Energy News Digest for July 18, 2013

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for July 18, 2013

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/07/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for-july_18.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Washington’s Attorney General Will Address I-937 Conservation Requirements (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

http://www.energynaturalresourceslaw.com/2013/07/washingtons-attorney-general-will-address-i-937-conservation-requirements.html

Montana Generator Failure Will Send Avista Shopping for Electricity (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jul/17/montana-generator-failure-will-send-avista-shoppin/

JP Morgan Reportedly Could Settle Manipulation Charges for $500 Million (Houston Business Journal, TX)

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/money-makers/2013/07/jpmorgan-could-settle-trade.html

Eastern Oregon Wind Farm Proposals Spur Debate (Baker City Herald, OR)

http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Wind-farm-proposals-spur-debate

Washington’s Jobless Rate Hovers at 6.8 Percent; Jobs Grow (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/07/17/jobless-rate-hovers-at-68-percent.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Montana Generator Failure Will Send Avista Shopping for Electricity
• JP Morgan Reportedly Could Settle Manipulation Charges for $500 Million
• Washington State May Get Share of Fines Levied over Energy Market Manipulation
• Bonneville Power Administration Shakeup Involves Decker with Astoria Ties
• Clark Public Utilities Receives JD Power Recognition for Electric Utilities Six Years in A Row
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District Ranks High in Satisfaction Survey
• JD Power Reports: Price & Billing/Payment are Primary Drivers of Increased Overall Customer Satisfaction with Electric Residential Utilities
• Criminals Cause Forced Grays Harbor PUD Power Outage near Quinault
• Seattle Family Steaming After Former Tenant Leaves $1,900 Electric Bill
• Bonneville Power Administration Plans Kennewick Meeting Wednesday on Tree Removal
• California - Farmers Object to Pacific Gas & Electric Training Plan near Winters
• Early Shutdown Seen for U-S Nuclear Reactors amid Lower Demand
• Ding Ding - Market Signals! Electricity Prices Soar Past $200 per Megawatt-Hour as Heatwave Hits Eastern United States
• North Carolina - Child Electrocuted in Lexington Swimming Pool; Power Line Had Fallen on Ground
• Alaskan Fisheries Endangering Skeena Sockeye Salmon: Conservationists
• Congressman Hastings, Interior Secretary Jewell Face Off at Committee Hearing
• Portland Reservoir Urination Raises Few Health OR Scientific Concerns - But It Is Pee
• Eastern Oregon Wind Farm Proposals Spur Debate
• Wind Energy Company Files for Bankruptcy Following Fraud Allegations
• Montana - $22 Million Boiler Up & Running
• Arizona - Judge Rules Burning Trash Isn’t Renewable Energy
• REC Proposes Separation of REC Silicon & REC Solar
• Op/Ed - A New Paradigm for Our Modern Energy Economy
• Washington’s Attorney General Will Address I-937 Conservation Requirements
• Energy Trust of Oregon Started 2013 Making Steady Progress toward Energy Efficiency & Renewable Generation Targets
• Corvallis & Albany Communities Recognize More Than a Decade of Energy Savings (
• In the Energy Conservation Spotlight: Klamath Falls
• Deal Has Ohio Prisons Reducing Power Usage in High Heat
• Tesla Charging Station Opens Today in Centralia
• Volvo’s Folding Solar Panels Are Basically the Coolest Thing Ever
• Douglas PUD Drops Fiber Hook-Up Rate
• Microsoft Has a Million Servers, But It Still Doesn’t Rule the Cloud
• British Coroner Praised For Use of YouTube, Soundcloud in Cory Monteith Report
• Google’s Latest Tool for Businesses: Business Photos
• Social Media Tips for Small Businesses
• Five Big Data Projects That Could Impact Your Life
• Here’s a Twist: Tacoma Voters May Hike Tax on Utilities
• Washington’s Jobless Rate Hovers at 6.8 Percent; Jobs Grow
• South Puget Sound Community College’s Nursing Program Expected to Lose Accreditation
• Car Watch: If You’re Driving Somewhere, The Government is Keeping Track
• Cowlitz Tribe Continues Push for Casino near La Center
• New Hemp Beer in Washington Reflects Growing Business Trend

WORD OF THE DAY

Addlepated • \AD-ul-pay-tud\ • Adjective - 1: being mixed up: confused 2: eccentric

Lawn chair – 1, Bartholomew – 0. “Who was the addlepated engineer that came up with this Rube Goldberg metal and plastic, spindly-legged, folding in on itself piece of junk,” the retired process engineer grumbled. His musings came rushing forth while he folded like the spicy filling of a small, home-made taco inside a portable hammock which had, without warning, decided it was time to become small again.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Montana Generator Failure Will Send Avista Shopping for Electricity (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jul/17/montana-generator-failure-will-send-avista-shoppin/

JP Morgan Reportedly Could Settle Manipulation Charges for $500 Million (Houston Business Journal, TX)

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/money-makers/2013/07/jpmorgan-could-settle-trade.html

Washington State May Get Share of Fines Levied over Energy Market Manipulation (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal)

http://kpbj.com/business_daily/2013-07-18/washington_state_to_get_share_of_fines_levied_over_energy_market_manipulat

Bonneville Power Administration Shakeup Involves Decker with Astoria Ties (Daily Astorian, OR)

http://www.dailyastorian.com/news/local/bpa-shakeup-involves-decker-with-astoria-ties/article_9d819b4c-ef0c-11e2-ab51-001a4bcf887a.html

Clark Public Utilities Receives JD Power Recognition for Electric Utilities Six Years in A Row - Customer-owned Utility Ranked Highest in Class for Customer Satisfaction (Clark Public Utilities, Vancouver, WA)

http://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/index.cfm/aboutus/newsroom/archives/news-release-71713/

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Ranks High in Satisfaction Survey (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/18/5574822/smud-ranks-high-in-satisfaction.html

JD Power Reports: Price & Billing/Payment are Primary Drivers of Increased Overall Customer Satisfaction with Electric Residential Utilities - Improved Communications during Long Outages Increases Satisfaction (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=171199

Criminals Cause Forced Grays Harbor PUD Power Outage near Quinault (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kxro.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/criminals-cause-forced-power-outage-near-quinault/

Seattle Family Steaming After Former Tenant Leaves $1,900 Electric Bill (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Family-steaming-after-former-tenant-leaves-1900-electric-bill-215610871.html

Bonneville Power Administration Plans Kennewick Meeting Wednesday on Tree Removal (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/07/17/2473738/bpa-plans-kennewick-meeting-wednesday.html

California - Farmers Object to Pacific Gas & Electric Training Plan near Winters (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/17/5571822/farmers-object-to-pge-training.html

Early Shutdown Seen for U-S Nuclear Reactors amid Lower Demand (Bloomberg News)

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-07-17/early-shutdown-seen-for-u-dot-s-dot-nuclear-reactors-amid-lower-demand

Ding Ding - Market Signals! Electricity Prices Soar Past $200 per Megawatt-Hour as Heatwave Hits Eastern United States (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/jessejenkins/250571/electricity-prices-soar-past-200-megawatt-hour-heatwave-hits-eastern-united-stat

North Carolina - Child Electrocuted in Lexington Swimming Pool; Power Line Had Fallen on Ground (Greensboro News-Record, NC)

http://www.news-record.com/news/local_news/article_a4d000b6-eefb-11e2-8b1f-001a4bcf6878.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Alaskan Fisheries Endangering Skeena Sockeye Salmon: Conservationists (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/alaskan-fisheries-endangering-skeena-sockeye-salmon-conservationists/article13285456/

Congressman Hastings, Interior Secretary Jewell Face Off at Committee Hearing (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/hastings-jewell-face-committee-hearing

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Portland Reservoir Urination Raises Few Health OR Scientific Concerns - But It Is Pee (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/06/portland_reservoir_urination_r.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Eastern Oregon Wind Farm Proposals Spur Debate (Baker City Herald, OR)

http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Wind-farm-proposals-spur-debate

Wind Energy Company Files for Bankruptcy Following Fraud Allegations (Small Business Newswire)

http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/wind-energy-company-files-for-bankruptcy-following-fraud-allegations-284603.htm

Montana - $22 Million Boiler Up & Running (Hungry Horse News, MT)

http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/hungryhorsenews/article_6a63c004-eeef-11e2-a52d-001a4bcf887a.html

Arizona - Judge Rules Burning Trash Isn’t Renewable Energy (Associated Press)

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/17/3035783/judge-rules-against-trash-incineration.html

REC Proposes Separation of REC Silicon & REC Solar (Reuters)

http://www.individual.com/storyrss.php?story=179131718&hash=2bbad50fe905b19d032861f4751bbaff

Op/Ed - A New Paradigm for Our Modern Energy Economy (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MT)

http://m.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/guest_columnists/article_f2cb81da-ed68-11e2-b4c4-0019bb2963f4.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington’s Attorney General Will Address I-937 Conservation Requirements (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

http://www.energynaturalresourceslaw.com/2013/07/washingtons-attorney-general-will-address-i-937-conservation-requirements.html

Energy Trust of Oregon Started 2013 Making Steady Progress toward Energy Efficiency & Renewable Generation Targets (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/energy-trust-of-oregon-started-2013-making-steady-progress-toward-energy-efficiency-and-renewable-generation-targets/

Corvallis & Albany Communities Recognize More Than a Decade of Energy Savings (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/southern-willamette-valley-corvallis-and-albany-communities-recognize-more-than-a-decade-of-energy-savings/

In the Energy Conservation Spotlight: Klamath Falls (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/in-the-spotlight-klamath-falls/

Deal Has Ohio Prisons Reducing Power Usage in High Heat - Inmates get water, ice; state got $1.3 million the past three years (Columbus Dispatch, OH)

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/07/17/Power-shut-off-at-prisons-to-save-energy.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Tesla Charging Station Opens Today in Centralia (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/07/tesla-charging-station-opens-today-in.html

Volvo’s Folding Solar Panels Are Basically the Coolest Thing Ever (Jalopnik)

http://jalopnik.com/volvos-folding-solar-panels-are-basically-the-coolest-805447493

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Douglas PUD Drops Fiber Hook-Up Rate (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/jul/18/douglas-pud-drops-fiber-hook-up-rate/

Microsoft Has a Million Servers, But It Still Doesn’t Rule the Cloud (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2013/07/17/microsoft-has-a-million-servers-but-it-still-doesnt-rule-the-cloud/

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

British Coroner Praised For Use of YouTube, Soundcloud in Cory Monteith Report (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2013/07/bc-coroner-praised-for-use-of-youtube-soundcloud-in-cory-monteith-report.html?cmp=rss

Google’s Latest Tool for Businesses: Business Photos (Orlando Business Journal, FL)

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/morning_call/2013/07/googles-latest-tool-for-businesses.html

Social Media Tips for Small Businesses (Associated Press)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/07/17/2682011/social-media-tips-for-small-businesses.html?storylink=rss

Five Big Data Projects That Could Impact Your Life (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/07/17/big-data-projects/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Here’s a Twist: Tacoma Voters May Hike Tax on Utilities (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Heres-a-twist-Tacoma-voters-may-hike-tax-on-utilities-215918421.html

GENERAL NEWS

Washington’s Jobless Rate Hovers at 6.8 Percent; Jobs Grow (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/07/17/jobless-rate-hovers-at-68-percent.html

South Puget Sound Community College’s Nursing Program Expected to Lose Accreditation (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/health-care-inc/2013/07/olympia-nursing-program-expected-to.html

Car Watch: If You’re Driving Somewhere, The Government is Keeping Track (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_23677868

Cowlitz Tribe Continues Push for Casino near La Center (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/clark-county/index.ssf/2013/07/cowlitz_tribe_continues_push_f.html

New Hemp Beer in Washington Reflects Growing Business Trend (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WA)

http://kpbj.com/business_daily/2013-07-17/new_hemp_beer_in_washington_reflects_growing_business_trend

DIVERSIONS

Fort Worth Mistakenly Demolished David Underwood’s Home, So How Is He This Upbeat?

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/07/ft_worth_mistakenly_demolished.php

$92 Quadrillion: PayPal Accidentally Makes Man A Quadrillionaire

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2013/0717/92-quadrillion-PayPal-accidentally-makes-man-a-quadrillionaire

Tarheel or Palmetto State? Nike Forced to Pull T-Shirt Due to Error - Do You See It?

http://www.nwcn.com/news/215850621.html

Gold on Earth Formed in Collision of Exotic Stars

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/07/17/gold-neutron-star/2521311/

Just Because: Dedicated Disneyland Employee Owns Her Role as the Park’s Evil Queen

http://gawker.com/dedicated-disneyland-employee-owns-her-role-as-the-park-815342552

SONG OF THE DAY

Paloma Faith - You Never Give Me Your Money

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJHXpMMfnuw

The Beatles - You Never Give Me Your Money

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sELZTlE0tq0

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.

Energy News Digest for July 17, 2013

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for July 17, 2013

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/07/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for-july_17.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

DOE Says Bonneville Power Administration Violated Hiring Practices, Retaliated Against Whistleblowers (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/07/bpa_management_violated_hiring.html

Manipulating California Electricity Prices Costs Barclays Bank $453 Million (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2013/07/16/barclays-bank-fined-453m-for.html

Judge Rules against Oregon Shutting Off Irrigation Water in Upper Klamath Basin (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/07/judge_rules_against_oregon_shu.html

Idaho Town, Farmers Aim to Bust Dam to Help Fish (Associated Press)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/idaho-town-farmers-aim-bust-dam-fish-19679597

Port of Shelton Grants Lease Reduction for Mason Area Fair (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news/2601-port-grants-lease-reduction

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• DOE Says Bonneville Power Administration Violated Hiring Practices, Retaliated Against Whistleblowers
• Bonneville Power Administration Shakeup in Wake of Alleged Hiring Misdeeds
• Major Scandal Rocks Portland-Based Federal Power Agency
• Bonneville Power Administrator Replaced Amid Hiring Probe
• Bonneville Power Administration Head Replaced - Announcement Follows Report on Veteran Hiring
• Energy Department Ousts Two Top Officials of Bonneville Power Authority (sic)
• BPA Administrator Suspended, Stunning Power Industry
• Management Alert: DOE/IG-0891 - Allegations Regarding Prohibited Personnel Practices at the Bonneville Power Administration
• Congressman Issa Probes Energy Dept. Power Agency Hiring, Alleged Retaliation
• U-S Senator Wyden Statement on Bonneville Power Administration Inspector General Report
• U-S Senator Murray's Statement on Bonneville Power Administration Inspector General Report
• Columnist - The Long Arm of Bonneville Gets Slapped
• Manipulating California Electricity Prices Costs Barclays Bank $453 Million
• Barclays Pledges to Fight U-S Energy Fine
• State of California Recommends $300 Million Fine for Pacific Gas & Electric over San Bruno Blast -- Largest Fine in PUC History
• Mason County PUD 3 Part of United Way’s High-Five Club
• Developer Pitches New Plan to Resurrect Downtown Anchorage Power Plant
• Connecticut - Amid Constant Heat, Electric Grid Asks Region to Conserve Power
• Texas - Editorial: A High-Level Showdown on Energy Costs
• Nuclear Matinee: 86 Seconds on Nuclear Energy & Gumballs
• Idaho Town, Farmers Aim to Bust Dam to Help Fish
• Reeling In - Salmon Fishing Season in Full Swing
• Hatchery king opener was good in North and Central Puget Sound
• Can Oysters with No Sex Life Repopulate the Chesapeake Bay?
• Judge Rules against Oregon Shutting Off Irrigation Water in Upper Klamath Basin
• Millions at Stake: Irrigation Problems Plague Yakima Area Farmers
• “Flushable” Wipes In the Pipes Snarling Sewers
• Oregon - Seneca Wood-Burning Plant Seeking Increased Leeway to Pollute
• The Dirty Coal behind Germany's Clean Energy
• Angry Birds? No, But Obama's Wind Energy Subsidies Have Them Very Frightened
• Bhutan Banks on 'White Gold' Hydropower
• NEEA & RETA Develop New Efficiency Certification for Industrial Refrigeration Operators
• Snohomish PUD Changing to Energy-Efficient LED Street Lighting
• Democratic Source: Energy Efficiency Bill Hitting Senate Floor This Month
• Australian Leader Scraps Tax on Carbon Emissions
• Are Electric Vehicles the Most Environmental Option?
• Google Is Said to Consider Internet Cable Service
• Court Sides with Yahoo in Data Collection Case
• City of San Jose Picks Microsoft for Cloud Deal
• Grant PUD Photo Contest Runs Through August
• Can an App Look the Same on All Devices? Ratio Interactive & Cypress Merge to Make It Happen
• Social Media Bubble Deflating, Says Report
• Port of Shelton Grants Lease Reduction for Mason Area Fair
• Okanogan Fire Blackens 2,000 Acres, Sends Smoke to Wenatchee & Chelan
• Well Organized Copper Thieves Targeting Tacoma Waterway
• Washington & Oregon Cities Try to Evade Political Jam to Build a Bridge
• In Oregon, The Genetically Modified Wheat Mystery Deepens

WORD OF THE DAY

Resplendent • \rih-SPLEN-dunt\ • Adjective - Shining brilliantly : characterized by a glowing splendor.

The peacock’s fanned tail

Resplendent in shining eyes

Attacks cars daily

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

BONNEVILLE READING ROOM – Watch the “Energy News Feed” for Updates

DOE Says Bonneville Power Administration Violated Hiring Practices, Retaliated Against Whistleblowers (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/07/bpa_management_violated_hiring.html

Bonneville Power Administration Shakeup in Wake of Alleged Hiring Misdeeds (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/bpa-shakeup-wake-alleged-hiring-misdeeds

Major Scandal Rocks Portland-Based Federal Power Agency (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/07/16/a-major-scandal-rocks-portland-based-federal-power-agency/

Bonneville Power Administrator Replaced Amid Hiring Probe (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/07/16/2472048/energy-department-names-acting.html

Bonneville Power Administration Head Replaced - Announcement Follows Report on Veteran Hiring (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jul/17/bpa-head-replaced/

Energy Department Ousts Two Top Officials of Bonneville Power Authority (sic) (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/energy-department-ousts-top-2-officials-of-bonneville-power-authority/2013/07/16/4b2bb744-ed8e-11e2-9008-61e94a7ea20d_story.html

BPA Administrator Suspended, Stunning Power Industry (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

http://www.energynaturalresourceslaw.com/2013/07/bpa-administrator-suspended-stunning-power-industry.html

Management Alert: DOE/IG-0891 - Allegations Regarding Prohibited Personnel Practices at the Bonneville Power Administration (U-S Department of Energy, Washington, DC)

http://energy.gov/ig/downloads/management-alert-doeig-0891

Congressman Issa Probes Energy Dept. Power Agency Hiring, Alleged Retaliation (The Hill)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/311569-issa-probes-energy-dept-power-agency-hiring-alleged-retaliation

U-S Senator Wyden Statement on Bonneville Power Administration Inspector General Report (U-S Senate Energy Committee)

http://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2013/7/wyden-statement-on-bonneville-power-administration-inspector-general-report

U-S Senator Murray's Statement on Bonneville Power Administration Inspector General Report (Senator Patty Murray)

http://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=4144a440-3e53-453b-86e8-b73cf82b943a

Columnist - The Long Arm of Bonneville Gets Slapped (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/jontalton/2013/07/16/the-long-arm-of-bonneville-gets-slapped/?syndication=rss

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Manipulating California Electricity Prices Costs Barclays Bank $453 Million (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2013/07/16/barclays-bank-fined-453m-for.html

Barclays Pledges to Fight U-S Energy Fine (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/17/barclays-pledges-to-fight-us-energy-fine/2523871/

State of California Recommends $300 Million Fine for Pacific Gas & Electric over San Bruno Blast -- Largest Fine in PUC History (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_23671696?source=rss

Mason County PUD 3 Part of United Way’s High-Five Club (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/10705

Developer Pitches New Plan to Resurrect Downtown Anchorage Power Plant (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

http://www.adn.com/2013/07/14/2974783/developer-pitches-new-scheme-to.html

Connecticut - Amid Constant Heat, Electric Grid Asks Region to Conserve Power (Hartford Courant, CT)

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-electric-grid-heat-wave-20130716,0,4439250.story

Texas - Editorial: A High-Level Showdown on Energy Costs (Fort Worth Star –Telegram, TX)

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/07/16/5005695/a-high-level-showdown-on-energy.html

Nuclear Matinee: 86 Seconds on Nuclear Energy & Gumballs (The Energy Collective)

http://www.theenergycollective.com/ansorg/248836/nuclear-matinee-86-seconds-nuclear-energy-gumballs

FISH & WILDLIFE

Idaho Town, Farmers Aim to Bust Dam to Help Fish (Associated Press)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/idaho-town-farmers-aim-bust-dam-fish-19679597

Reeling In - Salmon Fishing Season in Full Swing (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/jul/16/reeling-in-salmon-fishing-season-in-full-swing/

Hatchery king opener was good in North and Central Puget Sound (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/reeltimenorthwest/2013/07/16/hatchery-king-opener-was-good-in-north-and-central-puget-sound/?syndication=rss

Can Oysters with No Sex Life Repopulate the Chesapeake Bay? (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/07/16/202718742/can-oysters-with-no-sex-life-repopulate-the-chesapeake-bay?ft=1&f=2

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Judge Rules against Oregon Shutting Off Irrigation Water in Upper Klamath Basin (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/07/judge_rules_against_oregon_shu.html

Millions at Stake: Irrigation Problems Plague Yakima Area Farmers (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/215760771.html

“Flushable” Wipes In the Pipes Snarling Sewers (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/16/wipes-pollution/2522919/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon - Seneca Wood-Burning Plant Seeking Increased Leeway to Pollute (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/rg/news/local/30136672-75/seneca-pollution-plant-lrapa-particulate.html.csp

The Dirty Coal behind Germany's Clean Energy (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2013/0716/The-dirty-coal-behind-Germany-s-clean-energy

Angry Birds? No, But Obama's Wind Energy Subsidies Have Them Very Frightened (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/07/16/angry-birds-no-but-obamas-wind-energy-subsidies-have-them-very-frightened/

Bhutan Banks on 'White Gold' Hydropower (Channel Newsasia)

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/bhutan-banks-on-white/736634.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

NEEA & RETA Develop New Efficiency Certification for Industrial Refrigeration Operators (KPTV-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kptv.com/story/22854345/neea-and-reta-develop-new-efficiency-certification-for-industrial-refrigeration-operators

Snohomish PUD Changing to Energy-Efficient LED Street Lighting (Edmonds Beacon, WA)

http://edmondsbeacon.villagesoup.com/p/pud-changing-to-energy-efficient-led-street-lighting/1031114

Democratic Source: Energy Efficiency Bill Hitting Senate Floor This Month (The Hill)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/311529-dem-source-energy-efficiency-bill-hitting-senate-floor-this-month

House Republicans’ New Target: Energy Saving Ceiling Fans (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/07/15/house-republicans-new-target-energy-saving-ceiling-fans/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Australian Leader Scraps Tax on Carbon Emissions (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/17/world/asia/australian-leader-scraps-tax-on-carbon-emissions.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Are electric vehicles the most environmental option? (Chicago Tribune, IL)

http://cars.chicagotribune.com/fuel-efficient/news/chi-are-electric-vehicles-environmental-option-20130715

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Is Said to Consider Internet Cable Service (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/17/business/media/google-is-said-to-mull-internet-cable-service.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Court Sides with Yahoo in Data Collection Case (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/technology/article/Court-sides-with-Yahoo-in-data-collection-case-4667508.php

City of San Jose Picks Microsoft for Cloud Deal (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2013/07/san-jose-picks-microsoft-for-cloud-deal.html

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Grant PUD Photo Contest Runs Through August (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/community/basin_life/article_b1a72b7a-ed93-11e2-959f-001a4bcf887a.html

Can an App Look the Same on All Devices? Ratio Interactive & Cypress Merge to Make It Happen (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2013/07/ratio-interactive-and-cypress-merge.html

Social Media Bubble Deflating, Says Report (Louisville Business First, KY)

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/blog/socialmadness/2013/07/social-media-bubble-deflating-says.html

GENERAL NEWS

Port of Shelton Grants Lease Reduction for Mason Area Fair (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news/2601-port-grants-lease-reduction

Okanogan Fire Blackens 2,000 Acres, Sends Smoke to Wenatchee & Chelan (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/jul/16/fire-destroyes-two-outbuildings-blackens-2000-acres/

Well Organized Copper Thieves Targeting Tacoma Waterway (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Well-organized-copper-thieves-targeting-Tacoma-waterway-215756221.html

Washington & Oregon Cities Try to Evade Political Jam to Build a Bridge (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/17/us/Washington-and-Oregon-Cities-Try-to-Sidestep-Political-Gridlock-to-Build-a-Bridge.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

In Oregon, The Genetically Modified Wheat Mystery Deepens (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/07/17/202684064/in-oregon-the-gmo-wheat-mystery-deepens?ft=1&f=3

DIVERSIONS

Man with Amnesia Wakes Up in Motel Speaking Only Swedish

http://www.katu.com/news/national/Man-with-amnesia-wakes-up-in-motel-speaking-only-Swedish-215669171.html

First Tests of '130 MPH' Lawnmower

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23342347

National Scrabble Association RIP - Scrabbling Over Scrabble

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/14/opinion/sunday/scrabbling-over-scrabble.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

SONG OF THE DAY

Abba - Knowing Me, Knowing You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUrzicaiRLU

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.

Energy News Digest for July 16, 2013

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for July 16, 2013

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/07/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for-july_16.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Drummond Reportedly Out in Bonneville Power Administration Management Shakeup (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2013/07/management-shakeup-at-bpa.html

Bonneville Power Administration Management Violated Hiring Practices, May Have Retaliated against Whistleblowers, Federal Investigation Says (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/07/bpa_management_violated_hiring.html

Yakima Area Residents Question Logic of 14.1% Electricity Rate Hike (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/1325323-8/yakima-area-residents-question-logic-of-141-power

New Wind Farm Proposed East of Ellensburg (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/1326479-8/new-wind-farm-proposed-east-of-ellensburg

Warm Weather & Threat of Lightning Increases Wildfire Danger (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Warm-weather-and-threat-of-lightning-increases-wildfire-danger-215534911.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Drummond Reportedly Out in Bonneville Power Administration Management Shakeup
• DOE Appoints Elliot Mainzer Interim Leader of Bonneville Power Administration; Bill Drummond's Fate Unclear
• Bonneville Power Administration Management Violated Hiring Practices, May Have Retaliated against Whistleblowers, Federal Investigation Says
• Yakima Area Residents Question Logic of 14.1% Electricity Rate Hike
• Getting Charged Up Over Energy in Idaho
• Prehistoric Art, Lewis & Clark Trail in Path of Federal Power Project
• Leadership Changes Continue at Tennessee Valley Authority
• California - Utilities Weigh Options for Replacing Lost San Onofre Nuclear Capacity
• Power Outages Are Bad, Portable Generators Are Worse
• Projects along the Columbia River & I-84 to Make Wetlands More Hospitable to Salmon
• Fighting (And Cooking) Invasive Crayfish in Pacific Northwest Waters
• Spokane-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer Project Wraps Up
• California - Stakes Are High in State, Federal Water Contract Negotiations
• What's In the Water? City of Longview's Switch Stirs Up Complaints
• Low Great Lakes Levels Raise Concerns for Midwest Power Plants
• New Wind Farm Proposed East of Ellensburg
• Port Of Olympia Earns Return on Solar Power Investment
• These Maps Show the Best Places to Put Solar & Wind Power - It’s Not Where You Think
• Forest Biomass Loses in Court Ruling
• Virginia Power Company Converts First of Three Coal Plants to Biomass
• States Defend Clean-Energy Mandates Targeted by Conservatives
• The Dirty Secret of Britain's Power Madness
• Dunes, Reefs & Kelp Forests Protect U-S Coast from Climate Change
• Free Market Is Best Way to Combat Climate Change, Study Suggests
• Ten Electric Car Charging Stations to Open in Centralia
• Washington State Acknowledges Washington Data Center Was Overbuilt
• Oregon Government's Computer Server Hit by 'Catastrophic Failure'
• Very Few Use the Broadband Radios on Their Tablets
• Landline Phones Go the Way of the Telegram
• Warm Weather & Threat of Lightning Increases Wildfire Danger
• Columbia River Crossing Project Adviser Investigated for Ethics Violations
• Portland Firefighter Suffers Electrical Shock, Head Injury While Battling Southwest Portland Fire
• Airline to Sue San Francisco TV Station over Bogus Names

WORD OF THE DAY

Millefleur • \meal-FLERR\ • Adjective – Bernice was the true definition of a wallflower. Of course no one asked her to dance at the prom. The dress she wore with the delightful millefleur design was the exact color and pattern as the ballroom wallpaper. Sitting in her chair, the only way one knew she was there was when she blinked, so effective was her unintentional camouflage.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Drummond Reportedly Out in Bonneville Power Administration Management Shakeup (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2013/07/management-shakeup-at-bpa.html

DOE Appoints Elliot Mainzer Interim Leader of Bonneville Power Administration; Bill Drummond's Fate Unclear (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/07/bpa_appoints_elliott_mainzer_i.html

Bonneville Power Administration Management Violated Hiring Practices, May Have Retaliated against Whistleblowers, Federal Investigation Says (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/07/bpa_management_violated_hiring.html

Yakima Area Residents Question Logic of 14.1% Electricity Rate Hike (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/1325323-8/yakima-area-residents-question-logic-of-141-power

Getting Charged Up Over Energy in Idaho (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/07/14/2653618/getting-charged-up-over-energy.html

Prehistoric Art, Lewis & Clark Trail in Path of Federal Power Project (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Potential)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021400503_archaeologicalsitexml.html?syndication=rss

Leadership Changes Continue at Tennessee Valley Authority (Knoxville News-Sentinel, TN)

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/jul/16/leadership-changes-continue-at-tva/

California - Utilities Weigh Options for Replacing Lost San Onofre Nuclear Capacity (Platts)

http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/LosAngeles/US-utilities-weigh-options-for-replacing-lost-21285002

Power Outages Are Bad, Portable Generators Are Worse (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2013/07/14/power-outages-are-bad-portable-generators-are-worse/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Projects along the Columbia River & I-84 to Make Wetlands More Hospitable to Salmon (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/07/projects_along_the_columbia_ri.html

Fighting (And Cooking) Invasive Crayfish in Pacific Northwest Waters (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/fighting-and-cooking-invasive-crayfish-northwest-waters

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Spokane-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer Project Wraps Up (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jul/16/spokane-rathdrum-prairie-aquifer-project-wraps-up/

California - Stakes Are High in State, Federal Water Contract Negotiations (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/15/5566555/stakes-are-high-in-state-federal.html

What's In the Water? City of Longview's Switch Stirs Up Complaints (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.katu.com/news/local/Whats-in-the-water-City-of-Longviews-switch-stirs-up-complaints-215610491.html

Low Great Lakes Levels Raise Concerns for Midwest Power Plants (Midwest Energy News)

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2013/07/16/low-lake-levels-raise-concerns-for-midwest-power-plants/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

New Wind Farm Proposed East of Ellensburg (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/1326479-8/new-wind-farm-proposed-east-of-ellensburg

Port Of Olympia Earns Return on Solar Power Investment (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

http://www.thurstontalk.com/2013/07/15/port-of-olympia-earns-return-on-solar-power-investment/

These Maps Show the Best Places to Put Solar & Wind Power - It’s Not Where You Think (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/15/these-maps-show-the-best-places-to-put-solar-and-wind-power-its-not-where-you-think/?wprss=rss_business&clsrd

Forest Biomass Loses in Court Ruling (Earth Techling)

http://www.earthtechling.com/2013/07/forest-biomass-loses-in-court-ruling/

Virginia Power Company Converts First of Three Coal Plants to Biomass (Associated Press)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/environment/VA_power_company_converts_1st_of_3_coal_plants_to_biomass.html

States Defend Clean-Energy Mandates Targeted by Conservatives (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-11/states-defend-clean-energy-mandates-targeted-by-conservatives.html

The Dirty Secret of Britain's Power Madness - Polluting diesel generators built in secret by foreign companies to kick in when there's no wind for turbines (The Daily Mail, UK)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2362762/The-dirty-secret-Britains-power-madness-Polluting-diesel-generators-built-secret-foreign-companies-kick-theres-wind-turbines--insane-true-eco-scandals.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Dunes, Reefs & Kelp Forests Protect U-S Coast from Climate Change (Science World)

http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/8154/20130715/dunes-reefs-kelp-forests-protect-coast-climate-change.htm

Free Market Is Best Way to Combat Climate Change, Study Suggests (e! Science News)

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2013/07/15/free.market.best.way.combat.climate.change.study.suggests

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Ten Electric Car Charging Stations to Open in Centralia (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/jul/13/ten-electric-car-charging-stations-to-open-in-cent/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State Acknowledges Washington Data Center Was Overbuilt (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/state-acknowledges-washington-data-center-was-overbuilt

Oregon Government's Computer Server Hit by 'Catastrophic Failure' (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/07/oregon_governments_computer_se.html

Very Few Use the Broadband Radios on Their Tablets (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Very-Few-Use-the-Broadband-Radios-on-Their-Tablets-124970

Landline Phones Go the Way of the Telegram (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2013/07/15/landline-phones-lines-go-the-way-of-the-telegram/

GENERAL NEWS

Warm Weather & Threat of Lightning Increases Wildfire Danger (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Warm-weather-and-threat-of-lightning-increases-wildfire-danger-215534911.html

Columbia River Crossing Project Adviser Investigated for Ethics Violations (KGW TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/Ethics-panel-to-investigate--215586621.html

Portland Firefighter Suffers Electrical Shock, Head Injury While Battling Southwest Portland Fire (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/07/portland_firefighter_electrocu.html

Airline to Sue San Francisco TV Station over Bogus Names (Associated Press)

http://www.katu.com/news/national/Airline-to-sue-San-Francisco-TV-station-over-bogus-names-215557611.html

DIVERSIONS

Yum: Twinkies Are Back

http://q13fox.com/2013/07/15/yum-the-twinkie-is-back/

Suspected Drunk Driver Assaulted after Crashing into Home

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=2314472

That’s not a Meal; it’s a Circus Act - Wendy’s Halts Sale of 9-patty ‘T-Rex’ Burger

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2013/07/wendys-halts-sale-of-9-patty-t-rex.html

SONG OF THE DAY

The Greg Kihn Band - The Breakup Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLFfSDEA26o

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.