The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for June 2, 2015

Avista Proposes Idaho Rate Hikes
Energy Northwest Pays Record State Tax Amount
Richland’s Areva Makes Nuclear Fuel
Steilacoom: Replacement of Damaged Substation Equipment Requires Town-Wide Outage
Northwestern Energy Predicts Lower July Electricity Costs
John Hairston Rounds Out Bonneville Power’s Executive Office
Cantwell Face-Off: After Senate Showdown, Buffett’s Berkshire Pushes PURPA Reform in House
Op/Ed: Pumped Storage – Reusing Water Can Help Farmers & Fish
Pacific Gas & Electric Rival Accuses of RICO Corruption
FERC Metes Out More Than $29 Million in Penalties for Fraudulent Trades in PJM
Copper Thefts from the Rails Rise with Price of the Metal
Texas: Man Electrocuted While Attempting to Steal Copper from Old ASARCO Site
Massachusetts: Wet Is Wonderful, But Can Hydropower Replace Natural Gas to Meet Energy Needs?
Feds to Release Bull Trout Recovery Plan for Five States
Greens Win One for Salmon & Owls in Northern California
What Drought? Meteorologist Cliff Mass vs. Nearly Everyone
Drought Is Bearing Fruit for Washington State Wineries
Oregon: Paisley Geothermal Plant Still Not Operable
Editorial: Few Ratepayers Win in Avista’s Solar Lottery
Feds Fast-Track Approval for Three Nevada Solar Power Farms
Colorado’s Biggest Rural Power Cooperative Wades into Solar Fight
A Look at Wind & Solar Energy, Part 1: How Far We’ve Come
A Look at Wind & Solar, Part 2: Is There An Upper Limit To Variable Renewables?
How Europe’s Climate Policies Led to More U-S Trees Being Cut Down
Op/Ed: Snohomish PUD’s Streetlights Show Cost-Benefit Analysis
Op/Ed: Clean Energy Fund Succeeds with University Collaboration
Data Furnaces Provide Internet & Warm Heat, If You Live in the Netherlands
Benton County Commissioners to Hold Public Meeting Tuesday about Potential Pot Farm
Hitting the Green? Retail Pot Stores Looking to Cash in During U-S Open
Eight Maps That Reveal Americans’ Incoherent Opinions on Climate Change
Apple’s Siri Has New Role in New ‘Smart’ Home Systems
Experimental Households in Seattle Have Their Tech Charged by Wi-Fi
Widespread Comcast Outage Reported in Puget Sound Region
Comcast Internet Outage Hits West Coast
Facebook Targeted by ‘Real Name’ Policy Protest
The Internet Pushes Individual Media Use to More Than Eight Hours a Day
Washington State House Democrats Offer $38.4 Billion Budget Plan
Signature Gatherers Getting Aggressive, Stores Say
No Tsunamis after Five Earthquakes Off Oregon Coast
Federal Agency Bans Fireworks on BLM Land in Washington State, Oregon
Washington State Tries to Deal with Overflowing Prisons
Washington State Patrol Pursuit Ends in Highway 106 Crash
Seattle’s Shell Shenanigans: Alaska Senator Has Message for Washington State
Money Showdown: Clallam Treasurer Issues Second Objection over Grants to City, Port of Port Angeles
New Glines Canyon Spillway Overlook Opens in Elwha Valley

WORD OF THE DAY

Hypocorism • \high-POCK-kuh-rizz-zum\ • Noun – 1: a pet name 2: the use of pet names

George Bush is well known for his tendency for hypocorism when dealing with friends and foes alike. Much to the displeasure (I would assume) of his close friend and confidant, Karl Rove. (You’re gonna have to look this one up on your own…)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Avista Proposes Idaho Rate Hikes (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/jun/02/avista-proposes-idaho-rate-hikes/

Energy Northwest Pays Record State Tax Amount (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2015/06/01/3588016_energy-northwest-pays-record-state.html?rh=1

Richland’s Areva Makes Nuclear Fuel (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2015/05/31/3586872/richlands-areva-makes-nuclear.html

Steilacoom: Replacement of Damaged Substation Equipment Requires Town-Wide Outage (The Suburban Times, Steilacoom, WA)

http://thesubtimes.com/2015/06/01/replacement-of-damaged-substation-equipment-requires-town-wide-outage/

Northwestern Energy Predicts Lower July Electricity Costs (Associated Press)

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Northwestern-Energy-predicts-lower-July-electricity-costs/33352390

John Hairston Rounds Out Bonneville Power’s Executive Office (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/John-Hairston-rounds-out-BPAs-executive-office.aspx

Cantwell Face-Off: After Senate Showdown, Buffett’s Berkshire Pushes PURPA Reform in House (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/after-senate-showdown-buffetts-berkshire-pushes-purpa-reform-in-house/400081/

Op/Ed: Pumped Storage – Reusing Water Can Help Farmers & Fish (Renton Reporter, WA)

http://www.rentonreporter.com/opinion/305523261.html

Pacific Gas & Electric Rival Accuses of RICO Corruption (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/06/02/rival-accuses-pg-e-of-rico-corruption.htm

FERC Metes Out More Than $29 Million in Penalties for Fraudulent Trades in PJM (American Public Power Association)

http://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=43986

Copper Thefts from the Rails Rise with Price of the Metal (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/copper-thefts-rails-rise-price-metal-050123419--finance.html

Texas: Man Electrocuted While Attempting to Steal Copper from Old ASARCO Site (KVIA-TV, El Paso, TX)

http://www.kvia.com/news/update-man-electrocuted-while-attempting-to-steal-copper-from-old-asarco-site/33318554

Massachusetts: Wet Is Wonderful, But Can Hydropower Replace Natural Gas to Meet Energy Needs? (WBGH-TV, Boston, MA)

http://wgbhnews.org/post/wet-wonderful-can-hydropower-replace-natural-gas-meet-energy-needs

FISH & WILDLIFE

Feds to Release Bull Trout Recovery Plan for Five States (Associated Press)

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/tech/science/environment/2015/06/02/feds-to-release-bull-trout-recovery-plan-for-5-states/28343579/

Greens Win One for Salmon & Owls in Northern California (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/06/02/greens-win-one-for-salmon-owls.htm

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

What Drought? Meteorologist Cliff Mass vs. Nearly Everyone (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2015/05/what-drought-washington-meteorologist-cliff-mass-vs-nearly-everyone/

Drought Is Bearing Fruit for Washington State Wineries (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/02/us/drought-is-bearing-fruit-for-washington-wineries.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Oregon: Paisley Geothermal Plant Still Not Operable (Klamath Falls Herald & News, OR)

http://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/business/paisley-geothermal-plant-still-not-operable/article_dd72c85d-e6ee-5d7d-9d5a-2d416eb1947f.html

Editorial: Few Ratepayers Win in Avista’s Solar Lottery (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/jun/02/editorial-few-ratepayers-win-in-avistas-solar/

Feds Fast-Track Approval for Three Nevada Solar Power Farms (The Hill, Washington, DC)

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/243638-feds-fast-track-approval-for-3-solar-power-farms

Colorado’s Biggest Rural Power Cooperative Wades into Solar Fight (Denver Business Journal, CO)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/earth_to_power/2015/06/colorados-biggest-rural-powercooperative-wades.html

A Look at Wind & Solar Energy, Part 1: How Far We’ve Come (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/jessejenkins/2232451/look-wind-and-solar-energy-part-1-how-far-weve-come

A Look at Wind & Solar, Part 2: Is There An Upper Limit To Variable Renewables? (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/jessejenkins/2233311/look-wind-and-solar-part-2-there-upper-limit-intermittent-renewables

How Europe’s Climate Policies Led to More U-S Trees Being Cut Down (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-europes-climate-policies-have-led-to-more-trees-cut-down-in-the-us/2015/06/01/ab1a2d9e-060e-11e5-bc72-f3e16bf50bb6_story.html?wprss=rss_national

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Op/Ed: Snohomish PUD’s Streetlights Show Cost-Benefit Analysis (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20150602/BIZ04/150609993

Op/Ed: Clean Energy Fund Succeeds with University Collaboration (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.theolympian.com/2015/06/02/3750630_clean-energy-fund-succeeds-with.html?rh=1

Data Furnaces Provide Internet & Warm Heat, If You Live in the Netherlands (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2015/06/02/nerdalize-data-furnace-free-heating/

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Benton County Commissioners to Hold Public Meeting Tuesday about Potential Pot Farm (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/29215347/commissioners-to-hold-public-meeting-tuesday-about-potential-pot-farm

Hitting the Green? Retail Pot Stores Looking to Cash in During U-S Open (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2015/06/01/retail-pot-stores-looking-to-cash-in-during-u-s-open/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Eight Maps That Reveal Americans’ Incoherent Opinions on Climate Change (Vox)

http://www.vox.com/2015/6/2/8701917/americans-opinion-climate-change

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Apple’s Siri Has New Role in New ‘Smart’ Home Systems (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/technology/article/Apple-s-Siri-has-new-role-in-new-smart-home-6301258.php

Experimental Households in Seattle Have Their Tech Charged by Wi-Fi (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/experimental-households-in-seattle-have-their-tech-char-1708390452

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Widespread Comcast Outage Reported in Puget Sound Region (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://tinyurl.com/ncwxmx5

Comcast Internet Outage Hits West Coast (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/06/02/comcast-internet-outage-san-francisco-seattle-portland/28345433/

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook Targeted by ‘Real Name’ Policy Protest (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/06/01/facebook-real-name-protest/28325031/

The Internet Pushes Individual Media Use to More Than Eight Hours a Day (AdWeek: “Consuming Media,” Really?)

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/internet-pushes-media-use-more-8-hours-day-165067

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State House Democrats Offer $38.4 Billion Budget Plan (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/jun/02/house-democrats-offer-384b-budget-plan/

Signature Gatherers Getting Aggressive, Stores Say (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA – just ask how much your signature is worth to them.)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Signature-gatherers-getting-aggressive-stores-say-305788911.html

GENERAL NEWS

No Tsunamis after Five Earthquakes Off Oregon Coast (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2015/06/no_tsunami_risk_after_four_ear.html

Federal Agency Bans Fireworks on BLM Land in Washington State, Oregon (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Federal-agency-bans-fireworks-on-BLM-land-in-Wash-Ore-305833111.html

Washington State Tries to Deal with Overflowing Prisons (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/story/news/2015/06/01/washington-tries-to-deal-with-overflowing-prisons/28329009/

Washington State Patrol Pursuit Ends in Highway 106 Crash (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/15397

Seattle’s Shell Shenanigans: Alaska Senator Has Message for Washington State (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/story/tech/science/environment/2015/06/01/alaska-senator-has-message-for-seattle/28331087/

Money Showdown: Clallam Treasurer Issues Second Objection over Grants to City, Port of Port Angeles (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150602/NEWS/306029983/money-showdown-clallam-treasurer-issues-second-objection-to-grants

New Glines Canyon Spillway Overlook Opens in Elwha Valley (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/new-glines-canyon-spillway-overlook-opens-in-elwha-valley/

DIVERSIONS

Paris Officials Begin Removing Love Locks from Iconic Bridges

http://www.npr.org/2015/06/01/411271208/paris-officials-begin-removing-love-locks-from-iconic-bridges

New Mexico Couple Gets Back Wedding Rings Lost Since 1960s

http://news.yahoo.com/mexico-couple-gets-back-wedding-rings-lost-since-204633659.html

Fossils of Previously Unknown Beaver, Related to Modern Species, Found in Oregon

http://www.usnews.com/news/science/news/articles/2015/05/28/fossils-of-previously-unknown-beaver-species-found-in-oregon

Novice German Driver Unscathed after Crash with British Tank

http://news.yahoo.com/novice-german-driver-unscathed-crash-british-tank-133355443.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Love Unlimited Orchestra – Love’s Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YS7sWCG_ZE

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.

The Energy News Digest

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Energy News Digest for June 2, 2015

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