Energy News Digest for April 23, 2018

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The Energy News Digest is on Facebook, on Twitter, and online on the News Digest Blog.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 23, 2018

Marine Forecast for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Olympic Mountain Forecast for Mason County

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Copper Wire Theft Estimated at $10,000 at Bonneville Power Administration’s McNary Substation (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

http://www.eastoregonian.com/eo/local-news/20180420/copper-wire-theft-estimated-at-10000-at-mcnary-substation

Think Tank Slams Dam-Breaching Study (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/apr/21/think-tank-slams-dam-breaching-study/

Xcel Energy Not So Into Markets after All (Politico Morning Energy)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2018/04/xcel-energy-not-so-into-markets-after.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tropical Dolphins Are Appearing In Pacific Northwest Waters (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/news/article/bottlenose-dolphin-northwest-british-columbia-false-killer-whale/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

How Windmills as Wide as Jumbo Jets Are Making Clean Energy Mainstream (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/04/23/business/energy-environment/big-windmills.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Touts $1.8 Billion Investment in Oregon Data Center (Associated Press)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/state_news/google-touts-billion-investment-in-oregon-data-center/article_2f7f6c48-70d6-5366-9f26-c4e475709861.html

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

Four Aberdeen Schools Shut Off Water Due to Elevated Lead Levels (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/news/four-aberdeen-schools-shut-off-water-due-to-elevated-lead-levels/

California Water Commission Looks to Funding of Dam Projects (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/ca-water-commission-looks-to-funding-of-dam-projects/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Michael Bloomberg to Write $4.5 Million Check for U-S Share of Paris Climate Pact (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-climate-bloomberg/michael-bloomberg-to-write-4-5-million-check-for-paris-climate-pact-idUSKBN1HT0QW

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Schumer Backs Decriminalizing Marijuana at the Federal Level (SF Chronicle)

https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Schumer-Backs-Decriminalizing-Marijuana-at-the-12849240.php

Everything You Need To Know About the Weed Grown by the Feds (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/2018/04/20/does-federal-government-grow-weed/

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

Al Swift, Former Washington State Congressman, Dies at 82 (Associated Press)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/state_news/al-swift-former-washington-state-congressman-dies-at/article_2ec1c5a1-db2d-5edd-a89c-556c6c008ff4.html

On Tuesday, Tumwater Voters Will Decide on the City’s Fireworks Ban. Again. (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article209500729.html

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Lottery Official Fired after Ethics Investigation (Associated Press)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/state-lottery-official-fired-after-ethics-investigation/article_5956fede-45b1-11e8-9b80-bf18309e6f99.html

Shelton voters to choose 4 new city council members on Tuesday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/shelton-voters-to-choose-new-city-council-members-on-tuesday/article_5eacb474-44ca-11e8-ba79-9f301bc03e0b.html

Mason Transit Seeks Additional Input on Intersection Options at Log Yard Road & SR-3 (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/30217

City Launches Economic Development Strategic Planning Survey (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/30214

USA Today Nominates Sequim, Port Townsend in “Best Of” Contests (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/usa-today-nominates-sequim-port-townsend-in-contests/

Waffle House Suspect Still at Large a Day after Nashville Shooting (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tennessee-shooting/waffle-house-suspect-still-at-large-a-day-after-nashville-shooting-idUSKBN1HU0FY

MAIL IN THE SECOND BEDROOM – DIVERSIONS

Officials Say Postal Worker Hoarded Over 17K Pieces of Mail

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/officials-say-postal-worker-hoarded-over-k-pieces-of-mail/article_d4f62e33-6ae5-5d13-ac83-4ae97be630aa.html

Mom: Preschool's Ban of the Term 'Best Friend' Is Silly

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/mom-preschool-s-ban-of-the-term-best-friend-is/article_f3552da6-c7fe-5110-a2db-b6806a55f750.html

This Is William Shakespeare Day: 10 of His Best Quotes about Love

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/books/william-shakespeare-day-2018-10-of-his-best-quotes-about-love-a3820496.html

A Squirrel Named Furry Boi Wins UC Berkeley Student Government Election

http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article209566084.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter

SONG OF THE DAY

Carole King - It's Too Late

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

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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

Energy News Digest for April 20, 2018

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

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

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 20, 2018

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal – Tonight through Saturday Afternoon

Marine Forecast for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Olympic Mountain Forecast for Mason County

Why Is Weather Forecasting in the Pacific Northwest So Difficult? (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/article/weather/why-is-weather-forecasting-in-the-nw-so-difficult/283-543500395

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

After Alert on Russian Hacks, Bigger Push To Protect Power Grid (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2018/04/19/602252391/after-alert-on-russian-hacks-bigger-push-to-protect-power-grid

Clark Public Utilities Doesn’t Foresee Rate Increase – BPA Weighs Options in Wake of Court’s Dam-Spill Ruling (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2018/apr/18/clark-public-utilities-doesnt-foresee-rate-increase/

Snohomish PUD CEO/General Manager Craig Collar Announces Retirement (Snohomish PUD, Everett, WA)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2018/04/snohomish-pud-ceogeneral-manager-craig.html

Judge Lifts Requirement for Feds To Produce New Salmon/Steelhead BiOp in 2018; Offers Flexibility (Columbia Basin Bulletin)(

http://www.cbbulletin.com/440567.aspx

Nevada’s Retail Choice Battle Will Greatly Impact Solar, Everyone Agrees. But for Better or Worse? (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nevada-voters-to-choose-between-buffett-backed-utility-and-casino-backed-po/521359/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Clark Public Utilities Doesn’t Foresee Rate Increase – BPA Weighs Options in Wake of Court’s Dam-Spill Ruling
• Snohomish PUD CEO/General Manager Craig Collar Announces Retirement
• Underground Power Lines Could Be Coming to Tacoma’s Brewery District
• Mason PUD 3 Wins Second Place in Northwest Safety Contest
• Lewis County PUD Equal Payment Plan
• Power in Puerto Rico Restored after Islandwide Blackout
• Lawmakers Urge Feds to Reconsider Tennessee Valley Authority Asset Sale Plan
• Xcel First Utility to Get FAA Approval to Run Inspection Drones Beyond Line of Sight
• Mason County PUD Halts Bitcoin Mining Operations
• Invasion of the Power Snatchers
• Bitcoin Miners Facing Shakeout as Profitability Wanes
• Judge Lifts Requirement for Feds To Produce New Salmon/Steelhead BiOp in 2018; Offers Flexibility
• 8 Months after Farmed-Fish Escape, Lively Atlantic Salmon Caught 40 Miles Upriver
• B.C. First Nation Wins Right to Its Own Commercial Fishery
• Hundreds of 5th Graders Participate in Salmon Release Field Trip
• Thanks BPA: Tribal Fish Restoration Work Highlighted, Awarded $4.9 Million in Federal Money.
• Nevada’s Retail Choice Battle Will Greatly Impact Solar, Everyone Agrees. But for Better or Worse?
• Target Is Tops In Corporate Solar-Energy Users
• The U-S Wind Turbine Database
• After Alert on Russian Hacks, Bigger Push To Protect Power Grid
• Can a Loud Noise Really Bring Down a Data Center?
• Top GOP Lawmaker Says Internet ‘Fast Lanes’ Are Just Like Priority TSA Lines, & Who Doesn’t Love Those?
• Another Voice: A Model for Energy Efficiency in Sacramento
• Senate Confirms Climate Change Denier to Lead NASA
• How Blockchain Will Disrupt the Future of Social Media Influencers
• Egypt’s Mufti Issues Fatwa against Buying Facebook ‘Likes’
• Grow Op Farms in Spokane Valley Expanding Its Already-Huge Marijuana Business
• Attack on Richland Pot Ban Launches on ‘Marijuana Holiday’
• Happy 4/20? How Marijuana Legalization Is Ruining the Unofficial Stoner Holiday.
• State Senator Wants to Stop Seattle from Implementing a Head Tax
• Opportunity Zones - An Incentives to Invest in Lower-Income Areas
• Wells Fargo Said To Be Target of $1 Billion U-S Fine
• Washingtonians Are Less Religious Than Ever, Gallup Poll Finds
• 2 Shelton Power Lifters Break Records at Invitational
• Seahawks 2018 Schedule Features Five Prime-Time Games, Four of Final Five Games at Home
• The Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend. Here’s How to See It.
• Chewing Tobacco Banned at Safeco, Centurylink

WORD OF THE DAY

Gesamtkunstwerk • \guh-ZAHMT-koonst-verk\ • Noun - From the German. The total work of art, meaning the architect designs everything, soup to nuts.

The architect as artist had begun the meeting with a bright-eyed exuberance. His vision, his gesamtkunstwerk was to be the crowning achievement…a shining structure in the dusty, Midwest town that would be a beacon for students everywhere. By the time the design had been festooned with folk art and rustic, rural design suggestions…his vision had declined into a thousand square-mile collection of kitsch. ‘Great,’ he mused. ‘I started with the Guggenheim, and wound up with Green Acres.’

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Clark Public Utilities Doesn’t Foresee Rate Increase – BPA Weighs Options in Wake of Court’s Dam-Spill Ruling (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2018/apr/18/clark-public-utilities-doesnt-foresee-rate-increase/

Snohomish PUD CEO/General Manager Craig Collar Announces Retirement (Snohomish PUD, Everett, WA)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2018/04/snohomish-pud-ceogeneral-manager-craig.html

Underground Power Lines Could Be Coming to Tacoma’s Brewery District (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article209293819.html

Mason PUD 3 Wins Second Place in Northwest Safety Contest (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/mason-pud-wins-second-place-in-northwest-safety-contest/article_6fd6ba4e-441e-11e8-b5f6-f72f643ae0bb.html

Lewis County PUD Equal Payment Plan (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2018/04/lewis-county-pud-equal-payment-plan.html

Power in Puerto Rico Restored after Islandwide Blackout (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/power-puerto-rico-largely-restored-after-islandwide-blackout-n867436

Lawmakers Urge Feds to Reconsider Tennessee Valley Authority Asset Sale Plan (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/lawmakers-urge-omb-reconsider-tva-asset-sale-plan

Xcel First Utility to Get FAA Approval to Run Inspection Drones Beyond Line of Sight (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/xcel-first-utility-to-get-faa-approval-to-run-inspection-drones-beyond-line/521686/

BITCOIN, BLOCKCHAIN, OH MY!

Mason County PUD Halts Bitcoin Mining Operations (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/2018/04/19/mason-county-pud-halts-bitcoin-mining-operations/530664002/

Invasion of the Power Snatchers (Capital Press)

http://www.capitalpress.com/Washington/20180419/invasion-of-the-power-snatchers

Bitcoin Miners Facing Shakeout as Profitability Wanes (SF Chronicle)

https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Bitcoin-miners-facing-shakeout-as-profitability-12849139.php

FISH & WILDLIFE

Judge Lifts Requirement for Feds To Produce New Salmon/Steelhead BiOp in 2018; Offers Flexibility (Columbia Basin Bulletin)(

http://www.cbbulletin.com/440567.aspx

8 Months after Farmed-Fish Escape, Lively Atlantic Salmon Caught 40 Miles Upriver (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/atlantic-salmon-caught-in-skagit-8-months-after-escape-from-pen-had-eaten-a-fish/

B.C. First Nation Wins Right to Its Own Commercial Fishery (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/canada-given-1-year-to-sort-out-b-c-first-nations-commercial-fishery-1.4627855?cmp=rss

Hundreds of 5th Graders Participate in Salmon Release Field Trip (KNDO/KNDU,-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/37999775/hundreds-of-5th-graders-participate-in-salmon-release-field-trip

Thanks BPA: Tribal Fish Restoration Work Highlighted, Awarded $4.9 Million in Federal Money. (Blue Mountain Eagle, John Day, OR)

http://www.bluemountaineagle.com/Local_News/20180419/tribal-fish-restoration-work-highlighted

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

Nevada’s Retail Choice Battle Will Greatly Impact Solar, Everyone Agrees. But for Better or Worse? (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nevada-voters-to-choose-between-buffett-backed-utility-and-casino-backed-po/521359/

Target Is Tops In Corporate Solar-Energy Users (Denver Business Journal, CO)

https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2018/04/20/target-is-tops-in-corporate-solar-energy-users.html

The U-S Wind Turbine Database (U-S Geological Survey)

https://eerscmap.usgs.gov/uswtdb/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

After Alert on Russian Hacks, Bigger Push To Protect Power Grid (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2018/04/19/602252391/after-alert-on-russian-hacks-bigger-push-to-protect-power-grid

Can a Loud Noise Really Bring Down a Data Center? (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/can-a-loud-noise-really-bring-down-a-data-center-1825419462

Top GOP Lawmaker Says Internet ‘Fast Lanes’ Are Just Like Priority TSA Lines, & Who Doesn’t Love Those? (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/top-gop-lawmaker-says-internet-fast-lanes-are-just-like-1825414287

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Another Voice: A Model for Energy Efficiency in Sacramento (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2018/04/20/another-voice-a-model-for-energy-efficiency-in.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Senate Confirms Climate Change Denier to Lead NASA (Huffington Post)

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jim-bridenstine-nasa-confirmation_us_5ad8aab7e4b03c426dac081c

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

How Blockchain Will Disrupt the Future of Social Media Influencers (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/digital/how-blockchain-will-disrupt-the-future-of-social-media-influencers/

Egypt’s Mufti Issues Fatwa against Buying Facebook ‘Likes’ (Associated Press)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/egypt-s-mufti-issues-fatwa-against-buying-facebook-likes/article_4d0ab44e-acee-5d65-9c4b-9885b4dd5c25.html

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Grow Op Farms in Spokane Valley Expanding Its Already-Huge Marijuana Business (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/apr/20/grow-op-farms-in-spokane-valley-expanding-its-alre/#/0

Attack on Richland Pot Ban Launches on ‘Marijuana Holiday’ (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article209275199.html

Happy 4/20? How Marijuana Legalization Is Ruining the Unofficial Stoner Holiday. (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/04/19/420-cannabis-cup-so-cal-is-denied-marijuana-permit-by-san-bernardino/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.139b239ff0ee

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

State Senator Wants to Stop Seattle from Implementing a Head Tax (Associated Press)

http://mynorthwest.com/958681/state-senator-wants-to-stop-seattle-from-implementing-a-head-tax/

Opportunity Zones - An Incentives to Invest in Lower-Income Areas (Washington State Department of Commerce, Olympia)

http://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/opportunity-zones/

GENERAL NEWS

Wells Fargo Said To Be Target of $1 Billion U-S Fine (SF Chronicle)

https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Wells-Fargo-said-to-be-target-of-1-billion-U-S-12849162.php

Washingtonians Are Less Religious Than Ever, Gallup Poll Finds (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/washingtonians-are-less-religious-than-ever-gallup-poll-finds/article_2a4bd67e-44ac-11e8-8719-df8def41b2a1.html

2 Shelton Power Lifters Break Records at Invitational (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/sports/local_sports/shelton-power-lifters-break-records-at-invitational/article_344107f6-4422-11e8-bd5c-87ac67566950.html

Seahawks 2018 Schedule Features Five Prime-Time Games, Four of Final Five Games at Home (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.theolympian.com/sports/article209393639.html

The Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend. Here’s How to See It. (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/2018/04/20/lyrid-meteor-shower-peaks-weekend/

Chewing Tobacco Banned at Safeco, Centurylink (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2018/04/chewing_tobacco_banned_at_safe.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Bear Destroys SUV, Starts Honking Horn after Accidentally Locking Itself Inside

http://q13fox.com/2018/04/18/bear-destroys-suv-starts-honking-horn-after-accidentally-locking-itself-inside/

Read the Sweet Letter Barbara Bush Once Wrote to Marge Simpson

https://mashable.com/2018/04/18/barbara-bush-marge-simpson/

Alabama Mayor: ‘Poop Train’ Finally Empty; Sludge Gone

http://mynorthwest.com/gallery/alabama-mayor-poop-train-finally-empty-sludge-gone/ap_c6f91d040e9f451eb2affeb09e66976a-jpg-5/

Walla Walla Sweet Onions Become Washington’s Official State Vegetable on April 20, 2007.

http://www.historylink.org/File/8236

SONG OF THE DAY

Dave Berry - The Crying Game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c9W2-uGvQQ

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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

Energy News Digest for April 19, 2018

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

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

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 19, 2018

Marine Forecast for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Olympic Mountain Forecast for Mason County

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Town Hall Meeting Set on Future of Columbia River Treaty (Sunnyside Daily Sun, WA)

http://www.dailysunnews.com/news/2018/apr/17/town-hall-meeting-set-future-columbia-river-treaty/

Tree Felled across Transmission lines – Excavator Blamed for Island-Wide Blackout in Puerto Rico (Sacramento Bee, CA)

https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article209216414.html

High-Voltage Power Lines Will Pass near Idaho Bird Sanctuary (Associated Press)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/environment/article209293919.html

Southern-Resident Killer Whales’ Inbreeding May Devastate the Population (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/southern-resident-killer-whales-inbreeding-may-devastate-the-population/

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants Plunge, EPA Report Shows (Washington Examiner)

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy/greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-power-plants-plunge-epa-report-shows

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Town Hall Meeting Set on Future of Columbia River Treaty
• Tree Felled across Transmission lines – Excavator Blamed for Island-Wide Blackout in Puerto Rico
• High-Voltage Power Lines Will Pass near Idaho Bird Sanctuary
• Chelan PUD Board Sets New Fees, Charges for Unauthorized Crypto Miners
• A Tip of the Hard Hat to Bonneville Power Administration Line Crews
• Bonneville Power Administration Agenda for May 1 Quarterly Business Review announced
• Warden Farmer Announces Run for Grant PUD Commission
• Schweitzer Electric Power Research Center Set for Purdue Discovery Park
• Nevada: Regulators Claim Energy Choice Ballot Question Will Cost Millions to Implement, Raise Electric Bills for Residential Customers
• House Panel Advances Bills to Guard Energy Grid from Cyberattacks
• Women in Power: The Future of the Sector’s Leadership
• Southern-Resident Killer Whales’ Inbreeding May Devastate the Population
• Students Learn About Life Cycle of Salmon
• Forget Rising Interest Rates, Banks Are Still Loving Solar Power
• The Time Has Come for Battery Net Metering
• Dams Provide Renewable Energy But Also Take Toll on the Environment
• Wind Industry Blows past Records, But Trouble Looms
• What It’s Like to Live in America without Broadband Internet
• Space Heater Likely to Blame for Yakima Garage Fire
• Pollution Forces Shellfish Limits in Commercial Areas of Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Pierce, & Thurston Counties
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants Plunge, EPA Report Shows
• How Big Forests Solve Global Problems
• Anatomy of a PR Response: How Starbucks Is Handling Its Philadelphia Crisis
• Teacher Uprisings Harness Social Media in Fight for Funding
• Facebook Is Trying to Exclude 1.5 Billion Users from Stricter Privacy Regulations
• Is It Too Late to Stop the Rise of Marijuana, Inc.?
• Washington State Unemployment Rate at 4.8 Percent
• ‘Operation Human Freight’ Busts Prostitution, Trafficking Ring in Lewis County
• Is This the Future of Seattle Transit? A Look at Vancouver, BC — A City That Figured It Out Years Ago

WORD OF THE DAY

Invidious • \in-VID-ee-us\ • Adjective – 1: Tending to cause discontent, animosity, or envy 2: envious 3a: of an unpleasant or objectionable nature: obnoxious *b: of a kind to cause harm or resentment.

“You’re wearing a silly hat,” thundered Octavio during the morning session on energy conservation. Ignoring the remark, the hardy presenter droned on about heat pumps and cost savings. “You’re mother wears army boots,” marked the next salvo in Octavio’s barrage of invidious comments. His barking, irrelevant comments were the only points that kept the attendees awake. Unfortunately for the presenter, the only things the attendees remembered were something about boots and hats.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Town Hall Meeting Set on Future of Columbia River Treaty (Sunnyside Daily Sun, WA)

http://www.dailysunnews.com/news/2018/apr/17/town-hall-meeting-set-future-columbia-river-treaty/

Tree Felled across Transmission lines – Excavator Blamed for Island-Wide Blackout in Puerto Rico (Sacramento Bee, CA)

https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article209216414.html

High-Voltage Power Lines Will Pass near Idaho Bird Sanctuary (Associated Press)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/environment/article209293919.html

Chelan PUD Board Sets New Fees, Charges for Unauthorized Crypto Miners (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/chelan-pud-board-sets-new-fees-charges-unauthorized-crypto-miners

A Tip of the Hard Hat to Bonneville Power Administration Line Crews (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/A-tip-of-the-hard-hat-to-BPA-line-crews.aspx

Bonneville Power Administration Agenda for May 1 Quarterly Business Review announced (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Agenda-for-May-1-Quarterly-Business-Review-announced.aspx

Warden Farmer Announces Run for Grant PUD Commission (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/local_news/20180419/warden_farmer_announces_run_for_pud_commission

Schweitzer Electric Power Research Center Set for Purdue Discovery Park (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana/articles/2018-04-19/electric-power-research-center-set-for-purdue-discovery-park

Nevada: Regulators Claim Energy Choice Ballot Question Will Cost Millions to Implement, Raise Electric Bills for Residential Customers (Nevada Independent, Las Vegas)

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/regulators-claim-energy-choice-ballot-question-will-cost-millions-to-implement-raise-electric-bills-for-residential-customers

House Panel Advances Bills to Guard Energy Grid from Cyberattacks (The Hill, Washington, DC)

http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/383746-house-panel-approves-bills-to-guard-energy-grid-from-cyberattacks

Women in Power: The Future of the Sector’s Leadership (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/women-power-utilities-industry/519877/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Southern-Resident Killer Whales’ Inbreeding May Devastate the Population (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/southern-resident-killer-whales-inbreeding-may-devastate-the-population/

Students Learn About Life Cycle of Salmon (Skagit Valley Herald, Mt Vernon, WA)

https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/students-learn-about-life-cycle-of-salmon/article_90496dd1-a38d-5219-9734-2acd3b576d89.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

Forget Rising Interest Rates, Banks Are Still Loving Solar Power (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-19/forget-rising-interest-rates-banks-are-still-loving-solar-power?ref=yfp

The Time Has Come for Battery Net Metering (Green Tech Media)

https://www-greentechmedia-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.greentechmedia.com/amp/article/the-time-has-come-for-battery-net-metering

Dams Provide Renewable Energy But Also Take Toll on the Environment (Accuweather)

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/dams-provide-renewable-energy-but-also-take-toll-on-the-environment/70004706

Wind Industry Blows past Records, But Trouble Looms   (E&E Publishing, via National Wind Watch)

https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/04/19/wind-industry-blows-past-records-but-trouble-looms/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

What It’s Like to Live in America without Broadband Internet (Motherboard)

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/d35kbj/americans-who-dont-have-internet

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Space Heater Likely to Blame for Yakima Garage Fire (KNDO/KNDU,-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/37994494/space-heater-likely-to-blame-for-yakima-garage-fire

ENVIRONMENTAL FOOT LOCKER

Pollution Forces Shellfish Limits in Commercial Areas of Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Pierce, & Thurston Counties (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/pollution-forces-shellfish-limits-in-commercial-areas-of-grays-harbor-kitsap-pierce-and-thurston-counties/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants Plunge, EPA Report Shows (Washington Examiner)

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy/greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-power-plants-plunge-epa-report-shows

How Big Forests Solve Global Problems (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/opinion/climate-change-intact-forests.html

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

Anatomy of a PR Response: How Starbucks Is Handling Its Philadelphia Crisis (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-leadership/wp/2018/04/19/anatomy-of-a-pr-response-how-starbucks-is-handling-its-philadelphia-crisis/?utm_term=.d86245a3beef

Teacher Uprisings Harness Social Media in Fight for Funding (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona/articles/2018-04-19/teacher-uprisings-harness-social-media-in-fight-for-funding

Facebook Is Trying to Exclude 1.5 Billion Users from Stricter Privacy Regulations (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/facebook-is-trying-to-exclude-1-5-billion-users-from-st-1825376489

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Is It Too Late to Stop the Rise of Marijuana, Inc.? (Atlantic Magazine)

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/04/legal-marijuana-gardner/558416/?utm_source=feed

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Unemployment Rate at 4.8 Percent (Associated Press)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/state_news/washington-unemployment-rate-at-percent/article_1ade819e-e2a0-5e26-ae6e-1840067bd57b.html

‘Operation Human Freight’ Busts Prostitution, Trafficking Ring in Lewis County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/operation-human-freight-busts-prostitution-and-trafficking-ring-in-lewis/article_d9055056-43d4-11e8-9bf4-4729f34a1ed9.html

Is This the Future of Seattle Transit? A Look at Vancouver, BC — A City That Figured It Out Years Ago (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-struggles-with-growth-and-transit-while-vancouver-b-c-figured-it-out-years-ago/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

A Heartbreaking Story with a Heartwarming Finale: Cat Walks 12 Miles to Get Home to Family – Then They Ask Shelter to Euthanize Him

http://q13fox.com/2018/04/18/cat-walks-12-miles-to-get-home-to-family-then-they-ask-shelter-to-euthanize-him/

Watch This Guy Try to Eat 117-Year-Old Beef from an Army Ration

https://sploid.gizmodo.com/watch-this-guy-try-to-eat-117-year-old-beef-from-an-arm-1825355271

She Wore a Dinosaur Puppet During a Military Oath. It Got Her & a Colonel Removed from the Job.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2018/04/18/she-wore-a-dinosaur-puppet-during-a-military-oath-it-got-her-and-a-colonel-removed-from-the-job/

Neighborhood Calls for Help after Getting Buried in Tumbleweed Takeover

http://time.com/5244918/tumbleweed-takeover-victorville-california/

SONG OF THE DAY

Sons of the Pioneers – Tumbling Tumbleweeds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv8VCfcLmGg

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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Energy News Digest for April 18, 2018

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

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

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 18, 2018

Marine Forecast for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Olympic Mountain Forecast for Mason County

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Avista, Hydro One File Proposed Post-Sale Settlement with Idaho Regulators (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/apr/16/avista-hydro-one-file-proposed-post-sale-settlemen/

Deal Approves $216 Million for Idaho Utility’s Snake River Dam Expenses – Fish Passage a Sticking Point (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/apr/18/deal-approves-216-million-for-idaho-utilitys-expen/

Douglas County Looks to Ban Cargo Containers for Cryptocurrency Mining (Wenatchee World, WA)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2018/apr/17/douglas-county-looks-to-ban-cargo-containers-for-cryptocurrency-mining/

TransAlta Grant Equates to More Than 700 Ductless Heat Pumps, Two School Projects (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://www.chronline.com/news/transalta-grant-equates-to-more-than-ductless-heat-pumps-two/article_4418279c-426d-11e8-8420-a34ed81471a8.html

The Carbon Fee Initiative (1631) Has Major Problems: Let’s Try Something Better (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-carbon-fee-initiative-1631-has.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Avista, Hydro One File Proposed Post-Sale Settlement with Idaho Regulators
• Island-Wide Blackout Hits Puerto Rico; Officials Probe Cause
• Jefferson PUD Employee Identified After Death in Single-Vehicle Wreck
• Seattle City Light Provided Customer Information to Immigration & Customs Enforcement
• 2018 Northwest Public Power Association Safety Award Winners Announced
• Clark Public Utilities’ Joshua Vincent Receives 2018 Safety Heroism Award
• FERC Chair Takes Up Coal Lobby Line on Plant Retirements
• France: Total, With Energy Industry in Flux, Makes $1.7 Billion Bet on a Utility
• Supreme Court Showdown: Washington’s Attorney General vs. Tribes over Salmon Habitat
• Deal Approves $216 Million for Idaho Utility’s Snake River Dam Expenses – Fish Passage a Sticking Point
• SolarWorld’s Sale Saves Hundreds of Hillsboro Jobs
• Editorial: Solar Projects Need to Make Sense Locally
• Small Old Wind Towers Make for Big New Problems
• California Fights for State Net Neutrality
• Douglas County Looks to Ban Cargo Containers for Cryptocurrency Mining
• Bitcoin Farm Proposed for Former British Columbia Sawmill Site
• Utilities Can Choose Whether Blockchain Is a Threat or an Opportunity
• TransAlta Grant Equates to More Than 700 Ductless Heat Pumps, Two School Projects
• Lights Out for Residential Lighting Programs? Not Just Yet
• Camas: Sewage Backs Up into Lacamas Creek as Pump Station Fails
• Nonprofit Works to Recharge Aquifer in the Walla Walla Basin
• The Carbon Fee Initiative (1631) Has Major Problems: Let’s Try Something Better
• Cars Threaten Climate Goals in Blue States
• Climate Lawsuits, Once Limited to the Coasts, Jump Inland
• Starbucks to Close Stores May 29 for an Afternoon for Bias Training
• Portland: ‘Blazers Up Their Renewable Energy Game
• Celebrating 50 Years of Powerful Photography
• IRS Gives Taxpayers One More Day to File after Payment Site Crashes
• Editorial: Marijuana & Trans Pacific Partnership – Is Trump Evolving on 2 Important Washington State Issues?
• Heavy Western Washington Rain Heightens Risk of Landslides
• City of Shelton Considering Removal of Traffic Signal at 1st & Cota
• Southwest Pilot, Former Navy Fighter, Praised for Her ‘Nerves of Steel’
• Washington Spends Little to Help the State’s 900,000 Smokers Quit
• WSU: Stink Bugs Infesting Puget Sound Region
• Barbara Bush, Wife of 41st President & Mother of 43rd, Dies at 92

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU

Efficacious • \eff-uhKAY-shus\ • Adjective - Having the power to produce a desired effect

Ipecac relief

Efficacious music now!

Here’s the “Candy Man”

(Good Grief…what a HORRIBLE haiku!)

http://joelshorriblehaiku.blogspot.com/

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Avista, Hydro One File Proposed Post-Sale Settlement with Idaho Regulators (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/apr/16/avista-hydro-one-file-proposed-post-sale-settlemen/

Island-Wide Blackout Hits Puerto Rico; Officials Probe Cause (ABC News)

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/island-wide-blackout-hits-puerto-rico-officials-probe-54557385

Jefferson PUD Employee Identified After Death in Single-Vehicle Wreck (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/jefferson-pud-employee-identified-after-death-in-single-vehicle-wreck/

Seattle City Light Provided Customer Information to Immigration & Customs Enforcement (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/2018/04/city-light-provided-customer-information-ice

2018 Northwest Public Power Association Safety Award Winners Announced (NWPPA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2018/04/2018-northwest-public-power-association.html

Clark Public Utilities’ Joshua Vincent Receives 2018 Safety Heroism Award (Northwest Public Power Association)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2018/04/clark-public-utilities-joshua-vincent.html

FERC Chair Takes Up Coal Lobby Line on Plant Retirements (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-chair-takes-up-coal-lobby-line-on-plant-retirements/521558/

France: Total, With Energy Industry in Flux, Makes $1.7 Billion Bet on a Utility (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/18/business/energy-environment/total-energy-oil-gas-utility.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Supreme Court Showdown: Washington’s Attorney General vs. Tribes over Salmon Habitat (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/supreme-court-showdown-washington-s-attorney-general-vs-tribes-over/article_75d0c63d-c90a-552f-8386-f55221434334.html

Deal Approves $216 Million for Idaho Utility’s Snake River Dam Expenses – Fish Passage a Sticking Point (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/apr/18/deal-approves-216-million-for-idaho-utilitys-expen/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

SolarWorld’s Sale Saves Hundreds of Hillsboro Jobs (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2018/04/solarworlds_sale_could_save_hu.html

Editorial: Solar Projects Need to Make Sense Locally (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

https://www.dailyrecordnews.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-projects-need-to-make-sense-locally/article_a5c1de6a-038d-58d3-86d0-98fdcec8f5a1.html

Small Old Wind Towers Make for Big New Problems (Politico)

https://www.politico.eu/article/small-old-wind-towers-make-for-big-new-problems/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

California Fights for State Net Neutrality (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/california-fights-for-state-net-neutrality/

A CHILD’S COLLECTION OF CRYPTOCURRENCY

Douglas County Looks to Ban Cargo Containers for Cryptocurrency Mining (Wenatchee World, WA)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2018/apr/17/douglas-county-looks-to-ban-cargo-containers-for-cryptocurrency-mining/

Bitcoin Farm Proposed for Former British Columbia Sawmill Site (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bitcoin-britishcolumbia-houston-1.4619743?cmp=rss

Utilities Can Choose Whether Blockchain Is a Threat or an Opportunity (Renewable Energy World)

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2018/04/utilities-can-choose-whether-blockchain-is-a-threat-or-an-opportunity.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

TransAlta Grant Equates to More Than 700 Ductless Heat Pumps, Two School Projects (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://www.chronline.com/news/transalta-grant-equates-to-more-than-ductless-heat-pumps-two/article_4418279c-426d-11e8-8420-a34ed81471a8.html

Lights Out for Residential Lighting Programs? Not Just Yet (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/aceee/2431381/lights-out-for-residential-lighting-programs-not-just-yet

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

Camas: Sewage Backs Up into Lacamas Creek as Pump Station Fails (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2018/apr/17/sewage-backs-up-into-lacamas-creek-as-pump-station-fails/

Nonprofit Works to Recharge Aquifer in the Walla Walla Basin (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA)

http://www.union-bulletin.com/local/nonprofit-works-to-recharge-aquifer-in-the-walla-walla-basin/article_ac70168e-41a9-11e8-9229-2bd9511f0954.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

The Carbon Fee Initiative (1631) Has Major Problems: Let’s Try Something Better (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-carbon-fee-initiative-1631-has.html

Cars Threaten Climate Goals in Blue States (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060079199

Climate Lawsuits, Once Limited to the Coasts, Jump Inland – The transportation sector emits at least twice as much carbon as power plants in states like California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York & Washington. (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/18/climate/exxon-climate-lawsuit-colorado.html

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

Starbucks to Close Stores May 29 for an Afternoon for Bias Training (Associated Press)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/starbucks-to-close-stores-for-an-afternoon-for-bias-training/2018/04/18/2b79cc18-42d1-11e8-b2dc-b0a403e4720a_story.html

Portland: ‘Blazers Up Their Renewable Energy Game (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2018/04/18/blazers-up-their-renewable-energy-game.html

Celebrating 50 Years of Powerful Photography (British Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/in-pictures-43713499

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

IRS Gives Taxpayers One More Day to File after Payment Site Crashes (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/17/treasury-secretary-mnuchin-says-online-tax-filers-will-get-extension-after-irs-payment-website-outage.html

Editorial: Marijuana & Trans Pacific Partnership – Is Trump Evolving on 2 Important Washington State Issues? (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/article209147109.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter

GENERAL NEWS

Heavy Western Washington Rain Heightens Risk of Landslides (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/955668/seattle-washington-rain-april-2018/

City of Shelton Considering Removal of Traffic Signal at 1st & Cota (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/30156

Southwest Pilot, Former Navy Fighter, Praised for Her ‘Nerves of Steel’ During Emergency (CNN)

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/18/us/southwest-pilot-landing/index.html

Washington Spends Little to Help the State’s 900,000 Smokers Quit — Despite Collecting $622M in Tobacco Taxes (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/washington-spends-little-to-help-the-states-900000-smokers-quit-despite-collecting-622m-in-tobacco-taxes/

WSU: Stink Bugs Infesting Puget Sound Region (Associated Press)

http://www.khq.com/story/37978233/wsu-stink-bugs-infesting-puget-sound-region

Barbara Bush, Wife of 41st President & Mother of 43rd, Dies at 92 (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/us/barbara-bush-dead.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Minnesota Firehouse Opens Doors during Blizzard for Prom

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/minnesota-firehouse-opens-doors-during-blizzard-for-prom/article_f699fe94-56ab-5e7e-b382-459d614e5fa3.html

Picture of Fingerprints – WhatsApp Photo Drug Dealer Caught by ‘Groundbreaking’ Work

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-43711477

Carl Kasell, Iconic Newscaster Whose Voice Defined NPR, Dead At 84

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/carl-kasell-dead-iconic-npr-newscaster_us_5ad65328e4b0e4d0715b0d61

WSDOT Apologizes for ‘Inappropriate Message’ on I-5 Sign

http://q13fox.com/2018/04/17/wsdot-apologizes-for-inappropriate-message-on-i-5-sign/

SONG OF THE DAY

Five Man Electrical Band – Signs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYwBSsM3OG8

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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