Energy News Digest for July 30, 2014

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for July 30, 2014

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2014/07/word-cloud-news-digest-for-july-30-2014.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Washington State Attorney General’s Office Urges Lower Avista Electric Rates (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/jul/30/attorney-generals-office-urges-lower-avista/

U-S House Passes Endangered Species Act Bill (Capital Press)

http://www.capitalpress.com/Nation_World/Nation/20140730/house-passes-endangered-species-act-bill#.U9kabPldV8E

Is Lewis County in Consideration for a Massive Tesla Motors Battery ‘Gigafactory’? (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://thedailyworld.com/news/local/lewis-county-consideration-massive-tesla-motors-battery-gigafactory

Thirteen Oregon Counties, One Third of Nation Experiencing Notable Drought (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/blog/newsblog/13-oregon-counties-one-third-of-nation-in-extreme-drought/

Frontier CEO Says She’ll Beat Google Fiber ‘Hype’ with Better Prices “…10 to 12 megabits per second will be perfectly adequate for at least the next couple years…” (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2014/07/frontier_communications_facing.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Washington State Attorney General’s Office Urges Lower Avista Electric Rates
• California: Pacific Gas & Electric Faces New Criminal Charges over Fatal 2010 Pipeline Explosion
• Moody’s Assigns Aa1 to Energy Northwest Bonds, Rating Outlook Stable
• Thanks to Hydro: BMW i8 Visits Nation’s Capitol - Car Made with Moses Lake Carbon Fiber
• Tri-Cities Official: Fire Sparked after Bird Hits Power Pole
• No Fukushima Radiation in Oregon, Group Says
• Tennessee Valley Authority Ends LiveWell Program, Closes Employee Gyms to Cut Costs
• U-S House Passes Endangered Species Act Bill
• News Release: U-S House Approves Legislation to Improve & Update the Endangered Species Act
• Thirteen Oregon Counties, One Third of Nation Experiencing Notable Drought
• British Columbia Leader Promises Victoria Sewage Treatment to U-S Politicians, But Details Remain Vague
• Windfall from Carlsborg Sewer Plan: Sequim Could See More Than $6 Million in Revenue
• How Many Solar Panels Would It Take to Power Earth?
• Turning Wind Energy into a Waltz
• Gadgets, Apps & The Science Of Changing Energy Consumer Behavior
• Puget Sound Energy, Habitat for Humanity, Bonneville Power Administration Showcase New, Super-Efficient Manufactured Home
• Is Third Party Financing for Energy Efficiency Ready for Prime Time?
• Governor Inslee’s Seattle Wastewater Plant Tour Highlights Sea Rise Woes
• Eugene Passes Carbon Emissions Reduction Law
• Is Lewis County in Consideration for a Massive Tesla Motors Battery ‘Gigafactory’?
• Which Utilities Are Doing the Most in Clean Energy? Hint: Some of Them Are Here
• Frontier CEO Says She’ll Beat Google Fiber ‘Hype’ with Better Prices
• Montana: Study Finds Missoula City, County Should Spend $10 Million on Broadband
• Up to Speed: Windstream’s Novel Spinoff Could Save Billions & Inspire Copycats in Communications Industry
• The Government Accounting Office Finds a Few Problems with Broadband Data Caps
• Twitter Users Are Growing & the Stock Market is Pleased
• Social Media Has Changed the Way That War Reporting Works — And That’s a Good Thing
• Cyber-Men to the Rescue: Out West, Power Works Hard for Co-op Members
• Instagram Launches Bolt App Abroad
• Skokomish River: Bremerton Man Rescued from High Steel Bridge
• Senators from Colorado, Washington Want Federal Pot Laws Applied Fairly
• News Release: Washington, Colorado Senators Press Obama Administration on Marijuana Policies
• Don’t Like the Smell of Your Neighbor’s Pot? Too Bad!
• Biotech Giant Leaves Seattle, Cuts Hundreds of Jobs
• Problems Persist After Ferry Breakdown in Puget Sound

WORD OF THE DAY

Polyandry • \POLLY-and-ree\ • Noun – The state or practice of having more than one husband or male mate at one time

The lack of eligible women in the remote Russian village had led over the years to practice of polyandry. After several generations, the shortage was revealed as a hoax, as a village one valley over was the seething hotbed for polygamy.  The two leaders decided to end their respective practices during a summit session last week. Said one leader “my agreement to your terms is big of me.” “No,” replied his adversary, “what we were practicing was bigamy!”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Mason County Forecast for July 30, 2014

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Washington State Attorney General’s Office Urges Lower Avista Electric Rates (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/jul/30/attorney-generals-office-urges-lower-avista/

California: Pacific Gas & Electric Faces New Criminal Charges over Fatal 2010 Pipeline Explosion (Silicon Valley Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/blog/morning-roundup/2014/07/pg-e-faces-new-criminal-charges-over-fatal-2010.html

Moody’s Assigns Aa1 to Energy Northwest Bonds, Rating Outlook Stable (TWST.COM)

http://www.twst.com/update/71755-moodys-corporation-moodys-assigns-aa1-to-energy-northwest-wa-project-1-and-project-3-revenue-bonds-and-affirms-bonneville-power-administration-ors-aa1-issuer-rating-rating-outlook-is-stable

Thanks to Hydro: BMW i8 Visits Nation’s Capitol - Car Made with Moses Lake Carbon Fiber (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/business/article_b5ecbd34-16a6-11e4-aa9b-0019bb2963f4.html

Tri-Cities Official: Fire Sparked after Bird Hits Power Pole (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Official-fire-sparked-after-bird-hits-power-pole-269146651.html

No Fukushima Radiation in Oregon, Group Says (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.katu.com/news/local/No-Fukushima-radiation-in-Oregon-group-says-269060271.html

Tennessee Valley Authority Ends LiveWell Program, Closes Employee Gyms to Cut Costs (Chattanooga Times-Free Press, TN)

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/jul/26/tva-ends-livewell-program-closes-employee-gymns-to/

FISH & WILDLIFE

U-S House Passes Endangered Species Act Bill (Capital Press)

http://www.capitalpress.com/Nation_World/Nation/20140730/house-passes-endangered-species-act-bill#.U9kabPldV8E

News Release: U-S House Approves Legislation to Improve & Update the Endangered Species Act (Committee on Natural Resources, U-S House of Representatives)

http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=389632

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Thirteen Oregon Counties, One Third of Nation Experiencing Notable Drought (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/blog/newsblog/13-oregon-counties-one-third-of-nation-in-extreme-drought/

British Columbia Leader Promises Victoria Sewage Treatment to U-S Politicians, But Details Remain Vague (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20140730/NEWS/307309994/british-columbia-leader-promises-victoria-sewage-treatment-to-us

Windfall from Carlsborg Sewer Plan: Sequim Could See More Than $6 Million in Revenue (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20140730/news/307309980/windfall-from-carlsborg-sewer-plan-sequim-could-see-more-than-6

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

How Many Solar Panels Would It Take to Power Earth? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0729/How-many-solar-panels-would-it-take-to-power-Earth

Turning Wind Energy into a Waltz (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/sheilakoliva/447926/turning-wind-energy-waltz

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Gadgets, Apps & The Science Of Changing Energy Consumer Behavior (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2014/07/29/gadgets-apps-and-the-science-of-changing-energy-consumer-behavior/?ss=energy

Puget Sound Energy, Habitat for Humanity, Bonneville Power Administration Showcase New, Super-Efficient Manufactured Home (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2014/07/puget-sound-energy-habitat-for-humanity.html

Is Third Party Financing for Energy Efficiency Ready for Prime Time? (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

http://www.energynaturalresourceslaw.com/2014/07/is-third-party-financing-of-energy-efficiency-ready-for-prime-time.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Governor Inslee’s Seattle Wastewater Plant Tour Highlights Sea Rise Woes (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

http://kuow.org/post/gov-inslees-wastewater-plant-tour-highlights-sea-rise-woes

Eugene Passes Carbon Emissions Reduction Law (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

http://koin.com/2014/07/29/eugene-passes-carbon-emissions-reduction-law/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Is Lewis County in Consideration for a Massive Tesla Motors Battery ‘Gigafactory’? (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://thedailyworld.com/news/local/lewis-county-consideration-massive-tesla-motors-battery-gigafactory

Which Utilities Are Doing the Most in Clean Energy? Hint: Some of Them Are Here (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2014/07/which-utilities-are-doing-the-most-in-clean-energy.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Frontier CEO Says She’ll Beat Google Fiber ‘Hype’ with Better Prices “…10 to 12 megabits per second will be perfectly adequate for at least the next couple years…” (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2014/07/frontier_communications_facing.html

Montana: Study Finds Missoula City, County Should Spend $10 Million on Broadband (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/study-finds-missoula-city-county-should-spend-m-on-broadband/article_414517ac-1786-11e4-8d52-0019bb2963f4.html

Up to Speed: Windstream’s Novel Spinoff Could Save Billions & Inspire Copycats in Communications Industry “…categorize copper & fiber-optic lines as real estate, then spin off those properties…” (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2014/07/up-to-speed-windstreams-novel-spinoff-could-save.html

The Government Accounting Office Finds a Few Problems with Broadband Data Caps (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2014/07/29/the-gao-finds-a-few-problems-with-broadband-data-caps/

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter Users Are Growing & the Stock Market is Pleased (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2014/07/29/twitter-users-are-growing-and-the-stock-market-is-pleased/

Social Media Has Changed the Way That War Reporting Works — And That’s a Good Thing (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2014/07/28/social-media-has-changed-the-way-that-war-reporting-works-and-thats-a-good-thing/

Cyber-Men to the Rescue: Out West, Power Works Hard for Co-op Members (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/efficiency-conservation/consumer-outreach/out-west-power-works-hard-for-co-op-members/72351

Instagram Launches Bolt App Abroad (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/techchron/2014/07/29/instagram-launches-bolt-app-abroad/

GENERAL NEWS

Skokomish River: Bremerton Man Rescued from High Steel Bridge (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/13189

Senators from Colorado, Washington Want Federal Pot Laws Applied Fairly (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/29/us-usa-marijuana-senators-idUSKBN0FY2CM20140729

News Release: Washington, Colorado Senators Press Obama Administration on Marijuana Policies (U-S Senator Patty Murray)

http://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=6533dfbb-fac0-49d6-ba93-20f1bdf8ba34

Don’t Like the Smell of Your Neighbor’s Pot? Too Bad! (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.katu.com/news/local/Dont-Like-The-Smell-Of-Your-Neighbors-Pot-Too-Bad-269140541.html

Biotech Giant Leaves Seattle, Cuts Hundreds of Jobs (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/biotech-giant-leaves-seattle-cuts-hundreds-jobs/ngqpk/

Problems Persist After Ferry Breakdown in Puget Sound (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Ferry-woes-continue-after-breakdown-of-MV-Tacoma-in-Puget-Sound-269217571.html

DIVERSIONS

A Multi-Function Clip That Hides a Toolbox in Your Hair

http://gizmodo.com/a-multi-function-clip-that-hides-a-toolbox-in-your-hair-1611005617

Oak Ridge Cancels Class to Reduce Southern Accents

http://news.yahoo.com/oak-ridge-cancels-class-reduce-southern-accents-164732855.html

Couple Wants Middle Names to Include ‘Seamonster’

http://news.yahoo.com/couple-wants-middle-names-seamonster-171509910.html

More Mysterious Craters Found in Russia’s Remote Siberia Region

http://news.yahoo.com/more-mysterious-craters-found-russias-remote-siberia-region-170903778.html

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beatles - Fixing a Hole

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

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.

Energy News Digest for July 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:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

New Bill Pushes for $50 Million to Restore Columbia River (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)
http://ijpr.org/post/new-bill-pushes-50-million-restore-columbia-river

Draft Snake River Sockeye Recovery Plan Released for Comment; $101 Million over 25 Years (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/431583.aspx

Avista Thanks Customers for Patience during Worst Spokane-Area Outage since 1996 Ice Storm (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.khq.com/story/26131933/avista-thanks-customers-for-patience-during-worst-outage-since-1996-ice-storm

Washington State Governor Inslee to Lay Out Ideas for Cap-And-Trade, Carbon Tax (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2014/07/28/washington-governor/121225/inslee-set-lay-out-ideas-climate-change-cap-and-tr/

Dry Weather, Warm Temps for the Next Week across Washington State (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2574027/Dry-weather-warm-temps-for-the-next-week-across-Washington

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Avista Thanks Customers for Patience during Worst Spokane-Area Outage since 1996 Ice Storm
• Squirrel Causes Transformer to Explode, Loss of TV in Grant County
• Zapped Critters Cause 17% of Snohomish PUD Outages
• Clallam Public Utility District to Take Bids on an Estimated $12.6 Million in Construction Projects
• California: Emails Show Pacific Gas & Electric, Regulator Have ‘Illegal, Unethical Relationship,’ San Bruno Official Says
• Southern Montana Electric Co-op Exits Bankruptcy
• Legal Marathon Continues over Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Warrenton
• Small Idaho Town Gets Smarter with Automation
• West’s Largest Coal-Fired Plant on Track to Close
• Taiwan’s Nuclear Power Plants Are Magnets for Protesters – And Snorkelers
• Critical Grid Standards OK, but FERC Seeks More
• Draft Snake River Sockeye Recovery Plan Released for Comment; $101 Million over 25 Years
• Scientists Hoping to Restore Salmon in Ellensburg
• Puget Sound Hatchery Plans Opened to Public Comment
• Rocky Barker: Renewing Idaho’s Wild Salmon & Wild Rivers
• Oregon Historical Photo: Salmon Wheel Boat on the Columbia River, 1883
• New Bill Pushes for $50 Million to Restore Columbia River
• British Columbia: Kettle River, Long Abused, Serves as a Warning Sign for B-C’S Water Supply
• Editorial: B-C Premier Vows Sewage Treatment for Victoria — Someday
• Solar Panel Prices Expected to Rise in the U-S Due to New Tariffs on Chinese Panels
• How Clean Tech, After Notable Failures, Grew Up in Oregon
• Massachusetts: Hydropower Plan Vital in Climate Change Fight, Officials Say
• Your Giant American Refrigerator is Making You Fat & Poor
• Washington State Governor Inslee to Lay Out Ideas for Cap-And-Trade, Carbon Tax
• White House Report Presses Economic Case for Carbon Rule
• Report: More Acidic Seawater Poses Risks in Alaska
• Getting a Charge Out of Work: Oregon Employers to Provide Stations for Plug-In Vehicles
• Frontier Has Fiber Plans for the Portland Suburbs
• How Much Data Can One Smart Home Generate? About 1 GB a Week
• Major League Baseball Latest Opposed to FCC’s ‘Fast Lane’ Proposal
• Free Solar Marketing on Facebook Is Mostly Dead, Now What?
• Your Facebook Page’s Organic Reach Is About to Plummet
• Can Reddit Grow Up?
• Inside the EPA climate rule hearings — FERC weighs in on EPA rules — U.S., EU to toughen Russian sanctions
• State Senate Races: Republicans Dishing Dirt through Mail
• Dry Weather, Warm Temps for the Next Week across Washington State
• Why Gas Prices Remain Static despite U-S Oil Production Surge

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Avista Thanks Customers for Patience during Worst Spokane-Area Outage since 1996 Ice Storm (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.khq.com/story/26131933/avista-thanks-customers-for-patience-during-worst-outage-since-1996-ice-storm

Squirrel Causes Transformer to Explode, Loss of TV in Grant County (iFiber One, Ephrata, WA)

http://www.ifiberone.com/news/squirrel-causes-transformer-to-explode-loss-of-tv-in-grant/article_a6815306-16b4-11e4-b903-0017a43b2370.html

Zapped Critters Cause 17% of Snohomish PUD Outages (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140729/NEWS01/140729158

Clallam Public Utility District to Take Bids on an Estimated $12.6 Million in Construction Projects (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20140729/news/307299978/clallam-public-utility-district-to-take-bids-on-an-estimated-126

California: Emails Show Pacific Gas & Electric, Regulator Have ‘Illegal, Unethical Relationship,’ San Bruno Official Says (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_26230236?source=rss

Southern Montana Electric Co-op Exits Bankruptcy (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/industry/business-finance/montana-co-op-exits-bankruptcy/72257

Legal Marathon Continues over Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Warrenton (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2014/07/oregon_lng_project_in_warrento.html#cmpid=nwsltrhead

Small Idaho Town Gets Smarter with Automation (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Small-Idaho-town-gets-smarter-with-automation.aspx

West’s Largest Coal-Fired Plant on Track to Close (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/wests-largest-coal-fired-plant-track-close-183936120.html

Taiwan’s Nuclear Power Plants Are Magnets for Protesters – And Snorkelers (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2014/0728/Taiwan-s-nuclear-power-plants-are-magnets-for-protesters-and-snorkelers

Critical Grid Standards OK, but FERC Seeks More (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/regulatory-watch/power-regulation/critical-grid-standards-ok-but-ferc-seeks-more/72229

FISH & WILDLIFE

Draft Snake River Sockeye Recovery Plan Released for Comment; $101 Million over 25 Years (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/431583.aspx

Scientists Hoping to Restore Salmon in Ellensburg (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.khq.com/story/26133451/scientists-hoping-to-restore-salmon-in-ellensburg

Puget Sound Hatchery Plans Opened to Public Comment (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/jul/28/hatchery-opens-plans-to-public-comment/

Rocky Barker: Renewing Idaho’s Wild Salmon & Wild Rivers (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/07/28/3299185/renewing-idahos-wild-salmon-and.html

Oregon Historical Photo: Salmon Wheel Boat on the Columbia River, 1883 “…This new technology was so efficient it eventually decimated the salmon population, contributing to the decline of native communities & culture…” (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/artsandlife/series/historical-photo/oregon-historical-photo-salmon-wheel-boat-on-the-columbia-river-1883/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

New Bill Pushes for $50 Million to Restore Columbia River (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)
http://ijpr.org/post/new-bill-pushes-50-million-restore-columbia-river

British Columbia: Kettle River, Long Abused, Serves as a Warning Sign for B-C’S Water Supply (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/kettle-river-long-abused-serves-as-a-warning-sign-for-bcs-water-supply/article19799995/?cmpid=rss1

Editorial: B-C Premier Vows Sewage Treatment for Victoria — Someday (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/opinionnw/2014/07/28/b-c-premier-vows-sewage-treatment-for-victoria-someday/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Solar Panel Prices Expected to Rise in the U-S Due to New Tariffs on Chinese Panels (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/07/solar-panel-prices-expected-to-rise-in-the-us-due-to-new-tariffs-on-chinese-panels?cmpid=rss

How Clean Tech, After Notable Failures, Grew Up in Oregon (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/07/after-notable-failures-clean-tech.html

Massachusetts: Hydropower Plan Vital in Climate Change Fight, Officials Say “…would require utility companies in the state to sign long-term agreements to buy large amounts of hydroelectric power from Canada…” (Boston Globe, MA)

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2014/07/28/hydropower-plan-officials-say-vital-climate-change-fight/BLGdqqAiacHIDq9ZRIP6qI/story.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Your Giant American Refrigerator is Making You Fat & Poor (Gawker Domesticity)

http://domesticity.gawker.com/your-giant-american-refrigerator-is-making-you-fat-and-1610974479

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Governor Inslee to Lay Out Ideas for Cap-And-Trade, Carbon Tax (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2014/07/28/washington-governor/121225/inslee-set-lay-out-ideas-climate-change-cap-and-tr/

White House Report Presses Economic Case for Carbon Rule (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/us/politics/white-house-report-presses-economic-case-for-carbon-rule.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Report: More Acidic Seawater Poses Risks in Alaska (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/Report-More-acidic-seawater-poses-risks-in-Alaska-5653662.php

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Getting a Charge Out of Work: Oregon Employers to Provide Stations for Plug-In Vehicles (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2014/07/getting-a-charge-out-of-work-oregon-employers-to.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Frontier Has Fiber Plans for the Portland Suburbs (Portland Business Journal, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/07/frontier-has-fiber-plans-for-the-portland-suburbs.html

How Much Data Can One Smart Home Generate? About 1 GB a Week (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2014/07/29/how-much-data-to-a-smart-home-generate-about-a-1-gb-a-week/

Major League Baseball Latest Opposed to FCC’s ‘Fast Lane’ Proposal (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/MLB-Latest-to-be-Opposed-to-FCCs-Fast-Lane-Proposal-129865

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Free Solar Marketing on Facebook Is Mostly Dead, Now What? (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2014/07/free-solar-marketing-on-facebok-is-mostly-dead-now-what?cmpid=rss

Your Facebook Page’s Organic Reach Is About to Plummet (Social Media Today)

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/your-facebook-pages-organic-reach-about-plummet

Can Reddit Grow Up? (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/technology/can-reddit-grow-up.html?_r=0

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Inside the EPA climate rule hearings — FERC weighs in on EPA rules — U.S., EU to toughen Russian sanctions — House takes up ESA bill (Politico)

http://www.politico.com/morningenergy/0714/morningenergy14807.html

State Senate Races: Republicans Dishing Dirt through Mail (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2014/07/28/state-senate-races-republicans-are-dishing-dirt-99-days-before-election/

GENERAL NEWS

Dry Weather, Warm Temps for the Next Week across Washington State (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2574027/Dry-weather-warm-temps-for-the-next-week-across-Washington

Why Gas Prices Remain Static despite U-S Oil Production Surge (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0728/Why-gas-prices-remain-static-despite-oil-production-surge

DIVERSIONS

Study: Fist Bumps Are Less Germy Than Handshakes (But Are They “Terrorist” Fist Bumps?)

http://www.kgw.com/news/Study-Fist-bumps-are-less-germy-than-handshakes-268887241.html

Clowns Help Fellow Clown Who Crashed Car into Pole (White greasepaint all over the highway!)

http://news.yahoo.com/clowns-help-fellow-clown-crashed-car-pole-150106440.html

Wedding Reception Shut Down When Brawl Breaks Out

http://news.yahoo.com/wedding-reception-shut-down-brawl-breaks-122714458.html

Elegant Louvre Garden in Paris Infested with Rats

http://news.yahoo.com/elegant-louvre-garden-paris-infested-rats-155112716.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Camille - Le Festin(Ratatouille Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_hdmt4vpBo

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.

Energy News Digest for July 28, 2014

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Former Thurston PUD Commissioner Corwin Dies (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/07/27/3772058/former-thurston-pud-commissioner.html

Leavin’ BPA - Portland General Electric Says Bekkedahl to Join It’s Executive Team (4-Traders)

http://www.4-traders.com/PORTLAND-GENERAL-ELECTRIC-16678/news/Portland-General-Electric--Bekkedahl-to-join-PGE-executive-team-18799619/

Pacific Northwest's Vanishing Seabirds May Be Linked to Herring Decline (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2014/07/northwests_vanishing_seabirds.html

Guest: Victoria’s Sewage Does Not Pollute Washington Shores (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2024164911_brianburchillopedvictoriasewage27xml.html

3.5 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Belfair (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/35-magnitude-earthquake-shakes-belfair/ngphP/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Former Thurston PUD Commissioner Corwin Dies
• Leavin’ BPA - Portland General Electric Says Bekkedahl to Join It’s Executive Team
• Public Agenda: Kittitas County PUD Eyes Pot & Power
• Workshop Set to Explain Grant PUD Rate Structure
• NWPPA Showcases Demand Response in Port Angeles, Upgrades at Dworshak Hatchery
• Sierra Club Sues New York over Electric Rates
• Alleged Copper Thief Electrocuted at Abandoned Factory in Oakland
• What Will the 21st Century Grid Look Like?
• Clamping Down on Power Theft at Grow Houses
• Editorial Notebook: Solar Storm Would Be the End of the World as We Know It
• Pacific Northwest's Vanishing Seabirds May Be Linked to Herring Decline
• What Would It Take to Get Salmon Back above Grand Coulee Dam?
• Biologists Track Fish Recovery in Tough Conditions on Elwha River
• More Rearing Habitat for Upper Columbia Sockeye: Cheap Fix Brings ‘Incredible Biological Benefit'
• Alaska: Judge Rules Feds Wrongly Protected Bearded Seals
• Guest: Victoria’s Sewage Does Not Pollute Washington Shores
• California: Voluntary Water Conservation Not Effective, Data Show
• You Can Now Pay Someone’s Delinquent Detroit Water Bill Online
• Net-Metering: The Great Debate
• Wisconsin Utility Companies Take Aim against Solar Power
• German Utilities Paid to Stabilize Grid Due to Increased Wind and Solar
• Governor Inslee Asks Businesses to Help Shape Climate Change Policy
• Shipping Containers Go from Hobo to Hip
• Utilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee & Wilson, North Carolina, Ask FCC to Enable Local Broadband Choice
• The Next Big Front for Cloud Competition: Location, Location, Location
• These Light Paintings Show How Wi-Fi Swirls & Shifts around You
• Would You Pay $100 a Year to Hear What Sarah Palin Has to Say?
• 3.5 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Belfair
• Longer, Hotter Northwest Fire Seasons Are 'New Normal'
• City of Shelton’s C Street Landfill Now on Hazardous Sites List
• Pot Farmers in Washington State Driving a Bumpy Road to Market
• Map of Pot Lottery Winners in Washington State

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Mason County Weather Forecast for July 28, 2014

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Former Thurston PUD Commissioner Corwin Dies (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/07/27/3772058/former-thurston-pud-commissioner.html

Leavin’ BPA - Portland General Electric Says Bekkedahl to Join It’s Executive Team (4-Traders)

http://www.4-traders.com/PORTLAND-GENERAL-ELECTRIC-16678/news/Portland-General-Electric--Bekkedahl-to-join-PGE-executive-team-18799619/

Public Agenda: Kittitas County PUD Eyes Pot & Power (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/public_agenda/public-agenda-county-pud-eyes-pot-and-power/article_6aa4dc62-1476-11e4-8a52-0019bb2963f4.html

Workshop Set to Explain Grant PUD Rate Structure (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_0d61a352-141f-11e4-abfb-001a4bcf887a.html

NWPPA Showcases Demand Response in Port Angeles, Upgrades at Dworshak Hatchery (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/NWPPA-showcases-demand-response-in-Port-Angeles-upgrades-at-Dworshak-Hatchery.aspx

Sierra Club Sues New York over Electric Rates (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/07/24/69790.htm

Alleged Copper Thief Electrocuted at Abandoned Factory in Oakland (KNTV-TV, San Jose, CA)

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Man-Died-After-He-Was-Electrocuted-Wednesday-Night-268447802.html

What Will the 21st Century Grid Look Like? (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/440576/what-will-21st-century-grid-look

Clamping Down on Power Theft at Grow Houses (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/editors-pick/co-op-helps-find-power-stealing-marijuana-grow-house/72280

Editorial Notebook: Solar Storm Would Be the End of the World as We Know It (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/26/6582928/editorial-notebook-solar-storm.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pacific Northwest's Vanishing Seabirds May Be Linked to Herring Decline (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2014/07/northwests_vanishing_seabirds.html

What Would It Take to Get Salmon Back above Grand Coulee Dam? (Twin Falls News, ID)

http://magicvalley.com/news/local/what-would-it-take-to-get-salmon-back-above-grand/article_4e61ff16-154e-11e4-942f-0019bb2963f4.html

Biologists Track Fish Recovery in Tough Conditions on Elwha River (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024180269_elwhafishxml.html

More Rearing Habitat for Upper Columbia Sockeye: Cheap Fix Brings ‘Incredible Biological Benefit' (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/431584.aspx

Alaska: Judge Rules Feds Wrongly Protected Bearded Seals (Associated Press)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-rules-feds-wrongly-protecting-bearded-seals-24722083

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Guest: Victoria’s Sewage Does Not Pollute Washington Shores (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2024164911_brianburchillopedvictoriasewage27xml.html

California: Voluntary Water Conservation Not Effective, Data Show (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/28/6586310/voluntary-water-conservation-not.html

You Can Now Pay Someone’s Delinquent Detroit Water Bill Online (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/07/23/you-can-now-pay-someones-delinquent-detroit-water-bill-online/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Net-Metering: The Great Debate (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/07/net-metering-the-great-debate?cmpid=rss

Wisconsin Utility Companies Take Aim against Solar Power (Milwaukee Business Journal, WI

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/morning_roundup/2014/07/wisconsin-utility-companies-take-aim-against-solar.html

German Utilities Paid to Stabilize Grid Due to Increased Wind and Solar (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/07/german-utilities-paid-to-stabilize-grid-due-to-increased-wind-and-solar?cmpid=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Governor Inslee Asks Businesses to Help Shape Climate Change Policy (Association of Washington Business)

http://www.awb.org/olympia-business-watch/?bid=19009

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Shipping Containers Go from Hobo to Hip (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/26/6581245/shipping-containers-go-from-hobo.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Utilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee & Wilson, North Carolina, Ask FCC to Enable Local Broadband Choice (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=277282&issueID=34906

The Next Big Front for Cloud Competition: Location, Location, Location (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2014/07/26/the-next-big-front-for-cloud-competition-location-location-location/

These Light Paintings Show How Wi-Fi Swirls & Shifts around You (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/these-light-paintings-show-how-wi-fi-swirls-and-shifts-1611933652

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Would You Pay $100 a Year to Hear What Sarah Palin Has to Say? (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2014/07/28/sarah-palin-channel/

GENERAL NEWS

3.5 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Belfair (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/35-magnitude-earthquake-shakes-belfair/ngphP/

Longer, Hotter Northwest Fire Seasons Are 'New Normal' (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Longer-hotter-Northwest-fire-seasons-268879311.html

City of Shelton’s C Street Landfill Now on Hazardous Sites List (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news/17388-c-street-landfill-now-on-hazardous-sites-list

Pot Farmers in Washington State Driving a Bumpy Road to Market (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024172567_potseries3xml.html

Map of Pot Lottery Winners in Washington State (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/pot/2014/06/27/map-of-pot-lottery-winners-in-seattle/

DIVERSIONS

Rockies Give Out Shirts Honoring Tulowitzki - But Spell His Name Incorrectly

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/27/us-baseball-tulowitzki-idUSKBN0FW02X20140727

Guess What Happens When Robbers Go after Money at a Gas Station Staffed by MMA Fighter?

http://consumerist.com/2014/07/28/guess-what-happens-when-robbers-go-after-money-at-a-gas-station-staffed-by-mma-fighter/

Amazon Worker Piloted Drone around Space Needle

http://news.yahoo.com/amazon-worker-piloted-drone-around-space-needle-180531440.html

Pennsylvania Parents Locked Son in Car Trunk to Cure Fear of Dark (Great, now the child has claustrophobia)

http://news.yahoo.com/pennsylvania-parents-locked-son-car-trunk-cure-fear-165133161.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Jimmie Rodgers - The Long Hot Summer (Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfknPw8xVGQ

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.