Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Energy News Digest for July 16, 2014

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest word cloud for July 16, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

U-S Senate Confirms Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Nominees (The Hill, Washington, DC)

Oregon Wind Farm Rejection: Obama Administration Denies Chinese Firm Due Process, Appeals Court Rules (Washington Post)

Farmers Face Severe Water Shortage in Southeastern Oregon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

News Release: Clark Public Utilities Receives J-D Power Recognition for Electric Utilities Seven Years in a Row (Clark Public Utilities, Vancouver, WA)

Surge in Net-Neutrality Comments Crashes FCC Site; Deadline Extended (Los Angeles Times, CA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • U-S Senate Confirms Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Nominees
  • News Release: Clark Public Utilities Receives J-D Power Recognition for Electric Utilities Seven Years in a Row
  • J-D Power Reports: Overall Customer Satisfaction with Residential Electric Utilities Continues to Improve
  • Energy Northwest, BPA Save Ratepayers $100+ Million with Regional Cooperation Debt Agreement
  • Is There Life in Other Markets? Bonneville Power Administration Explores Preschedule Capacity
  • Grays Harbor PUD to Consider 1.5-Percent Rate Increase
  • Japanese Nuclear Plant Deemed Safe, Nears Restart
  • Michigan: Consumers Energy Sends Out 700 Workers to Trim, Remove Trees Away from Electric Lines
  • What Happens When Electricity Sales Tumble?
  • Chief Customer Officer: New Class of Utility Executive Puts Focus on Customer
  • News Release: Sockeye Returns Hit All-Time Record High on Columbia River
  • Farmers Face Severe Water Shortage in Southeastern Oregon
  • California Adopts $500 Criminal Penalty for Water Waste
  • Oregon Wind Farm Rejection: Obama Administration Denies Chinese Firm Due Process, Appeals Court Rules
  • Chinese Investors in Oregon Wind Farm Project Are Entitled to Know Better Why Obama Administration Blocked It, Court Rules
  • Microsoft to Buy Wind Power for Chicago Data Center
  • Only Two U-S Community Solar Developers Have Finished More Than One Project. Why?
  • Neighbors Not Happy about City of Seattle’s New LED Lights
  • Though Scorned by Colleagues, a Climate-Change Skeptic is Unbowed
  • California – Where the Electric Vehicles Roam Free
  • The Plan to Store Wind Energy in Giant Underwater Air Bubbles
  • Surge in Net-Neutrality Comments Crashes FCC Site; Deadline Extended
  • Wyden’s Internet Anti-Tax Act Extended, Lawmakers Seek More
  • Olympia Considers Six Percent Cable TV Tax as Part of Updated List of Capital Projects
  • First Take: Layoffs a Painful Necessity of Microsoft Re-Engineering
  • Dish to Senate: Block Broadband Access Consolidation
  • Op/Ed: You Don’t Promote a Competitive Broadband Market by Prohibiting Competition
  • Can Google Make the Internet Bug-Free?
  • Yahoo Profit Declines Due to Disappointing Ad Sales
  • A Long Day’s Journey into Canceling Comcast Service
  • Mason County Candidates Sound Off at Shelton Mason County Chamber Forum
  • ‘Six Californias’ Proposal May Make 2016 Ballot
  • U-S House Passes Highway Funding Extension Bill
  • State of Emergency Declared in Much of Washington State as Fires Rage
  • Rail Car Fire Still Smoldering on Johns Prairie near Shelton; Blocking Port Rail Spur
  • Exports & Housing Starts Spark Increased Timber Harvest
  • WSDOT Never Told Transportation Commission It Was Shrinking I-90 to One Lane
  • Visioning Project for Downtown Shelton
  • Two Arrested in Theft of Tillamook Minibuses in California
WORD OF THE DAY

Splendiferous • \spel-DIFF-uh-russ\ • Adjective - Extraordinarily or showily impressive.

Bertha’s entry at the hat party was the most splendiferous of them all.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

U-S Senate Confirms Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Nominees (The Hill, Washington, DC)

News Release: Clark Public Utilities Receives J-D Power Recognition for Electric Utilities Seven Years in a Row (Clark Public Utilities, Vancouver, WA)

J-D Power Reports: Overall Customer Satisfaction with Residential Electric Utilities Continues to Improve “…Clark Public Utilities ranks highest in the midsize utility segment in the West region for a seventh consecutive year, followed by Colorado Springs Utilities; Seattle City Light; & Intermountain Rural Electric Association…” (Yahoo! Finance)

Energy Northwest, BPA Save Ratepayers $100+ Million with Regional Cooperation Debt Agreement (Northwest Public Power Association)

Is There Life in Other Markets? Bonneville Power Administration Explores Preschedule Capacity (Bonneville Power Administration)

Grays Harbor PUD to Consider 1.5-Percent Rate Increase (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Japanese Nuclear Plant Deemed Safe, Nears Restart (Associated Press)

Michigan: Consumers Energy Sends Out 700 Workers to Trim, Remove Trees Away from Electric Lines (Jackson Citizen Patriot, MI)

What Happens When Electricity Sales Tumble? (Electric Co-op Today)

Chief Customer Officer: New Class of Utility Executive Puts Focus on Customer (E&E Publishing)

FISH & WILDLIFE

News Release: Sockeye Returns Hit All-Time Record High on Columbia River (Northwest RiverPartners)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Farmers Face Severe Water Shortage in Southeastern Oregon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

California Adopts $500 Criminal Penalty for Water Waste (Sacramento Bee, CA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Wind Farm Rejection: Obama Administration Denies Chinese Firm Due Process, Appeals Court Rules (Washington Post)

Chinese Investors in Oregon Wind Farm Project Are Entitled to Know Better Why Obama Administration Blocked It, Court Rules (Oregonian, Portland)

Microsoft to Buy Wind Power for Chicago Data Center (GigaOM)

Only Two U-S Community Solar Developers Have Finished More Than One Project. Why? (The Energy Collective)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Neighbors Not Happy about City of Seattle’s New LED Lights (Queen Anne & Magnolia News, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Though Scorned by Colleagues, a Climate-Change Skeptic is Unbowed (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

California – Where the Electric Vehicles Roam Free (SF Chronicle)

The Plan to Store Wind Energy in Giant Underwater Air Bubbles (Gizmodo)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Surge in Net-Neutrality Comments Crashes FCC Site; Deadline Extended (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Wyden’s Internet Anti-Tax Act Extended, Lawmakers Seek More (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Olympia Considers Six Percent Cable TV Tax as Part of Updated List of Capital Projects (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

First Take: Layoffs a Painful Necessity of Microsoft Re-Engineering (USA Today)

Dish to Senate: Block Broadband Access Consolidation (Broadcasting & Cable)

Op/Ed: You Don’t Promote a Competitive Broadband Market by Prohibiting Competition (Forbes Magazine)

Can Google Make the Internet Bug-Free? (Christian Science Monitor)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Yahoo Profit Declines Due to Disappointing Ad Sales (British Broadcasting Corporation)

A Long Day’s Journey into Canceling Comcast Service (Washington Post)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Mason County Candidates Sound Off at Shelton Mason County Chamber Forum (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

‘Six Californias’ Proposal May Make 2016 Ballot (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

U-S House Passes Highway Funding Extension Bill (USA Today)

GENERAL NEWS

State of Emergency Declared in Much of Washington State as Fires Rage (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Rail Car Fire Still Smoldering on Johns Prairie near Shelton; Blocking Port Rail Spur (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Exports & Housing Starts Spark Increased Timber Harvest (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

WSDOT Never Told Transportation Commission It Was Shrinking I-90 to One Lane (Seattle Weekly)

Visioning Project for Downtown Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Two Arrested in Theft of Tillamook Minibuses in California (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

DIVERSIONS

Man Sets House Afire While Trying to Kill Spider with Lighter, Spray Paint

A Little Salt with Your Coffee? Cappuccino-Flavored Potato Chips on Way

Remedial Geography: Is That ID Real? TSA Agent Doesn’t Recognize D-C License

Just 6 Minutes A Day?! Company Puts Harsh Limits on Bathroom Breaks

SONG OF THE DAY

The Guess Who - No Time

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.