Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Energy News Digest for April 29, 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 29, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

$40,000 Damage in Yakima County Utility Vandalism (Associated Press)

U-S Supreme Court Revives EPA Rule on Cross-State Pollution (Associated Press)

Portland General Electric Earnings Up 12 Percent; Construction of Three New Power Plants on Track (Oregonian, Portland)

Oregon: Fuel-Cell Maker ClearEdge Power Lays Off 268, May File for Bankruptcy (Sustainable Business Oregon)

New Microsoft Data Center in Iowa Offers a Billion-Dollar Lesson (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • $40,000 Damage in Yakima County Utility Vandalism (Associated Press)
  • Portland General Electric Earnings Up 12 Percent; Construction of Three New Power Plants on Track (Oregonian, Portland)
  • What's At Stake in the Massive Energy Future Holdings Bankruptcy? (Dallas Business Journal)
  • Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Renovation Marries History, Technology & Environment (Hydro World)
  • U-S Department of Energy Begins Push to Double Hydropower Capacity (Washington Examiner, DC)
  • Nuclear Industry Gains Carbon-Focused Allies in Push to Save Reactors (NY Times)
  • U-S Department of Energy Issues Guidance on Electric Grid Cybersecurity (The Hill, Washington, DC)
  • National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Backs Reform of Endangered Species Act (Electric Co-op Today)
  • U-S Supreme Court Revives EPA Rule on Cross-State Pollution (Associated Press)
  • Portland Public Water District: Kent Craford Pushes for Reform as City Leaders Call Him a Corporate Shill (Oregonian, Portland)
  • Water Ruling Will Affect Pot Growers - Federal Agency Will Decide Irrigation Issue (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
  • Oregon: Green Data Center Bill Is Just More “Greenwashing” (Cascade Policy Institute, OR)
  • Montana: Gaelectric Pursues FERC Complaint over 460 MW Wind Project (Utility Products)
  • North Dakota: Four Dead after Plane Strikes Wind Turbine (Capital Journal, Pierre, ND)
  • San Francisco’s Battle over Green Power Pits Mayor against County Supervisors (Public CEO)
  • California: Clean Energy Option Possible for Parts of Napa County (Napa Valley Register, CA)
  • EPA Biomass Delay Almost Up - While Large Scale Power Plants Have Not Materialized, Smaller Projects Meet with Success (Bend Bulletin, OR)
  • The World’s Largest Solar Panel Farm is Completed & Live in Arizona (GigaOM)
  • Washington State House Office Building Secures First 'LEED' Green Rating on Capitol Campus (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)
  • LED Lighting: Have You Made the Switch? (The Energy Collective)
  • LED Retrofits, Energy Measurement Common Themes for Top Energy Star Cities (Forbes Magazine)
  • Rich Nations' Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fall in 2012, Led By U-S (Reuters)
  • Oregon: Fuel-Cell Maker ClearEdge Power Lays Off 268, May File for Bankruptcy (Sustainable Business Oregon)
  • The Tech That Powers Six of the Greenest Buildings of 2014 (Gizmodo)
  • A Plane Fueled By Garbage Could Soon Fly You from New York to London (Gizmodo)
  • Obama's Presidential Library Looks to Pacific Northwest Green Building Group (Sustainable Business Oregon)
  • New Microsoft Data Center in Iowa Offers a Billion-Dollar Lesson (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)
  • Netflix Signs another Streaming Agreement - This Time with Verizon (L-A Biz, CA)
  • AOL Reports Email Security Breach (Associated Press)
  • No-Warrant Cellphone Searches Before the U-S Supreme Court (Associated Press)
  • U-S Secretary Of State: Internet Access a 'Fundamental Right' (Associated Press)
  • Who Has the Best Web Sites & Social Media Outreach in Congress? (Washington Post)
  • Congressional Republicans Have More Facebook Fans, but Democrats Are More Energized (Washington Post)
  • Why You Should Care about the Mobile Web’s Advertising Problem (Washington Post)
  • Ninth Circuit Bench Full at Last (Courthouse News Service)
  • National Weather Service Outlook – The Weather Story
  • Massive, Tornado-Producing Storms Lash the U-S Southeast (Reuters)
  • Felon Arrested in Mason County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
  • $1.8 Billion Methanol Plant Planned for Port of Tacoma (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
  • Homeland Security: Don't Use Internet Explorer Due to Bug (Northwest Cable News Network)
  • Boat Suspected to be from 2011 Japanese Tsunami Washes up at Ocean Shores (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Seattle Braces: Coffee Prices Set To Go Up (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Cherry Season’s Early Signs Are Promising (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

$40,000 Damage in Yakima County Utility Vandalism (Associated Press)

Portland General Electric Earnings Up 12 Percent; Construction of Three New Power Plants on Track (Oregonian, Portland)

What's At Stake in the Massive Energy Future Holdings Bankruptcy? (Dallas Business Journal)

Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Renovation Marries History, Technology & Environment (Hydro World)

U-S Department of Energy Begins Push to Double Hydropower Capacity (Washington Examiner, DC)

Nuclear Industry Gains Carbon-Focused Allies in Push to Save Reactors (NY Times)

U-S Department of Energy Issues Guidance on Electric Grid Cybersecurity (The Hill, Washington, DC)

FISH & WILDLIFE

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Backs Reform of Endangered Species Act (Electric Co-op Today)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

U-S Supreme Court Revives EPA Rule on Cross-State Pollution (Associated Press)

Portland Public Water District: Kent Craford Pushes for Reform as City Leaders Call Him a Corporate Shill (Oregonian, Portland)

Water Ruling Will Affect Pot Growers - Federal Agency Will Decide Irrigation Issue (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon: Green Data Center Bill Is Just More “Greenwashing” (Cascade Policy Institute, OR)

Montana: Gaelectric Pursues FERC Complaint over 460 MW Wind Project (Utility Products)

North Dakota: Four Dead after Plane Strikes Wind Turbine (Capital Journal, Pierre, ND)

San Francisco’s Battle over Green Power Pits Mayor against County Supervisors (Public CEO)

California: Clean Energy Option Possible for Parts of Napa County (Napa Valley Register, CA)

EPA Biomass Delay Almost Up - While Large Scale Power Plants Have Not Materialized, Smaller Projects Meet with Success (Bend Bulletin, OR)

The World’s Largest Solar Panel Farm is Completed & Live in Arizona (GigaOM)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington State House Office Building Secures First 'LEED' Green Rating on Capitol Campus (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

LED Lighting: Have You Made the Switch? (The Energy Collective)

LED Retrofits, Energy Measurement Common Themes for Top Energy Star Cities (Forbes Magazine)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Rich Nations' Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fall in 2012, Led By U-S (Reuters)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon: Fuel-Cell Maker ClearEdge Power Lays Off 268, May File for Bankruptcy (Sustainable Business Oregon)

The Tech That Powers Six of the Greenest Buildings of 2014 (Gizmodo)

A Plane Fueled By Garbage Could Soon Fly You from New York to London (Gizmodo)

Obama's Presidential Library Looks to Pacific Northwest Green Building Group (Sustainable Business Oregon)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

New Microsoft Data Center in Iowa Offers a Billion-Dollar Lesson (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Netflix Signs another Streaming Agreement - This Time with Verizon (L-A Biz, CA)

AOL Reports Email Security Breach (Associated Press)

No-Warrant Cellphone Searches Before the U-S Supreme Court (Associated Press)

U-S Secretary Of State: Internet Access a 'Fundamental Right' (Associated Press)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Who Has the Best Web Sites & Social Media Outreach in Congress? (Washington Post)

Congressional Republicans Have More Facebook Fans, but Democrats Are More Energized (Washington Post)

Why You Should Care about the Mobile Web’s Advertising Problem (Washington Post)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Ninth Circuit Bench Full at Last (Courthouse News Service)

GENERAL NEWS

National Weather Service Outlook – The Weather Story

Massive, Tornado-Producing Storms Lash the U-S Southeast (Reuters)

Felon Arrested in Mason County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

$1.8 Billion Methanol Plant Planned for Port of Tacoma (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Homeland Security: Don't Use Internet Explorer Due to Bug (Northwest Cable News Network)

Boat Suspected to be from 2011 Japanese Tsunami Washes up at Ocean Shores (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Seattle Braces: Coffee Prices Set To Go Up (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Cherry Season’s Early Signs Are Promising (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

DIVERSIONS

Runaway Budweiser Blimp Breaks Free, Goes Cruising over Canada

'Star Wars: Episode VII' Cast Announced

Weird Canadian Family Gives Up On Pretending Like It's 1986

Man’s Roadside Bathroom Break Uncovers Ancient Chinese Artifact

SONG OF THE DAY

Neil Diamond - Cherry Cherry

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.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Energy News Digest for April 28, 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 28, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Summer-Like Forecast Brings 70, 80-Degree Temperatures to Puget Sound (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Want ‘God Squad’ Convened to Assess Basin Salmon Recovery (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Public Records Request No Longer As Big of a Budget Buster for Energy Northwest (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Comcast Offers Reward for Information Leading to Arrest of Arlington Cable-Cutters (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Does El Niño Plus Global Warming Equal Global Temperature Records in 2014 & 2015? (The Energy Collective)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Public Records Request No Longer As Big of a Budget Buster for Energy Northwest (Bellingham Herald, WA)
  • Washington State Contractor: Oregon Dam Project a `Quagmire' (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
  • Information about Dorena Dam (U-S Army Corps of Engineers)
  • Pacific Northwest’s Cheap Power Drawing Bitcoin Miners “…operating or preparing to launch in Grant, Chelan and Douglas counties…” (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
  • Oregon Governor Firmly Opposes Ambre Energy Coal Export Terminal, Sets May Deadline (Oregonian, Portland)
  • Snohomish PUD, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Co-Host Washington Cybersecurity Conference (American Public Power Association)
  • Oregon: Editorial - Millersburg Public Power Drama Should Play Out in Public (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
  • Massachusetts: Two Linemen Perish - Officials Probe Cause of Fatal Bourne Crane Accident (Boston Globe, MA)
  • The Price of Electricity in the U-S Is About to Skyrocket “…As the U-S becomes more reliant on renewable energy like solar and wind, our electricity bills are going to go up. Way up…” (Gizmodo)
  • Electricity Rate Manipulation Alleged in Texas (Courthouse News Service)
  • Security Holes in Power Grid Have Federal Officials Scrambling (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)
  • Eight Energy Myths Explained (The Energy Collective)
  • Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Want ‘God Squad’ Convened to Assess Basin Salmon Recovery (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
  • Lower River Spring Chinook Fishing On Hold Until Run Update; Bonneville Dam Counts Building (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
  • Washington State, Wild Fish Conservancy Settle Lawsuit over ‘Early Winter’ Hatchery Steelhead Releases (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
  • Editorial: Thumbs Up to Tribes & Ranchers in Klamath Basin for Fish, Water Pact (Tri-City Herald, WA)
  • Sediment Flow at Elwha River's Mouth an Outdoor Classroom for University of Washington Students (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
  • A Battle Is Looming Over Renewable Energy, & Fossil Fuel Interests Are Losing (Washington Post)
  • Will Newer Wind Turbines Mean Fewer Bird Deaths? (National Geographic Magazine)
  • Experimental Efforts to Harvest the Ocean’s Power Face Cost Setbacks (NY Times)
  • Moody's Report Examines Risks & Rewards of Distributed Generation (American Public Power Association)
  • Op/Ed:  Renewable Energy Isn’t Radical, It’s Practical (Hungry Horse News, MT)
  • Montana: Governor Highlights Energy Efficiency in State Buildings (Helena Independent-Record, MT)
  • Conserving Water Enhances Energy Efficiency (Crain’s Business Cleveland, OH)
  • Why You're Not Seeing More Smart Home Appliances (Mashable)
  • Does El Niño Plus Global Warming Equal Global Temperature Records in 2014 & 2015? (The Energy Collective)
  • Getting a CLEW from the IPCC: Can IPCC's Policy Analysis Break the Olympia Logjam on Climate Policy? (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)
  • U-S Energy Chief Moniz: Three Reasons for Hope on Global Warming (Christian Science Monitor)
  • Young People Are Taking the Government to Court Over Its Failure to Address Climate Change (Moyers & Company)
  • Study Says Wetlands Likely to Blame for Greenhouse Gas Increases (Science Codex)
  • Ultragreen Seattle Building Is Ready for Challenge (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)
  • Comcast Offers Reward for Information Leading to Arrest of Arlington Cable-Cutters (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Microsoft Warns of Internet Explorer Security Gap (Associated Press)
  • Comcast Offers to Divest Customers to Win Time Warner Approval (Reuters)
  • Net Neutrality Rewritten: Will Next Generation of Innovators Have a Chance? (Christian Science Monitor)
  • Don’t Believe Comcast… Mobile Broadband Is Not Competition for Cable Internet (Consumerist)
  • When Employees Use Their Own Devices for Work, Employers’ Risks Abound (Jacksonville Business Journal, FL)
  • Op/Ed: Let’s Upgrade Our Schools for the Digital Age (Sacramento Bee, CA)
  • Do You Know These Google Tricks? (Northwest Cable News Network)
  • NPR Got the Internet 20 Years Ago: Read the Memo (Gizmodo)
  • Amid Criticism about a Partisan Congress, Idaho & Washington Senators Collaborate on Local Issues (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
  • Op/Ed: New Deal - An Example for Today? (Sacramento Bee, CA)
  • Summer-Like Forecast Brings 70, 80-Degree Temperatures to Puget Sound (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
  • Abandoned In Shelton as a Baby, Olympia Woman Seeks Birth Mom (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Shelton Man Wanted for Kitsap Robbery (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)
  • Three Injured in Crash North of Allyn – Alcohol Suspected (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)
  • Sheriff: Oregon Coast Tightrope Walker Swept into Ocean (Associated Press)
  • Idaho: $1,800 Worth of Copper Wire Reported Stolen in Post Falls (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)
  • Federal Government Concerned about Puget Sound Transportation (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
  • Pickers No Fans of Mushrooming Restrictions in Kitsap (Associated Press)

WORDPLAY OF THE DAY

15 Sad, Six Word Stories to Make You Feel Better About Monday (Mashable)

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Public Records Request No Longer As Big of a Budget Buster for Energy Northwest (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Washington State Contractor: Oregon Dam Project a `Quagmire' (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Information about Dorena Dam (U-S Army Corps of Engineers)

Pacific Northwest’s Cheap Power Drawing Bitcoin Miners “…operating or preparing to launch in Grant, Chelan and Douglas counties…” (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Oregon Governor Firmly Opposes Ambre Energy Coal Export Terminal, Sets May Deadline (Oregonian, Portland)

Snohomish PUD, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Co-Host Washington Cybersecurity Conference (American Public Power Association)

Oregon: Editorial - Millersburg Public Power Drama Should Play Out in Public (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)

Massachusetts: Two Linemen Perish - Officials Probe Cause of Fatal Bourne Crane Accident (Boston Globe, MA)

The Price of Electricity in the U-S Is About to Skyrocket “…As the U-S becomes more reliant on renewable energy like solar and wind, our electricity bills are going to go up. Way up…” (Gizmodo)

Electricity Rate Manipulation Alleged in Texas (Courthouse News Service)

Security Holes in Power Grid Have Federal Officials Scrambling (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Eight Energy Myths Explained (The Energy Collective)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Want ‘God Squad’ Convened to Assess Basin Salmon Recovery (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Lower River Spring Chinook Fishing On Hold Until Run Update; Bonneville Dam Counts Building (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Washington State, Wild Fish Conservancy Settle Lawsuit over ‘Early Winter’ Hatchery Steelhead Releases (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Editorial: Thumbs Up to Tribes & Ranchers in Klamath Basin for Fish, Water Pact (Tri-City Herald, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Sediment Flow at Elwha River's Mouth an Outdoor Classroom for University of Washington Students (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

A Battle Is Looming Over Renewable Energy, & Fossil Fuel Interests Are Losing (Washington Post)

Will Newer Wind Turbines Mean Fewer Bird Deaths? (National Geographic Magazine)

Experimental Efforts to Harvest the Ocean’s Power Face Cost Setbacks (NY Times)

Moody's Report Examines Risks & Rewards of Distributed Generation (American Public Power Association)

Op/Ed:  Renewable Energy Isn’t Radical, It’s Practical (Hungry Horse News, MT)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Montana: Governor Highlights Energy Efficiency in State Buildings (Helena Independent-Record, MT)

Conserving Water Enhances Energy Efficiency (Crain’s Business Cleveland, OH)

Why You're Not Seeing More Smart Home Appliances (Mashable)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Does El Niño Plus Global Warming Equal Global Temperature Records in 2014 & 2015? (The Energy Collective)

Getting a CLEW from the IPCC: Can IPCC's Policy Analysis Break the Olympia Logjam on Climate Policy? (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

U-S Energy Chief Moniz: Three Reasons for Hope on Global Warming (Christian Science Monitor)

Young People Are Taking the Government to Court Over Its Failure to Address Climate Change (Moyers & Company)

Study Says Wetlands Likely to Blame for Greenhouse Gas Increases (Science Codex)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Ultragreen Seattle Building Is Ready for Challenge (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast Offers Reward for Information Leading to Arrest of Arlington Cable-Cutters (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Microsoft Warns of Internet Explorer Security Gap (Associated Press)

Comcast Offers to Divest Customers to Win Time Warner Approval (Reuters)

Net Neutrality Rewritten: Will Next Generation of Innovators Have a Chance? (Christian Science Monitor)

Don’t Believe Comcast… Mobile Broadband Is Not Competition for Cable Internet (Consumerist)

When Employees Use Their Own Devices for Work, Employers’ Risks Abound (Jacksonville Business Journal, FL)

Op/Ed: Let’s Upgrade Our Schools for the Digital Age (Sacramento Bee, CA)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Do You Know These Google Tricks? (Northwest Cable News Network)

NPR Got the Internet 20 Years Ago: Read the Memo (Gizmodo)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Amid Criticism about a Partisan Congress, Idaho & Washington Senators Collaborate on Local Issues (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Op/Ed: New Deal - An Example for Today? (Sacramento Bee, CA)

GENERAL NEWS

Summer-Like Forecast Brings 70, 80-Degree Temperatures to Puget Sound (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Abandoned In Shelton as a Baby, Olympia Woman Seeks Birth Mom (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Shelton Man Wanted for Kitsap Robbery (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Three Injured in Crash North of Allyn – Alcohol Suspected (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Sheriff: Oregon Coast Tightrope Walker Swept into Ocean (Associated Press)

Idaho: $1,800 Worth of Copper Wire Reported Stolen in Post Falls (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

Federal Government Concerned about Puget Sound Transportation (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Pickers No Fans of Mushrooming Restrictions in Kitsap (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

New Mexico Dig Uncovers 'E.T.' Video Games Buried after 1980s Flop

Good Grief - Driver Who Killed Teen Now Suing Dead Boy's Family

It's Spring in Shelton - Mama and Her Ducklings Take a Stroll at Mason PUD 3's Operations Center

Pizza Hut Manager Helped Boyfriend Rob Her Own Store… Three Times in Four Months

SONG OF THE DAY

John Williams - E.T. Soundtrack Suite (which sounds like Star Wars, which sounds like Indiana Jones, which sounds like Harry Potter, and so on)

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.