Energy News Digest for July 31, 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

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest word cloud for July 31, 2014

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2014/07/word-cloud-energy-news-digest-for-july_31.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Local Law Enforcement Launch New Campaign to Curb Social Media during Emergencies (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2576474/Local-law-enforcement-launch-new-campaign-to-curb-social-media-during-emergencies

Are New Advanced Electric Meters Gonna Fry Your Brain?  Investigating a Seattle City Light Decision That’s Causing Tinfoil-Hat Panic (The Stranger)

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/are-new-advanced-electric-meters-gonna-fry-your-brain/Content?oid=20232465

Pacific Gas & Electric Calls Criminal Charges Against Agency ‘Unwarranted,’ Says It Didn’t Break the Law (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_26248165

Some of America’s Best Solar Incentives Are in Washington State (Clean Technica)

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/07/29/americas-best-solar-incentives-are-in-washington/

Are You a Verizon Customer With Unlimited Data? Get Ready to be Throttled (Yahoo! News)

http://news.yahoo.com/verizon-customer-unlimited-data-ready-throttled-144849162.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Are New Advanced Electric Meters Gonna Fry Your Brain?  Investigating a Seattle City Light Decision That’s Causing Tinfoil-Hat Panic
• Pacific Gas & Electric Calls Criminal Charges Against Agency ‘Unwarranted,’ Says It Didn’t Break the Law
• Portland General Electric Logs Bounceback, Of Sorts, As Report Shows a $35 Million Profit
• Judge Orders Cowlitz PUD Recall Backers to Pay Commissioner Piper $30,000 in Legal Fees
• Could Oregon Help Energize Mexico?
• Simulation Models Optimize Columbia River Water Power
• Clallam PUD Moves Ahead with Carlsborg Expansion
• Suzuki Foundation Takes Aim at Peace River’s Site C Dam, Other British Columbia Projects
• Editorial: California Public Utilities Commission Sweetly Snuggles Up to Pacific Gas & Electric
• The Biggest Threat to the Economy is from Outer Space
• FEMA Regulations Pose Electric Co-op Challenges
• Report on Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) Application Data is Released
• Columbia River Fall Salmon Seasons Kick Off This Friday with Buoy 10 Opener
• Diggin’ In: Oyster Gardeners Help Save Chesapeake Bay
• Columbia River Treaty Review Could Be Massive Water Grab
• Some of America’s Best Solar Incentives Are in Washington State
• How to Invest in Renewable Energy
• Beyond Energy Efficiency - We’re Not Just Reducing Demand for Electricity, We’re Destroying It
• Energy Data Miner Opower Is Taking Big Steps into Asia
• Are You a Verizon Customer With Unlimited Data? Get Ready to be Throttled
• FCC ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Verizon’s Plan to Slow Down LTE for Unlimited Data Customers
• Verizon Explains Why It’s Throttling Its ‘Unlimited’ Data Customers
• How the History of Electricity Explains Municipal Broadband
• CenturyLink: How Dare Cities Challenge the Laws We Paid For
• Local Law Enforcement Launch New Campaign to Curb Social Media during Emergencies
• Permit Needed by News Media to Cover a Forest Fire? Legislation is Dead
• Google Maps on Your Feet: Smartshoes Vibrate to Tell You Where to Go
• Snubbed by the South: Washington State Loses Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to South Carolina
• Is Marijuana an Oregon Cash Crop? Advocates Say Yes, State Says No
• Rare Look inside Bonneville Power Administration’s Vancouver Lightning Lab
• Defying Death in Utah Arches: A Thrill Too Far?

WORD OF THE DAY

Rill • \RILL\ • noun – A very small brook

Tommy was very proud of his hydroelectric project. Built on a rill that fed the upper reaches of the Columbia River, it generated one watt of electricity. He was confused as to why he couldn’t get a feed-in tariff for what he considered a valuable run of river project.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for July 31, 2014

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Are New Advanced Electric Meters Gonna Fry Your Brain?  Investigating a Seattle City Light Decision That’s Causing Tinfoil-Hat Panic (The Stranger)

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/are-new-advanced-electric-meters-gonna-fry-your-brain/Content?oid=20232465

Pacific Gas & Electric Calls Criminal Charges Against Agency ‘Unwarranted,’ Says It Didn’t Break the Law (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_26248165

Portland General Electric Logs Bounceback, Of Sorts, As Report Shows a $35 Million Profit (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2014/07/pge-logs-bounceback-of-sorts-as-report-shows-a-35m.html

Judge Orders Cowlitz PUD Recall Backers to Pay Commissioner Piper $30,000 in Legal Fees (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/judge-orders-pud-recall-backers-to-pay-piper-in-legal/article_e543eeba-1852-11e4-88fb-001a4bcf887a.html

Could Oregon Help Energize Mexico? (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/07/could-oregon-help-energize-mexico.html

Simulation Models Optimize Columbia River Water Power (Phys.Org)

http://phys.org/news/2014-07-simulation-optimize-power.html

Clallam PUD Moves Ahead with Carlsborg Expansion (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/9931

Suzuki Foundation Takes Aim at Peace River’s Site C Dam, Other British Columbia Projects (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/suzuki-foundation-takes-aim-at-site-c-dam-other-bc-projects/article19867246/?cmpid=rss1

Editorial: California Public Utilities Commission Sweetly Snuggles Up to Pacific Gas & Electric (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/31/6594264/editorial-california-public-utilities.html

The Biggest Threat to the Economy is from Outer Space (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-29/the-u-s-power-grid-is-under-assault.html

FEMA Regulations Pose Electric Co-op Challenges (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/weather-effects/recovery/fema-regs-pose-co-op-challenges/72140

Report on Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) Application Data is Released (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=277484&issueID=34910

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia River Fall Salmon Seasons Kick Off This Friday with Buoy 10 Opener (The Dalles Chronicle, OR)

http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2014/jul/30/columbia-river-fall-salmon-seasons-kick-friday-buo/

Diggin’ In: Oyster Gardeners Help Save Chesapeake Bay (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/07/31/3777788/diggin-in-oyster-gardeners-help.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Columbia River Treaty Review Could Be Massive Water Grab (Coeur d’Alene Press, ID)

http://www.cdapress.com/columns/my_turn/article_670677b1-4fe4-570b-b5ea-2f228e0f6f5a.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Some of America’s Best Solar Incentives Are in Washington State (Clean Technica)

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/07/29/americas-best-solar-incentives-are-in-washington/

How to Invest in Renewable Energy (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_26243782

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Beyond Energy Efficiency - We’re Not Just Reducing Demand for Electricity, We’re Destroying It (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_juice/2014/07/energy_efficiency_vs_demand_destruction_the_big_problem_facing_america_s.html

Energy Data Miner Opower Is Taking Big Steps into Asia (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2014/07/31/opower-japan-tepco/?ss=energy

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Are You a Verizon Customer With Unlimited Data? Get Ready to be Throttled (Yahoo! News)

http://news.yahoo.com/verizon-customer-unlimited-data-ready-throttled-144849162.html

FCC ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Verizon’s Plan to Slow Down LTE for Unlimited Data Customers (The Verge)

http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/30/5953139/fcc-deeply-troubled-by-verizon-plan-to-throttle-lte-data

Verizon Explains Why It’s Throttling Its ‘Unlimited’ Data Customers (Yahoo! News)

http://news.yahoo.com/verizon-explains-why-throttling-unlimited-data-customers-134032617.html

How the History of Electricity Explains Municipal Broadband (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/07/29/how-the-history-of-electricity-explains-municipal-broadband/

CenturyLink: How Dare Cities Challenge the Laws We Paid For (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/CenturyLink-How-Dare-Cities-Challenge-The-Laws-We-Paid-For-129896

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Local Law Enforcement Launch New Campaign to Curb Social Media during Emergencies (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2576474/Local-law-enforcement-launch-new-campaign-to-curb-social-media-during-emergencies

Permit Needed by News Media to Cover a Forest Fire? Legislation is Dead (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/07/31/69983.htm

Google Maps on Your Feet: Smartshoes Vibrate to Tell You Where to Go (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2014/07/29/goolge-maps-on-your-feet-smartshoes-vibrate-to-tell-you-where-to-go/

GENERAL NEWS

Snubbed by the South: Washington State Loses Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to South Carolina (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2014/07/30/snubbed-by-the-south-washington-loses-boeing-787.html

Is Marijuana an Oregon Cash Crop? Advocates Say Yes, State Says No (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/blog/newsblog/is-marijuana-a-cash-crop-advocates-say-yes-state-says-no/

Rare Look inside Bonneville Power Administration’s Vancouver Lightning Lab (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/KGW-gets-rare-look-at-high-voltage-lightning-lab-in-Vancouver-269257631.html

Defying Death in Utah Arches: A Thrill Too Far? (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/31/us/defying-death-in-utah-arches-a-thrill-too-far.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

DIVERSIONS

Why Songs Get Stuck in Your Head (and How to Stop It)

http://gizmodo.com/why-songs-get-stuck-in-your-head-and-how-to-stop-it-1613215216

These Maniacs Cooked Steak with Molten Lava & Lightning

http://gizmodo.com/these-maniacs-cooked-steak-with-molten-lava-and-lightni-1613267270

Odd Cause of Gaping Siberian Holes Possibly Found

http://news.yahoo.com/odd-cause-gaping-siberian-holes-possibly-found-115425786.html

Crashed Drone Carried Contraband Aimed at South Carolina Prison

http://news.yahoo.com/crashed-drone-carried-contraband-aimed-south-carolina-prison-004457638.html

SONG OF THE DAY

The Archies - Sugar Sugar (Earworm Food)

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

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 30, 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

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.