Thursday, September 8, 2016

Energy News Digest for September 8, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Audit Finds ‘Suspicious Behavior’ in Dozens of Energy Projects That Got Oregon Tax Credits (Oregonian, Portland)

Ellensburg City Council Approves Buying Power on Wholesale Market (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

Pend Oreille County Smelter Plan Raises Power Issue – PUD’s industrial electricity demands still in question (Spokane Journal of Business, WA)

Jerry Brown Presses Case for Expanding California’s Power Grid (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Facebook Data Centers’ Tax Breaks Under Scrutiny in New Mexico, Utah (Oregonian, Portland)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Ellensburg City Council Approves Buying Power on Wholesale Market
  • Pend Oreille County Smelter Plan Raises Power Issue – PUD’s industrial electricity demands still in question
  • Jerry Brown Presses Case for Expanding California’s Power Grid
  • British Columbia: Caravan Hits the Road as Peace River Dam Court Date Nears
  • Montana: EPA Says Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant Site Needs Cleanup
  • A New Boss at Eugene Water & Electric Board
  • Rate Impacts of Decoupling in Minnesota Are Minimal So Far
  • North Dakota Pipeline Fight Gives Spark to Native American Activism
  • Traditional Salmon Fishing on Capilano River Raises Complaints
  • Editorial: Salmon Return Amid Changing Water Conditions
  • A Salmon Famine Is Driving a Famous Orca Clan to Extinction
  • Audit Finds ‘Suspicious Behavior’ in Dozens of Energy Projects That Got Oregon Tax Credits
  • City of Ashland Adopts ‘10 by 20’ Clean Energy Ordinance
  • Oahu Rooftop Solar Program’s Cap Could Be Reached Any Day
  • Seattle Cuts Greenhouse-Gas Emissions Six Percent in Six Years, Report Says
  • USA Swelters Through Hottest Summer Nights in 121 Years
  • Energy Adviser: Electronics Recycling Halts Hidden Hazards
  • If I Use Clean Power, Can I Crank Up the AC without Guilt?
  • Facebook Data Centers’ Tax Breaks Under Scrutiny in New Mexico, Utah
  • AT&T Accused of Using Loophole to Deny Subsidized Broadband
  • Comcast Business Expansion Near Port of Grays Harbor Increases Speed
  • Hacked Dropbox Data of 68 Million Users Now for Sale on the Dark Web
  • How Ransomware Became a Billion-Dollar Nightmare for Businesses
  • Apple Unveils iPhone 7 But Some Still Waiting for iPhone 8
  • The Age of the Wordless Logo
  • Energy Groups Push for Renewal of Tax Credits
  • Texas Republican Takes on Leadership Role in U-S House Energy Committee
  • Measure 97, Seeking to Raise Corporate Taxes, Splits Oregon Voters
  • This Employee ID Badge Monitors & Listens to You at Work — Except in the Bathroom
  • Over Insurance Requirement – Mason Friends of Parks Withdraws Support to Convert Ball Fields to All Weather Use
  • Washington State Attorney General Seeks Legislation Banning Assault Weapons
  • Washington State Supreme Court Justices Skeptical of School-Funding Prospects
WORD OF THE DAY

Pulchritude • \PULL-kruh-tood\ • noun - Physical comeliness

All the men in the room heaved a dreamy sigh as Melanie paraded through the office. Besides being the nicest person you’d ever want to meet on this earth, her pulchritude was often a distraction to the opposite sex; which is why she was forbidden to visit the metal shop on the third floor.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Ellensburg City Council Approves Buying Power on Wholesale Market (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

Pend Oreille County Smelter Plan Raises Power Issue – PUD’s industrial electricity demands still in question (Spokane Journal of Business, WA)

Jerry Brown Presses Case for Expanding California’s Power Grid (Sacramento Bee, CA)

British Columbia: Caravan Hits the Road as Peace River Dam Court Date Nears (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Montana: EPA Says Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant Site Needs Cleanup (Associated Press)

A New Boss at Eugene Water & Electric Board (Eugene Weekly, OR)

Rate Impacts of Decoupling in Minnesota Are Minimal So Far (Midwest Energy News)

North Dakota Pipeline Fight Gives Spark to Native American Activism (Reuters)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Traditional Salmon Fishing on Capilano River Raises Complaints (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Editorial: Salmon Return Amid Changing Water Conditions (The Daily Astorian, OR)
http://www.dailyastorian.com/editorials/20160908/editorial-salmon-return-amid-changing-water-conditions

A Salmon Famine Is Driving a Famous Orca Clan to Extinction (Earth Touch News)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Audit Finds ‘Suspicious Behavior’ in Dozens of Energy Projects That Got Oregon Tax Credits (Oregonian, Portland)

City of Ashland Adopts ‘10 by 20’ Clean Energy Ordinance (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)

Oahu rooftop solar program’s cap could be reached any day (Pacific Business News, HI)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Seattle Cuts Greenhouse-Gas Emissions Six Percent in Six Years, Report Says (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

USA Swelters Through Hottest Summer Nights in 121 Years (USA Today)

SCIENCE SWIMS IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Energy Adviser: Electronics Recycling Halts Hidden Hazards (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

If I Use Clean Power, Can I Crank Up the AC without Guilt? (Grist Online)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Facebook Data Centers’ Tax Breaks Under Scrutiny in New Mexico, Utah (Oregonian, Portland)

AT&T Accused of Using Loophole to Deny Subsidized Broadband (Fierce Cable)

Comcast Business Expansion Near Port of Grays Harbor Increases Speed (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Hacked Dropbox Data of 68 Million Users Now for Sale on the Dark Web (Washington Post)

How Ransomware Became a Billion-Dollar Nightmare for Businesses (Atlantic Magazine)

Apple Unveils iPhone 7 But Some Still Waiting for iPhone 8 (Reuters)

MARKETING & MEDIA

The Age of the Wordless Logo (Atlantic Magazine)

POLITICS & MANAGEMENT

Energy Groups Push for Renewal of Tax Credits (The Hill, Washington, DC)

Texas Republican Takes on Leadership Role in U-S House Energy Committee (Washington Examiner)

Measure 97, Seeking to Raise Corporate Taxes, Splits Oregon Voters (NY Times)

This Employee ID Badge Monitors & Listens to You at Work — Except in the Bathroom (Washington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

Over Insurance Requirement – Mason Friends of Parks Withdraws Support to Convert Ball Fields to All Weather Use (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington State Attorney General Seeks Legislation Banning Assault Weapons (Associated Press)

Washington State Supreme Court Justices Skeptical of School-Funding Prospects (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Creepy Clown Reports Continue in South Carolina – Clowns Are Not Happy

How to Pick the Fastest Line at the Supermarket

Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Happy Birthday, Mr. President’ Dress Up for Auction

After 50 Years – How Did ‘Star Trek’ Change Science Fiction & the TV Business?

SONG OF THE DAY

Just Cuz: The Doobie Brothers – Another Park, Another Sunday

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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.