The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for July 10, 2015

Low River Flows Prompt Eugene Water & Electric Board Turbine Shutdown at Trail Bridge Dam
Feds Approve Snohomish PUD’s Two Small Hydroelectricity Projects
Columbia River PUD Explores Rate Increases as Power Costs Spike
Idaho Falls Power Costs May Decrease
Man Gets 21 Days for Stealing Copper Wire from Grant PUD
Power Trade Rises between U-S & Canada, Boosting Reliability
United States – Canada Electricity Trade Increases
What About Nuclear Power Isn’t Good?
Seabrook Atomic Plant Helping to Keep the Lights on in Vermont
NRC Reopens Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant License Extension Case
Colorado: Boulder Asks State Regulators for Approval to Transfer Utility Assets to City
Louisiana: Allen Parish Man Electrocuted While Stealing Copper Wire
Smart Grid Backers: Energy Tests Show Promise, More Work Needed for Full U-S Rollout
Utilities Risk Losing Commercial Customers without New Approach
Pacific Northwest Fish Expenses Hit $782 Million
West Coast Drought Producing ‘Unprecedented’ Lethal Conditions for Salmon, Trout
As Willamette Project Dam Work Inches Along, Corps Works Out Deadline Extension
Clark County Waterways Restoration Projects in the Works
World’s Seabird Population Down 70 Per Cent, Say UBC Researchers
California Utilities Want Distributed Generation to Count towards Renewables Mandate
Colorado Power Cooperative Looks Again at Rates after Jump in Solar Customers
New Plan Will Fund Solar Energy for Low-Income Americans
Living Comfortably: A Consumer’s Guide to Home Energy Upgrades
Many People Have No Idea How to Use Their Thermostats — And It’s Costing Them
How Much Energy Does the Internet Use? And Other Science Explainers
New Pot Report Details Year 1 in Washington State
Black Market Weed is Legal Marijuana’s Biggest Road Block
The Oregonian’s Marijuana Seeds Have Sprouted – Watch Them Grow 24/7 via Live-Stream
Warming World Giving Bumblebees the Squeeze, Says Study
News Release: IDACORP Sustainability Report Goes “Above the Lines”
How Much Does Your State Care about the Environment?
‘Cloud Tax’ Upsets Chicago Tech Community: ‘Life Just Got 9 Percent Harder’
The United States Wants to Push Back the Date It Gives Up Symbolic Control of the Internet
Moving from Frame Relay to Network Generation IP Requires Extensive Migration Plans for Utilities
How to Use Facebook’s New News Feed Controls
Digital Life: How to Sign Off on Work Email
Washington Legislature Set to Adjourn after Final Votes
Washington State Senators Take Votes to Wrap Up Longest Legislative Session
Troy Who? Auditor’s Office Keeps Going under Jan Jutte’s Steady Hand
Haze from Canadian Wildfires Spreads over Washington, Other States
Highway 3 Work in Belfair Begins This Week
Removing Trees Part of City of Shelton Sidewalk Repairs
Johns Prairie Road Closure Monday
Utility, Environmental Group Disagree on Risk Level for Tacoma Oil Train Terminals
Sawmills Struggle to Break Even with “Thinning” On Public Lands

WORD OF THE DAY

Garderobe • \GAR-drohb\ • Noun – 1: a wardrobe or its contents 2: a private room: bedroom 3: privy, toilet.

It’s a garderobe built for “The King” enthused the overbearing, red-faced realtor to his prospective client. The seams on the salesman’s suit strained as he made expansive gestures with a chubby arm at the bathroom’s color television, bulging magazine rack, and upholstered privy seat. “But when you said ‘The King’ I thought you meant Elvis, not Don King,” the buyer muttered in a soft, guttural sigh.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Low River Flows Prompt Eugene Water & Electric Board Turbine Shutdown at Trail Bridge Dam (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/33282438-75/story.csp

Feds Approve Snohomish PUD’s Two Small Hydroelectricity Projects (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20150706/NEWS01/150709541

Columbia River PUD Explores Rate Increases as Power Costs Spike (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

http://www.pamplinmedia.com/scs/83-news/265752-139260-pud-explores-rate-increases-as-power-costs-spike
http://www.addison-eagle.com/news/2015/jul/10/seabrook-atomic-plant-helping-keep-lights-vermont/
http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/originals/ct-chicago-cloud-tax-tech-reaction-bsi-20150702-story.html

Idaho Falls Power Costs May Decrease (Local News 8, Idaho Falls, ID)

http://www.localnews8.com/news/idaho-falls-power-costs-may-decrease/34075458

Man Gets 21 Days for Stealing Copper Wire from Grant PUD (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/crime-fire/man-gets-days-for-stealing-copper-wire/article_5bdb1558-259a-11e5-a0c9-5fb1124876c3.html

Power Trade Rises between U-S & Canada, Boosting Reliability (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/power-trade-rises-between-us-canada-boosting-reliability/402071/

United States – Canada Electricity Trade Increases (U-S Energy Information Administration)

http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=21992

What About Nuclear Power Isn’t Good? (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/07/07/what-about-nuclear-power-isnt-good/?ss=energy

Seabrook Atomic Plant Helping to Keep the Lights on in Vermont (Addison Eagle, VT)

NRC Reopens Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant License Extension Case (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/nrc-reopens-diablo-canyon-nuclear-plant-license-extension-case/402039/

Colorado: Boulder Asks State Regulators for Approval to Transfer Utility Assets to City (American Public Power Association)

http://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=44148

Louisiana: Allen Parish Man Electrocuted While Stealing Copper Wire (KATC-TV, Lafayette LA)

http://www.katc.com/story/29503755/allen-parish-man-electrocuted-while-stealing-copper-wire

Smart Grid Backers: Energy Tests Show Promise, More Work Needed for Full U-S Rollout (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2015/07/smart-grid-backers-energy-tests-show-promise-more.html

Utilities Risk Losing Commercial Customers without New Approach (The Energy Collective)

http://www.theenergycollective.com/djwamsted/2247179/utilities-risk-losing-commercial-customers-without-new-approach

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pacific Northwest Fish Expenses Hit $782 Million (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/editors-pick/fish-and-wildlife-programs-hit-782-million-in-2014/82730

West Coast Drought Producing ‘Unprecedented’ Lethal Conditions for Salmon, Trout (KCBS-TV, San Francisco, CA)

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/07/08/unprecedented-west-coast-drought-ethal-conditions-salmon-trout/

As Willamette Project Dam Work Inches Along, Corps Works Out Deadline Extension (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/07/as_willamette_project_dam_work.html

Clark County Waterways Restoration Projects in the Works (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2015/jul/10/waterways-restoration-projects-in-the-works/

World’s Seabird Population Down 70 Per Cent, Say UBC Researchers (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/world-s-seabird-population-down-70-per-cent-say-ubc-researchers-1.1995515

RENEWABLE ENERGY

California Utilities Want Distributed Generation to Count towards Renewables Mandate (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/ca-utilities-want-distributed-generation-to-count-towards-renewables-mandat/402042/

Colorado Power Cooperative Looks Again at Rates after Jump in Solar Customers (Denver Business Journal, CO)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/earth_to_power/2015/07/irea-taking-another-look-at-new-rates-after-jump.html

New Plan Will Fund Solar Energy for Low-Income Americans (CNBC)

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/07/new-plan-will-fund-solar-energy-for-low-income-americans.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Living Comfortably: A Consumer’s Guide to Home Energy Upgrades (Breaking Energy)

http://breakingenergy.com/2015/07/08/living-comfortably-a-consumers-guide-to-home-energy-upgrades/

Many People Have No Idea How to Use Their Thermostats — And It’s Costing Them (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/07/07/many-people-have-no-idea-how-to-use-their-thermostats-and-its-costing-them/

How Much Energy Does the Internet Use? And Other Science Explainers (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/how-much-energy-does-the-internet-use-and-other-scienc-1716885264

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

New Pot Report Details Year 1 in Washington State (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/washingtons-retail-marijuana-turns-one/

Black Market Weed is Legal Marijuana’s Biggest Road Block (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2782593/Black-market-weed-is-legal-marijuanaaposs-biggest-road-block

The Oregonian’s Marijuana Seeds Have Sprouted – Watch Them Grow 24/7 via Live-Stream (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/index.ssf/2015/07/the_oregonians_marijuana_seeds.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Warming World Giving Bumblebees the Squeeze, Says Study (The Weather Network)

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/warming-world-giving-bumblebees-the-squeeze-says-study/54024/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

News Release: IDACORP Sustainability Report Goes “Above the Lines” (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/detail_news.php?ID=537140&cat=;90

How Much Does Your State Care about the Environment? (Grist Online)

http://grist.org/business-technology/how-much-does-your-state-care-about-the-environment/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

‘Cloud Tax’ Upsets Chicago Tech Community: ‘Life Just Got 9 Percent Harder’ (Chicago Tribune, IL)

The United States Wants to Push Back the Date It Gives Up Symbolic Control of the Internet (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/08/washington-says-it-needs-to-delay-giving-up-its-internet-oversight-authority/?wprss=rss_technology

Moving from Frame Relay to Network Generation IP Requires Extensive Migration Plans for Utilities (Breaking Energy)

http://breakingenergy.com/2015/07/09/moving-from-frame-relay-to-network-generation-ip-requires-extensive-migration-plans-for-utilities/

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

How to Use Facebook’s New News Feed Controls (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/09/how-to-use-facebooks-new-news-feed-controls/?wprss=rss_technology

Digital Life: How to Sign Off on Work Email (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2015/07/10/digital-life-how-sign-off-work-email/29954237/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington Legislature Set to Adjourn after Final Votes (Associated Press)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/07/10/3909769_washington-legislature-set-to.html?rh=1

Washington State Senators Take Votes to Wrap Up Longest Legislative Session (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2015/07/senators-take-votes-to-wrap-up-longest-legislative-session/

Troy Who? Auditor’s Office Keeps Going under Jan Jutte’s Steady Hand (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20150709/NEWS01/150709274/Troy-who-Auditor’s-office-keeps-going-under-Jan-Jutte’s-steady-hand

GENERAL NEWS

Haze from Canadian Wildfires Spreads over Washington, Other States (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Haze-from-Canadian-wildfires-spreads-across-Wash-other-states-312935531.html

Highway 3 Work in Belfair Begins This Week (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/local-news/highway-3-work-in-belfair-begins-this-week_62166935

Removing Trees Part of City of Shelton Sidewalk Repairs (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news

Johns Prairie Road Closure Monday (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/15875

Utility, Environmental Group Disagree on Risk Level for Tacoma Oil Train Terminals (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2015/07/utility-environmental-group-disagree-on-risk-level.html

Sawmills Struggle to Break Even with “Thinning” On Public Lands (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/sawmills-struggle-break-even-thinning-public-lands

DIVERSIONS

‘Lawrence of Arabia’ Star Omar Sharif Dies at 83

http://mashable.com/2015/07/10/omar-sharif-dies-dead/

Lost Dog Walks 35 Miles in 9 Days to Make Its Way Home

http://mashable.com/2015/07/09/lost-dog-walks-home-9-days-35-miles/

Six of Top 10 U-S Cities for Coffee Drinkers Are in Washington State

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2015/07/6-of-top-10-u-s-cities-for-coffee-drinkers-are-in.html

Musician Collapses Wearing All His Clothes to Beat Budget Airline Fees

http://gizmodo.com/musician-collapses-wearing-all-his-clothes-to-beat-budg-1716979706

SONG OF THE DAY

Maurice Jarre – Lawrence of Arabia, Soundtrack Suite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro7ustlPLuc

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

Friday, July 10, 2015

Energy News Digest for July 10, 2015

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