Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Energy News Digest for April 8, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 8, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Apple Plans ‘Major, Major Expansion’ of Oregon Data Center (Oregonian, Portland)

Feds to Consider Endangered Species Listing for Spotted Owl (Associated Press)

Power Surge Knocks Out Electrical Service in Parts of Washington, D-C Region (Washington Post)

Tight Puget Sound Housing Market Creating ‘Buyer Anxiety’ (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Op/Ed: Russ Skolrood – I-937’s “One-Size Fits All” Model an Ill Fit for Grays Harbor (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  1. Power Surge Knocks Out Electrical Service in Parts of Washington, D-C Region
  2. Oregon Bill Would Require Transmission Lines Minimize Farm Impacts
  3. Bonneville Power Administration-PacifiCorp Transmission Complaint Sent to Hearing
  4. Grays Harbor PUD Looking to Refinance Bonds, Could Save an Estimated $5 Million
  5. Maryland: Family Died Of Gas Poisoning after Utility Cut Power to Home
  6. Can a New Generation of Startups Revolutionize the Nuclear Industry?
  7. FERC Employees Negotiate for Industry Jobs under Agency’s Eye
  8. Report: The Way We Power Our Homes May Be on the Verge of a Major Change
  9. Feds to Consider Endangered Species Listing for Spotted Owl
  10. Editorial: Study Finds Good Payoff for Habitat Restoration
  11. Desperate from Drought, California Turns to Desalination
  12. In Drought, Californians Lacking Water Meters Let It Flow
  13. Carly Fiorina Blames Environmentalists for California Drought
  14. Op/Ed: Russ Skolrood – I-937’s “One-Size Fits All” Model an Ill Fit for Grays Harbor
  15. Is Solar City a Threat to Electric Co-ops?
  16. Why Utilities Could Soon Face Massive Load Defection & How They Can Prevent It
  17. Shared Solar Tries Again to Light Up Connecticut
  18. For Solar to Take Off, It Needs a Longer Runway
  19. A Texas Wind Power Company Is Scrapping Its Eastern Shore Project amid Political Opposition
  20. Energy Efficiency Products Top Homeowner Clean Energy Purchases
  21. EPA & DOE Honor 2015 Energy Star Partners of the Year for Leadership on Energy Efficiency, Acting on Climate
  22. Oregon: AmeriCorps Team in Bend, Promoting Energy Conservation
  23. Thousands of Marijuana Plants Lost In Fire at Legal Seattle Grow Operation
  24. Seattle Marijuana Startup Scores Lots of Green – The Paper Kind
  25. Woodland Accepts Marijuana Industry – Tweak to Ordinance Will Allow Issuing of Business Licenses
  26. Oregon Lawmakers Consider Letting Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Temporarily Sell Recreational Pot
  27. Poll Highlights the Rapidly Growing Power of Cannabis in Politics
  28. Teens’ Climate-Change Suit Hits Court with Call to Protect Our Air
  29. Rand Paul Says EPA Wants to Police Your Hotel Shower
  30. Apple Plans ‘Major, Major Expansion’ of Oregon Data Center
  31. Google Who? Oregon Cities Want Their Own Fiber Networks
  32. Op/Ed: Investment in Broadband Grows, Electrical Rates Rise – Coincidence?
  33. New Mexico: CenturyLink’s Dodd: ‘We’re Fighting Hard for Broadband’
  34. ‘Star Wars’ Saga Available to Stream, Download Friday
  35. Following Complaint from Comcast, Ad Board Recommends DirecTV Discontinue Rob Lowe Ads
  36. Who Won the Battle of March Madness Brands?
  37. Scientists Swarm around the Twitter Hashtag #IAmAScientistBecause
  38. Scientists Link ‪Selfies to Narcissism, ‪Addiction & Mental Illness
  39. ‘Star Wars’ Saga Available to Stream, Download Friday
  40. Map: The Most Liberal & Conservative Towns in Each State
  41. Tight Puget Sound Housing Market Creating ‘Buyer Anxiety’
  42. Commissioner: Log Shipping Slump Erodes Port of Port Angeles Revenue
  43. Welcome to Shelton - With a Brand New Sign
  44. Thieves Steal Brass Vases from Olympia Grave Sites
  45. Common Weed Could Become New Northwest Cash Crop
WORD OF THE DAY

Chanteuse • \shant-TOOZ\ • Noun – Songstress; especially: a woman who is a concert or nightclub singer.

The darkened nightclub’s atmosphere had an atmosphere of its own. Cigarette smoke coiling to the ceiling, its path dimly lit by the subdued lights at each table. The clinking of ice cubes in whisky glasses, the muddled crowd noise that masked conversations, intimate or otherwise deepened the mood. Without warning, a spotlight cut through the darkness, hushing the crowd and revealing the night’s entertainment: a blond chanteuse named “Sally Blue.” Her light, breathy voice caressed the ears of the entire audience, making it seem as if every note, nuance in phrasing, and whisper was meant just for that one person. She held the room in the palm of her hand, and she knew it.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Power Surge Knocks Out Electrical Service in Parts of Washington, D-C Region (Washington Post)

Oregon Bill Would Require Transmission Lines Minimize Farm Impacts (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration-PacifiCorp Transmission Complaint Sent to Hearing (Argus Media)

Grays Harbor PUD Looking to Refinance Bonds, Could Save an Estimated $5 Million (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Maryland: Family Died Of Gas Poisoning after Utility Cut Power to Home (Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg)

Can a New Generation of Startups Revolutionize the Nuclear Industry? (The Energy Collective)

FERC Employees Negotiate for Industry Jobs under Agency’s Eye (E&E Publishing)

Report: The Way We Power Our Homes May Be on the Verge of a Major Change (Washington Post)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Feds to Consider Endangered Species Listing for Spotted Owl (Associated Press)

Editorial: Study Finds Good Payoff for Habitat Restoration (Daily Astorian, OR)
http://www.dailyastorian.com/editorials/20150407/editorial-study-finds-good-payoff-for-habitat-restoration

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Desperate from Drought, California Turns to Desalination (Bloomberg News)

In Drought, Californians Lacking Water Meters Let It Flow (Reuters)

Carly Fiorina Blames Environmentalists for California Drought (Politico)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Op/Ed: Russ Skolrood – I-937’s “One-Size Fits All” Model an Ill Fit for Grays Harbor (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Is Solar City a Threat to Electric Co-ops? (Electric Co-op Today)

Why Utilities Could Soon Face Massive Load Defection & How They Can Prevent It (Utility Dive)

Shared Solar Tries Again to Light Up Connecticut (Hartford Courant, CT)

For Solar to Take Off, It Needs a Longer Runway (Morning Consult)

A Texas Wind Power Company Is Scrapping Its Eastern Shore Project amid Political Opposition (Associated Press)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency Products Top Homeowner Clean Energy Purchases (Energy Efficient Markets)

EPA & DOE Honor 2015 Energy Star Partners of the Year for Leadership on Energy Efficiency, Acting on Climate (Breaking Energy)

Oregon: AmeriCorps Team in Bend, Promoting Energy Conservation (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Thousands of Marijuana Plants Lost In Fire at Legal Seattle Grow Operation (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Seattle Marijuana Startup Scores Lots of Green – The Paper Kind (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Woodland Accepts Marijuana Industry – Tweak to Ordinance Will Allow Issuing of Business Licenses (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Oregon Lawmakers Consider Letting Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Temporarily Sell Recreational Pot (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

Poll Highlights the Rapidly Growing Power of Cannabis in Politics (Marijuana Business Daily)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Teens’ Climate-Change Suit Hits Court with Call to Protect Our Air (Oregonian, Portland)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Rand Paul Says EPA Wants to Police Your Hotel Shower (National Journal)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Apple Plans ‘Major, Major Expansion’ of Oregon Data Center (Oregonian, Portland)

Google Who? Oregon Cities Want Their Own Fiber Networks (Oregonian, Portland)

Op/Ed: Investment in Broadband Grows, Electrical Rates Rise – Coincidence? (Journal of the San Juan Islands, Friday Harbor – Don’t miss the comments, most insightful)

New Mexico: CenturyLink’s Dodd: ‘We’re Fighting Hard for Broadband’ (Albuquerque Business First, NM)

‘Star Wars’ Saga Available to Stream, Download Friday (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Following Complaint from Comcast, Ad Board Recommends DirecTV Discontinue Rob Lowe Ads (Consumerist)

Who Won the Battle of March Madness Brands? (AdWeek)

Scientists Swarm around the Twitter Hashtag #IAmAScientistBecause (NY Times)

Scientists Link ‪Selfies to Narcissism, ‪Addiction & Mental Illness (Complete Health & Happiness)

‘Star Wars’ Saga Available to Stream, Download Friday (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Map: The Most Liberal & Conservative Towns in Each State (Washington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

Tight Puget Sound Housing Market Creating ‘Buyer Anxiety’ (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Commissioner: Log Shipping Slump Erodes Port of Port Angeles Revenue – 40 to 60 Percent Decline Expected at Terminal (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Welcome to Shelton - With a Brand New Sign (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Thieves Steal Brass Vases from Olympia Grave Sites (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Common Weed Could Become New Northwest Cash Crop (Northwest Public Radio)

DIVERSIONS

American Pie Lyrics Sell for $1.2 Million

What Do American Pie’s Lyrics Mean?

Follow-Up File – Sculptor Behind ‘Scary’ Lucille Ball Statue Offers to Replace it for Free

Comic genius Stan Freberg dies

Stan Freberg - St. George & The Dragonet

SONG OF THE DAY

Don McLean – American Pie

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.