Friday, August 16, 2013
Energy News Digest for August 16, 2013
Programming Note: The energy news digest is on the road and
incommunicado the next two weeks, following the Snake River and its tributaries
as the editor is on vacation beginning August 19. Expect the new season to
resume September 3.
While
out & about, if some interesting news tidbits float through the window, you
may get a chance to sample their tasty goodness on the news digest Twitter
feed.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST
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 August 16, 2013
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Taking Back Power: Tribes Vie for Control of
Hydro Dams (Northwest Public Radio)
California Attorney General Announces $750M
Refund from Canadian Utility Powerex (Sacramento Bee,
CA)
Fraser River Sockeye Test Fishery Scaled Back
(Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
Climate
Research Targets Western Wildfire Smoke (KEPR-TV,
Tri-Cities, WA)
Washington
State Supreme Court Says Columbia County Ranch Must Fence-In Creek (Northwest Public Radio)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Taking Back Power: Tribes Vie for Control of Hydro Dams
- Bill Eases Regulations on Hydropower Projects - McMorris Rodgers’ Measure Speeds Up Licensing Process
- Power Group: Draft Columbia River Treaty Hurts U-S
- California Attorney General Announces $750M Refund from Canadian Utility Powerex
- Electricity Industry: JP Morgan & Market Complexity
- $22 Million Net Loss - Portland General Electric Announces Second Quarter Results
- Franklin PUD Completes Sale of Revenue Bonds
- Bonneville Power Administration Names Richard Shaheen VP of Engineering & Technical Services - Former Florida Power & Light Executive
- Grays Harbor PUD Earns Clean Annual Audit from Washington State Auditor’s Office
- Columbia River PUD Warns Customers to be Wary of Phone Scam
- Editorial: Heed Court’s Order on Nuke Waste Delay Tactics
- Report Says U-S Nuclear Power Plants Vulnerable to 9/11-Style Attacks
- Appeals Court Blocks Attempt by Vermont to Close a Nuclear Plant
- Minnesota: One Killed, One Injured While Working on Power Line Construction near New Prague
- Sierra Club Raises Concerns over Sale of NV Energy
- Alcoa to Close or Curtail 164,000 Metric Tons of Smelting Capacity
- Increased Air Conditioning Usage Threatens Global Energy Supply
- A Rare Glimpse Inside a Magnificent, Abandoned Shrine to Electricity
- Fraser River Sockeye Test Fishery Scaled Back
- Chehalis Developer to Pay $250,000 for Clean Water Violations
- Scatter Creek: Business Decision Drains Salmon Stream of Water
- California: Judge Orders New Yuba River Biological Opinion
- Washington State Supreme Court Says Columbia County Ranch Must Fence-In Creek
- New Law Caps Gold Mining Dredges in Oregon’s Rivers at 850
- Drought Forces Restrictions on Colorado River Water Releases
- Chelan County: Local Wind Power Keeps Energy Close to Home
- Washington State Agricultural Solar Projects to be Funded
- Secretary Jewell Underscores Importance of Landscape-Level Approach, Mitigation in Meeting Presidents Renewable Energy Goals on Public Lands
- Japan Solar Energy Soars, But Grid Needs to Catch Up
- Your iPhone Uses More Energy than a Refrigerator
- Climate Research Targets Western Wildfire Smoke
- Enviros Not Happy with California Carbon Offsets
- Severe Heat Waves Are Expected to Double by 2020
- White House Solar Panels Being Installed this Week
- New York: Rochester Man Puts Solar Panels on Home to Show Waste
- British Columbia: Solar Panels Mean $3 Electricity Bill for Surrey Man
- Gresham Goes Solar on Some Emergency Vehicles
- Google Unveils Provo Google Fiber Pricing
- Comcast Fights Google Fiber in Provo With New Pricing
- The Surprisingly Large Energy Footprint of the Digital Economy
- Editorial: Dave Sabey - Big Ideas & Big Data Go Hand In Hand
- CBS Blackout on Time Warner Cable May Last Until NFL Season
- Why Dayparting Must Be Part of Your Mobile Strategy
- Facebook is a Bummer, Study Says
- How Ant Colonies Foreshadow the Future of Facebook
- Idaho Congressman Labrador to Seek Third Term, Not Run for Governor
- Paid Washington State Signature Gatherer Accused of Faking Names
- Washington State is at “High Risk” of Losing Federal Education Waiver
- Washington State’s Unemployment Rate Ticks Up in July, While Jobs Continue to Climb
- Radical Environmentalist Rebecca Rubin Will Plead Guilty in Portland in October
- Silverdale Man Believed to be Under the Influence Causes Belfair Crash
- HHS Watchdog Says Rural Hospital Program Needs a Trim
WORD OF THE DAY
Moue
• \moo\ • Noun - A little grimace: pout.
Moue,
a nervous tic
“Seasons
in the Sun,” I cringe
Terry
Jacks, oh no!
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Taking Back Power: Tribes Vie for Control of
Hydro Dams (Northwest Public Radio)
Bill Eases Regulations on Hydropower Projects -
McMorris Rodgers’ Measure Speeds Up Licensing Process (Spokesman Review,
Spokane, WA)
Power Group: Draft Columbia River Treaty Hurts
U-S (Electric Co-op Today)
California Attorney General Announces $750M
Refund from Canadian Utility Powerex (Sacramento Bee,
CA)
Electricity Industry: JP Morgan & Market
Complexity (The Energy Collective)
$22 Million Net Loss - Portland General Electric
Announces Second Quarter Results (BusinessWire)
Franklin PUD Completes Sale of Revenue Bonds (Tri-City Herald, WA)
Bonneville Power Administration Names Richard
Shaheen VP of Engineering & Technical Services - Former Florida Power &
Light Executive (Bonneville Power Administration)
Grays Harbor PUD Earns Clean Annual Audit from
Washington State Auditor’s Office (KBKW Radio,
Aberdeen, WA)
Columbia River PUD Warns Customers to be Wary of
Phone Scam (St Helens Chronicle, OR)
Editorial: Heed Court’s Order on Nuke Waste Delay
Tactics (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Report Says U-S Nuclear Power Plants Vulnerable
to 9/11-Style Attacks (Reuters)
Appeals Court Blocks Attempt by Vermont to Close
a Nuclear Plant (NY Times)
Minnesota: One Killed, One Injured While Working
on Power Line Construction near New Prague (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, MN)
Sierra Club Raises Concerns over Sale of NV
Energy (Individula.com)
Alcoa to Close or Curtail 164,000 Metric Tons of
Smelting Capacity (Pittsburgh Business Times, PA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2013/08/14/alcoa-to-close-or-curtail-164000.html?page=all
Increased Air Conditioning Usage Threatens Global
Energy Supply (U-S News & World Report)
A Rare Glimpse Inside a Magnificent, Abandoned
Shrine to Electricity (Gizmodo)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Fraser River Sockeye Test Fishery Scaled Back
(Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
Chehalis Developer to Pay $250,000 for Clean
Water Violations (Longview Daily News, WA)
Scatter Creek: Business Decision Drains Salmon
Stream of Water (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
California: Judge Orders New Yuba River
Biological Opinion (The Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, CA)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Washington
State Supreme Court Says Columbia County Ranch Must Fence-In Creek (Northwest Public Radio)
New
Law Caps Gold Mining Dredges in Oregon’s Rivers at 850 (Northwest Public Radio)
Drought
Forces Restrictions on Colorado River Water Releases (National Public Radio)
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Chelan
County: Local Wind Power Keeps Energy Close to Home (Northwest Public Radio)
Washington
State Agricultural Solar Projects to be Funded (KVEW-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Secretary
Jewell Underscores Importance of Landscape-Level Approach, Mitigation in
Meeting Presidents Renewable Energy Goals on Public Lands (Renewables Biz)
Japan
Solar Energy Soars, But Grid Needs to Catch Up (National Geographic Magazine)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Your
iPhone Uses More Energy than a Refrigerator (The Week)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Climate
Research Targets Western Wildfire Smoke (KEPR-TV,
Tri-Cities, WA)
Enviros
Not Happy with California Carbon Offsets (Associated
Press)
Severe
Heat Waves Are Expected to Double by 2020 (U-S News & World Report)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
White
House Solar Panels Being Installed this Week (Washington
Post)
New
York: Rochester Man Puts Solar Panels on Home to Show Waste (Rochester Democrat
& Chronicle, NY)
British
Columbia: Solar Panels Mean $3 Electricity Bill for Surrey Man (Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation)
Gresham
Goes Solar on Some Emergency Vehicles (KGW TV,
Portland, OR)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Google Unveils Provo Google Fiber Pricing
(Broadband Reports)
Comcast Fights Google Fiber in Provo With New
Pricing (Broadband Reports)
The Surprisingly Large Energy Footprint of the Digital
Economy (TIME Magazine)
Editorial: Dave Sabey - Big Ideas & Big Data Go
Hand In Hand (Wenatchee World, WA)
CBS Blackout on Time Warner Cable May Last Until
NFL Season (NY Times)
MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA
Why Dayparting Must Be Part of Your Mobile Strategy
(Mashable)
Facebook is a Bummer, Study Says (Los Angeles
Times, CA)
How Ant Colonies Foreshadow the Future of Facebook
(Mashable)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Idaho Congressman Labrador to Seek Third Term, Not
Run for Governor (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Paid Washington State Signature Gatherer Accused of
Faking Names (Everett Herald, WA)
GENERAL NEWS
Washington State is at “High Risk” of Losing
Federal Education Waiver (Northwest Public Radio)
Washington State’s Unemployment Rate Ticks Up in
July, While Jobs Continue to Climb (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WA)
Radical Environmentalist Rebecca Rubin Will Plead
Guilty in Portland in October (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Silverdale Man Believed to be Under the Influence
Causes Belfair Crash (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA - Paywall Advisory)
HHS Watchdog Says Rural Hospital Program Needs a
Trim (Washington Post)
DIVERSIONS
Lambrecht
Chevrolet Auction is Your Chance to Buy New (And We Mean New) Old Cars
Residents
Blow Up Home in Attempt to Make Hash Oil
Chinese
Zoo Tries to Pass Off Dog as African Lion
Want
a ‘Star Trek’ Tricorder? Your Smart Phone Could Be Getting Close
SONG OF THE DAY
Jigsaw
- Sky High
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
All
the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some
media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in
broken links in the future.
Note
that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles
may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash.
However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month
before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Energy News Digest for August 15, 2013 - The Hot Shots Edition
The
energy news digest will be communing with nature at the first National Park
over the next two weeks, enjoying the fine products of Fall River Electric
Cooperative. It will return – rested & relaxed – on September 3.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST
THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED
Follow
the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP STORIES
Washington State Utility Commission Staff: Puget
Sound Energy Should Lower - Not Raise – Rates (Seattle Times - Paywall
Advisory)
Cowlitz
PUD Plan to Increase Residential Rates Draws Sharp Feedback (Longview Daily News, WA)
Some
Pacific County PUD Customers Will See Changes Soon (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
Skagit
County PUD Approves $10 Million Loan for New Water Tank (Skagit Valley Herald,
Mt Vernon, WA)
Oregon: Bonneville Power Administration Removes
Transmission Line in Forest Park, a First in Decades (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Intermittent
Nature of Green Power Is Challenge for Utilities (NY
Times)
Victim
of Fatal Shelton Shooting Identified (KMAS Radio,
Shelton, WA)
Driest July on Record in Oregon, Washington Not Far
Behind (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
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.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Energy News Digest for August 14, 2013
SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST
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 August 14, 2013
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Appeals
Court: Obama Administration Violating Law on Nuclear-Waste Site (Associated
Press)
Washington State AG Ferguson, Congressman Hastings
Cheered by Court Ruling on Nevada Nuclear Waste Site (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Revised Columbia River Treaty Could Restore
Salmon Runs (Globe & Mail, Canada)
Central Ferry-Lower Monumental Transmission Line
Project Moves Forward (Bonneville Power Administration)
Homicide Suspect Chased from Shelton Crime Scene,
One Injured, One Dead, One in Custody (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Appeals Court: Obama Administration Violating Law on Nuclear-Waste Site
- Court: Work on Yucca Mountain Must Resume
- Yucca Mountain Waste Site: Court Orders Nuclear Agency Back to Work
- Washington State AG Ferguson, Congressman Hastings Cheered by Court Ruling on Nevada Nuclear Waste Site
- Editorial: NRC Must Finish Work on Yucca Mountain Nuclear-Waste Site
- Central Ferry-Lower Monumental Transmission Line Project Moves Forward
- Mason County PUD 3 Commission Report for the August 13 Regular Business Meeting
- Ten Years after the Blackout, How Has the Power Grid Changed?
- Complex Networks Make Up U-S Power Grid
- Blackouts Less Likely Thanks to New Technology
- Power Play: People, Politics, Electricity, Nuclear Energy
- Municipal Utility Customers Enjoy Quicker Repairs, Shorter Outages, Florida Municipal Power Agency Report Says
- San Francisco Fails to Set Rates for Cleanpowersf
- African Villagers Destroying Electricity Pylons to Make Donkey Carts
- Revised Columbia River Treaty Could Restore Salmon Runs
- Helping Fish Find Their Way Up the Clackamas River
- Returning a Salmon Predator to the Upper Clackamas River
- Sandy River Dam Built In the 1930s to Help Salmon Will Now Be Removed
- Tiger Muskie Catch Sets New Idaho Record
- Judge Blocks Water Gusher in California’s Trinity River
- Water Advisory Lifted for Clallam Bay, Sekiu
- Orcas Power & Light Supports Solar Project
- Wind Industry Wildlife Biologist Fined in Unlawful Eagle Handling
- Alaska Airlines Ramps Up Its Use of Solar Power
- Solar, Geothermal Projects Touted at Vegas Summit
- How Much Land Does it Take to Produce Solar Energy for 1,000 Homes?
- NREL Releases Free, Open-Source Energy Analysis Tool
- Report: Redwoods Thriving as Climate Changes
- Portland Water Commissioner: Energy-Saving ‘Water House’ Was a Mistake
- Electric Vehicles, Advanced Chargers, & Maximizing the Value of the Pacific Northwest’s Electricity Grid
- California Billionaire Unveils Futuristic ‘Hyperloop’ Transport
- These American Balloons Are Powering Google Loon
- Oh Google. Of Course Email Users Expect Privacy - You Promised It to Them
- ComEd Becomes Most “Liked” Utility on Facebook
- Homicide Suspect Chased from Shelton Crime Scene, One Injured, One Dead, One in Custody
- Wildfire Threatens Two Idaho Mountain Towns; Evacuations Ordered
- FBI Tapes Indicate Serial Killer Had Victims in Washington State
- Opportunistic Burglars Ransacking Empty Kitsap County Homes
- Oregon-Led Columbia River Crossing Ups Risks for State Taxpayers, Still Includes Light Rail
WORD OF THE DAY
Impetus
• \IMP-puh-tus\ • Noun - 1a: a driving force: impulse b: incentive, stimulus c:
stimulation or encouragement resulting in increased activity 2: the property
possessed by a moving body in virtue of its mass & its motion; used of
bodies moving suddenly or violently to indicate the origin & intensity of
the motion
Whether
it was the impetus or not, the stubborn Scot called on all his mighty thews to
pull his sled of stones over the obstacle course…his ultimate prize: a year’s
worth of free food from Hiram’s Haggis Hut on South Second Street.
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Appeals Court: Obama Administration Violating Law on
Nuclear-Waste Site (Associated Press)
Court: Work on Yucca Mountain Must Resume (Tri-City
Herald, WA)
Yucca Mountain Waste Site: Court Orders Nuclear
Agency Back to Work (Christian Science Monitor)
Washington State AG Ferguson, Congressman Hastings Cheered
by Court Ruling on Nevada Nuclear Waste Site (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Editorial: NRC Must Finish Work on Yucca Mountain Nuclear-Waste
Site (Seattle Times - Paywall Advisory)
Central Ferry-Lower Monumental Transmission Line
Project Moves Forward (Bonneville Power Administration)
Mason County PUD 3
Commission Report for the August 13 Regular Business Meeting (Mason County PUD 3,
Shelton, WA)
Ten Years after the Blackout, How Has the Power
Grid Changed? (National Public Radio)
Complex Networks Make Up U-S Power Grid (National Public Radio)
Blackouts Less Likely Thanks to New Technology (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Power Play: People, Politics, Electricity, Nuclear
Energy (The Energy Collective)
Municipal Utility Customers Enjoy Quicker
Repairs, Shorter Outages, Florida Municipal Power Agency Report Says (American Public Power Association)
San Francisco Fails to Set Rates for Cleanpowersf (SF
Chronicle, CA)
African Villagers Destroying Electricity Pylons to
Make Donkey Carts (Individual.com)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Revised Columbia River Treaty Could Restore
Salmon Runs (Globe & Mail, Canada)
Helping
Fish Find Their Way Up the Clackamas River (Oregon Public
Radio)
Returning a Salmon Predator to the Upper
Clackamas River (Oregon Public Radio)
Sandy River Dam Built In the 1930s to Help Salmon
Will Now Be Removed (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)
Tiger Muskie Catch Sets New Idaho Record (Northwest
Cable News Network)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Judge
Blocks Water Gusher in California’s Trinity River (Courthouse News Service)
Water
Advisory Lifted for Clallam Bay, Sekiu (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Orcas
Power & Light Supports Solar Project (Island Sounder, Eastsound, WA)
Wind
Industry Wildlife Biologist Fined in Unlawful Eagle Handling (KCET-TV, Los
Angeles, CA)
Alaska
Airlines Ramps Up Its Use of Solar Power (Los Angeles Times, CA)
Solar,
Geothermal Projects Touted at Vegas Summit (Associated
Press)
How
Much Land Does it Take to Produce Solar Energy for 1,000 Homes? (Sustainable
Business)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
NREL
Releases Free, Open-Source Energy Analysis Tool (GCN)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Report:
Redwoods Thriving as Climate Changes (Petaluma 360, CA)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Portland
Water Commissioner: Energy-Saving ‘Water House’ Was a Mistake (KGW TV, Portland, OR)
Electric
Vehicles, Advanced Chargers, & Maximizing the Value of the Pacific
Northwest’s Electricity Grid (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)
California Billionaire Unveils Futuristic ‘Hyperloop’
Transport (Reuters)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
These American Balloons Are Powering Google Loon (GigaOM)
Oh Google. Of Course Email Users Expect Privacy - You
Promised It to Them (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2013/08/14/oh-google-of-course-email-users-expect-privacy-you-promised-it-to-them/
MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA
ComEd Becomes Most “Liked” Utility on Facebook
(Electric Energy Online – Ed. Note: to put their story into context, ComEd’s 50,000
likes represent 1.32% of its customers. Selected PNW Publics: Mason PUD 3, 8.4%
- Mason County PUD 1, 5% - Clark Public Utilities, 3.4%)
GENERAL NEWS
Homicide Suspect Chased from Shelton Crime Scene,
One Injured, One Dead, One in Custody (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
Wildfire Threatens Two Idaho Mountain Towns;
Evacuations Ordered (Reuters)
FBI Tapes Indicate Serial Killer Had Victims in Washington
State (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Opportunistic Burglars Ransacking Empty Kitsap
County Homes (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)
Oregon-Led Columbia River Crossing Ups Risks for
State Taxpayers, Still Includes Light Rail (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
DIVERSIONS
Sending
Sand through the Mail Probably Not the Best Idea for Strip Club Promo
Does
the World Really Need an Adult-Sized Big Wheel?
Boy
Finds Diamond? Vacationing Boy in Arkansas Finds a Five-Carat Diamond
Goats
Gone Wild! Natural Cleanup at D-C’S Congressional Cemetery – Just Watch Your
Step
SONG OF THE DAY
Pink
Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond (full version)
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
