changing Climate
  • Do Smart Meters Cut Carbon Dioxide Emissions? Chicago Utility Agrees to Find Out
  • Commercial Gillnetters Want Oregon State Ban Tossed Out
  • Op/Ed: Guided by Science, Hatcheries Have Evolved to Help Rebuild Runs
  • Yakima Basin Water Plan Cited as a Model for Others to Follow
  • City of Olympia Asks Residents to Make Water Conservation Pledge
  • To The Tune of $10 Million, Wind Power Pays Off for Oregon Landowners
  • Five Maps That Show Where the Action Is on Solar Policy – Spoiler: It's Everywhere
  • Impact of Solar Energy on Wildlife is an Emerging Environmental Issue
  • Love Solar Power But Got No Rooftop? "Shared Solar" Is Coming for You
  • Op/Ed: Benton, Franklin PUDs: Technology Pushing Utilities to Get Green, Lean & Keen on Future
  • Energy Department Announces Over $9 Million in Funding for 16 Indian & Alaska Native Community Clean Energy & Energy Efficiency Projects
  • Cannabis Production on the Power Grid in Mason County
  • Report Says Washington State to Lead Nation in Pot Sales by 2020
  • Did California Figure Out How to Fix Global Warming?
  • Electric Vehicle Charging Station Rebates Rolled Out in British Columbia
  • As Seattle Hosts Broadband Conference, Mayor Doubles Down on Refusal to Build Municipal Internet Network
  • International E-Mail Scam Hits Local Business for $12,000
  • Tennessee Makes It Clear: Protecting AT&T & Comcast from Broadband Competition Is Its Top Priority
  • Cable Infrastructure Spending Dropped 3% Last Year
  • Google to Bring Wi-Fi & Broadband Internet to Cuba
  • Wireless Mice Leave Billions at Risk of Computer Hack: Cyber Security Firm
  • This Study Shows Why Retailers Should Ramp Up Their Email Game for Millennials
  • Audi Set Up Free Wi-Fi at the New York Auto Show, and Look What the Networks Are Called
  • Partisan Tensions, Tough Fights Marked 2016 Session in Olympia
  • FEMA Bill to Speed Aid Clears House
  • Washington State Adds Jobs But Unemployment Rate Remains 5.8%
  • Proposed Belfair Park on Toxic Cleanup List
  • City of Shelton Hires Firm in C Street Landfill Lawsuit
  • Shelton City Commission Split on Fee Reductions
  • City of Shelton Tries to Save 1948 Building from Being Razed
  • Man Finally Descends Seattle Tree, Ending 25-Hour Drama
WORD OF THE DAY

Prolix • \proh-LICKS\ • adjective – 1: unduly prolonged or drawn out: too long *2: marked by or using an excess of words

Like King Canute commanding the tides to stop surging to the shore, the moderator knew that his admonition to the speaker about brevity was a fruitless effort to stem an expected torrent of prolix prose. “What more can be said about the importance of mineral oil to the health of baby bottoms?” droned the loquacious after-dinner speaker. “What more indeed,” murmured his wife, who surreptitiously glanced at her watch after two hours of oratorical obfuscation.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Three Dead in Tacoma Alley Car vs. Utility Truck Crash “…car was going about 55 miles per hour through the alley, plowed through traffic barrier and then slammed into the back of a cable utility truck…” (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Grant County Sheriff Asks for Vigilance Regarding Power Facilities (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Chelan County PUD Mulls Smaller Rate Hike for Bitcoin Miners (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Franklin PUD: No Rate Increase in 2016 (Franklin PUD, Pasco, WA)

Grays Harbor PUD Looks to Restructure Billing System (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Energy Northwest: Small Modular Reactors Are the Future (Tri-City Herald, WA)

The Grand Coulee Powers On, 75 Years after Its First Surge of Electricity (Smithsonian Magazine)

U-S Justice Department Announces Charges in New York Dam Cyberattack (Associated Press)

Updated: Washington, D-C Approves Exelon-Pepco Merger (Utility Dive)

In Supreme Court's Second Power Case of 2016, Renewable Energy Advocates Are on Edge (Utility Dive)

Con Edison Prepares for Major NYC Smart Meter Rollout “…enhanced data will help third-party providers of energy services…” (Utility Dive)

Homeowners Warned to Look for Fake Utility Workers (Yahoo News)

Study: Farms, Hydropower at Risk in West's Changing Climate (Associated Press)

Do Smart Meters Cut Carbon Dioxide Emissions? Chicago Utility Agrees to Find Out (Midwest Energy News)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Commercial Gillnetters Want Oregon State Ban Tossed Out (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

Op/Ed: Guided by Science, Hatcheries Have Evolved to Help Rebuild Runs (Oregonian, Portland)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Yakima Basin Water Plan Cited as a Model for Others to Follow (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

City of Olympia Asks Residents to Make Water Conservation Pledge (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

To The Tune of $10 Million, Wind Power Pays Off for Oregon Landowners (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Five Maps That Show Where the Action Is on Solar Policy – Spoiler: It's Everywhere (Utility Dive)

Impact of Solar Energy on Wildlife is an Emerging Environmental Issue (Breaking Energy – Please build it. We dare you.)

Love Solar Power But Got No Rooftop? "Shared Solar" Is Coming for You (Vox)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Op/Ed: Benton, Franklin PUDs: Technology Pushing Utilities to Get Green, Lean & Keen on Future (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Energy Department Announces Over $9 Million in Funding for 16 Indian & Alaska Native Community Clean Energy & Energy Efficiency Projects (Breaking Energy)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Cannabis Production on the Power Grid in Mason County (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Report Says Washington State to Lead Nation in Pot Sales by 2020 (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Did California Figure Out How to Fix Global Warming? (Newsweek)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Rebates Rolled Out in British Columbia (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

As Seattle Hosts Broadband Conference, Mayor Doubles Down on Refusal to Build Municipal Internet Network (The Stranger, Seattle, WA)

International E-Mail Scam Hits Local Business for $12,000 (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)

Tennessee Makes It Clear: Protecting AT&T & Comcast from Broadband Competition Is Its Top Priority (TechDirt)

Cable Infrastructure Spending Dropped 3% Last Year (Broadband Reports)

Google to Bring Wi-Fi & Broadband Internet to Cuba (Reuters)

Wireless Mice Leave Billions at Risk of Computer Hack: Cyber Security Firm (Reuters)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

This Study Shows Why Retailers Should Ramp Up Their Email Game for Millennials (AdWeek)

Audi Set Up Free Wi-Fi at the New York Auto Show, and Look What the Networks Are Called (AdWeek)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Partisan Tensions, Tough Fights Marked 2016 Session in Olympia (Northwest Public Radio)

FEMA Bill to Speed Aid Clears House (Electric Co-op Today)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Adds Jobs But Unemployment Rate Remains 5.8% (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Proposed Belfair Park on Toxic Cleanup List (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

City of Shelton Hires Firm in C Street Landfill Lawsuit (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Shelton City Commission Split on Fee Reductions (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

City of Shelton Tries to Save 1948 Building from Being Razed (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Man Finally Descends Seattle Tree, Ending 25-Hour Drama (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Alabama City Cracking Down on Diaperless Horses

Scientists Say Shakespeare’s Skull May Be Missing from Grave

Viral Photo Shows Washington Coffee Stand Workers Praying with Grieving Customer

Woman Sues Yale Doctors after Wrong Body Part Removed

SONG OF THE DAY

Dire Straits – Romeo & Juliet

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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 web sites 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.