Friday, April 18, 2014

Energy News Digest for April 18, 2018

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 18, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

U-S Senator Murray, Congressman Hastings Call for Action on Columbia River Treaty (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Pot, Power & Pollution: The Overlooked Impacts of Marijuana Legalization on Utilities & the Environment (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

Klamath Basin Restoration Bill Headed to Congress with Support of Tribes & Ranchers (Northwest Public Radio)

Chelan PUD Wraps Up Work on Rocky Reach Generating Turbines (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Libraries Seek High-Speed Broadband (NY Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • U-S Senator Murray, Congressman Hastings Call for Action on Columbia River Treaty (Tri-City Herald, WA)
  • Pot, Power & Pollution: The Overlooked Impacts of Marijuana Legalization on Utilities & the Environment (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)
  • Chelan PUD Wraps Up Work on Rocky Reach Generating Turbines (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
  • Benton PUD to Meet with Public about Electricity Rates (Tri-City Herald, WA)
  • Puget Sound Energy: Energize Eastside Project Sparks Opposition (Bellevue Reporter, WA)
  • Puget Sound Energy Fixing Gas Line Installations that Could Lead to Explosions (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Port Angeles Cat Rescued from Atop Utility Pole (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
  • Tiny Power Plants Hold Promise for Nuclear Energy (Associated Press)
  • Is Your Home’s Energy Meter Spying on You? (Fox News)
  • Wal-Mart Takes on Money Transfer Companies with New Service (Reuters)
  • Grant PUD Using Hatchery-Raised Fish to Test Ladder (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
  • Shellfish Areas on Washington State Coast at Risk of Fecal Bacteria (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
  • EPA Rule to Limit Fish Kills at Power Plants Delayed One Month (Bloomberg News)
  • Klamath Basin Restoration Bill Headed to Congress with Support of Tribes & Ranchers (Northwest Public Radio)
  • California Suffers Astonishingly Fast Snowpack Melt as Drought Intensifies (Mashable)
  • Future Uncertain for Wind Industry Tax Credits – Report cites ‘declining political appetite for wind PTC’ (Free Beacon)
  • Wind Farms Are Less of a Threat to Birds than People Think (Softpedia)
  • Interactive Map: NRECA Cooperatives & Renewable Energy - Electric cooperatives across the country are actively expanding their fuel portfolios to include an array of renewable sources, including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, manure & hydro. (National Electric Cooperative Association)
  • Pull This Cute Portable Radiator around the Room Like a Warm-Bodied Pet (Gizmodo)
  • Study Ties Epic California Drought, ‘Frigid East’ to Manmade Climate Change (The Energy Collective)
  • Rethinking the Climate Change Debate (Bloomberg News)
  • Wall Street Wants to Lend You Money to Fight Climate Change (The Atlantic)
  • European Union EU Green Light for United Kingdom Carbon Capture & Storage Project (British Broadcasting Corporation)
  • Will Utilities Control Behind-The-Meter Solar Batteries? (Midwest Energy News)
  • Libraries Seek High-Speed Broadband (NY Times)
  • How Aereo’s Case May Change TV Bills - Broadcasters are challenging the online video service next week in the Supreme Court (U-S News & World Report)
  • Michaels Confirms Extent of Data Breach, Lists Stores Affected (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
  • Computers Are Lasting Longer: Here’s Why That Is Bad News for Free Geek (Oregonian, Portland)
  • CenturyLink VP: New Mexico Geography Good for Data Centers (Albuquerque Business Journal, NM)
  • Facebook Rolls Out ‘Nearby Friends,’ a Real-Time Friend Tracker (Washington Post)
  • It’s Time to Ditch Facebook & Start Over (Gizmodo)
  • Privacy Concerns? What Google Now Says It Can Do with Your Data (Christian Science Monitor)
  • They May Be Filled with Trolls, But Comments Still Have Value - And They Could Have Even More (GigaOM)
  • Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds (Consumerist)
  • High Surf Advisory Issued by NWS Portland - Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington (National Weather Service, Portland, OR)
  • High Wind Event Knocks over Trees at Point Defiance (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Avalanche Sweeps down Everest, Killing at Least 12 (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Those Who Helped Soldier Search Mudslide for His Relatives Shocked at Suicide in Capital Forest (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Washington State Rejects Fed’s Hanford Proposal (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

WORD OF THE DAY

Defeasance • \dih-FEEZ-sunts\ • Noun - 1: the termination of a property interest in accordance with stipulated conditions (as in a deed) 2: an instrument stating such conditions of limitation b: a rendering null or void 2: defeat, overthrow.

Mason PUD 3 is happy today thanks to the impending defeasance of its requirement for certain registration and reliability standards under the Federal Energy Policy Act of 2005. Long time coming, man.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

U-S Senator Murray, Congressman Hastings Call for Action on Columbia River Treaty (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Pot, Power & Pollution: The Overlooked Impacts of Marijuana Legalization on Utilities & the Environment (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

Chelan PUD Wraps Up Work on Rocky Reach Generating Turbines (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Benton PUD to Meet with Public about Electricity Rates (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Puget Sound Energy: Energize Eastside Project Sparks Opposition (Bellevue Reporter, WA)

Puget Sound Energy Fixing Gas Line Installations that Could Lead to Explosions (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Port Angeles Cat Rescued from Atop Utility Pole (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Tiny Power Plants Hold Promise for Nuclear Energy (Associated Press)

Is Your Home’s Energy Meter Spying on You? (Fox News)

Wal-Mart Takes on Money Transfer Companies with New Service (Reuters)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Grant PUD Using Hatchery-Raised Fish to Test Ladder (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Shellfish Areas on Washington State Coast at Risk of Fecal Bacteria (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

EPA Rule to Limit Fish Kills at Power Plants Delayed One Month (Bloomberg News)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Klamath Basin Restoration Bill Headed to Congress with Support of Tribes & Ranchers (Northwest Public Radio)

California Suffers Astonishingly Fast Snowpack Melt as Drought Intensifies (Mashable)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Future Uncertain for Wind Industry Tax Credits – Report cites ‘declining political appetite for wind PTC’ (Free Beacon)

Wind Farms Are Less of a Threat to Birds than People Think (Softpedia)

Interactive Map: NRECA Cooperatives & Renewable Energy - Electric cooperatives across the country are actively expanding their fuel portfolios to include an array of renewable sources, including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, manure & hydro. (National Electric Cooperative Association)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Pull This Cute Portable Radiator around the Room Like a Warm-Bodied Pet (Gizmodo)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Study Ties Epic California Drought, ‘Frigid East’ to Manmade Climate Change (The Energy Collective)

Rethinking the Climate Change Debate (Bloomberg News)

Wall Street Wants to Lend You Money to Fight Climate Change (The Atlantic)

European Union EU Green Light for United Kingdom Carbon Capture & Storage Project (British Broadcasting Corporation)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Will Utilities Control Behind-The-Meter Solar Batteries? (Midwest Energy News)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Libraries Seek High-Speed Broadband (NY Times)

How Aereo’s Case May Change TV Bills - Broadcasters are challenging the online video service next week in the Supreme Court (U-S News & World Report)

Michaels Confirms Extent of Data Breach, Lists Stores Affected (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

Computers Are Lasting Longer: Here’s Why That Is Bad News for Free Geek (Oregonian, Portland)

CenturyLink VP: New Mexico Geography Good for Data Centers (Albuquerque Business Journal, NM)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook Rolls Out ‘Nearby Friends,’ a Real-Time Friend Tracker (Washington Post)

It’s Time to Ditch Facebook & Start Over (Gizmodo)

Privacy Concerns? What Google Now Says It Can Do with Your Data (Christian Science Monitor)

They May Be Filled with Trolls, But Comments Still Have Value - And They Could Have Even More (GigaOM)

Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds (Consumerist)

GENERAL NEWS

High Surf Advisory Issued by NWS Portland - Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington (National Weather Service, Portland, OR)

High Wind Event Knocks over Trees at Point Defiance (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Avalanche Sweeps down Everest, Killing at Least 12 (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Those Who Helped Soldier Search Mudslide for His Relatives Shocked at Suicide in Capital Forest (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Washington State Rejects Fed’s Hanford Proposal (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Puerto Rico Salsa Great Cheo Feliciano Dies in Car Crash

Newborn Kittens Survive Accidentally Getting Packed in a Box & Shipped 130 Miles

Gabriel García Márquez, Literary Pioneer, Dies at 87

Archaeologists Find Ancient Puppy Paw Prints on Roman Tiles

SONG OF THE DAY

Cheo Feliciano – Anacaona

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.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Energy News Digest for April 17, 2014

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 17, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Portland Will Flush 38 Million Gallons of Water After Man Urinates in Mt. Tabor Reservoir (Oregonian, Portland)

Despite the Drawdown, Fish Are Headed Past Wanapum Dam (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Jefferson County PUD: A Year of Power - The big switch: What went right, wrong, what needs changing (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Spokane to Take Over Waste-To-Energy Plant Operations (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Google Fiber Reaches Preliminary Franchise Agreement with Portland (Oregonian, Portland)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Jefferson County PUD: A Year of Power - The big switch: What went right, wrong, what needs changing (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
  • Jefferson County PUD: The Switch to Public Power - A Matter of Perspective: Commissioners, customers weigh in on what went right, wrong, & what needs to change (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
  • Port Angeles: Report Due Next Month on Future of Morse Creek Hydro Project (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
  • Lewis County PUD Safety Coordinator Wins Award (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
  • Bonneville Power Administration Honors Lostine Native Connie Howard (Wallowa County Chieftain, Enterprise, OR)
  • Tiny Power Plants Hold Promise for Industry under Scrutiny, New Global Nuclear Chief Says (Associated Press)
  • New Program Prepares Northwest College Students for Careers in Energy (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
  • Despite the Drawdown, Fish Are Headed Past Wanapum Dam (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
  • Dead Whale Gets Burial near the Sea in Seaside (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)
  • Portland Will Flush 38 Million Gallons of Water After Man Urinates in Mt. Tabor Reservoir (Oregonian, Portland)
  • California Drought to Cause Fruit & Veggie Sticker Shock (USA Today)
  • Spokane to Take Over Waste-To-Energy Plant Operations (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
  • How a California County Produces More Power than It Uses (Christian Science Monitor)
  • U-S Department of Energy Plans $4 Billion in Loan Aid for Renewable Energy (Reuters)
  • Clean Energy: Is a Boom Coming in 2014? (Christian Science Monitor)
  • Western Area Power Administration Seeks Proposals for Transmission Projects That Promote Renewables (American Public Power Association)
  • Border Battle: North Dakota Refuses to Pay Millions in Minnesota Renewable Energy Bills (Watchdog.Org)
  • Obama to Challenge Private Companies to Boost Solar Power Use (Washington Post)
  • Homeowners Try New LED Lights with Incentives (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
  • Here Comes an App to Tie Your Carbon Footprint with What You Buy (GigaOM)
  • Another Week, Another Report - Options for Limiting Climate Change Are Narrowing (The Economist Magazine)
  • Scientists Might Have Figured Out How to Make Solar Power Work at Night (Christian Science Monitor)
  • Are Electric Cars Money Savers? Depends Where You Live (Christian Science Monitor)
  • Researchers Harvest Renewable Energy from Flushing Toilets (Ecopreneurist)
  • Google Fiber Reaches Preliminary Franchise Agreement with Portland (Oregonian, Portland)
  • Supreme Court Case Could Test Future of Broadcast TV (USA Today)
  • Three Ways Microsoft Is Rethinking Its Energy Supply (Forbes Magazine)
  • Ousted Yahoo Executive de Castro Earned $58 Million for 15 Months of Work (San Francisco Business Times, CA)
  • Yahoo Has Grand Ambitions to Woo Apple Off Google as Default Search (Silicon Valley Business Journal, CA)
  • When ‘Liking’ a Brand Online Voids the Right to Sue (NY Times)
  • Web TV Business Booms in Silicon Valley - Content is cheaper than ever, so companies such as Yahoo & Microsoft plan new Web shows. (U-S News & World Report)
  • Facebook Profiles Can Predict Work Performance (Mashable)
  • How to Turn Off Facebook’s Auto-Playing Video Ads (LifeHacker)
  • How to Lie with Data Visualization (Gizmodo)
  • Washington State Governor Jay Inslee Hires Coal Lobbyist to Direct His Policy Office (Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA)
  • Surprised Gig Harbor City Administrator Gets Pink Slip from Mayor (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)
  • California: Ex-Bell City Manager Leader Gets 12 Years in Prison for Corruption (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
  • Unemployment Rate Steady, Washington State Adds 6,700 Jobs (Associated Press)
  • Proposed Pot Farm near Tenino Draws Neighbors’ Ire - Skookumchuck Valley residents fear pollution, smell, loss of property value (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)
  • On the Cannabis Cash Trail: The Story of One Real Estate Prospector (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)
  • Southside & North Mason Schools Win State’s Highest Honor (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)
  • Lumberjack Climbs to Top of ‘Worst Careers’ List – Newspaper Reporter is Second Worst (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
  • Watch the Recession Sweep over the U-S in One GIF (Washington Post)
  • Watch: Why There’s a Cool Breeze Just Before a Rain Storm (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

WORD OF THE DAY

Oneiric • \oh-NYE-rick\ • adjective - Of or relating to dreams: dreamy.

Bernice saw the tree looming directly in her lane of travel down the steep, winding off-road bicycle trail. She knew that at the speed she was traveling that there was no way to avoid a bone-jarring (and perhaps bone-breaking) collision with the impressive cedar giant. What she found most interesting was how everything slowed down and took an the qualities of a hazy, oneiric, out of body experience. She knew that two seconds was all it took to slam into the rough, beautifully textured bark of the colossal tree trunk. In those two seconds, time stood still for her. She had time to think about where her cell phone was located (to call 911); whether or not she was wearing clean underwear; review her to-do list at work; and recall whether or not she had left the iron on at home before she left for her bike trip.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Jefferson County PUD: A Year of Power - The big switch: What went right, wrong, what needs changing (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Jefferson County PUD: The Switch to Public Power - A Matter of Perspective: Commissioners, customers weigh in on what went right, wrong, & what needs to change (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Port Angeles: Report Due Next Month on Future of Morse Creek Hydro Project (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Lewis County PUD Safety Coordinator Wins Award (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Honors Lostine Native Connie Howard (Wallowa County Chieftain, Enterprise, OR)

Tiny Power Plants Hold Promise for Industry under Scrutiny, New Global Nuclear Chief Says (Associated Press)

New Program Prepares Northwest College Students for Careers in Energy (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Despite the Drawdown, Fish Are Headed Past Wanapum Dam (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Dead Whale Gets Burial near the Sea in Seaside (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Portland Will Flush 38 Million Gallons of Water After Man Urinates in Mt. Tabor Reservoir (Oregonian, Portland)

California Drought to Cause Fruit & Veggie Sticker Shock (USA Today)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Spokane to Take Over Waste-To-Energy Plant Operations (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

How a California County Produces More Power than It Uses (Christian Science Monitor)

U-S Department of Energy Plans $4 Billion in Loan Aid for Renewable Energy (Reuters)

Clean Energy: Is a Boom Coming in 2014? (Christian Science Monitor)

Western Area Power Administration Seeks Proposals for Transmission Projects That Promote Renewables (American Public Power Association)

Border Battle: North Dakota Refuses to Pay Millions in Minnesota Renewable Energy Bills (Watchdog.Org)

Obama to Challenge Private Companies to Boost Solar Power Use (Washington Post)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Homeowners Try New LED Lights with Incentives (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Here Comes an App to Tie Your Carbon Footprint with What You Buy (GigaOM)

Another Week, Another Report - Options for Limiting Climate Change Are Narrowing (The Economist Magazine)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Scientists Might Have Figured Out How to Make Solar Power Work at Night (Christian Science Monitor)

Are Electric Cars Money Savers? Depends Where You Live (Christian Science Monitor)

Researchers Harvest Renewable Energy from Flushing Toilets (Ecopreneurist)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Fiber Reaches Preliminary Franchise Agreement with Portland (Oregonian, Portland)

Supreme Court Case Could Test Future of Broadcast TV (USA Today)

Three Ways Microsoft Is Rethinking Its Energy Supply (Forbes Magazine)

Ousted Yahoo Executive de Castro Earned $58 Million for 15 Months of Work (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Yahoo Has Grand Ambitions to Woo Apple Off Google as Default Search (Silicon Valley Business Journal, CA)

When ‘Liking’ a Brand Online Voids the Right to Sue (NY Times)

Web TV Business Booms in Silicon Valley - Content is cheaper than ever, so companies such as Yahoo & Microsoft plan new Web shows. (U-S News & World Report)

Facebook Profiles Can Predict Work Performance (Mashable)

How to Turn Off Facebook’s Auto-Playing Video Ads (LifeHacker)

How to Lie with Data Visualization (Gizmodo)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee Hires Coal Lobbyist to Direct His Policy Office (Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA)

Surprised Gig Harbor City Administrator Gets Pink Slip from Mayor (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

California: Ex-Bell City Manager Leader Gets 12 Years in Prison for Corruption (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

GENERAL NEWS

Unemployment Rate Steady, Washington State Adds 6,700 Jobs (Associated Press)

Proposed Pot Farm near Tenino Draws Neighbors’ Ire - Skookumchuck Valley residents fear pollution, smell, loss of property value (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

On the Cannabis Cash Trail: The Story of One Real Estate Prospector (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Southside & North Mason Schools Win State’s Highest Honor (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

Lumberjack Climbs to Top of ‘Worst Careers’ List – Newspaper Reporter is Second Worst (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Watch the Recession Sweep over the U-S in One GIF (Washington Post)

Watch: Why There’s a Cool Breeze Just Before a Rain Storm (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)
http://www.komonews.com/weather/blogs/scott/Watch-Why-is-there-a-cool-breeze-just-before-a-rain-storm-254595691.html

DIVERSIONS

The Science Behind Making the Fastest Possible Pinewood Derby Car

The Best Parts Weren’t Scripted: 15 Of The Best Improvised Bits In Movie History

Golf Balls Raining Down on an Airport And It’s a Big Problem

Teenager’s Alleged Cashing of Judge’s Paycheck a Terrible Move

SONG OF THE DAY

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

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.