Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Energy News Digest for March 26, 2014

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for March 26, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Little Goose: Lock, Dam near Starbuck Closed to Snake River Traffic (Tri-City Herald, WA)

California: Emergency Convoy Trucking Salmon Hatchlings to Safety Downriver (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

New England Seeks to Tap Canadian Hydropower (Associated Press)

Cowlitz PUD Commissioners Give GM More Say in Negotiating Executives’ Contracts (Longview Daily News, WA)

Death Toll Expected to Climb as Mudslide Search Continues (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Little Goose: Lock, Dam near Starbuck Closed to Snake River Traffic (Tri-City Herald, WA)
  • Cowlitz PUD Commissioners Give GM More Say in Negotiating Executives’ Contracts (Longview Daily News, WA)
  • Grant PUD Hurries Repairs to Wanapum Boat Launches (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
  • Environmental Groups Protesting Columbia Coal Export Plan (Associated Press)
  • Ron Wyden’s Replacement as Chair of U-S Senate Energy Committee Goes Whole Hog on Increasing LNG Exports (Oregonian, Portland)
  • Déjà Vu - Missouri: Will Your Electric Bill Subsidize Noranda Aluminum? – Company has threatened to close its New Madrid plant, which has 900 employees (St Louis Business Journal, MO)
  • Alaska’s U-S Senator Murkowski Calls for Greater Emphasis on Protecting Electric Reliability (EC&M Magazine)
  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Denies APPA-NRECA Request to Clarify Order on Cybersecurity Standards (American Public Power Association)
  • California: Emergency Convoy Trucking Salmon Hatchlings to Safety Downriver (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
  • Listing Sage Grouse under the Endangered Species Act Could Mean Big Limitations for Oregon Ranchers (Oregonian, Portland)
  • Obama Administration’s Budget Falls Short for Water Storage, Hydropower & Long-Term Drought Relief (U-S House of Representatives, Natural Resources Committee)
  • New England Seeks to Tap Canadian Hydropower (Associated Press)
  • Editorial: State of Massachusetts Shouldn’t Pursue Hydropower from Quebec (Boston Globe, MA)
  • Full Kansas State Senate Votes To Repeal Renewable Standards - Gives approval to bill scuttling energy standards enacted in 2009 (Topeka Capital Journal, KS)
  • U-S Electricity Use Declines, Energy Efficiency Could be a Factor (Buildings)
  • Can We Eat Our Way Out of the Invasive Carp Problem? (Grist Online)
  • Google Cuts Cloud Services Pricing By a Third, Challenging Amazon & Microsoft (Oregonian, Portland)
  • Google Fiber Sets More Sign Up Deadlines in Provo (Broadband Reports)
  • Editorial: Keep Internet Access Wide Open (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)
  • Op/Ed: The Fallacies of Government-Run Broadband (Forbes Magazine)
  • U-S Senator Patty Murray Credits Football for Budget Win (U-S News & World Report)
  • What the Oregonian’s New Web Strategy Gets Right & What It Gets Wrong about Online Media (GigaOM)
  • Instagram Reports 200 Million Users, 20 Billion Photos Shared (GigaOM)
  • Death Toll Expected to Climb as Mudslide Search Continues (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
  • Snohomish County Officials Say Stricken Neighborhood Made Aware of Landslide Risk (Northwest Public Radio)
  • Why the U-S Lacks a National Landslide Warning System (Mashable)
  • New Satellite Images Said to Be ‘Credible Lead’ in Jet Search (NY Times)
  • Montana Bride Seeks to Drop Guilty Plea in Husband’s Cliff Death (Reuters)
  • Washington State Cracking Down on Handicapped Parking Permit Abuse (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

WORD OF THE DAY

Sodality • \soe-DALL-uh-tee\ • Noun - 1: brotherhood, community 2: an organized society or fellowship; specifically: a devotional or charitable association of Roman Catholic laity

Pull together folks
PUD sodality
We are the greenest

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Little Goose: Lock, Dam near Starbuck Closed to Snake River Traffic (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Cowlitz PUD Commissioners Give GM More Say in Negotiating Executives’ Contracts (Longview Daily News, WA)

Grant PUD Hurries Repairs to Wanapum Boat Launches (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Environmental Groups Protesting Columbia Coal Export Plan (Associated Press)

Ron Wyden’s Replacement as Chair of U-S Senate Energy Committee Goes Whole Hog on Increasing LNG Exports (Oregonian, Portland)

Déjà Vu - Missouri: Will Your Electric Bill Subsidize Noranda Aluminum? – Company has threatened to close its New Madrid plant, which has 900 employees (St Louis Business Journal, MO)

Alaska’s U-S Senator Murkowski Calls for Greater Emphasis on Protecting Electric Reliability (EC&M Magazine)

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Denies APPA-NRECA Request to Clarify Order on Cybersecurity Standards (American Public Power Association)

FISH & WILDLIFE

California: Emergency Convoy Trucking Salmon Hatchlings to Safety Downriver (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Listing Sage Grouse under the Endangered Species Act Could Mean Big Limitations for Oregon Ranchers (Oregonian, Portland)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Obama Administration’s Budget Falls Short for Water Storage, Hydropower & Long-Term Drought Relief (U-S House of Representatives, Natural Resources Committee)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

New England Seeks to Tap Canadian Hydropower (Associated Press)

Editorial: State of Massachusetts Shouldn’t Pursue Hydropower from Quebec (Boston Globe, MA)

Full Kansas State Senate Votes To Repeal Renewable Standards - Gives approval to bill scuttling energy standards enacted in 2009 (Topeka Capital Journal, KS)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

U-S Electricity Use Declines, Energy Efficiency Could be a Factor (Buildings)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Can We Eat Our Way Out of the Invasive Carp Problem? (Grist Online)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Cuts Cloud Services Pricing By a Third, Challenging Amazon & Microsoft (Oregonian, Portland)

Google Fiber Sets More Sign Up Deadlines in Provo (Broadband Reports)

Editorial: Keep Internet Access Wide Open (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Op/Ed: The Fallacies of Government-Run Broadband (Forbes Magazine)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

U-S Senator Patty Murray Credits Football for Budget Win (U-S News & World Report)

SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING

What the Oregonian’s New Web Strategy Gets Right & What It Gets Wrong about Online Media (GigaOM)

Instagram Reports 200 Million Users, 20 Billion Photos Shared (GigaOM)

GENERAL NEWS

Death Toll Expected to Climb as Mudslide Search Continues (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Snohomish County Officials Say Stricken Neighborhood Made Aware of Landslide Risk (Northwest Public Radio)

Why the U-S Lacks a National Landslide Warning System (Mashable)

New Satellite Images Said to Be ‘Credible Lead’ in Jet Search (NY Times)

Montana Bride Seeks to Drop Guilty Plea in Husband’s Cliff Death (Reuters)

Washington State Cracking Down on Handicapped Parking Permit Abuse (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

DIVERSIONS

North Korea: Men Required to Get Kim Jong-Un Haircuts

School Votes to Allow Girl, 9, Who Shaved Head for Friend with Cancer Back In

Prosecutor: Stalker Who Planned Surprise Wedding for Man at It Again

German ‘Bishop of Bling’ Resigns over Spending Scandal

SONG OF THE DAY

Sting & the Police - Every Breath You Take

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.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Energy News Digest for March 25, 2014

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:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for March 25, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Energy Northwest Looking at Pricey Public Records Request (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Idaho Lawmakers Voice Columbia River Treaty Concerns (Capital Press)

Feds approve LNG exports from proposed Jordan Cove Energy Project in Coos Bay (Oregonian, Portland)

Feds Say Montana Rules Hinder Renewable Energy Projects - Small companies having trouble with renewable energy contracts (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

LED Bulb Efficiency Expected to Continue Improving as Cost Declines (The Energy Collective)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Energy Northwest Looking at Pricey Public Records Request
  • Idaho Lawmakers Voice Columbia River Treaty Concerns
  • Feds approve LNG exports from proposed Jordan Cove Energy Project in Coos Bay
  • Wanapum Dam Drawdown’s Irresistible Mud Expanse Poses a Law Enforcement Challenge
  • Grant PUD has Online Information about Wanapum Dam Status
  • Protest, Petition Urges Port Angeles to Stop ‘Smart’ Meter Project
  • Grant PUD Rates Will Not Increase Immediately
  • Skookum Rotary’s March 22 Science Fair – Mason PUD 3 Awards Students for Electricity-Related Projects
  • FERC Approves NERC Proposal to Refine Bulk Electric System Definition
  • Commodity Futures Trading Commission Issues ‘No-Action’ Letter Offering Relief to Utilities That Use Swaps for Hedging Operating Risks
  • FERC Order 1000 Has Its Day in Court
  • Oversight Hearing on “Examining the Proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Spending, Priorities & the Missions of the Bureau of Reclamation, the Four Power Marketing Administrations & the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Program”
  • Tribes Push to Restore Salmon in Upper Columbia River
  • Op/Ed: Remember Andrus’ Efforts to Boost Idaho Salmon
  • California Drought Puts Spotlight on Water Theft
  • Desalination Plants Help Israel Reduce Chronic Water Scarcity
  • Feds Say Montana Rules Hinder Renewable Energy Projects - Small companies having trouble with renewable energy contracts
  • Tester, Walsh Fighting for Montana’s Renewable Energy Sector
  • Feds Wave Hello Off Oregon
  • Renewables Push Up German Electric Rates
  • LED Bulb Efficiency Expected to Continue Improving as Cost Declines
  • Port Townsend Students to Begin Ambitious Cross-Country Trip to Stump for Global-Warming Awareness
  • Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee on Climate Solutions in the Pacific Northwest
  • United Nations Says Global Warming Not Stopped, Will Go On for Centuries
  • The Cold Truth: Icy Temps Can Slash an Electric Car’s Range by More than Half
  • Solar Water Heating is Nothing New
  • Bremerton School Board Rejects Providing Internet for All Students
  • CenturyLink: Trust Us Boise, You Don’t Need Google Fiber
  • Power Companies Promise Gigabit Broadband
  • AT&T Promises: Kill Net Neutrality & You’ll Pay Less for Internet
  • Turkey Tries, Fails (Horribly) to Ban Twitter
  • Study into Youth Online Behavior Delivers International Insights
  • Death Toll at 14 in Oso Slide, Dozens Still Missing
  • Chinese Families Clash with Police, Slam Malaysia over Lost Plane
  • Analysis of ‘Pings’ Helped Reach Conclusions on 777’s Fate
  • Five Guys Burgers Lands in Olympia

WORD OF THE DAY

Knackered • \NACK-erd\ • Adjective - Tired, exhausted.

Long distance running
Knackered at the finish line
Where’s my “Gatorade?”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Energy Northwest Looking at Pricey Public Records Request (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Idaho Lawmakers Voice Columbia River Treaty Concerns (Capital Press)

Feds approve LNG exports from proposed Jordan Cove Energy Project in Coos Bay (Oregonian, Portland)

Wanapum Dam Drawdown’s Irresistible Mud Expanse Poses a Law Enforcement Challenge (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Grant PUD has Online Information about Wanapum Dam Status (Grant PUD, Ephrata, WA)

Protest, Petition Urges Port Angeles to Stop ‘Smart’ Meter Project (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Grant PUD Rates Will Not Increase Immediately (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Skookum Rotary’s March 22 Science Fair – Mason PUD 3 Awards Students for Electricity-Related Projects (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

FERC Approves NERC Proposal to Refine Bulk Electric System Definition (American Public Power Association)

Commodity Futures Trading Commission Issues ‘No-Action’ Letter Offering Relief to Utilities That Use Swaps for Hedging Operating Risks (American Public Power Association)

FERC Order 1000 Has Its Day in Court (Renewable Energy World)

Oversight Hearing on “Examining the Proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Spending, Priorities & the Missions of the Bureau of Reclamation, the Four Power Marketing Administrations & the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Program” (U-S House of Representatives, Natural Resources Committee)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tribes Push to Restore Salmon in Upper Columbia River (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Op/Ed: Remember Andrus’ Efforts to Boost Idaho Salmon (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

California Drought Puts Spotlight on Water Theft (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Desalination Plants Help Israel Reduce Chronic Water Scarcity (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Feds Say Montana Rules Hinder Renewable Energy Projects - Small companies having trouble with renewable energy contracts (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

Tester, Walsh fighting for Montana’s renewable energy sector (KXLO Radio, Lewistown, MT)

Feds Wave Hello Off Oregon (ReNews)

Renewables Push Up German Electric Rates (Real Clear Energy)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

LED Bulb Efficiency Expected to Continue Improving as Cost Declines (The Energy Collective)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Port Townsend Students to Begin Ambitious Cross-Country Trip to Stump for Global-Warming Awareness (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee on Climate Solutions in the Pacific Northwest (Grist Online)

United Nations Says Global Warming Not Stopped, Will Go On for Centuries (Reuters)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

The Cold Truth: Icy Temps Can Slash an Electric Car’s Range by More than Half (Forbes Magazine)

Solar Water Heating is Nothing New (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Ontario, Canada)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Bremerton School Board Rejects Providing Internet for All Students (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

CenturyLink: Trust Us Boise, You Don’t Need Google Fiber (Broadband Reports)

Power Companies Promise Gigabit Broadband (Light Reading)

AT&T Promises: Kill Net Neutrality & You’ll Pay Less for Internet (Consumerist)

Turkey Tries, Fails (Horribly) to Ban Twitter (Broadband Reports)

SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING

Study into Youth Online Behavior Delivers International Insights (Christian Science Monitor)

GENERAL NEWS

Death Toll at 14 in Oso Slide, Dozens Still Missing (Everett Herald, WA)

Chinese Families Clash with Police, Slam Malaysia over Lost Plane (Reuters)

Analysis of ‘Pings’ Helped Reach Conclusions on 777’s Fate (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Five Guys Burgers Lands in Olympia (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Why the Speed of Ships is Measured in Knots

Your Stick Figure Family May Be Putting Your Family in Danger

Radio Station Outrages Listeners by Burning Thousands in Cash for Promo Stunt

Clown on Staten Island Just Generally Creeping People Out

SONG OF THE DAY

Ohio Players - Fire

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.


Friday, March 14, 2014

Energy News Digest for March 14, 2014

Programming Note

The Energy News Digest will be away from the interwebs March 17-21. Where are we going (I don’t know)? When will we get there (I ain’t certain)? All that I know is I am on my way…..

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:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for March 14, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Feds Ordered to Pay Energy Northwest $19 Million over Spent Fuel (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Review of Wanapum Dam Will Take Engineers Nine Days to Complete (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

Salmon Fishing Ocean Limits at Levels Not Seen Since Late ‘70s (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

British Columbia Wants Changes in Columbia River Pact with U-S (Reuters)

Climate Change Not a Top Worry in U-S (Gallup)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Feds Ordered to Pay Energy Northwest $19 Million over Spent Fuel
  • Review of Wanapum Dam Will Take Engineers Nine Days to Complete
  • Wanapum Dam’s River Drawdown Churns Up Old Bones, Inundates Guards
  • Oregon: Pacific Power Clarifies Pricing for Millersburg Utility
  • Oregon: Bonneville Power Administration Says Millersburg Power Can’t All Be Tier 1 Rate
  • $25,000 BPA Reward for Info on Vandals Damaging Covington Land
  • Eight Things Ratepayers Should Know about PacifiCorp & Coal-Fired Power Plants
  • Mason PUD 3 Commission Report for the March 11, 2014 Business Meeting
  • How Does BPA Move a Transformer? Verrrrrrrry Carefully
  • Strong Hydro Generation Causes Negative Pacific Northwest U-S Power Prices
  • New Power Sources Planned to Replace California Nuclear Plant
  • Comcast Starts Selling Electricity in Pennsylvania
  • A Utility Death Spiral? Warren Buffett Says No
  • Salmon Fishing Ocean Limits at Levels Not Seen Since Late ‘70s
  • Chinese & U-S Officials to Discuss China’s Shellfish Import Ban
  • Salmon in the Classroom Program Takes Boise-Eliot/Humboldt Students to the Columbia River Gorge
  • Land Banked - 63-Acre Site on Willamette River Will Be Sold to a Nature Group
  • British Columbia Wants Changes in Columbia River Pact with U-S
  • Battle Lines Being Drawn in Diplomatic Water Wars
  • More Water on Tap for the Columbia River Basin
  • Water-Rights Bill Backed by Ski Areas OK’d by U-S House of Representatives
  • Montana: Bird Lovers Balk at Wind Farm
  • California: Biomass Appeal - Stockton Plant Focused on Clean Way to Turn Wood Waste into Power
  • Ontario: Renewable Energy Not to Blame for High Bills
  • Green Energy: Can We Save the Planet & Save Birds?
  • Renewable Energy Powers Rural Nepal into the Future
  • Big Data Driving App Usage
  • Op/Ed: Energy Efficient Light Bulbs Are Finally Worth Buying
  • Washington Co-op Helps Clear Cascade Night Sky
  • An Ultra-Flat Air Conditioner That Could Be Mistaken for Artwork
  • Climate Change Not a Top Worry in U-S
  • GOP Senators Press FCC on Rural Broadband
  • Don’t Count on Verizon FiOS Coming to Your Town Anytime Soon
  • Amazon Raises Price of Prime Membership to $99
  • When Facebook Sends Visitors to News Sites, They Tend Not to Stay
  • The Ultimate Missed Social-Media Opportunity for Brands: Climate Change
  • Bravo to Affordable Solar for This Fun & Rewarding Solar Campaign
  • Washington State Legislative Session Ends without Tackling Some Major Issues
  • Lawmakers Pass Budget, Little Else, As Session Ends
  • Exclusive: Radar Data Suggests Missing Malaysia Plane Deliberately Flown Way Off Course
  • Three Years Later, Where Did Japanese Tsunami Debris Go?
  • Weed Island? Company Looks to Make Pot-Infused Snacks, Candy on Vashon
  • Top Pot Doughnuts Bids Sweet ‘So-Long’ to Golden Tate

WORD OF THE DAY

Pi • \PIE\ • Noun - 1:  the 16th letter of the Greek alphabet 2a:  the symbol π denoting the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter b:  the ratio itself:  a transcendental number having a value rounded to eight decimal places of 3.14159265

3.14: Celebrate Pi Day today

PUD 3 Belfair Office’s Haiku:

Radius, Circle
Diameter, Circumference,
Infinite numbers

And their Pi-ku is:

Haiku should
Be
Five, seven, five

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Feds Ordered to Pay Energy Northwest $19 Million over Spent Fuel (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Review of Wanapum Dam Will Take Engineers Nine Days to Complete (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

Wanapum Dam’s River Drawdown Churns Up Old Bones, Inundates Guards (Northwest Public Radio)

Oregon: Pacific Power Clarifies Pricing for Millersburg Utility (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)

Oregon: Bonneville Power Administration Says Millersburg Power Can’t All Be Tier 1 Rate (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)

$25,000 BPA Reward for Info on Vandals Damaging Covington Land (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Eight Things Ratepayers Should Know about PacifiCorp & Coal-Fired Power Plants (Oregonian, Portland)

Mason PUD 3 Commission Report for the March 11, 2014 Business Meeting (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

How Does BPA Move a Transformer? Verrrrrrrry Carefully (Bonneville Power Administration)

Strong Hydro Generation Causes Negative Pacific Northwest U-S Power Prices (Platts)

New Power Sources Planned to Replace California Nuclear Plant (Associated Press)

Comcast Starts Selling Electricity in Pennsylvania (Broadband Reports)

A Utility Death Spiral? Warren Buffett Says No (Sustainable Business Oregon)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Salmon Fishing Ocean Limits at Levels Not Seen Since Late ‘70s (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Chinese & U-S Officials to Discuss China’s Shellfish Import Ban (Northwest Public Radio)

Salmon in the Classroom Program Takes Boise-Eliot/Humboldt Students to the Columbia River Gorge (Oregonian, Portland)

Land Banked - 63-Acre Site on Willamette River Will Be Sold to a Nature Group - $345,000 to come from Bonneville Power Administration (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

British Columbia Wants Changes in Columbia River Pact with U-S (Reuters)

Battle Lines Being Drawn in Diplomatic Water Wars - British Columbia seeks to maintain 50-year-old Columbia River Treaty against U-S interest to claw back payments (Vancouver Sun, BC)

More Water on Tap for the Columbia River Basin (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Water-Rights Bill Backed by Ski Areas OK’d by U-S House of Representatives (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Montana: Bird Lovers Balk at Wind Farm (Missoula Independent, MT)

California: Biomass Appeal - Stockton Plant Focused on Clean Way to Turn Wood Waste into Power (Stockton Record, CA)

Ontario: Renewable Energy Not to Blame for High Bills (Toronto Star, Ontario, Canada)

Green Energy: Can We Save the Planet & Save Birds? (Audubon Magazine)

Renewable Energy Powers Rural Nepal into the Future (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Big Data Driving App Usage (Conduit)

Op/Ed: Energy Efficient Light Bulbs Are Finally Worth Buying (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Washington Co-op Helps Clear Cascade Night Sky (Electric Co-op Today)

An Ultra-Flat Air Conditioner That Could Be Mistaken For Artwork (Gizmodo)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Change Not a Top Worry in U-S (Gallup)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

GOP Senators Press FCC on Rural Broadband (The Hill, Washington, DC)

Don’t Count on Verizon FiOS Coming to Your Town Anytime Soon (Consumerist)

Amazon Raises Price of Prime Membership to $99 (Northwest Cable News Network)

SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING

When Facebook Sends Visitors to News Sites, They Tend Not to Stay (Mashable)

The Ultimate Missed Social-Media Opportunity for Brands: Climate Change (The Guardian, UK)

Bravo to Affordable Solar for This Fun & Rewarding Solar Campaign (Renewable Energy World)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Legislative Session Ends without Tackling Some Major Issues (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Lawmakers Pass Budget, Little Else, As Session Ends (Everett Herald, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Exclusive: Radar Data Suggests Missing Malaysia Plane Deliberately Flown Way Off Course (Reuters)

Three Years Later, Where Did Japanese Tsunami Debris Go? (Northwest Public Radio)

Weed Island? Company Looks to Make Pot-Infused Snacks, Candy on Vashon (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Top Pot Doughnuts Bids Sweet ‘So-Long’ to Golden Tate (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

DIVERSIONS

College Basketball: March Madness May Cost Billions in Lost Productivity

Seahawks Hunk Headed to the Prom

Workers on Treadmills Can Step Up Productivity by 10 Percent, Study Finds

Old Spice Attracting Women in Gender-Bending Hit for P&G

SONG OF THE DAY

CBS Spots - One Shining Moment 2013

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.