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

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 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.

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

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

Energy News Digest for July 15, 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 15, 2013

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/07/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for-july_15.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Pipe Shock Knocks Boardman Electric Plant Offline (Associated Press)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Pipe-shock-knocks-Boardman-electric-plant-offline-215260121.html

WECC Split - Bekkedahl Selected to Help Shape New Regional Reliability Organization (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Bekkedahl-selected-to-help-shape-new-regional-reliability-organization.aspx

Feds: Dam Fixes Helping Salmon (Associated Press)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/lateststatenews/1315437-8/feds-dam-fixes-helping-salmon

Snohomish PUD Considering New Technology to Store Extra Power (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130713/NEWS01/707139941/0/sports01

Energy Efficiency: Light Bulb Wars Roar Back Into U-S House of Representatives (The Energy Collective)

http://www.theenergycollective.com/tinacasey/249166/light-bulb-wars-roar-back-house-representatives

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Pipe Shock Knocks Boardman Electric Plant Offline
• WECC Split - Bekkedahl Selected to Help Shape New Regional Reliability Organization
• Snohomish PUD Considering New Technology to Store Extra Power
• Community Energy Storage: Almost, But Not Quite There
• Are Smart Meters The Smart Thing? Eugene Water & Electric Board customers worry about the health & financial costs
• With FERC Approval of Plans, California ISO Issues Revised Proposal for Energy Imbalance Market
• Greenpeace Activists Break into French Nuclear Plant
• Illinois - Police Say Electrocution Victim Was Stealing Copper from Wires
• Feds: Dam Fixes Helping Salmon
• Briefing Ends on Sea Lion Removal; Humane Society Says NOAA Essentially ‘Re-Issued Same Decision’
• Grant County PUD Plays Key Part in Lake Cle Elum Sockeye Release
• Lamprey: Bringing Back an Ancient Species
• Op/Ed - Columbia River Salmon Futures Lie in Large Part with Anglers, Who Need to Help Make It Work
• Portland Wild Salmon: America’s Best Regional Food?
• Sea Lion Makes Self at Home in the Dalles Marina
• Maine - Breaching of Historic Veazie Dam to Improve Fish Runs in Penobscot
• Extension of Washington State Sales Tax Exemption Helps Local Solar Projects
• Thurston County Neighborhoods Want More Sun
• Tennessee Valley Authority’s Solar Balance Limits Have Riled Some Providers
• Utilities’ Fight Against Solar Might Have Been Lost Before It Started
• Energy Efficiency: Light Bulb Wars Roar Back Into U-S House of Representatives
• Ohio - Energy Industry Puts Target on Green Standards
• The Watchdog: Smart Thermostat Contract’s Huge Termination Fee Shocks Electric Customer
• How Utilities Can Make Any Customer Care About Efficiency
• U-S Court Says Biofuel Producers Must Face Carbon Emissions Rules
• Op/Ed – U-S Can’t Afford to Cede Green Energy Industry to Its Competitors
• No More Excuses, Sprint. It’s Time to Build the Mother of All Networks
• Why National Broadband Plans Work
• U-S Rural Telcos Under Attack...Again
• Woman Escapes Tumwater Hostage Situation
• Living in the 80s – Temperatures, That Is
• Heat Wave Causes Fish Die-Off in John Day River
• Afternoon Jolt (Literally): Seattle Tunnel Construction Hits Utilities
• Wild Olympics Still a Heated Topic
• Two Beekeepers Strive to Breed a Stronger Queen Honeybee to Survive Portland Winters
• Legal Pot Prompts a Question: What About Hash?

WORD OF THE DAY

Thwart • \THWORT\ • Verb - 1a: to run counter to so as to effectively oppose or baffle b: to oppose successfully: defeat the hopes or aspirations of 2: to pass through or across

Sweltering heat; yuck!

Thwarted by tall, frosty one

Hammock is my home

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

Pipe Shock Knocks Boardman Electric Plant Offline (Associated Press)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Pipe-shock-knocks-Boardman-electric-plant-offline-215260121.html

WECC Split - Bekkedahl Selected to Help Shape New Regional Reliability Organization (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Bekkedahl-selected-to-help-shape-new-regional-reliability-organization.aspx

Snohomish PUD Considering New Technology to Store Extra Power (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130713/NEWS01/707139941/0/sports01

Community Energy Storage: Almost, But Not Quite There (The Energy Collective)

http://www.theenergycollective.com/stephenlacey/248301/community-battery-storage-almost-not-quite-there

Are Smart Meters The Smart Thing? Eugene Water & Electric Board customers worry about the health & financial costs (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/rg/news/local/30139007-75/eweb-meters-smart-meter-customers.html.csp

With FERC Approval of Plans, California ISO Issues Revised Proposal for Energy Imbalance Market (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=225615&issueID=27059

Greenpeace Activists Break into French Nuclear Plant (Reuters)

http://news.yahoo.com/greenpeace-activists-break-french-nuclear-plant-072054413.html

Illinois - Police Say Electrocution Victim Was Stealing Copper from Wires (Chicago Tribune, IL)

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/news/8449985-418/police-electrocution-victim-was-stealing-copper-from-wires.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Feds: Dam Fixes Helping Salmon (Associated Press)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/lateststatenews/1315437-8/feds-dam-fixes-helping-salmon

Briefing Ends on Sea Lion Removal; Humane Society Says NOAA Essentially ‘Re-Issued Same Decision’ (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/427423.aspx

Grant County PUD Plays Key Part in Lake Cle Elum Sockeye Release (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_5a234f08-eb38-11e2-914a-001a4bcf887a.html

Lamprey: Bringing Back an Ancient Species (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021384202_lampreyfishingxml.html

Op/Ed - Columbia River Salmon Futures Lie in Large Part with Anglers, Who Need to Help Make It Work (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2013/07/post_83.html

Portland Wild Salmon: America’s Best Regional Food? (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/07/11/portland-wild-salmon/2509251/

Sea Lion Makes Self at Home in the Dalles Marina (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/sea-lion-makes-self-at-home-in-the-dalles-marina/

Maine - Breaching of Historic Veazie Dam to Improve Fish Runs in Penobscot (Lewiston Sun Journal, Maine)

http://www.sunjournal.com/news/maine/2013/07/01/breaching-historic-veazie-dam-improve-fish-runs-pe/1386860

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Extension of Washington State Sales Tax Exemption Helps Local Solar Projects (Edmonds Beacon, WA)
http://edmondsbeacon.villagesoup.com/p/extension-of-sales-tax-exemption-helps-local-solar-projects/1030045

Thurston County Neighborhoods Want More Sun (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)
http://www.thurstontalk.com/2013/07/12/thurston-county-neighborhoods-want-more-sun/

Tennessee Valley Authority’s Solar Balance Limits Have Riled Some Providers (Memphis Daily News, TN)

http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2013/jul/13/tvas-solar-balance-limits-have-riled-some-providers/

Utilities’ Fight Against Solar Might Have Been Lost Before It Started (Clean Energy Authority)

http://www.cleanenergyauthority.com/solar-energy-news/utilities-fight-against-solar-was-lost-before-it-started-071013

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency: Light Bulb Wars Roar Back Into U-S House of Representatives (The Energy Collective)

http://www.theenergycollective.com/tinacasey/249166/light-bulb-wars-roar-back-house-representatives

Ohio - Energy Industry Puts Target on Green Standards: Energy industry fighting efficiency mandates, others try to maintain (The News Messenger, Fremont, OH)

http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20130712/NEWS01/307120022/Energy-industry-puts-target-green-standards

The Watchdog: Smart Thermostat Contract’s Huge Termination Fee Shocks Electric Customer (Dallas Morning News, TX)

http://www.dallasnews.com/investigations/watchdog/20130714-watchdog-customer-in-2-year-electricity-company-thermostat-contract-faces-huge-termination-fee.ece

How Utilities Can Make Any Customer Care About Efficiency (GreenBiz)

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/07/12/utilities-customers-care-efficiency

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

U-S Court Says Biofuel Producers Must Face Carbon Emissions Rules (Reuters)

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKBRE96B0Z420130712?irpc=932

Op/Ed – U-S Can’t Afford to Cede Green Energy Industry to Its Competitors (Christian Science Monitor)

http://news.yahoo.com/us-cant-afford-cede-green-energy-industry-competitors-125735009.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

No More Excuses, Sprint. It’s Time to Build the Mother of All Networks (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2013/07/11/no-more-excuses-sprint-its-time-to-build-the-mother-of-all-networks/

Why National Broadband Plans Work (CNN Money)

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/12/why-national-broadband-plans-work/

U-S Rural Telcos Under Attack...Again (Light Reading)

http://www.lightreading.com/blog/dsl/us-rural-telcos-under-attackagain/240158134

GENERAL NEWS

Woman Escapes Tumwater Hostage Situation (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2013/07/14/woman-escapes-tumwater-gas-station-hostage-situation/

Living in the 80s – Temperatures, That Is (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2013/07/15/living-in-the-80s/

Heat Wave Causes Fish Die-Off in John Day River (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/heat-wave-causes-fish-die-off-in-john-day-river/

Afternoon Jolt (Literally): Seattle Tunnel Construction Hits Utilities (PubliCola)

http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/afternoon-jolt-literally-tunnell-project-stikes-spu-sewer-line-and-city-light-electical-vault-july-2013

Wild Olympics Still a Heated Topic (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kxro.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/wild-olympics-still-a-heated-topic/

Two Beekeepers Strive to Breed a Stronger Queen Honeybee to Survive Portland Winters (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

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

Legal Pot Prompts a Question: What About Hash? (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Legal-pot-prompts-a-question-What-about-hash-215514801.html

DIVERSIONS

Rejected Kitten Has Been Adopted By a Bulldog

http://www.dailynewsclick.com/animals/rejected-kitten-has-been-adopted-by-a-bulldog/

Couple & Newborn Survive Lightning Strike

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/couple-newborn-survive-lightning-strike-170559438.html

Florida Restaurant Owner Fires Employees by Text Message

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/florida-restaurant-fires-employees-text-message-144320874.html

Five-Figure Ohio Water Bills Blamed on New Software

http://news.yahoo.com/5-figure-ohio-water-bills-blamed-software-170054320.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Vicki Sue Robinson - Turn the Beat Around

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=devNnEA0AdU

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.