Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Energy News Digest for July 6, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Grays Harbor PUD Commission Opposes Carbon Tax Initiative (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Claim from Imperial Irrigation District – Another California Electricity Crisis Ahead? (Courthouse News Service)

California Dreaming: Utilities Uneasy with Regulator’s Vision to Remake Their Business Model (Utility Dive)

July in the Pacific Northwest Will Be Wet, Cool in the Wake of El Nino (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Buyers Should Be Wary of Houses That Are Marketed as Energy-Efficient (Washington Post)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Claim from Imperial Irrigation District – Another California Electricity Crisis Ahead?
  • Oregon: Federal Regulators Seek Input on Permit for 500-MW Owyhee Pumped Storage Project
  • Reservoir Levels Will Fluctuate During Turbine Tests for Nine Mile Dam
  • Vandals Shoot Windows at Grays Harbor PUD
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Sought to Skirt Federal Rules for Pipeline Pressure
  • Report: Warren Buffett Energy Company Could Be Eyeing Bid for Hawaiian Electric
  • Energy Adviser: Electrifying Facts about Energy
  • Video: Pilgrim – The End of a Nuclear Power Plant
  • After Avoiding Default, Puerto Rico Utility Secures 26% Rate Hike to Help Cover Restructuring
  • Florida: July 4th Balloons Knock Out Power to Thousands in Kissimmee
  • Once Again, Dworshak Reservoir, Columbia River Make Bassmaster’s List for Best Bass Fishing
  • Fairly Good Catch of Hatchery Chinook in the Strait of Juan de Fuca
  • Op/Ed: Dam-Managing Agencies Won’t Do the Right Thing for Snake River Dams
  • Washington State Vineyards Use Drone to Capture Irrigation Data
  • Editorial: Southern California Doesn’t Have the Money to Buy Its Way to Clean Air
  • California Dreaming: Utilities Uneasy with Regulator’s Vision to Remake Their Business Model
  • California Outshines Other States in Solar Power
  • Oil Fire Put Out at REC Silicon
  • Tapping in to Geothermal Energy – Touring the Newberry Geothermal Energy research facility
  • Wind Turbine Industry Aims to Keep Tailwind Blowing
  • Buyers Should Be Wary of Houses That Are Marketed as Energy-Efficient
  • Grays Harbor PUD Commission Opposes Carbon Tax Initiative
  • Florida: Miami-Dade Could Ask Developers to Pay for Climate Change Costs
  • Science Groups Blasted for Crossing Line into Activism with Climate-Change Letter to Congress
  • The ‘Holy Grail’ for Earthquake Scientists Has Been Accidentally Destroyed
  • Silicon Valley: Yahoo Third-Round Bids Due Wednesday
  • Here’s How to Make Google Forget All Those Embarrassing Things You’ve Done Online
  • Comcast Leaves Cable Dangling in Back Yard of Non-Customer for More Than Two Years
  • Snapchat Unveils Memories to Save Photos, Videos
  • Twitter Debuts Livestreaming with High Definition Broadcast of Wimbledon
  • 26 Ways to Use Video for Your Social Media Marketing
  • ‘Selfie Elbow’ Is the Latest in a Long Line of Tech-Related Injuries
  • Why You Should Stop Using the Word ‘Foodie’ & 21 Other Awful Food Terms
  • Belfair Man’s Trump Truck Pelted during Burien 4th of July Parade
  • Editorial: Verner, Upthegrove Top Lands Commissioner Field
  • Trailer Rollover Blocks U-S 101 Traffic, Seven Rescued
  • Group Says It Sabotaged Oregon Lumber Mill’s Logs
  • Hot Spot Reignites Blaze in Downtown Olympia Warehouse Overnight
  • July in the Pacific Northwest Will Be Wet, Cool in the Wake of El Nino
  • NASA Live-Tweeted the Juno Spacecraft Entering Jupiter’s Orbit, & Basically Won the Internet
  • Tech Snafu Forces Starbucks to Apologize, Reveal Higher Prices
WORD OF THE DAY

Particular ● \per-TICK-yuh-lurr\ ● Adjective – Used to indicate that one specific person or thing is being referred to and no others. Special or more than usual. Having very definite opinions about what is good or acceptable.

My particular use of the term “Pacific Northwest” as opposed to “the Northwest” has its genesis in a phone call I made in the 1980’s to book an Amtrak Ticket from Washington State to a city in Oregon. It is a “hair shirt” pet peeve.

The customer service rep seemed clueless as to the location of Washington State. When I said it was in the “Northwest,” she said, “Oh, you mean near Ohio.” Sigh. Her reference was to the Old Northwest Territories, which in the late 1700’s meant Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and part of Minnesota (see the name origin of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL). I just could not penetrate the person’s wall of ignorance: a person who responsible for booking Amtrak tickets. I drove to my destination.

Even the term “Pacific Northwest” is amorphous. Sometimes including only Washington State, Oregon & Idaho. Other times adding northern California, British Columbia, Alaska, and west Montana.

Is it a pet peeve of mine? Yes. Just like the use of the geographic name “Washington,” when someone actually means “Washington State.” Not to confuse it with Washington, DC.

Now, get off my lawn!

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Claim from Imperial Irrigation District – Another California Electricity Crisis Ahead? (Courthouse News Service)

Oregon: Federal Regulators Seek Input on Permit for 500-MW Owyhee Pumped Storage Project (Renewable Energy World)

Reservoir Levels Will Fluctuate During Turbine Tests for Nine Mile Dam (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Vandals Shoot Windows at Grays Harbor PUD (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Pacific Gas & Electric Sought to Skirt Federal Rules for Pipeline Pressure (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Report: Warren Buffett Energy Company Could Be Eyeing Bid for Hawaiian Electric (Utility Dive)

Energy Adviser: Electrifying Facts about Energy (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Video: Pilgrim – The End of a Nuclear Power Plant (The Atlantic)

After Avoiding Default, Puerto Rico Utility Secures 26% Rate Hike to Help Cover Restructuring (Utility Dive)

Florida: July 4th Balloons Knock Out Power to Thousands in Kissimmee (Kissimmee Utility Authority, FL)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Once Again, Dworshak Reservoir, Columbia River Make Bassmaster’s List for Best Bass Fishing (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Fairly Good Catch of Hatchery Chinook in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Op/Ed: Dam-Managing Agencies Won’t Do the Right Thing for Snake River Dams (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Washington State Vineyards Use Drone to Capture Irrigation Data (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)

Editorial: Southern California Doesn’t Have the Money to Buy Its Way to Clean Air (Los Angeles Times, CA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

California Dreaming: Utilities Uneasy with Regulator’s Vision to Remake Their Business Model (Utility Dive)

California Outshines Other States in Solar Power (Forbes Magazine)

Oil Fire Put Out at REC Silicon (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Tapping in to Geothermal Energy – Touring the Newberry Geothermal Energy research facility (Northwest Power & Conservation Council)

Wind Turbine Industry Aims to Keep Tailwind Blowing (USA Today)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Buyers Should Be Wary of Houses That Are Marketed as Energy-Efficient (Washington Post)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Grays Harbor PUD Commission Opposes Carbon Tax Initiative (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Florida: Miami-Dade Could Ask Developers to Pay for Climate Change Costs (Miami New-Times, FL)
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miami-dade-could-ask-developers-to-pay-for-climate-change-costs-8576071

Science Groups Blasted for Crossing Line into Activism with Climate-Change Letter to Congress (Washington Times)

SCIENCE SWIMS IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

The ‘Holy Grail’ for Earthquake Scientists Has Been Accidentally Destroyed (Los Angeles Times, CA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Silicon Valley: Yahoo Third-Round Bids Due Wednesday (BizWomen)

Here’s How to Make Google Forget All Those Embarrassing Things You’ve Done Online (Consumerist)

Comcast Leaves Cable Dangling in Back Yard of Non-Customer for More Than Two Years (Consumerist)

MARKETING & MEDIA

Snapchat Unveils Memories to Save Photos, Videos (USA Today)

Twitter Debuts Livestreaming with High Definition Broadcast of Wimbledon (AdWeek)

26 Ways to Use Video for Your Social Media Marketing (Social Media Examiner)

‘Selfie Elbow’ Is the Latest in a Long Line of Tech-Related Injuries (Washington Post)

Why You Should Stop Using the Word ‘Foodie’ & 21 Other Awful Food Terms (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

POLITICS & MANAGEMENT

Belfair Man’s Trump Truck Pelted during Burien 4th of July Parade (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Editorial: Verner, Upthegrove Top Lands Commissioner Field (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Trailer Rollover Blocks U-S 101 Traffic, Seven Rescued (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Group Says It Sabotaged Oregon Lumber Mill’s Logs (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

Hot Spot Reignites Blaze in Downtown Olympia Warehouse Overnight (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

July in the Pacific Northwest Will Be Wet, Cool in the Wake of El Nino (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

NASA Live-Tweeted the Juno Spacecraft Entering Jupiter’s Orbit, & Basically Won the Internet (Yahoo News)

Tech Snafu Forces Starbucks to Apologize, Reveal Higher Prices (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Human Slingshot Launches People 300 Feet into the Air

101 Bivalves Down the Gullet – 2016 Oyster Eating Challenge Has A New Champion

How Champion Eater Joey ‘Jaws’ Chestnut Scarfed Down 70 Hot Dogs in 10 Minutes

Orphaned Elk Shows Up at Wildfire, Nuzzles Firefighters

SONG OF THE DAY

Duran Duran – Hungry Like the Wolf

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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.