Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Energy News Digest for October 5, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

The Environmental Protection Agency Says Power Plant Emissions Declined 6.2% In 2015 (Utility Dive)

Avista’s Idaho Customers Will Get a Slight Break on Their Electric Bills (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Chelan County PUD Announces Completion of Gigabit Broadband Network (North Central Washington Life, East Wenatchee, WA)

Spokane Waste-To-Energy Plant Workers Still in Critical Condition after Industrial Accident (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Utilities Taking Longer on Rooftop Solar Applications (Politico, Morning Energy)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Avista’s Idaho Customers Will Get a Slight Break on Their Electric Bills
  • Video: Chelan PUD Lifts Moratorium on High Density Load Rates
  • Big Industry to See 0.7% Decrease in Cowlitz PUD Electric Bills
  • Bonneville Power Administration Making Upgrades in Minnehaha
  • Higher Pay Range Approved for Seattle Public Utilities Leader
  • Moody’s Affirms A3 Rating on Clatskanie PUD’s Bonds; Outlook Changed to Stable
  • Canada: Nuclear Power Plant Safety Inspections Hit & Miss, Watchdog Says
  • New England: Growing Transmission Costs Are Raising Region’s Electricity Rates
  • Puerto Rico Power Company Faces Scrutiny After Blackout
  • Los Angeles: Her $16,988.62 DWP Bill Sent This Retired Teacher to the Emergency Room
  • West Coast Orca ‘Class of 2015’ a Sign of Hope for Endangered Species
  • Sea Lion Caves on Oregon Coast Closed to Replace Site’s 55-Year-Old Elevator
  • Can Fish Have Regional Accents? These Cod Do, Scientists Say
  • Yakama Nation Joins Voices Against Nestle Bottle Plant
  • Flint Hit with Bacterial Illness as Residents Shun City Water
  • Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Denser Than Previously Thought
  • Spokane Waste-To-Energy Plant Workers Still in Critical Condition after Industrial Accident
  • Utilities Taking Longer on Rooftop Solar Applications
  • Next ‘Renewable Energy’: Burning Forests, if Senators Get Their Way
  • Renewable Energy Making Large Gains as Costs Drop, Says DOE
  • Oregon Dips in U-S Energy Efficiency Ranking – Still a Top-10 Performer
  • Leading Cannabis Developer Leases Facility at Satsop Business Park
  • Marijuana Legalization Is Leading in Every State Where It’s on the Ballot This November
  • More Than 12,000 Register for Medical Marijuana in Washington State
  • The Environmental Protection Agency Says Power Plant Emissions Declined 6.2% In 2015
  • Canada: Nova Scotia Walks Out of National Carbon Pricing Meeting after Trudeau Ultimatum
  • Why Insiders Think EPA Got the Best of the Last Week’s Clean Power Plan Hearing
  • Can Americans Find Common Ground on Climate Change?
  • Melting Arctic Ice Brings Opportunities – And Risks – To Maine
  • DOE: Electric, Hybrid Vehicles to Make Up 6% of Auto Sales by 2025
  • Chelan County PUD Announces Completion of Gigabit Broadband Network
  • Seattle Investigating CenturyLink Complaints
  • Pole Attachments, Franchises: Charter Files Lawsuit to Slow Rollout of Google Fiber in City Where It’s Not Even Offered
  • Union Chief: Verizon Will Discipline, Possibly Fire, Techs Who Repair Copper Phone Lines
  • Washington Secretary of State Accused of Campaign Finance Violations
  • Mason County Commissioners Seek Grant for Next Phase of Belfair Sewer
  • Shelton City Commissioners Delay Water Pressure Line Project
  • Washington State Attorney General Takes Responsibility for Deleted Oso Emails – Lawyer Off Case
  • Period of Elevated Quake Risk on San Andreas Fault Is Over
  • Speed Limits Change on Old Belfair Highway & Agate Road
WORD OF THE DAY

Deliquesce ● \dell – ih – KWESS\ ● Verb - 1: to dissolve or melt away 2: to become soft or liquid with age or maturity—used of some fungal structures (as the gills of a mushroom).

Soft warmth of summer
Deliquesce to brisk fall
Season’s last farewell

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Avista’s Idaho Customers Will Get a Slight Break on Their Electric Bills (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Video: Chelan PUD Lifts Moratorium on High Density Load Rates (North Central Washington Life, East Wenatchee, WA)

Big Industry to See 0.7% Decrease in Cowlitz PUD Electric Bills (Longview Daily News, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Making Upgrades in Minnehaha – The power agency is building a consolidated maintenance facility (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Higher Pay Range Approved for Seattle Public Utilities Leader (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Moody’s Affirms A3 Rating on Clatskanie PUD’s Bonds; Outlook Changed to Stable (Moody’s Investor Service)

Canada: Nuclear Power Plant Safety Inspections Hit & Miss, Watchdog Says (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

New England: Growing Transmission Costs Are Raising Region’s Electricity Rates (Concord Monitor, NH)

Puerto Rico Power Company Faces Scrutiny After Blackout (Associated Press)

Los Angeles: Her $16,988.62 DWP Bill Sent This Retired Teacher to the Emergency Room (Los Angeles Times, CA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

West Coast Orca ‘Class of 2015’ a Sign of Hope for Endangered Species (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Sea Lion Caves on Oregon Coast Closed to Replace Site’s 55-Year-Old Elevator (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Can Fish Have Regional Accents? These Cod Do, Scientists Say (USA Today)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Yakama Nation Joins Voices Against Nestle Bottle Plant (Northwest Public Radio)

Flint Hit with Bacterial Illness as Residents Shun City Water (NY Times)

Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Denser Than Previously Thought (Christian Science Monitor)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Spokane Waste-To-Energy Plant Workers Still in Critical Condition after Industrial Accident (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Utilities Taking Longer on Rooftop Solar Applications (Politico, Morning Energy)

Next ‘Renewable Energy’: Burning Forests, if Senators Get Their Way (NY Times)

Renewable Energy Making Large Gains as Costs Drop, Says DOE (American Public Power Association)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Oregon Dips in U-S Energy Efficiency Ranking – Still a Top-10 Performer (Portland Business Journal, OR)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Leading Cannabis Developer Leases Facility at Satsop Business Park (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Marijuana Legalization Is Leading in Every State Where It’s on the Ballot This November (Washington Post)

More Than 12,000 Register for Medical Marijuana in Washington State (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

The Environmental Protection Agency Says Power Plant Emissions Declined 6.2% In 2015 (Utility Dive)

Canada: Nova Scotia Walks Out of National Carbon Pricing Meeting after Trudeau Ultimatum (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Why Insiders Think EPA Got the Best of the Last Week’s Clean Power Plan Hearing (Utility Dive)

Can Americans Find Common Ground on Climate Change? (Christian Science Monitor)

Melting Arctic Ice Brings Opportunities – And Risks – To Maine (Christian Science Monitor)

SCIENCE SWIMS IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

DOE: Electric, Hybrid Vehicles to Make Up 6% of Auto Sales by 2025 (Utility Dive)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Chelan County PUD Announces Completion of Gigabit Broadband Network (North Central Washington Life, East Wenatchee, WA)

Seattle Investigating CenturyLink Complaints (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Pole Attachments, Franchises: Charter Files Lawsuit to Slow Rollout of Google Fiber in City Where It’s Not Even Offered (Consumerist)

Union Chief: Verizon Will Discipline, Possibly Fire, Techs Who Repair Copper Phone Lines (Consumerist)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington Secretary of State Accused of Campaign Finance Violations (Associated Press)

Mason County Clerk Announces Retirement (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Commissioners Seek Grant for Next Phase of Belfair Sewer (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Shelton City Commissioners Delay Water Pressure Line Project (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington State Attorney General Takes Responsibility for Deleted Oso Emails – Lawyer Off Case (Northwest Public Radio)

Period of Elevated Quake Risk on San Andreas Fault Is Over (Associated Press)

Speed Limits Change on Old Belfair Highway & Agate Road (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

PENALTY BOX SHENANIGANS – DIVERSIONS

Hockey: Red Wings Ott, Larkin Photobomb Little Girl from Penalty Box

Historic Bible from 1599 Discovered in Portland

Dude Poses as Donut Delivery Man to Sneak His Résumé into Agencies

‘Thriller’ Songwriter Rod Temperton Dies in London at 66

SONG OF THE DAY

Chaka Khan - Miss Celie’s Blues (“The Color Purple” Soundtrack, written by Rod Temperton)

OK, since you asked:

Video: Michael Jackson – Thriller (written by Rod Temperton)

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.