Friday, September 14, 2018

Energy News Digest for September 14, 2018


Programming Note: The Energy News Digest will be communing with communicators next week. There will be occasional dispatches from the trenches, but your best bet will be to start following the news digest’s Twitter and Facebook feeds for when the digest is “out of country.”

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The Energy News Digest is on Facebook, and on Twitter.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Ailing Orca Is Probably Dead, Whale Researcher Says (Oregonian, Portland)

PacifiCorp’s Oregon Smart Meter Rollout Hits Bumps (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Microsoft Is Rolling Out a Rural Broadband Plan — But Iowa Counties That Benefit Aren’t Rural (Des Moines Register, IA)

17 Bipartisan Governors Vow to Fight Climate Change—And President Trump (Atlantic Magazine)

Special Solar Panels Turn Air into Drinking Water (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      PacifiCorp’s Oregon Smart Meter Rollout Hits Bumps
2.      U-S Senators Tout Oregon Projects in Energy, Water Spending Bill
3.      Lead U-S Negotiators for New Columbia River Treaty Hold Portland Town Hall
4.      Massachusetts Disaster: Columbia Gas Announced It Was ‘Improving’ Gas Service on Day of Explosions
5.      FERC, NERC Open Inquiry into Winter Load Event That Stressed Midwest Grids
6.      Ailing Orca Is Probably Dead, Whale Researcher Says
7.      Huge Marine Protection Area to Be Created Off Northern Vancouver Island
8.      Draft Columbia Basin Fish Accords Extension Out for Review; Less Expensive, Shorter Duration
9.      News Release: Senator Murray – Deal Keeps Politics Out of Columbia River System Operations
10.   Spokane Tribe Launches ‘Children of the Sun’ Solar Initiative, with Long-Range Plans for Energy Independence
11.   As Storms Bear Down, More Homeowners Look to Batteries – Not Generators – for Backup Power
12.   Microsoft Is Rolling Out a Rural Broadband Plan — But Iowa Counties That Benefit Aren’t Rural
13.   FCC Speed Tests for Internet Service Providers
14.   Wired Icelanders Seek to Keep Remote Peninsula Digital-Free
15.   Forget Smart Ovens. Intelligent HVAC Is the Smart Home’s Future
16.   Longview Water Meter Costs to Rise Slightly after Contract Change
17.   17 Bipartisan Governors Vow to Fight Climate Change—And President Trump
18.   Challenge at a Climate Conference: Keeping It Green
19.   Nike Stock Closes at All-Time High in Aftermath of Colin Kaepernick Ad Campaign
20.   Special Solar Panels Turn Air into Drinking Water
21.   Oregon Lawmakers Try to Force Trump Administration to Follow Through on Tribal Housing
22.   Jam-Packed Gathering Shows Support for Tumwater Teachers
23.   Tentative Contract Agreement Reached in Week-Long Tacoma Teachers Strike
24.   Much of Carolinas Awash after Hurricane Florence Moves In
25.   Humane Society Seeks Help with 36 Pets Recovered from Kitsap County Home

WORD OF THE DAY

Minion • \MIN-yun\ • noun: 1: a servile dependent, follower, or underling 2: one highly favored: IDOL 3: a subordinate or petty official.

The hard-fought dodge ball match between the accountants and auditors was over. The chief auditor and his minions having been dispatched by the red, bouncy playground balls flung with glee by a phalanx of Certified Public Accountants. “You will rue the day I was vanquished, he cried.” “Perhaps,” muttered the Senior Accountant in hushed tones. “But today belongs to the eye-shaded bean counters.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    PacifiCorp’s Oregon Smart Meter Rollout Hits Bumps (Portland Business Journal, OR)

2.    U-S Senators Tout Oregon Projects in Energy, Water Spending Bill (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

3.    Lead U-S Negotiators for New Columbia River Treaty Hold Portland Town Hall (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

4.    Massachusetts Disaster: Columbia Gas Announced It Was ‘Improving’ Gas Service on Day of Explosions (Boston Business Journal, MA)

5.    FERC, NERC Open Inquiry into Winter Load Event That Stressed Midwest Grids (Utility Dive)

FISH & WILDLIFE

6.    Ailing Orca Is Probably Dead, Whale Researcher Says (Oregonian, Portland)

7.    Huge Marine Protection Area to Be Created Off Northern Vancouver Island (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

8.    Draft Columbia Basin Fish Accords Extension Out for Review; Less Expensive, Shorter Duration (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

9.    News Release: Senator Murray – Deal Keeps Politics Out of Columbia River System Operations (U-S Senator Patty Murray)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

10. Spokane Tribe Launches ‘Children of the Sun’ Solar Initiative, with Long-Range Plans for Energy Independence (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

11. As Storms Bear Down, More Homeowners Look to Batteries – Not Generators – for Backup Power (U-S News & World Report)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

12. Microsoft Is Rolling Out a Rural Broadband Plan — But Iowa Counties That Benefit Aren’t Rural (Des Moines Register, IA)

13. FCC Speed Tests for Internet Service Providers (Pots & Pans)

14. Wired Icelanders Seek to Keep Remote Peninsula Digital-Free (SF Chronicle)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

15. Forget Smart Ovens. Intelligent HVAC Is the Smart Home’s Future (Fast Company)

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

16. Longview Water Meter Costs to Rise Slightly after Contract Change (Longview Daily News, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

17. 17 Bipartisan Governors Vow to Fight Climate Change—And President Trump (Atlantic Magazine)

18. Challenge at a Climate Conference: Keeping It Green (NY Times)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

19. Nike Stock Closes at All-Time High in Aftermath of Colin Kaepernick Ad Campaign (Yahoo Sports)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

20. Special Solar Panels Turn Air into Drinking Water (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

21. Oregon Lawmakers Try to Force Trump Administration to Follow Through on Tribal Housing (Oregonian, Portland)

GENERAL NEWS

22. Jam-Packed Gathering Shows Support for Tumwater Teachers (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

23. Tentative Contract Agreement Reached in Week-Long Tacoma Teachers Strike (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

24. Much of Carolinas Awash after Hurricane Florence Moves In (Reuters)

25. Humane Society Seeks Help with 36 Pets Recovered from Kitsap County Home (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Why the Humble Ukulele Could Be Your New Yoga

Andre Blay, Who Put Movies on Videotape, Is Dead at 81

A Pod of Beluga Whales Adopted a Lost Narwhal, & It’s Too Wholesome

New Mexico: ‘Telescope Did Not See Aliens,’ Director of Mysteriously Shut Down Observatory Claims

SONG OF THE DAY

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain – Life on Mars

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.