The Energy News Digest: 01/28/15

What Utility Execs Think the Future Holds
California: Natural Gas Role in State's Low-Carbon Future Comes with Caveats
Natural Gas Prices Drop Following Strong Production Growth
Mayor Decides to Back San Francisco Clean Power Program, But With Conditions
New Mexico: PNM-Backed Poll Finds Little Support for Santa Fe Municipal Utility Plan
Five Things You Might Have Forgotten to Put in Your Emergency Kit
Tribal Members Could Kill Columbia River Sea Lions under New Bill
Could Salmon Be Reintroduced above Grand Coulee Dam?
Local Dam Removal Initiative Finds Footing in Washington, D-C
Southern California's Water Supply Threatened by Next Major Quake (National Public Radio)
Report: Washington State, Oregon Could Vastly Expand Renewable Power Production
West Virginia Lawmakers Send Renewable Energy Act Repeal to Governor
Can You Turn Your Home into a Hydroelectric Plant?
Streetlight Upgrades: New LED Lights for Shelton
The Most Energy-Efficient States in America
Jefferson Commissioner Favors Letting Pot Business Moratorium Expire – Two Are Left Undecided after Public Hearing
Spokane Valley Hears Public Comment on Medical Marijuana Moratorium
Marijuana Vending Machine to Debut in Seattle
California Tribe Inks Medical Marijuana Deal
Vermont Lawmakers Mulling Idea of Legalizing Marijuana
Washington State Governor’s Cap-And-Trade Plan Makes Polluters Pay
Washington State Rep. Shelly Short: Governor’s Carbon Tax Would Hurt Middle-Income Wage Jobs
A Tax or a Cap? Debating the Path to Pricing Carbon in Oregon
Kitzhaber: Carbon Fuel Standard Unrelated to Road Fixes
On Climate Change, 'Not a Scientist' Not Enough for Some U-S Republicans
FERC Details Reliability, Infrastructure Questions for Western Conference on EPA Plan
Portland Brewery Puts Low-Carbon Beer on Tap
Grant PUD Yet to Allocate Bulk of $7.5 Million Fiber Optic Budget
California Schools to Get Help with Broadband Infrastructure
FCC Says It Will 'Act Against' Hotels That Block Wi-Fi Hotspot Access
How the Cable Industry is Trying to Reshape the Economics of the Internet
Snapchat Adds News, Entertainment Content to Messaging Service
Facebook to Sell Real-Time Super Bowl Ads, Taking on Twitter
The Super Bowl is Turning into Digital Advertising's Biggest Day
Promotion Pairs Electric Cars, Paperless Billing
After Blizzard, Oceanfront Massachusetts Cleans Up from Flooding
City of Shelton’s Sidewalks to No-Where May Be Going Somewhere!
Russell Wilson Writes about NFC Championship Victory – And a Little Red Button

WORD OF THE DAY

Retronym • \ReT-troh-nim\ • noun – A term (such as analog watch or snail mail) that is newly created and adopted to distinguish the original or older version, form, or example of something from other, more recent versions, forms, or examples.

Brutus transition from pen and paper to digital recording and texting went smoothly. However, after a year his handwriting and comprehension had atrophied to such a state that he couldn’t decipher the retronymistic written, cursive notes from his technologically hindered friends. His presences in their lives dwindled a bit each day, until one day, he blipped out…becoming a cypher in their analog address book.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

What Utility Execs Think the Future Holds (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/what-utility-execs-think-the-future-holds/356710/

California: Natural Gas Role in State's Low-Carbon Future Comes with Caveats (E&E Publishing)

http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060012339

Natural Gas Prices Drop Following Strong Production Growth (U-S Energy Information Administration)

http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=19751

Mayor Decides to Back San Francisco Clean Power Program, But With Conditions (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Lee-decides-to-back-S-F-clean-power-program-but-6041780.php

New Mexico: PNM-Backed Poll Finds Little Support for Santa Fe Municipal Utility Plan (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/pnm-backed-poll-finds-little-support-for-santa-fe-municipal-utility-plan/357574/

Five Things You Might Have Forgotten to Put in Your Emergency Kit (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/blog/newsblog/5-things-you-might-have-forgot-to-put-in-your-emergency-kit/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tribal Members Could Kill Columbia River Sea Lions under New Bill (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/01/tribal_members_could_kill_colu.html

Could Salmon Be Reintroduced above Grand Coulee Dam? (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/could-salmon-be-reintroduced-above-grand-coulee-dam

Local Dam Removal Initiative Finds Footing in Washington, D-C (San Juan Journal, WA)

http://www.sanjuanjournal.com/news/289995221.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Southern California's Water Supply Threatened by Next Major Quake (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2015/01/27/381887197/southern-california-s-water-supply-threatened-by-next-major-quake

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Report: Washington State, Oregon Could Vastly Expand Renewable Power Production (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/washington-and-oregon-have-opportunity-to-vastly-expand-renewable-power-production-report-says/

West Virginia Lawmakers Send Renewable Energy Act Repeal to Governor (Associated Press)

http://www.charlestondailymail.com/article/20150127/ARTICLE/150129349

Can You Turn Your Home into a Hydroelectric Plant? (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/statoil/2015/01/27/can-you-turn-your-home-into-a-hydroelectric-plant/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Streetlight Upgrades: New LED Lights for Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news/21045-new-led-lights-for-shelton

The Most Energy-Efficient States in America (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/fjlm45fimm/no-1-massachusetts-3/

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Jefferson Commissioner Favors Letting Pot Business Moratorium Expire – Two Are Left Undecided after Public Hearing (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150128/news/301289983/jefferson-commissioner-favors-letting-pot-business-moratorium-expire

Spokane Valley Hears Public Comment on Medical Marijuana Moratorium (KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.kxly.com/news/spokane-news/spokane-valley-hears-public-comment-on-marijuana-moratorium/30958870

Marijuana Vending Machine to Debut in Seattle (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Marijuana-vending-machine-to-debut-in-Seattle-289989151.html

California Tribe Inks Medical Marijuana Deal (Marijuana Business Daily)

http://mmjbusinessdaily.com/california-tribe-inks-mmj-deal/

Vermont Lawmakers Mulling Idea of Legalizing Marijuana (Consumerist)

http://consumerist.com/2015/01/28/vermont-lawmakers-mulling-idea-of-legalizing-marijuana/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Governor’s Cap-And-Trade Plan Makes Polluters Pay (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Gov-Inslees-cap-and-trade-plan-makes-polluters-pay-290015891.html

Washington State Rep. Shelly Short: Governor’s Carbon Tax Would Hurt Middle-Income Wage Jobs (Washington State House Republicans)

http://houserepublicans.wa.gov/news/short-carbon-tax-voicer-012715/

A Tax or a Cap? Debating the Path to Pricing Carbon in Oregon (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2015/01/a-tax-or-a-cap-debating-the-path-to-pricing-carbon.html

Kitzhaber: Carbon Fuel Standard Unrelated to Road Fixes (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/kitzhaber-carbon-fuel-standard-unrelated-road-fixes

On Climate Change, 'Not a Scientist' Not Enough for Some U-S Republicans (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-usa-politics-climatechange-insight-idUSKBN0L00D620150127

FERC Details Reliability, Infrastructure Questions for Western Conference on EPA Plan (American Public Power Association)

http://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=43060

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Portland Brewery Puts Low-Carbon Beer on Tap (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/portland-brewery-puts-low-carbon-beer-tap

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Grant PUD Yet to Allocate Bulk of $7.5 Million Fiber Optic Budget (iFiber One, Ephrata, WA)

http://www.ifiberone.com/news/grant-pud-yet-to-allocate-bulk-of-million-fiber-optic/article_3edcb1b8-a68e-11e4-b020-4b26d63db8e2.html

California Schools to Get Help with Broadband Infrastructure (Government Technology)

http://www.govtech.com/education/Schools-to-Get-Help-With-Broadband-Infrastructure.html

FCC Says It Will 'Act Against' Hotels That Block Wi-Fi Hotspot Access (Washington, DC Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/techflash/2015/01/fcc-says-it-will-act-against-hotels-that-block-wi.html

How the Cable Industry is Trying to Reshape the Economics of the Internet (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/01/26/how-the-cable-industry-is-trying-to-reshape-the-economics-of-the-internet/

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Snapchat Adds News, Entertainment Content to Messaging Service (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-snapchat-content-idUSKBN0L02DM20150127

Facebook to Sell Real-Time Super Bowl Ads, Taking on Twitter (Reuters)

http://news.yahoo.com/facebook-sell-real-time-super-bowl-ads-taking-120527031--nfl.html

The Super Bowl is Turning into Digital Advertising's Biggest Day (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/super-bowl-turning-digital-advertisings-biggest-day-162524

Promotion Pairs Electric Cars, Paperless Billing (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/newsmakers/local-initiatives/paperless-billing-and-vehicle-charging-promotio/77414

GENERAL NEWS

After Blizzard, Oceanfront Massachusetts Cleans Up from Flooding (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/us-usa-weather-idUSKBN0KW26Z20150128

City of Shelton’s Sidewalks to No-Where May Be Going Somewhere! (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news/21063-sidewalks-to-no-where-may-be-going-somewhere

Russell Wilson Writes about NFC Championship Victory – And a Little Red Button (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.khq.com/story/27953706/russell-wilson-writes-about-nfc-championship-victory

DIVERSIONS

Marshawn Lynch Finally Talks ... in Funny, Weird Ads for Skittles & Progressive

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/marshawn-lynch-finally-talks-funny-weird-ads-skittles-and-progressive-162579

Suspected Thief Discovered Hanging Upside Down from Window

http://mashable.com/2015/01/28/suspected-thief-hanging-from-window/

Balloon Crew Heading across Pacific Move Little, Layer Much

http://www.khq.com/story/27958779/balloon-crew-heading-across-pacific-move-little-layer-much

Why Do AM Radio Signals Travel Farther at Night Than in the Day?

http://gizmodo.com/why-do-radio-signals-travel-farther-at-night-than-in-th-1681994293

SONG OF THE DAY

Harry Chapin – WOLD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1TUgWGuKM8

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

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Energy News Digest for January 28, 2015

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