Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Energy News Digest for April 18, 2018


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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Avista, Hydro One File Proposed Post-Sale Settlement with Idaho Regulators (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Deal Approves $216 Million for Idaho Utility’s Snake River Dam Expenses – Fish Passage a Sticking Point (Associated Press)

Douglas County Looks to Ban Cargo Containers for Cryptocurrency Mining (Wenatchee World, WA)

TransAlta Grant Equates to More Than 700 Ductless Heat Pumps, Two School Projects (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

The Carbon Fee Initiative (1631) Has Major Problems: Let’s Try Something Better (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Avista, Hydro One File Proposed Post-Sale Settlement with Idaho Regulators
  • Island-Wide Blackout Hits Puerto Rico; Officials Probe Cause
  • Jefferson PUD Employee Identified After Death in Single-Vehicle Wreck
  • Seattle City Light Provided Customer Information to Immigration & Customs Enforcement
  • 2018 Northwest Public Power Association Safety Award Winners Announced
  • Clark Public Utilities’ Joshua Vincent Receives 2018 Safety Heroism Award
  • FERC Chair Takes Up Coal Lobby Line on Plant Retirements
  • France: Total, With Energy Industry in Flux, Makes $1.7 Billion Bet on a Utility
  • Supreme Court Showdown: Washington’s Attorney General vs. Tribes over Salmon Habitat
  • Deal Approves $216 Million for Idaho Utility’s Snake River Dam Expenses – Fish Passage a Sticking Point
  • SolarWorld’s Sale Saves Hundreds of Hillsboro Jobs
  • Editorial: Solar Projects Need to Make Sense Locally
  • Small Old Wind Towers Make for Big New Problems
  • California Fights for State Net Neutrality
  • Douglas County Looks to Ban Cargo Containers for Cryptocurrency Mining
  • Bitcoin Farm Proposed for Former British Columbia Sawmill Site
  • Utilities Can Choose Whether Blockchain Is a Threat or an Opportunity
  • TransAlta Grant Equates to More Than 700 Ductless Heat Pumps, Two School Projects
  • Lights Out for Residential Lighting Programs? Not Just Yet
  • Camas: Sewage Backs Up into Lacamas Creek as Pump Station Fails
  • Nonprofit Works to Recharge Aquifer in the Walla Walla Basin
  • The Carbon Fee Initiative (1631) Has Major Problems: Let’s Try Something Better
  • Cars Threaten Climate Goals in Blue States
  • Climate Lawsuits, Once Limited to the Coasts, Jump Inland
  • Starbucks to Close Stores May 29 for an Afternoon for Bias Training
  • Portland: ‘Blazers Up Their Renewable Energy Game
  • Celebrating 50 Years of Powerful Photography
  • IRS Gives Taxpayers One More Day to File after Payment Site Crashes
  • Editorial: Marijuana & Trans Pacific Partnership – Is Trump Evolving on 2 Important Washington State Issues?
  • Heavy Western Washington Rain Heightens Risk of Landslides
  • City of Shelton Considering Removal of Traffic Signal at 1st & Cota
  • Southwest Pilot, Former Navy Fighter, Praised for Her ‘Nerves of Steel’
  • Washington Spends Little to Help the State’s 900,000 Smokers Quit
  • WSU: Stink Bugs Infesting Puget Sound Region
  • Barbara Bush, Wife of 41st President & Mother of 43rd, Dies at 92
WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU

Efficacious • \eff-uhKAY-shus\ • Adjective - Having the power to produce a desired effect

Ipecac relief
Efficacious music now!
Here’s the “Candy Man”

(Good Grief…what a HORRIBLE haiku!)


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Avista, Hydro One File Proposed Post-Sale Settlement with Idaho Regulators (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Island-Wide Blackout Hits Puerto Rico; Officials Probe Cause (ABC News)

Jefferson PUD Employee Identified After Death in Single-Vehicle Wreck (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Seattle City Light Provided Customer Information to Immigration & Customs Enforcement (Crosscut Seattle)

2018 Northwest Public Power Association Safety Award Winners Announced (NWPPA)

Clark Public Utilities’ Joshua Vincent Receives 2018 Safety Heroism Award (Northwest Public Power Association)

FERC Chair Takes Up Coal Lobby Line on Plant Retirements (Utility Dive)

France: Total, With Energy Industry in Flux, Makes $1.7 Billion Bet on a Utility (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Supreme Court Showdown: Washington’s Attorney General vs. Tribes over Salmon Habitat (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Deal Approves $216 Million for Idaho Utility’s Snake River Dam Expenses – Fish Passage a Sticking Point (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

SolarWorld’s Sale Saves Hundreds of Hillsboro Jobs (Oregonian, Portland)

Editorial: Solar Projects Need to Make Sense Locally (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

Small Old Wind Towers Make for Big New Problems (Politico)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

California Fights for State Net Neutrality (Courthouse News Service)

A CHILD’S COLLECTION OF CRYPTOCURRENCY

Douglas County Looks to Ban Cargo Containers for Cryptocurrency Mining (Wenatchee World, WA)

Bitcoin Farm Proposed for Former British Columbia Sawmill Site (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Utilities Can Choose Whether Blockchain Is a Threat or an Opportunity (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

TransAlta Grant Equates to More Than 700 Ductless Heat Pumps, Two School Projects (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

Lights Out for Residential Lighting Programs? Not Just Yet (The Energy Collective)

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

Camas: Sewage Backs Up into Lacamas Creek as Pump Station Fails (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Nonprofit Works to Recharge Aquifer in the Walla Walla Basin (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

The Carbon Fee Initiative (1631) Has Major Problems: Let’s Try Something Better (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

Cars Threaten Climate Goals in Blue States (E&E News)

Climate Lawsuits, Once Limited to the Coasts, Jump Inland – The transportation sector emits at least twice as much carbon as power plants in states like California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York & Washington. (NY Times)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

Starbucks to Close Stores May 29 for an Afternoon for Bias Training (Associated Press)

Portland: ‘Blazers Up Their Renewable Energy Game (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Celebrating 50 Years of Powerful Photography (British Broadcasting Corporation)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

IRS Gives Taxpayers One More Day to File after Payment Site Crashes (CNBC)

Editorial: Marijuana & Trans Pacific Partnership – Is Trump Evolving on 2 Important Washington State Issues? (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

GENERAL NEWS

Heavy Western Washington Rain Heightens Risk of Landslides (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

City of Shelton Considering Removal of Traffic Signal at 1st & Cota (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Southwest Pilot, Former Navy Fighter, Praised for Her ‘Nerves of Steel’ During Emergency (CNN)

Washington Spends Little to Help the State’s 900,000 Smokers Quit — Despite Collecting $622M in Tobacco Taxes (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

WSU: Stink Bugs Infesting Puget Sound Region (Associated Press)

Barbara Bush, Wife of 41st President & Mother of 43rd, Dies at 92 (NY Times)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Minnesota Firehouse Opens Doors during Blizzard for Prom

Picture of Fingerprints – WhatsApp Photo Drug Dealer Caught by ‘Groundbreaking’ Work

Carl Kasell, Iconic Newscaster Whose Voice Defined NPR, Dead At 84

WSDOT Apologizes for ‘Inappropriate Message’ on I-5 Sign

SONG OF THE DAY

Five Man Electrical Band – Signs

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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.