Energy News Digest for April 22, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 22, 2016

http://1.usa.gov/1Vq4P4g

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Nations Ink Historic Paris Climate Deal (British Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36108194

Corps of Engineers Resumes Columbia River Cormorant Removal (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/corps-of-engineers-resumes-cormorant-removal/article_1a2dcfb3-c75b-5a34-b6e1-1233f014015d.html

Seattle Public Utilities Asks Residents to Run Water Amid Lead Concerns (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/seattle-public-utilities-asks-residents-to-run-water-amid-lead-concerns/147533056

Hot Weather Leads to Transmission Emergency at Ice Harbor Dam – Reduces Spill for Juvenile Fish (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/436544.aspx

The US Used Less Energy in 2015 with Less Waste, New Report Shows (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/the-us-used-less-energy-in-2015-with-less-waste-new-report-shows/417933/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Hot Weather Leads to Transmission Emergency at Ice Harbor Dam – Reduces Spill for Juvenile Fish
• Pacific Gas & Electric Criminal Trial for San Bruno Fire Delayed
• Tree Climber Dies after Fall
• Why Anti-Nuclear Enviros Just Aren’t the Same as Climate Deniers
• Corps of Engineers Resumes Columbia River Cormorant Removal
• Warm Seas Continue to Chop Salmon Numbers, Affecting Idaho, Pacific Northwest
• As Spring Chinook Passage Picks Up at Bonneville Dam, So Do Sea Lion Numbers, Salmon Mortality
• Lowland Lakes Fishing Season Starts Saturday
• Orca Tagging Stops after Dead Whale Found with Fragments
• Irony Alert: Study Finds Lack of Diversity (Gender, Race) among Fisheries Scientists
• Seattle Public Utilities Asks Residents to Run Water Amid Lead Concerns
• Seattle Area’s Air Quality Gets Poor Grades
• Waters of the U-S – GOP Measure to Block EPA Water Rule Fails
• Indulgence Corner: Buying Clean Electricity
• The US Used Less Energy in 2015 with Less Waste, New Report Shows
• This Earth Day, Let’s Look at How Much Energy We’ve Been Using
• Six Necessary Steps When Oregon Pot Sellers Pay Taxes with Cash
• Canada: Pot Culture Crash? Marijuana Legalization in Canada May Extinguish Drug Cachet
• Nations Ink Historic Paris Climate Deal
• Carbon Emissions & the Washington State Clean Air Rule: A Few Things to Know
• Bill Nye Predicts Major Shift in Climate Change Debate
• Solar Plane Slowly Soaring from Hawaii to California
• AT&T Is Reaching Out to Low-Income Americans with $10 Internet Service
• Ten-Dollar Router Blamed in $80 Million Bangladesh Bank Hack
• Google Parent Alphabet Sees a Worrisome Slowdown in Online Advertising
• Facebook Inches into Skype Territory with Group Calls on Messenger
• Judge Rules British Columbia Woman’s Defamatory Facebook Posts ‘Completely False & Unjustified’
• Online Media Is Tested When Social Platforms Come to Town
• Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds
• Conservation Attorney Launches Campaign for Washington State Lands Commissioner
• Life without Parole for Carnation Family Killer
• Update: First Paving on Shelton’s Lake Boulevard Complete
• National Park Spending Contributed $32 Billion to U-S Economy
• In 2015, park visitors spent an estimated $270.6 Million in local gateway regions while visiting Olympic National Park

WORD OF THE DAY

Noetic ● \noh-ET-ik\ ● Adjective – Of, relating to, or based on the intellect.

Smart people are fun

Noetic admiration

A beautiful mind

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Hot Weather Leads to Transmission Emergency at Ice Harbor Dam – Reduces Spill for Juvenile Fish (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/436544.aspx

Pacific Gas & Electric Criminal Trial for San Bruno Fire Delayed (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2016/04/pg-e-criminal-trial-for-san-bruno-firenow-delayed.html

Tree Climber Dies after Fall (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/11540

Why Anti-Nuclear Enviros Just Aren’t the Same as Climate Deniers (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/politics/why-anti-nuclear-enviros-just-arent-the-same-as-climate-deniers/?

FISH & WILDLIFE

Corps of Engineers Resumes Columbia River Cormorant Removal (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/corps-of-engineers-resumes-cormorant-removal/article_1a2dcfb3-c75b-5a34-b6e1-1233f014015d.html

Warm Seas Continue to Chop Salmon Numbers, Affecting Idaho, Pacific Northwest (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/letters-from-the-west/article73268602.html

As Spring Chinook Passage Picks Up at Bonneville Dam, So Do Sea Lion Numbers, Salmon Mortality (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/436547.aspx

Lowland Lakes Fishing Season Starts Saturday (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2016/04/lowland-lakes-fishing-season-starts.html

Orca Tagging Stops after Dead Whale Found with Fragments (Associated Press)

http://www.usnews.com/news/science/articles/2016-04-20/orca-tagging-stops-after-dead-whale-found-with-fragments

Irony Alert: Study Finds Lack of Diversity (Gender, Race) among Fisheries Scientists (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/436536.aspx

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Seattle Public Utilities Asks Residents to Run Water Amid Lead Concerns (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/seattle-public-utilities-asks-residents-to-run-water-amid-lead-concerns/147533056

Seattle Area’s Air Quality Gets Poor Grades (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-areas-air-quality-gets-poor-grades/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_seattle-news

Waters of the U-S – GOP Measure to Block EPA Water Rule Fails (Washington Examiner)

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/gop-measure-to-block-epa-water-rule-fails/article/2589169

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Indulgence Corner: Buying Clean Electricity (Breaking Energy)

http://breakingenergy.com/2016/04/21/buying-clean-electricity-2/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

The US Used Less Energy in 2015 with Less Waste, New Report Shows (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/the-us-used-less-energy-in-2015-with-less-waste-new-report-shows/417933/

This Earth Day, Let’s Look at How Much Energy We’ve Been Using (The Energy Collective)

http://www.theenergycollective.com/aceee/2376595/this-earth-day-lets-look-at-how-much-energy-weve-been-using

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Six Necessary Steps When Oregon Pot Sellers Pay Taxes with Cash (Consumerist)

https://consumerist.com/2016/04/20/6-necessary-steps-when-oregon-pot-sellers-pay-taxes-with-cash/

Canada: Pot Culture Crash? Marijuana Legalization in Canada May Extinguish Drug Cachet (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/pot-culture-crash-marijuana-legalization-in-canada-may-extinguish-drug-cachet-1.2235683

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Nations Ink Historic Paris Climate Deal (British Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36108194

Carbon Emissions & the Washington State Clean Air Rule: A Few Things to Know (Business Institute of Washington)

http://thelens.news/2016/04/21/carbon-emissions-and-the-washington-state-clean-air-rule/

Bill Nye Predicts Major Shift in Climate Change Debate (AOL News)

http://www.aol.com/article/2016/04/22/bill-nye-predicts-major-shift-in-climate-change-debate/21346779/

SCIENCE IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Solar Plane Slowly Soaring from Hawaii to California (ABC News)

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/crew-prepares-fly-solar-plane-hawaii-california-38569784

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

AT&T Is Reaching Out to Low-Income Americans with $10 Internet Service (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/04/22/att-is-reaching-out-to-low-income-americans-with-10-internet-service/

Ten-Dollar Router Blamed in $80 Million Bangladesh Bank Hack (British Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36110421

MARKETING & MEDIA

Google Parent Alphabet Sees a Worrisome Slowdown in Online Advertising (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/04/21/google-parent-alphabet-sees-a-worrisome-slowdown-in-online-advertising/

Facebook Inches into Skype Territory with Group Calls on Messenger (Consumerist)

https://consumerist.com/2016/04/20/facebook-inches-into-skype-territory-with-group-calls-on-messenger/

Judge Rules British Columbia Woman’s Defamatory Facebook Posts ‘Completely False & Unjustified’ (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/b-c-woman-s-defamatory-facebook-posts-completely-false-and-unjustified-judge-1.2237055

Online Media Is Tested When Social Platforms Come to Town (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/22/business/media/online-media-is-tested-when-social-platforms-come-to-town.html?_r=0

Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds (Consumerist)

https://consumerist.com/2016/04/22/consumerist-friday-flickr-finds-326/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Conservation Attorney Launches Campaign for Washington State Lands Commissioner (Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Hilary-Franz-of-Futurewise-launches-land-7276814.php

GENERAL NEWS

Life without Parole for Carnation Family Killer (Seattle Post-Intelligencewr, WA)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/crime/article/Life-without-parole-for-Carnation-killer-of-6-7287250.php

Update: First Paving on Shelton’s Lake Boulevard Complete (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/update-first-paving-on-lake-boulevard-complete/article_0b69abaa-0809-11e6-b71f-1fac300dc31e.html

National Park Spending Contributed $32 Billion to U-S Economy (Travel Weekly)

http://www.travelweekly.com/North-America-Travel/National-park-spending-contributed-32-billion-to-U-S-economy

Olympic National Park

In 2015, park visitors spent an estimated $270.6 Million in local gateway regions while visiting Olympic National Park. These expenditures supported 3.7 Thousand jobs, $131.2 Million in labor income, $232.6 Million in value added, & $375.5 Million in economic output in local gateway economies surrounding Olympic National Park.

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Mechanics Make Unusual Discovery in Car’s Engine

http://komonews.com/news/offbeat/mechanics-make-unusual-discovery-in-cars-engine

Why We Sleep So Poorly In Unfamiliar Places

http://gizmodo.com/why-we-sleep-so-poorly-in-unfamiliar-places-1772263879

McDonald’s Quashes All-You-Can-Eat Fries Reports

http://katu.com/news/offbeat/mcdonalds-quashes-all-you-can-eat-fries-reports

Prost! Germany Celebrates 500 Years of Beer Purity Law

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3553797/Prost-Germany-celebrates-500-years-beer-purity-law.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Roy Orbison – In Dreams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPqZs7Vl_xg

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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.

Energy News Digest for April 21, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 21, 2016

http://1.usa.gov/1SUmXMU

El Nino Declining, Cool Sister May Take Its Place (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/apr/20/el-nino-declining-cool-sister-may-take-its-place/

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

The Senate Just Passed – Overwhelmingly – An Actually Bipartisan Energy Bill (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/04/20/the-senate-just-passed-overwhelmingly-an-actually-bipartisan-energy-bill/

Arizona Utility Executive Calls for More Transparency in Rate-Setting “…require power marketing administrations to include costs associated with fish & wildlife conservation regulations on monthly electric bills to wholesale consumers…” (Arizona Public Broadcasting)

https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2016/04/20/21461/

Chinook Salmon, Flounder Added to Overfishing List (Associated Press)

http://www.sltrib.com/home/3801396-155/salmon-flounder-added-to-overfishing-list

Bonneville Power Administration Expecting Normal Water Year Operations (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPA-expecting-normal-water-year-operations.aspx

San Francisco Now Requires Solar Panels on New Buildings (San Francisco Business Times)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/real-estate/2016/04/san-francisco-solar-energy-cre.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• The Senate Just Passed – Overwhelmingly – An Actually Bipartisan Energy Bill
• House, Senate Look to Reconcile Energy Bills, Schedule Permitting
• Editorial: An Energy Bill in Need of Fixes
• Arizona Utility Executive Calls for More Transparency in Rate-Setting “…require power marketing administrations to include costs associated with fish & wildlife conservation regulations on monthly electric bills to wholesale consumers…”
• Three Questions with the Columbia Riverkeeper’s Brett Vandenheuvel as He Takes an LNG Victory Lap
• Chelan PUD: Applications Solicited for Hydropower STEM Camp
• Clatskanie PUD’s Marcum & Welter receive 2016 Safety Heroism Award
• Benton PUD’s Steve Frost receives 2016 Career Commitment to Safety Award
• Indiana Supreme Court Rules to Keep Lawmaker-Utility Emails Private
• Chinook Salmon, Flounder Added to Overfishing List
• State of Oregon: Limit Bass Consumption Due to Mercury Levels
• California: Invasive Wild Pigs Nearly Wiped Out in San Diego County
• Bonneville Power Administration Expecting Normal Water Year Operations
• U-S Senate OKs $92 Million for Yakima Basin; Measure Goes to House
• Skagit PUD Opens Water Filling Stations
• San Francisco Now Requires Solar Panels on New Buildings
• SolarCity Ends Support for Political Group Investigating Arizona Regulators
• Wind Generation Growth Slowed In 2015 as Wind Speeds Declined in Key Regions
• Solar Panels Don’t Last Forever & Degradation Varies Wildly, Study Says
• Turning Ocean Waves into Electricity
• Should Iowa’s Small Utilities Be Pushed Harder on Efficiency?
• How Energy Efficiency Could Become the New ‘Bridge Fuel’ to Cut Carbon
• Savings Project: How to Seal Air Leaks with Caulk
• Chelan County Faces Lawsuit from Pot Farmers
• Oregon Has Collected $6.84 Million in Recreational Pot Taxes since January
• Everything You Need to Know about Pot’s Environmental Impact
• High Times Magazine Is Using Big Data to Rebrand Marijuana
• Study: Warming Giving Us Type of Weather We Prefer, For Now
• Washington Is Number 2 – Oregon: Yeah, We’re Green, Just Not the ‘Greenest’ State
• Got EVs? Why Utilities Should Promote Electric Vehicles to Consumers
• A Sunspot the Size of 5 Earths Unleashed a Spectacular Solar Flare This Week
• Scientists Made LEDs 60 Percent Brighter by Copying Firefly Lanterns
• Google Fiber Adds Portland to Its ‘Digital Inclusion Fellowship’ Program
• States Move toward Making Endangered Land Lines Extinct
• Yahoo’s Deterioration Accelerates Ahead of a Possible Sale
• Comcast Will Let You Replace Your Cable Box with an App
• United Kingdom’s Daily Mail Says it May Partner to Bid for Yahoo
• Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley’s Case Goes To Jury
• Will a Tax on Olympia’s Richest Households Hold Up in Court?
• Effort to Change Shelton City Commission to Council Form
• Port of Shelton’s Interim Director Gets Raise – Search for New Director Begins
• Washington State Remains at Risk of Record-Breaking Wildfire Destruction Thanks to Funding Problems
• Intel to Lay Off 12,000 People Worldwide
• New Centralia College President
• Harriet Tubman Ousts Andrew Jackson in Change for a $20

WORD OF THE DAY

Fictioneer • \fik-shuh-NEER\ • noun: One who writes fiction especially in quantity & without high standards

Alejandro bristled at having his astounding output florid romance novels branding him as “a fictioneer.” “I prefer to be called a common hack,” he sniffed. “At least that provides some level of respect for my craft”.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

The Senate Just Passed – Overwhelmingly – An Actually Bipartisan Energy Bill (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/04/20/the-senate-just-passed-overwhelmingly-an-actually-bipartisan-energy-bill/

House, Senate Look to Reconcile Energy Bills, Schedule Permitting (Morning Consult)

https://morningconsult.com/2016/04/house-senate-look-to-reconcile-energy-bills-schedule-permitting/

Editorial: An Energy Bill in Need of Fixes (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/opinion/mixed-signals-on-energy.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

Arizona Utility Executive Calls for More Transparency in Rate-Setting “…require power marketing administrations to include costs associated with fish & wildlife conservation regulations on monthly electric bills to wholesale consumers…” (Arizona Public Broadcasting)

https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2016/04/20/21461/

Three Questions with the Columbia Riverkeeper’s Brett Vandenheuvel as He Takes an LNG Victory Lap (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2016/04/3-questions-with-the-columbia-riverkeepers-brett.html

Chelan PUD: Applications Solicited for Hydropower STEM Camp (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/school_news/applications-solicited-for-hydropower-stem-camp/article_db41b1e2-0660-11e6-ac4d-437b9fc224f7.html

Clatskanie PUD’s Marcum & Welter receive 2016 Safety Heroism Award (Northwest Public Power Association)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2016/04/clatskanie-puds-marcum-welter-receive.html

Benton PUD’s Steve Frost receives 2016 Career Commitment to Safety Award (Northwest Public Power Association)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2016/04/benton-puds-steve-frost-receives-2016.html

Indiana Supreme Court Rules to Keep Lawmaker-Utility Emails Private (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/indiana-supreme-court-rules-to-keep-lawmaker-utility-emails-private/417855/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Chinook Salmon, Flounder Added to Overfishing List (Associated Press)

http://www.sltrib.com/home/3801396-155/salmon-flounder-added-to-overfishing-list

State of Oregon: Limit Bass Consumption Due to Mercury Levels (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

http://koin.com/2016/04/19/oregonians-urged-to-limit-consumption-of-bass/

California: Invasive Wild Pigs Nearly Wiped Out in San Diego County (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-pigs-gone-20160421-story.html?ref=yfp

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Bonneville Power Administration Expecting Normal Water Year Operations (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPA-expecting-normal-water-year-operations.aspx

U-S Senate OKs $92 Million for Yakima Basin; Measure Goes to House (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/senate-oks-million-for-yakima-basin-measure-goes-to-u/article_b269c820-0789-11e6-82af-8b5453bdadc3.html

Skagit PUD Opens Water Filling Stations (Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, WA)

http://www.goskagit.com/news/skagit-pud-opens-water-filling-stations/article_80b37f92-da8d-5f64-a0e0-4f3d4ea51d57.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY

San Francisco Now Requires Solar Panels on New Buildings (San Francisco Business Times)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/real-estate/2016/04/san-francisco-solar-energy-cre.html

SolarCity Ends Support for Political Group Investigating Arizona Regulators (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/solarcity-ends-support-for-political-group-investigating-arizona-regulators/417830/

Wind Generation Growth Slowed In 2015 as Wind Speeds Declined in Key Regions (U-S Energy Information Administration)

http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=25912

Solar Panels Don’t Last Forever & Degradation Varies Wildly, Study Says (Computerworld)

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3058270/sustainable-it/study-solar-panels-dont-last-forever-and-degradation-varies-wildly.html?ref=yfp

Turning Ocean Waves into Electricity (Cable News Network)

http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/19/technology/waves-columbia-power/index.html?iid=SF_LN

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Should Iowa’s Small Utilities Be Pushed Harder on Efficiency? (Midwest Energy News)

http://midwestenergynews.com/2016/04/21/should-iowas-small-utilities-be-pushed-harder-on-efficiency/

How Energy Efficiency Could Become the New ‘Bridge Fuel’ to Cut Carbon (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/how-energy-efficiency-could-become-the-new-bridge-fuel-to-cut-carbon/417580/

Savings Project: How to Seal Air Leaks with Caulk (Breaking Energy)

http://breakingenergy.com/2016/04/20/savings-project-how-to-seal-air-leaks-with-caulk/

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Chelan County Faces Lawsuit from Pot Farmers (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

http://kpq.com/chelan-county-faces-lawsuit-from-pot-farmers/

Oregon Has Collected $6.84 Million in Recreational Pot Taxes since January (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/index.ssf/2016/04/oregon_collects_684_million_in.html

Everything You Need to Know about Pot’s Environmental Impact (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/living/everything-you-need-to-know-about-pots-environmental-impact/

High Times Magazine Is Using Big Data to Rebrand Marijuana (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/high-times-using-big-data-rebrand-marijuana-170926

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Study: Warming Giving Us Type of Weather We Prefer, For Now (Associated Press)

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fb9bcb7ac30b449e866210f3d3a52ba4/study-warming-giving-us-type-weather-we-prefer-now

SCIENCE SWIMS IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington Is Number 2 – Oregon: Yeah, We’re Green, Just Not the ‘Greenest’ State (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

http://koin.com/2016/04/20/yeah-were-green-just-not-the-greenest-state/

Got EVs? Why Utilities Should Promote Electric Vehicles to Consumers (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/got-evs-why-utilities-should-promote-electric-vehicles-to-consumers/417638/

A Sunspot the Size of 5 Earths Unleashed a Spectacular Solar Flare This Week (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2016/04/19/solar-flare-nasa-gif/

Scientists Made LEDs 60 Percent Brighter by Copying Firefly Lanterns (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/scientists-made-leds-60-percent-brighter-by-copying-fir-1771979185

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Fiber Adds Portland to Its ‘Digital Inclusion Fellowship’ Program (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2016/04/google_fiber_adds_portland_to.html

States Move toward Making Endangered Land Lines Extinct (Associated Press)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/business/article72634277.html

Yahoo’s Deterioration Accelerates Ahead of a Possible Sale (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/technology/article/Yahoo-deterioration-deepens-as-company-mulls-7258229.php

Comcast Will Let You Replace Your Cable Box with an App (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2016/04/21/comcast-will-let-you-replace-your-cable-box-with-an-app/

MARKETING & MEDIA

United Kingdom’s Daily Mail Says it May Partner to Bid for Yahoo (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yahoo-m-a-dmgt-idUSKCN0XH1X2

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley’s Case Goes To Jury (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/politics/washington-auditor-troy-kelley-case-goes-to-jury/145860536

Will a Tax on Olympia’s Richest Households Hold Up in Court? (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article72960067.html

GENERAL NEWS

Effort to Change Shelton City Commission to Council Form (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/19976

Port of Shelton’s Interim Director Gets Raise – Search for New Director Begins (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/shelton-port-interim-director-gets-raise-search-for-new-director/article_a11cb602-0713-11e6-9606-9bf4372e66ea.html

Washington State Remains at Risk of Record-Breaking Wildfire Destruction Thanks to Funding Problems (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/273692/state-remains-risk-record-breaking-wildfire-destruction-thanks-funding-woes/

Intel to Lay Off 12,000 People Worldwide (Associated Press)

http://koin.com/2016/04/19/intel-to-lay-off-12000-people-worldwide/

New Centralia College President (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2016/04/new-centralia-college-president-kela.html

Harriet Tubman Ousts Andrew Jackson in Change for a $20 (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/us/women-currency-treasury-harriet-tubman.html?_r=0

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Here’s the Real Reason We Associate 420 with Weed

http://time.com/4292844/420-april-20-marijuana-pot-holiday-history/

French Baker Fires His Savior Instead of Giving Him His Business

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-baker-idUSKCN0XG1N7

Words That Were Invented Because We Actually Just Got Them Wrong

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/words-that-were-invented-because-we-actually-just-got-t-1771890009

Legendary Pop Singer Prince Dead at 57

http://kdvr.com/2016/04/21/report-singer-prince-dead-at-57/

SONG OF THE DAY

Prince’s 40 Biggest Billboard Hits

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/483652/princes-40-biggest-billboard-hits

Prince – Purple Rain (Live at 2007 Super Bowl)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsRUAoUvP10

Prince – When Doves Cry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYVOrzv61Yg

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:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

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.

Energy News Digest for April 19, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 19, 2016

http://1.usa.gov/23XqAtA

The Warmest April Day in Seattle History (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-warmest-april-day-in-seattle-history.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Spokane Tribe Will Study Salmon Habitat above Grand Coulee Dam (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/apr/18/spokane-tribe-will-study-salmon-habitat-above-gran/

Merger Done, Pepco Seeks Ten Percent Rate Increase from Maryland Customers “…”This has absolutely nothing to do with the merger…” (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/pepco-seeks-10-percent-rate-increase-from-maryland-customers/2016/04/19/c98c48da-063e-11e6-a12f-ea5aed7958dc_story.html

Idaho: Public Meetings This Week on Gateway West Transmission Lines Project (Public News Service)

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2016-04-19/energy-policy/public-meetings-this-week-on-gateway-west-transmission-lines-project/a51496-1

New Data: Americans Are Abandoning Wired Home Internet (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/04/18/new-data-americans-are-abandoning-wired-home-internet/

Why some businesses are switching to LED lighting (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://bit.ly/1SXq1bt

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Idaho: Public Meetings This Week on Gateway West Transmission Lines Project
• British Columbia: Paraglider Gets Entangled in North Vancouver Power Lines – Power cut to 3,000 homes
• Grays Harbor PUD Changes Rates in Compromise Plan
• Mason PUD 3 Reconsiders Belfair Line Crew Reorganization
• Skykomish River’s Electric Issue
• Video: For Pacific Gas & Electric’s Hydropower, Every Drop Counts
• Washington PUD Association Elects Officers; Two Lewis County Commissioners Serving
• Merger Done, Pepco Seeks Ten Percent Rate Increase from Maryland Customers
• Georgia Power Buys Land to Explore Building Nuclear Plant
• High Court Strikes Down Maryland Power Plant Subsidies
• The Supremes: Opinion Analysis – U-S Energy Regulators’ Authority Grows
• Senate Could Vote This Week on Broad Energy Bill Amendments
• U-S Quadrennial Energy Review Second Round
• Spokane Tribe Will Study Salmon Habitat above Grand Coulee Dam
• Talks between State & Tribes Resume on Setting Puget Sound Salmon Fishing Seasons
• Washington State Opens Yakima River for Spring Chinook Fishing
• Wallace River Hatchery Steelhead to Swim Again
• Alaska: Southeast King Salmon Quota Released, Higher Than Last Year
• Michigan Governor to Drink Flint Water in Show of Safety over Lead Crisis
• Idaho: Sandpoint Wins Grant to Install Solar Roadways Demo
• Why some businesses are switching to LED lighting
• Clatskanie PUD Offering Rebate for Energy Efficient Water Heaters
• Out-Of-State Companies Eye Oregon Marijuana Market for Expansion
• This Pot Farmers Organization Wants You to Think Local When Lighting Up on 4/20
• Liberal Biases, Too, May Block Progress on Climate Change
• Why This Greenhouse Gas May Help Some Crops
• Electric Car Incentives in Washington State Expanded to More Models
• New Data: Americans Are Abandoning Wired Home Internet
• Google Fiber Plans to Beam Wireless Broadband Internet Directly Into Homes
• Three Weeks In, Frontier Verizon Switchover Problems Continue
• Why Google Is Warning That ‘Google.Com’ Is ‘Partially Dangerous’
• Amazon Takes on Netflix with Standalone Video Streaming
• Facebook Carousel Content: How to Make Your Posts & Ads Stand Out
• Why Brands Need to Skip the Ads & Start Telling Stories
• Inslee’s Veto Spares Performance Auditors, Cybersecurity Reviews
• Two Wildfires Reported in Mason County
• Man Dies in Cycle Crash near Allyn
• Recent Earthquakes Likely Won’t Trigger NW Quake
• The New Yorker’s Cascadia Earthquake Doomsday Story Won a Pulitzer Prize
• City of Shelton to Ask Voters to Renew EMS Levy
• Drone Collision with Jet Highlights Growing Aviation Danger

WORD OF THE DAY

Idiom • \IDD-ee-um\ • noun – The language peculiar to a people or to a district, community, or class: dialect b: the syntactical, grammatical, or structural form peculiar to a language. A style or form of artistic expression that is characteristic of an individual, a period or movement, or a medium or instrument.

“…Now, as I was meeting at the RTF, talking about CFLs, LEDs and concerns about BPA and the DOE from the PPC, ICNU, NWPPA, WPUDA, and PNGC, and……” the power manager’s presentation trailed off in his staff meeting to a dull buzz, his idioms floating away in the breeze, as the public information officer started to ponder his lunch plans….

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Idaho: Public Meetings This Week on Gateway West Transmission Lines Project (Public News Service)

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2016-04-19/energy-policy/public-meetings-this-week-on-gateway-west-transmission-lines-project/a51496-1

British Columbia: Paraglider Gets Entangled in North Vancouver Power Lines – Power cut to 3,000 homes (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/paraglider-gets-entangled-in-north-vancouver-power-lines-1.3542616?cmp=rss

Grays Harbor PUD Changes Rates in Compromise Plan (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.kxro.com/pud-changes-rates-compromise-plan/

Mason PUD 3 Reconsiders Belfair Line Crew Reorganization (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1611

Skykomish River’s Electric Issue (The Monroe Monitor, WA)

http://www.monroemonitor.com/2016/04/17/skykomish-rivers-electric-issue/

Video: For Pacific Gas & Electric’s Hydropower, Every Drop Counts (PG&E Currents)

http://www.pgecurrents.com/2016/04/19/video-for-pge%E2%80%99s-hydro-power-every-drop-counts/

Washington PUD Association Elects Officers; Two Lewis County Commissioners Serving (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://www.chronline.com/washington-pud-elects-officers-two-lewis-county-commissioners-serving/article_61eafdfe-0592-11e6-87ed-6736c6f6a737.html

Merger Done, Pepco Seeks Ten Percent Rate Increase from Maryland Customers “…”This has absolutely nothing to do with the merger…” (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/pepco-seeks-10-percent-rate-increase-from-maryland-customers/2016/04/19/c98c48da-063e-11e6-a12f-ea5aed7958dc_story.html

Georgia Power Buys Land to Explore Building Nuclear Plant (Atlanta Business Journal, GA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2016/04/report-georgia-power-buys-land-to-explore-building.html

High Court Strikes Down Maryland Power Plant Subsidies (Associated Press)

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7e5dc79979534b6f90f2701e9df2b5f3/high-court-strikes-down-maryland-power-plant-subsidies

The Supremes: Opinion Analysis – U-S Energy Regulators’ Authority Grows (SCOTUS Blog)

http://www.scotusblog.com/2016/04/opinion-analysis-u-s-energy-regulators-authority-grows/

Senate Could Vote This Week on Broad Energy Bill Amendments (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/senate-could-vote-this-week-on-broad-energy-bill-amendments/417670/

U-S Quadrennial Energy Review Second Round (Breaking Energy)

http://breakingenergy.com/2016/04/18/us-quadrennial-energy-review-second-round/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Spokane Tribe Will Study Salmon Habitat above Grand Coulee Dam (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/apr/18/spokane-tribe-will-study-salmon-habitat-above-gran/

Talks between State & Tribes Resume on Setting Puget Sound Salmon Fishing Seasons (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/talks-between-state-and-tribes-resume-on-setting-puget-sound-salmon-fishing-seasons/

Washington State Opens Yakima River for Spring Chinook Fishing (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/washington-opens-yakima-river-for-spring-chinook-fishing/article_026efdb3-06e9-5477-ba8d-a0578c7b7e95.html

Wallace River Hatchery Steelhead to Swim Again (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20160419/NEWS01/160419039

Alaska: Southeast King Salmon Quota Released, Higher Than Last Year (Alaska Public Media)

http://www.alaskapublic.org/2016/04/18/southeast-king-salmon-quota-released-higher-than-last-year/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Michigan Governor to Drink Flint Water in Show of Safety over Lead Crisis (Reuters – Shades of the movie “Sahara”)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-michigan-water-idUSKCN0XF2Q1

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Idaho: Sandpoint Wins Grant to Install Solar Roadways Demo (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/apr/18/sandpoint-wins-grant-to-put-in-solar-roadways-demo/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Why some businesses are switching to LED lighting (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://bit.ly/1SXq1bt

Clatskanie PUD Offering Rebate for Energy Efficient Water Heaters (Clatskanie Chieftain, OR)

http://www.thechiefnews.com/community/pud-offering-rebate-for-energy-efficient-water-heaters/article_3df4053e-059d-11e6-ac2c-e7a92f7edd2e.html

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Out-Of-State Companies Eye Oregon Marijuana Market for Expansion (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/index.ssf/2016/04/colorado_marijuana_entrepreneu.html

This Pot Farmers Organization Wants You to Think Local When Lighting Up on 4/20 (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/pot-farmers-organization-wants-you-think-local-when-lighting-420-170907

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Liberal Biases, Too, May Block Progress on Climate Change (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/business/economy/liberal-biases-too-may-block-progress-on-climate-change.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

Why This Greenhouse Gas May Help Some Crops (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2016/0419/Why-this-greenhouse-gas-may-help-some-crops

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Electric Car Incentives in Washington State Expanded to More Models (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/electric-car-incentives-washington-state-expanded-more-models

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

New Data: Americans Are Abandoning Wired Home Internet (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/04/18/new-data-americans-are-abandoning-wired-home-internet/

Google Fiber Plans to Beam Wireless Broadband Internet Directly Into Homes (Tech Times)

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/150899/20160417/google-fiber-plans-to-beam-wireless-broadband-internet-directly-into-homes.htm

Three Weeks In, Frontier Verizon Switchover Problems Continue (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Three-Weeks-In-Frontier-Verizon-Switchover-Problems-Continue-136757

Why Google Is Warning That ‘Google.Com’ Is ‘Partially Dangerous’ (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/04/19/why-google-is-warning-that-google-com-is-partially-dangerous/

MARKETING & MEDIA

Amazon Takes on Netflix with Standalone Video Streaming (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_29781170/amazon-takes-netflix-standalone-video-streaming?source=rss

Facebook Carousel Content: How to Make Your Posts & Ads Stand Out (Social Media Examiner)

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-carousel-content-how-to-make-your-posts-and-ads-stand-out/

Why Brands Need to Skip the Ads & Start Telling Stories – Don’t get in the way of what consumers want, be what they want (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/why-brands-need-skip-ads-and-start-telling-stories-170905

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Inslee’s Veto Spares Performance Auditors, Cybersecurity Reviews (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/inslees-veto-spares-performance-auditors-cybersecurity-reviews

GENERAL NEWS

Two Wildfires Reported in Mason County (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/19951

Man Dies in Cycle Crash near Allyn (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/man-dies-in-cycle-crash-near-allyn/article_9a85e96e-0586-11e6-b96e-4fdb03ea5f43.html

Recent Earthquakes Likely Won’t Trigger NW Quake (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/recent-earthquakes-likely-wont-trigger-nw-quake/143059149

The New Yorker’s Cascadia Earthquake Doomsday Story Won a Pulitzer Prize (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2016/04/the-new-yorkers-cascadia-earthquake-doomsday-story.html

City of Shelton to Ask Voters to Renew EMS Levy (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/19956

Drone Collision with Jet Highlights Growing Aviation Danger (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.theheraldbusinessjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=/20160418/BIZ02/160419102&template=bizmobileart

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

The Battle Over the Sea-Monkey Fortune

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/magazine/the-battle-over-the-sea-monkey-fortune.html?_r=0&referer=

Is the Klingon Language Protected by Copyright? Paramount Thinks So

https://consumerist.com/2016/04/14/is-the-klingon-language-protected-by-copyright-paramount-thinks-so/

FedEx Employee Falls Asleep Loading Plane in Tennessee, Ends Up in Texas

https://consumerist.com/2016/04/15/fedex-employee-falls-asleep-loading-plane-in-tennessee-ends-up-in-texas/

Doris Roberts, ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ Star, Passes Away at Age 90

https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/doris-roberts-everybody-loves-raymond-002146261.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks – How Can I Miss You When You Won’t Go Away

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW9-FOLG-iA

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:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

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.