Energy News Digest for February 23, 2018

Programming Note:

The Energy News Digest will be incommunicado February 26 – March 1. Check the news digest Twitter feed or Facebook page occasionally to see if any hard, shiny gems have been posted during the interim.

The Energy News Digest is on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 23, 2018

Marine Forecast for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Olympic Mountain Forecast for Mason County

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Decision on Snake Dam Removal Has Senator Murray, Representative Newhouse at Odds (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article201669989.html

Irony, Hells Canyon Fish Passage is Thy Name: Idaho Power to Appeal FERC’s Decision on Oregon Law (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/440260.aspx

Portland General Electric Seeks 4.8% Rate Increase (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2018/02/23/portland-general-electric-seeks-4-8-rate-increase.html

Climate Activists Protest Puget Sound Energy Plan to Keep Using Coal (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/2018/02/22/climate-activists-protest-puget-sound-energy-plan-to-keep-using-coal/

Electric Transportation Bills Hit the House Committee (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

http://www.ifiberone.com/news/regional_news/electric-transportation-bills-hit-the-house-committee/article_75879f22-1830-11e8-b374-1fc400fa6a7e.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Decision on Snake Dam Removal Has Senator Murray, Representative Newhouse at Odds
• Irony, Hells Canyon Fish Passage is Thy Name: Idaho Power to Appeal FERC’s Decision on Oregon Law
• Portland General Electric Seeks 4.8% Rate Increase
• Climate Activists Protest Puget Sound Energy Plan to Keep Using Coal
• New Permit Would Allow Eight Times More Pollution from Oregon Power Plant
• Immigration & Customs Enforcement Wants Info on a Seattle City Light Customer – The Utility Is Asking Why
• Grant PUD’s Low Electrical Rates Generate Flood of Inquiries
• Commentary: What’s Not to Like in Trump’s Infrastructure Plan? – Kind Words for BPA Asset Selloff
• Washington State Plans to Reopen Fishing on Skokomish River
• Spring Chinook Are Coming. See What the Fishing Season Looks Like
• Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife ODFW Trapping Sea Lions at Willamette Falls, Relocating to Oregon Coast
• Including Washington State & Oregon – Publication of Net Neutrality Rule Prompts Challenge by 24 States
• Oregon’s Effort to Restore Net Neutrality Moves Forward
• Electric Transportation Bills Hit the House Committee
• Washington State Carbon Tax Passes in Fiscal Committee, Gets Lukewarm Support from Some Democrats
• Within Minutes of Each Other, Washington State Senate & House Agree to Shield Many of Their Records from the Public

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Decision on Snake Dam Removal Has Senator Murray, Representative Newhouse at Odds (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article201669989.html

Irony, Hells Canyon Fish Passage is Thy Name: Idaho Power to Appeal FERC’s Decision on Oregon Law (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/440260.aspx

Portland General Electric Seeks 4.8% Rate Increase (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2018/02/23/portland-general-electric-seeks-4-8-rate-increase.html

Climate Activists Protest Puget Sound Energy Plan to Keep Using Coal (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/2018/02/22/climate-activists-protest-puget-sound-energy-plan-to-keep-using-coal/

New Permit Would Allow Eight Times More Pollution from Oregon Power Plant (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/new-permit-would-allow-eight-times-more-pollution-from-oregon-plant/283-522287855

Immigration & Customs Enforcement Wants Info on a Seattle City Light Customer – The Utility Is Asking Why (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-city-light-requests-details-after-federal-immigration-authorities-seek-customer-information/

Grant PUD’s Low Electrical Rates Generate Flood of Inquiries (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/business/20180223/low_electrical_rates_generate_flood_of_inquiries

Commentary: What’s Not to Like in Trump’s Infrastructure Plan? – Kind Words for BPA Asset Selloff (Bond Buyer)

https://www.bondbuyer.com/opinion/how-municipal-professionals-may-react-to-trumps-infrastructure-plan

FISH & WILDLIFE

Washington State Plans to Reopen Fishing on Skokomish River (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2018/02/22/state-plans-reopen-fishing-skokomish-river/363768002/

Spring Chinook Are Coming. See What the Fishing Season Looks Like (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article201586019.html#emlnl=Afternoon_Newsletter

Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife ODFW Trapping Sea Lions at Willamette Falls, Relocating to Oregon Coast (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/440261.aspx

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Including Washington State & Oregon – Publication of Net Neutrality Rule Prompts Challenge by 24 States (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/publication-of-net-neutrality-rule-prompts-challenge-by-24-states/

Oregon’s Effort to Restore Net Neutrality Moves Forward (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2018/02/oregon_lawmakers_move_forward.html

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

Electric Transportation Bills Hit the House Committee (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

http://www.ifiberone.com/news/regional_news/electric-transportation-bills-hit-the-house-committee/article_75879f22-1830-11e8-b374-1fc400fa6a7e.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Carbon Tax Passes in Fiscal Committee, Gets Lukewarm Support from Some Democrats (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

https://washingtonstatewire.com/carbon-tax-passes-fiscal-committee-gets-lukewarm-support-democrats/

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

Within Minutes of Each Other, Washington State Senate & House Agree to Shield Many of Their Records from the Public (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/without-debate-state-senate-approves-open-records-bill-that-keeps-many-lawmakers-records-closed/

SONG OF THE DAY

Yuja Wang Plays Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CTp2Nk9OxI

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

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.

Energy News Digest for February 22, 2018

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

The Energy News Digest is on Facebook, and on Twitter.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 22, 2018

Marine Forecast for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Olympic Mountain Forecast for Mason County

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Chelan PUD Outlines Approach to Large Power Load Requests by Cryptocurrency Miners (Ifiberone News, Ephrata, WA)

http://www.ifiberone.com/wenatchee/chelan-pud-outlines-approach-to-large-power-load-requests-by/article_9fe6a68a-176f-11e8-b59a-2356ae4a904b.html

Avista Customers Expected to Reap Savings on Rates from Federal Tax Reform (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/21/avista-customers-expected-to-reap-savings-on-rates/

Oregon Lawmakers Move toward Repealing Tax Break worth Millions to Comcast, Frontier (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2018/02/oregon_lawmakers_move_toward_r.html

President Trump's Plan for Energy Star Sparks Industry Uproar (The Hill, Washington, DC)

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/374940-trumps-plan-for-energy-star-sparks-industry-uproar

Washington State Legislators Pushing to Make Some of Their Records Secret (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/22/legislature-trying-to-get-around-ruling-to-release/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Chelan PUD Outlines Approach to Large Power Load Requests by Cryptocurrency Miners
• Bitcoin Miners Are Flocking to Oregon for Cheap Electricity. Should We Give Them a Boost?
• Avista Customers Expected to Reap Savings on Rates from Federal Tax Reform
• Tennessee Valley Authority & Power Marketing Administrations: Time to Saddle Up & Ride Again
• Editorial: Trump Renews DOA Proposal on Bonneville Power Administration Grid
• Déjà Vu: South Carolina Utility to Pay Millions to Preserve Abandoned Reactor Site
• Georgia: NRC Says Vogtle Employees Falsified Inspection Reports, Proposes $145K Fine
• United Kingdom: Energy Company Promises to Pay Customers to Use Electricity
• Oregon & Washington State Regulators Set Salmon Season
• Listen Up: Northwest Researchers Have Started Tracking Salmon with Sound
• Satellites See Big Fishing's Footprint on the High Seas
• Washington State Panel Inches Forward on Kittitas County Solar Review
• Alaska Regulators Rule in Golden Valley Electric Association's Favor in Dispute with Delta Wind Farm
• Unalaska Revisits Wind Power, Hoping for a Renewable Energy Source
• Wind Power Results in Very Few Bird Deaths Overall
• Oregon Lawmakers Move toward Repealing Tax Break worth Millions to Comcast, Frontier
• Trump: Broadband Buildout Situation 'Intolerable'
• Average Broadband Speeds in the U-S Are Slower Than in Almost Every Other Country
• The FCC's New Broadband Availability Map is a Misleading Joke
• Net Neutrality
• Electric Vehicles' Future Relies on Cobalt. It's Often Mined By Children & Is Soaring in Price
• President Trump's Plan for Energy Star Sparks Industry Uproar
• California Water Planner Blasted for Sitting on Dam Funds
• Olympia Mayor Joins 200 Mayors in Opposing Trump Repeal of the Clean Power Plan
• See How Mount Rainier Glaciers Have Vanished over Time, with This Eye-Opening Photo Project
• Why Facebook Messenger Will Dominate 2018
• In an Era of ‘Smart’ Things, Sometimes Dumb Stuff Is Better
• Washington State Legislators Pushing to Make Some of Their Records Secret
• Contact with Staff Restricted for Washington State Lawmaker Accused of Inappropriate Behavior
• White House Praises Experimental Oregon Mileage Tax
• Trump Administration Signals Support for Mileage Tax to Pay for Infrastructure Plan
• State Patrol: Bangor Nuclear Submarine Base Closed by Potential Threat
• Brrr… Western WA Breaks Cold Weather Records
• Staying Warm, Safe during This Week’s Cold Snap
• Shelton Leaders Set March 3 to Award Major Sewer Project Contract
• Students in Bellingham, Across US Walk Out of Class to Protest Gun Violence
• Missing Foot Found on Vancouver Island Matched to Body of Washington State Senior
• Mason EDC Honors Two Community Business Leaders for Their Support

PHRASE OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU

Gravitational Crystalline Sloughing

The act of snow falling from tree limbs, power lines, roofs, or other places during a thaw.

Gravitational

Crystalline Sloughing, Heads up

“Twang!” the limbs recoil

This is a phrase a former journalist friend and I made up today as he described snow falling from fir trees in his back yard. Sounds impressive. No?

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Chelan PUD Outlines Approach to Large Power Load Requests by Cryptocurrency Miners (Ifiberone News, Ephrata, WA)

http://www.ifiberone.com/wenatchee/chelan-pud-outlines-approach-to-large-power-load-requests-by/article_9fe6a68a-176f-11e8-b59a-2356ae4a904b.html

Bitcoin Miners Are Flocking to Oregon for Cheap Electricity. Should We Give Them a Boost? (Willamette Week, Portland, OR)

http://www.wweek.com/news/business/2018/02/21/bitcoin-miners-are-flocking-to-oregon-for-cheap-electricity-should-we-give-them-a-boost/

Avista Customers Expected to Reap Savings on Rates from Federal Tax Reform (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/21/avista-customers-expected-to-reap-savings-on-rates/

Tennessee Valley Authority & Power Marketing Administrations: Time to Saddle Up & Ride Again (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/blog/tva-and-pmas-time-saddle-and-ride-again

Editorial: Trump Renews DOA Proposal on Bonneville Power Administration Grid (Albany Democrat Herald, OR)

http://democratherald.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-trump-renews-doa-proposal-on-bpa-grid/article_b022e590-c713-55c5-8c8e-a33291089ff0.html

Déjà Vu: South Carolina Utility to Pay Millions to Preserve Abandoned Reactor Site (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/02/22/us/ap-us-nuclear-reactors-south-carolina.html

Georgia: NRC Says Vogtle Employees Falsified Inspection Reports, Proposes $145K Fine (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nrc-says-vogtle-employees-falsified-inspection-reports-proposes-145k-fine/517574/

United Kingdom: Energy Company Promises to Pay Customers to Use Electricity (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/feb/22/energy-company-promises-to-pay-customer-to-use-electricity

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon & Washington State Regulators Set Salmon Season (KAST Radio, Astoria, OR)

http://www.kast1370.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4794:regulators-set-salmon-season&catid=17&Itemid=101

Listen Up: Northwest Researchers Have Started Tracking Salmon with Sound (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/2018/02/21/listen-up-northwest-researchers-have-started-tracking-salmon-with-sound/

Satellites See Big Fishing's Footprint on the High Seas (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/22/the-associated-press-satellites-see-big-fishings-footprint-on-the-high-seas.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

Washington State Panel Inches Forward on Kittitas County Solar Review (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

https://www.dailyrecordnews.com/news/state-panel-inches-forward-on-solar-review/article_44a0b52b-5a9a-54da-9fff-a13809117345.html

Alaska Regulators Rule in Golden Valley Electric Association's Favor in Dispute with Delta Wind Farm (Anchorage Daily News Miner, AK)

http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/alaska-regulators-rule-in-gvea-s-favor-in-dispute-with/article_a2bb55ba-1781-11e8-8661-b3e2dc2fa587.html

Unalaska Revisits Wind Power, Hoping for a Renewable Energy Source (Alaska Public Media)

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2018/02/21/unalaska-revisits-wind-power-hoping-for-a-renewable-energy-source/

Wind Power Results in Very Few Bird Deaths Overall (Clean Technica)

https://cleantechnica.com/2018/02/21/wind-power-results-bird-deaths-overall/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Oregon Lawmakers Move toward Repealing Tax Break worth Millions to Comcast, Frontier (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2018/02/oregon_lawmakers_move_toward_r.html

Trump: Broadband Buildout Situation 'Intolerable' (Broadcasting & Cable)

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/trump-broadband-buildout-situation-intolerable/171934

Average Broadband Speeds in the U-S Are Slower Than in Almost Every Other Country (Business Insider)

http://www.businessinsider.com/broadband-speeds-in-different-countries-charts-2018-2

The FCC's New Broadband Availability Map is a Misleading Joke (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/The-FCCs-New-Broadband-Availability-Map-is-a-Joke-141303

Net Neutrality (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake/net-neutrality

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

Electric Vehicles' Future Relies on Cobalt. It's Often Mined By Children & Is Soaring in Price (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-electric-car-cobalt-battery-20180222-story.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

President Trump's Plan for Energy Star Sparks Industry Uproar (The Hill, Washington, DC)

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/374940-trumps-plan-for-energy-star-sparks-industry-uproar

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

California Water Planner Blasted for Sitting on Dam Funds (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/california-water-planner-blasted-for-sitting-on-dam-funds/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Olympia Mayor Joins 200 Mayors in Opposing Trump Repeal of the Clean Power Plan (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/olympia-mayor-joins-mayors-in-opposing-trump-repeal-of-the/article_a8a1e262-1760-11e8-a714-8fda13eadaf5.html

See How Mount Rainier Glaciers Have Vanished over Time, with This Eye-Opening Photo Project (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/see-how-mount-rainier-glaciers-have-vanished-over-time-with-this-eye-opening-photo-project/

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

Why Facebook Messenger Will Dominate 2018 (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/digital/dana-gibber-headliner-labs-guest-post-why-facebook-messenger-will-dominate-2018/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

In an Era of ‘Smart’ Things, Sometimes Dumb Stuff Is Better (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/21/technology/personaltech/smart-things-dumb-stuff.html

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

Washington State Legislators Pushing to Make Some of Their Records Secret (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/22/legislature-trying-to-get-around-ruling-to-release/

Contact with Staff Restricted for Washington State Lawmaker Accused of Inappropriate Behavior (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/state_news/contact-with-staff-restricted-for-washington-state-lawmaker-accused-of/article_fcec6fb0-17e0-11e8-adb6-cb00eb44dc21.html

White House Praises Experimental Oregon Mileage Tax (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/02/white_house_praises_experiment.html

Trump Administration Signals Support for Mileage Tax to Pay for Infrastructure Plan (Washington Examiner)

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-administration-signals-support-for-mileage-tax-to-pay-for-infrastructure-plan/article/2649739

GENERAL NEWS

State Patrol: Bangor Nuclear Submarine Base Closed by Potential Threat (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://komonews.com/news/local/state-patrol-navys-nuclear-submarine-base-closed-by-potential-threat

Brrr… Western WA Breaks Cold Weather Records (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/article/weather/blog/brrr-western-wa-breaks-cold-weather-records/281-522111967

Staying Warm, Safe during This Week’s Cold Snap (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2018/02/21/staying-warm-safe-during-this-weeks-cold-snap/

Shelton Leaders Set March 3 to Award Major Sewer Project Contract (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/shelton-leaders-set-march-to-award-major-sewer-project-contract/article_3c42e06e-175e-11e8-9e56-177c194dd2ab.html

Students in Bellingham, Across US Walk Out of Class to Protest Gun Violence (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2018/02/21/students-in-bellingham-across-us-walk-out-of-class-to-protest-gun-violence/

Missing Foot Found on Vancouver Island Matched to Body of Washington State Senior (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/missing-foot-jordan-river-bc-1.4546658?cmp=rss

Mason EDC Honors Two Community Business Leaders for Their Support (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/mason-edc-honors-community-business-leaders-for-their-support/article_405fe9fc-17f0-11e8-821d-57116407d985.html

SKUNKS IN THE CELLAR – DIVERSIONS

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire - Got Skunks in Your Home? Don't Use a Smoke Bomb

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/got-skunks-in-your-home-don-t-use-a-smoke/article_a0f5f69e-2d3d-50a9-92b0-b654e38d0dfa.html

Massachusetts Transit Bosses under Fire for $100,000 Bathroom

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/massachusetts-transit-bosses-under-fire-for-k-bathroom/article_630cf91b-4f1c-5bc2-a8e8-4893be9a0862.html

Meet Elizabeth Swaney, the American Skier Who Scammed Her Way into the Olympics

https://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/meet-elizabeth-swaney-the-american-skier-who-scammed-her-way-to-the-olympics/

Toy Makers Turn to the Toilet for Poop-Inspired Toys

http://q13fox.com/2018/02/20/toy-makers-turn-to-the-toilet-for-poop-inspired-toys/

SONG OF THE DAY

Igor Stravinsky – Firebird Suite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9oaS_qvYc0

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

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.

Energy News Digest for February 21, 2018

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

The Energy News Digest is on Facebook, and on Twitter.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 21, 2018

Marine Forecast for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Olympic Mountain Forecast for Mason County

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Nuclear Reactors Could Run as Long as 80 Years under Trump Plan (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-21/nuclear-reactors-could-run-as-long-as-80-years-under-trump-plan

Editorial: Bonneville Power Administration Asset Sale Lacks Juice (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/36457388-78/bpa-asset-sale-lacks-juice.html.csp

PacifiCorp Picks Four Wyoming Projects for $1.5 Billion Wind Buy (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2018/02/20/pacificorp-picks-four-wyoming-projects-for-1-5b.html

Washington State Carbon Tax Debate Continues to Draw Controversy (NCW Life Channel, East Wenatchee, WA)

http://www.ncwlife.com/carbon-tax-response/

Snow in Mason County Forecast through Friday (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/29436

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Nuclear Reactors Could Run as Long as 80 Years under Trump Plan
• Editorial: Bonneville Power Administration Asset Sale Lacks Juice
• California: Utility Can Remove Power Poles in an Area of Montecito Burned by the Thomas Fire, Judge Rules
• U-S Dept of Energy Says It ‘Would Never Use’ Emergency Order for Uneconomic Plants
• Spring Salmon Seasons Due Wednesday for the Columbia River
• Cooke Aquaculture Threatens Legal Action of Salmon Farming Ban
• Volunteers Build Their Own Tukwila Hatchery, Restore a Salmon Run
• PacifiCorp Picks Four Wyoming Projects for $1.5 Billion Wind Buy
• New Rebellion against Wind Energy Stalls or Stops Projects
• Arizona Initiative Would Seek 50% Renewable Power by 2030
• Bloomberg: Solar Panel Imports Soared Ahead of Tariff Decision
• McKinley Paper Puts Retooling Plans on Hold at Port Angeles Mill, Biomass Power Plant
• FCC Repeal of Net Neutrality Rules to Be Published Thursday: Reports
• FCC Official Touts Utilities’ Role in Broadband
• Hackers Steal Millions by Ditching Malware to Sidestep Security
• North Korean Cyberspies Ready to Launch Mass Cyberattacks: Report
• Charter Must Face NY Lawsuit over Internet Speeds
• Stuck in a Wi-Fi & Broadband Blackspot? Your Local Church Spire Could Be the Answer
• British Columbia Utilities Commission Seeks Input on Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Future
• Google’s Digital Assistant Branches Out to Nest Camera
• Washington State Carbon Tax Debate Continues to Draw Controversy
• Chelan PUD Looks at Potential Legislative Carbon Changes
• ‘Trump Forest’ Hits a Million Trees in Bid to Curb Climate Change
• Conservative Twitter Users Lash Out after Followers Vanish
• Why Social Media & YouTube Creators Want More Diverse, Authentic Content
• Billy Graham Gave a TED Talk 20 Years Ago on Faith & Technology
• Marijuana Retailers Sue Lewis County over Federal Permission Rule
• Why We May Soon Be Living in Alexa’s World
• Snow in Mason County Forecast through Friday
• ‘It’s Not Going to Warm Up’: Record-Breaking Cold in Olympia, Bellingham as Chill Lingers
• Wednesday Will Be the Warmest February Day on Record for the East
• Home Sales Fall as Supply Hits Record Low & Prices Rise, Realtors Group Says
• Seattle Begins Season-Ticket Campaign for New National Hockey League Team
• U-S Women Win Historic Olympic Gold in Cross-Country Skiing
• Don’t Kiss Your Chickens. Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Unusual Warning

WORD OF THE DAY

Lethargic • \luh-THAR-jick\ • Adjective - 1: of, relating to, or characterized by lethargy: sluggish 2: indifferent, apathetic

“Lethargic as the word of the day?” grunted the editor in his morning stupor. “Sure, why not,” he murmured as his ham-like hand pounded the “snooze button” on his clock-radio for the fifth time.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Nuclear Reactors Could Run as Long as 80 Years under Trump Plan (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-21/nuclear-reactors-could-run-as-long-as-80-years-under-trump-plan

Editorial: Bonneville Power Administration Asset Sale Lacks Juice (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/36457388-78/bpa-asset-sale-lacks-juice.html.csp

California: Utility Can Remove Power Poles in an Area of Montecito Burned by the Thomas Fire, Judge Rules (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-socal-edison-pole-removal-20180220-story.html

U-S Dept of Energy Says It ‘Would Never Use’ Emergency Order for Uneconomic Plants (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-would-never-use-emergency-order-for-uneconomic-plants-walker-says-1/517455/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Spring Salmon Seasons Due Wednesday for the Columbia River (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2018/02/spring_salmon_seasons_due_wedn.html

Cooke Aquaculture Threatens Legal Action of Salmon Farming Ban (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/cooke-aquaculture-threatens-legal-action-of-salmon-farming-ban/281-521303809

Volunteers Build Their Own Tukwila Hatchery, Restore a Salmon Run (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/volunteers-build-their-own-hatchery-restore-a-salmon-run/281-521242678

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

PacifiCorp Picks Four Wyoming Projects for $1.5 Billion Wind Buy (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2018/02/20/pacificorp-picks-four-wyoming-projects-for-1-5b.html

New Rebellion against Wind Energy Stalls or Stops Projects (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/20/new-rebellion-against-wind-energy-stalls-or-stops-/

Arizona Initiative Would Seek 50% Renewable Power by 2030 (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2018/02/21/arizona-initiative-would-seek-50-renewable-power.html

Bloomberg: Solar Panel Imports Soared Ahead of Tariff Decision (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/bloomberg-solar-panel-imports-soared-ahead-of-tariff-decision/517436/

McKinley Paper Puts Retooling Plans on Hold at Port Angeles Mill, Biomass Power Plant (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/mckinley-paper-puts-retooling-plans-on-hold-at-port-angeles-mill/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Repeal of Net Neutrality Rules to Be Published Thursday: Reports (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/02/21/fcc-repeal-of-net-neutrality-rules-to-be-published-thursday-reports/

FCC Official Touts Utilities’ Role in Broadband (MissionCritical Communications)

https://www.rrmediagroup.com/News/NewsDetails/newsID/16550

Hackers Steal Millions by Ditching Malware to Sidestep Security (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/hackers-steal-millions-by-ditching-malware-to-sidestep-1823187933

North Korean Cyberspies Ready to Launch Mass Cyberattacks: Report (Washington Examiner)

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/north-korean-cyberspies-ready-to-launch-mass-cyberattacks-report/article/2649501

Charter Must Face NY Lawsuit over Internet Speeds (Pacific Business News, HI)

https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2018/02/20/charter-must-face-ny-lawsuit-over-internet-speeds.html

Stuck in a Wi-Fi & Broadband Blackspot? Your Local Church Spire Could Be the Answer (ZD Net)

http://www.zdnet.com/article/stuck-in-a-wi-fi-and-broadband-blackspot-your-local-church-spire-could-be-the-answer/

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

British Columbia Utilities Commission Seeks Input on Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Future (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-utilities-commission-seeks-input-on-electric-vehicle-charging-stations-future-1.4535219?cmp=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Google’s Digital Assistant Branches Out to Nest Camera (Associated Press)

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/googles-digital-assistant-branches-nest-camera-53248197

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Carbon Tax Debate Continues to Draw Controversy (NCW Life Channel, East Wenatchee, WA)

http://www.ncwlife.com/carbon-tax-response/

Chelan PUD Looks at Potential Legislative Carbon Changes (Ifiberone News, Ephrata, WA)

http://www.ifiberone.com/wenatchee/chelan-pud-looks-at-potential-legislative-carbon-changes/article_fb28e43a-16a8-11e8-9718-3b76b447e918.html

‘Trump Forest’ Hits a Million Trees in Bid to Curb Climate Change (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-climatechange-trumpforest/trump-forest-hits-a-million-trees-in-bid-to-curb-climate-change-idUSKCN1G517K

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

Conservative Twitter Users Lash Out after Followers Vanish (SF Chronicle)

https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Conservative-Twitter-Users-lose-followers-bots-12630206.php

Why Social Media & YouTube Creators Want More Diverse, Authentic Content (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/digital/tj-leonard-videoblocks-guest-post-youtube-diverse-authentic-content/

Billy Graham Gave a TED Talk 20 Years Ago on Faith & Technology (USA Today)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2018/02/21/billy-graham-gave-ted-talk-20-years-ago-faith-and-technology/358632002/

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Marijuana Retailers Sue Lewis County over Federal Permission Rule (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/regional_state_news/marijuana-retailers-sue-lewis-county-over-federal-permission-rule/article_e17eb4a4-167d-11e8-87b0-eba3aa110e5b.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

Why We May Soon Be Living in Alexa’s World (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/21/technology/amazon-alexa-world.html

GENERAL NEWS

Snow in Mason County Forecast through Friday (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/29436

‘It’s Not Going to Warm Up’: Record-Breaking Cold in Olympia, Bellingham as Chill Lingers (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/its-not-going-to-warm-up-record-breaking-cold-in-olympia-bellingham-as-chill-lingers/

Wednesday Will Be the Warmest February Day on Record for the East (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/2018/02/21/hottest-february-day-east-coast-whats-next/

Home Sales Fall as Supply Hits Record Low & Prices Rise, Realtors Group Says (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-home-sales-20180221-story.html

Seattle Begins Season-Ticket Campaign for New National Hockey League Team (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2018/02/20/seattle-announces-nhl-season-ticket-drive/

U-S Women Win Historic Olympic Gold in Cross-Country Skiing (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2018/0221/US-women-win-historic-Olympic-gold-in-cross-country-skiing

Don’t Kiss Your Chickens. Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Unusual Warning (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article201233809.html

HIDDEN ART – DIVERSIONS

In Picasso’s Blue Period, Scanners Find Secrets He Painted Over

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/20/science/picasso-blue-period-scans.html

There’s a Persistent Hum in This Canadian City, and No One Knows Why – Cuz the City Doesn’t Know the Words!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/19/world/canada/windsor-hum.html

New York Touts Economic Boom with South African Photo

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/apnewsbreak-ny-touts-economic-boom-with-south-african-photo/article_65875719-aaa5-51a3-9a0b-0001b4e255cc.html

Billy Graham, ‘America’s Pastor’ & Noted Evangelist, Dead at 99

https://www.yahoo.com/news/billy-graham-apos-america-apos-132351604.html

SONG OF THE DAY

For Windsor: Gregorian - The Sound of Silence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6AxTDrthl8

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