Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Energy News Digest for September 22, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for September 22, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Higher Cost of Wholesale Electricity from Bonneville Power Administration Drives Mason PUD 3 Budget, Rates (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Petition against Richland Nuclear Plant Permit Denied (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Inslee Administration Begins Writing Rule to Cap Washington State Greenhouse Gas Pollution (Northwest Public Radio)

U-S Rejects Protections for Greater Sage Grouse across West (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Will Run for Third Term (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Higher Cost of Wholesale Electricity from Bonneville Power Administration Drives Mason PUD 3 Budget, Rates
  • Petition against Richland Nuclear Plant Permit Denied
  • Wyoming: Lower Valley Energy Electricity Rates to Go Up
  • Puget Sound Energy Natural Gas Rates Could Decrease
  • Ohio: Toledo Transformer Falls onto Roof of House
  • Keeping the Lights On - At Home & Around the World
  • U-S Rejects Protections for Greater Sage Grouse across West
  • Protesters Threaten to Renew Blockade in British Columbia Fish Farm Dispute
  • Oregon: Critics of Cascade Locks Bottled Water Plant Aim for Ballot
  • Mason PUD 3 Customers on the Leading Edge of Solar Energy Program
  • Power Up: Panasonic Building 65MW Solar Farm in Remote Southeast Oregon
  • Idaho Cuts Solar & Wind Contracts to Two Years
  • Solar Customers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Feel ‘Carpet Ripped Out’ from Under Them
  • Charges: IRS Agent Solicited Bribe from Seattle Pot Shop
  • U-S Senator Addresses Cannabis Industry at New York Summit
  • Inslee Administration Begins Writing Rule to Cap Washington State Greenhouse Gas Pollution
  • Proposed New Washington State Carbon Cap Will Hit Four Cowlitz County Facilities
  • U-S Senate Democrats to Unveil Climate Change Bill
  • An Addition to AP Stylebook Entry on Global Warming
  • The Roadside Rain Garden: Why Seattle is Going ‘Green’
  • Obama Administration Declares Broadband ‘Core Utility’ in Report
  • State’s Rights Come to a Head in Tennessee’s Case against Municipal Broadband
  • United Kingdom: Want Rural Superfast Broadband? Do It Yourself
  • Streaming Music Now Outsells Physical Recordings
  • After Outrage, India Rethinks Draconian Social Media Policy
  • Don’t Fall for the Facebook Dislike Button Scam
  • Of Bees, Birds & Chillin’ Chinook: All in a Sustainable Day at Pacific Gas & Electric
  • Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Will Run for Third Term
  • Investigation: Eyman Personally Benefited from Initiative Funds
  • Peninsula Credit Union Receives $2 Million for Financial Education/Low Income Outreach
  • For Seven Years, Volkswagen Software Thwarted Pollution Regulations
  • Volkswagen CEO: ‘Endlessly Sorry’ as Emissions Scandal Escalates
  • British Columbia Coast Should Brace for ‘Monster’ El Nino Year
  • Parents Threaten to Sue WIAA over Alleged Religious Discrimination
  • What’s That Smell?! When Workplaces Try Fragrance Bans
WORD OF THE DAY

Fungible • \FUN-juh-bul\ • Adjective – 1: being of such a nature that one part or quantity may be replaced by another equal part or quantity in the satisfaction of an obligation *2: interchangeable 3: flexible

Some of us may remember term “fungible” from economics: “a field goal made in the first quarter of a basketball game is just as important to the outcome of the game as one made in the last seconds of the contest, therefore, the field goals (regardless of when they occur) are fungible.” I never got that, because it doesn’t take into account the momentum shift that can occur from a critical shot.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Higher Cost of Wholesale Electricity from Bonneville Power Administration Drives Mason PUD 3 Budget, Rates (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Petition against Richland Nuclear Plant Permit Denied (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Wyoming: Lower Valley Energy Electricity Rates to Go Up (Jackson Hole News & Guide, WY)

Puget Sound Energy Natural Gas Rates Could Decrease (Associated Press)

Ohio: Toledo Transformer Falls onto Roof of House (Toledo Blade, OH)

Keeping the Lights On - At Home & Around the World (American Public Power Association)

FISH & WILDLIFE

U-S Rejects Protections for Greater Sage Grouse across West (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Protesters Threaten to Renew Blockade in British Columbia Fish Farm Dispute (Globe & Mail, Canada)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon: Critics of Cascade Locks Bottled Water Plant Aim for Ballot (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Mason PUD 3 Customers on the Leading Edge of Solar Energy Program (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Power Up: Panasonic Building 65MW Solar Farm in Remote Southeast Oregon (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Idaho Cuts Solar & Wind Contracts to Two Years (Renewable Energy World)

Solar Customers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Feel ‘Carpet Ripped Out’ from Under Them (Midwest Energy News)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Charges: IRS Agent Solicited Bribe from Seattle Pot Shop (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

U-S Senator Addresses Cannabis Industry at New York Summit (Associated Press)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Inslee Administration Begins Writing Rule to Cap Washington State Greenhouse Gas Pollution (Northwest Public Radio)

Proposed New Washington State Carbon Cap Will Hit Four Cowlitz County Facilities (Longview Daily News, WA)

U-S Senate Democrats to Unveil Climate Change Bill (NY Times)

An Addition to AP Stylebook Entry on Global Warming (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

The Roadside Rain Garden: Why Seattle is Going ‘Green’ (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Obama Administration Declares Broadband ‘Core Utility’ in Report (The Hill, Washington, DC)

State’s Rights Come to a Head in Tennessee’s Case against Municipal Broadband (Nashville Business Journal, TN)

United Kingdom: Want Rural Superfast Broadband? Do It Yourself (British Broadcasting Corporation)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Streaming Music Now Outsells Physical Recordings (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

After Outrage, India Rethinks Draconian Social Media Policy (Associated Press)

Don’t Fall for the Facebook Dislike Button Scam (Gizmodo)

Of Bees, Birds & Chillin’ Chinook: All in a Sustainable Day at Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E Currents)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Will Run for Third Term (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Investigation: Eyman Personally Benefited from Initiative Funds (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Peninsula Credit Union Receives $2 Million for Financial Education/Low Income Outreach (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

For Seven Years, Volkswagen Software Thwarted Pollution Regulations (Associated Press)

Volkswagen CEO: ‘Endlessly Sorry’ as Emissions Scandal Escalates (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

British Columbia Coast Should Brace for ‘Monster’ El Nino Year (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Parents Threaten to Sue WIAA over Alleged Religious Discrimination (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

What’s That Smell?! When Workplaces Try Fragrance Bans (National Public Radio)

DIVERSIONS

Willie Wiredhand Stars in Corn Maze

Build a Peanuts Self-Portrait with ‘Peanutize Me’

The Real Christopher Robin

Portlandia: Skunks Create Stinky Nuisance in St. Johns

SONG OF THE DAY

Kenny Loggins - Return to Pooh Corner

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their websites 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.