Energy News Digest for April 4, 2014

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 4, 2014

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2014/04/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for-april_4.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Grant PUD Continues Work on Wanapum Dam Fix - Unclear when reservoir will return to normal levels (Columbia Basin herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_3f4138c2-bac1-11e3-b156-001a4bcf887a.html

Port Townsend Paper Corp. Drops Biomass Expansion Plans (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20140404/news/304049966/port-townsend-paper-corp-drops-biomass-expansion-plans

City of Tacoma, Power Union Reach Tentative Agreement (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/04/03/3131485/tacoma-power-union-reach-tentative.html

Columbia Anglers to Get More Time for Spring Chinook (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/apr/03/outdoors-Columbia-anglers-more-spring-chinook-fish/

For the Tech-Savvy with a Need for Speed, a Limited Choice of Towns with Fiber (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/technology/personaltech/for-the-tech-savvy-with-a-need-for-speed-a-limited-choice-of-towns-with-fiber.html?_r=3

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Grant PUD Continues Work on Wanapum Dam Fix - Unclear when reservoir will return to normal levels (Columbia Basin herald, Moses Lake, WA)
• City of Tacoma, Power Union Reach Tentative Agreement (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)
• Bulldozer Rampages (Clallam County), Parrots & Runaway Trucks: Weirdest Power Outages of 2013 (Electric Light & Power)
• Mason PUD 1 & PUD 3 Commissioners: CleanHydro Highlights Hydropower & River Values (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)
• Download This Report: Pacific Northwest - Learnings from the Largest Smart Grid Test Bed (Smart Grid News)
• California PUC Orders Two Utilities to Replace San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant Output (Engineering News Record)
• Commodity Futures Trading Commission to Issue Rulemaking Exempting Public Power Utilities from Restrictive Provision of Dodd-Frank Act (American Public Power Association)
• Opinion: Needed, A Debate on the Security of the Power Grid, Not on Leaks about It (Forbes Magazine)
• Smart Meter Maker Sensus to Acquire Atlanta Data Startup Verdeeco (Atlanta Business Chronicle, GA)
• Natural Gas Weekly Update (U-S Energy Information Administration)
• Explosion Kills Four at Sopladora Hydropower Project in Ecuador (Penn Energy)
• Columbia Anglers to Get More Time for Spring Chinook (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
• Big Snowpack Increases Flood Risk (Associated Press)
• Overall, Oregon’s Snowpack Levels Are Below Normal (Northwest Public Radio)
• Yakima Basin Water Improvements ‘Virtually without Detractors’ (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
• Port Townsend Paper Corp. Drops Biomass Expansion Plans (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
• Google Teams with Oregon College on Wind Turbine Competition (Sustainable Business Oregon)
• GE’s Wind Turbine Tester Puts Gigantic Drivetrains through Hell (Gizmodo)
• New Federal Tax Bill Includes Wind Energy Credit (The Hill, Washington, DC)
• Geothermal Energy Is a Superior Solution for Today’s Electrical Grids (Renewable Energy World)
• Energy Star Partners: Evergreen Schools Recognized by EPA (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
• Opower Initial Public Offering: Opens Up Strong, Starts Trading at $25 Per Share (GigaOM)
• Nest Halts the Sale of Nest Protect Smoke Alarms While It Fixes a Flaw (GigaOM)
• White House Advisers Accused of Blowing Off Climate Change (Courthouse News Service)
• In the Balance: A new report from the IPCC implies that “climate exceptionalism”, the notion that global warming is a problem like no other, is coming to an end (Economist Magazine)
• United Kingdom: Smog Expert Says Worsening Saharan Dust Storms to Become an Annual Spring Fixture as Climate Changes (The Independent, UK)
• Air Pollutants from Biomass Burning Exceeds Coal (Bloomberg News)
• Hot Air Balloon? Blimp Spreads Encouragement, Shame in Silicon Valley Flyover (Data Center Knowledge)
• For the Tech-Savvy with a Need for Speed, a Limited Choice of Towns with Fiber (NY Times)
• Portland Reworks City Ordinances for Google Fiber (Broadband Reports)
• Google Fiber Files Permits for Thousands of Miles of Cable in Austin (Austin Business Journal, TX)
• Report: Google Eyes Its Own Wireless Network (Mashable)
• Silicon Valley Supports Aereo Video Streaming Service in Supreme Court (U-S News & World Report)
• Backlash against Duracell for Oso-Related ‘Selfie’ (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
• Lemons to Lemonade: Honey Maid is Okay with People Hating Its Ad Showing “Wholesome” Gay Parents (Consumerist)
• Seattle Tech Industry Can Learn from Seahawks: Be Brash & You Might Win (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)
• Lost in Translation: Three Ways Your Firm Can Create a Better Spanish Website (Orlando Business Journal, FL)
• Google Is Struggling to Trademark the Word ‘Glass’ (Gizmodo)
• Washington State’s Top Court Oks $57 Million for Home-Care Workers (Associated Press)
• DNA Shows Skull Found in Crab Pot Off Washington Coast Was from a Female; No Database Match (Associated Press)
• Washington Lands Commissioner Accuses Anti-Logging Interests of Exploiting Oso Slide (Northwest Public Radio)
• Three Injured in Skokomish Valley Crash – Alcohol or Drugs Suspected (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)
• Hoquiam Men Arrested Stealing Copper from Harbor Paper (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
• Washington, Montana, Oklahoma Tribal Leaders Criticize Land Buyback Program (Associated Press)
• Two-Legged Vancouver Dog’s Beach Video Goes Viral (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

WORD OF THE DAY

Phantasm • \FAN-taz-zum\ • - Something that exists only in a person’s mind 1: a product of fantasy: as a: delusive appearance: illusion b: ghost, specter c: a figment of the imagination 2: a mental representation of a real object

Her co-workers generally dismissed Gertie’s self-delusion about her singing abilities as a phantasm brought on by her refusal to admit to tone deafness. The cacophonous noises that flowed from her mid-floor cubicle sounded like a combination of an elk call and a discordant bird whistle. Apocryphal stories about mysterious garage door openings, and desktop radio interference due to Gertrude’s “musical” efforts abounded.

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

Grant PUD Continues Work on Wanapum Dam Fix - Unclear when reservoir will return to normal levels (Columbia Basin herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_3f4138c2-bac1-11e3-b156-001a4bcf887a.html

City of Tacoma, Power Union Reach Tentative Agreement (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/04/03/3131485/tacoma-power-union-reach-tentative.html

Bulldozer Rampages (Clallam County), Parrots & Runaway Trucks: Weirdest Power Outages of 2013 (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/articles/2014/04/bulldozer-rampages-parrots-and-runaway-trucks-weirdest-power-outages-of-2013.html

Mason PUD 1 & PUD 3 Commissioners: CleanHydro Highlights Hydropower & River Values (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=1368

Download This Report: Pacific Northwest - Learnings from the Largest Smart Grid Test Bed (Smart Grid News)

http://www.smartgridnews.com/artman/publish/Projects_Demo_Pilots/Download-this-report-Learnings-from-the-largest-smart-grid-test-bed-6447.html#.Uz7MQbS9aws

California PUC Orders Two Utilities to Replace San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant Output (Engineering News Record)

http://enr.construction.com/infrastructure/power_industrial/2014/0403-california-puc-orders-two-utilities-to-replace-san-onofre-plant-output.asp

Commodity Futures Trading Commission to Issue Rulemaking Exempting Public Power Utilities from Restrictive Provision of Dodd-Frank Act (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=260802&issueID=34828

Opinion: Needed, A Debate on the Security of the Power Grid, Not on Leaks about It (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/thebakersinstitute/2014/04/03/needed-a-debate-on-the-security-of-the-power-grid-not-on-leaks-about-it-5/

Smart Meter Maker Sensus to Acquire Atlanta Data Startup Verdeeco (Atlanta Business Chronicle, GA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/atlantech/2014/04/smart-meter-maker-sensus-to-acquire-atlanta-data.html

Natural Gas Weekly Update (U-S Energy Information Administration)

http://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/weekly/

Explosion Kills Four at Sopladora Hydropower Project in Ecuador (Penn Energy)

http://www.pennenergy.com/articles/pennenergy/2014/04/explosion-kills-four-at-sopladora-hydroelectric-power-project-in-ecuador.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia Anglers to Get More Time for Spring Chinook (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/apr/03/outdoors-Columbia-anglers-more-spring-chinook-fish/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Big Snowpack Increases Flood Risk (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Big-snowpack-increases-flood-risk-5374042.php

Overall, Oregon’s Snowpack Levels Are Below Normal (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/overall-oregons-snowpack-levels-are-below-normal/

Yakima Basin Water Improvements ‘Virtually without Detractors’ (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/2048324-8/yakima-basin-water-improvements-virtually-without-detractors

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Port Townsend Paper Corp. Drops Biomass Expansion Plans (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20140404/news/304049966/port-townsend-paper-corp-drops-biomass-expansion-plans

Google Teams with Oregon College on Wind Turbine Competition (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2014/04/google-joins-forces-with-columbia-gorge.html

GE’s Wind Turbine Tester Puts Gigantic Drivetrains through Hell (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/ges-wind-turbine-tester-puts-gigantic-drivetrains-thro-1556502697

New Federal Tax Bill Includes Wind Energy Credit (The Hill, Washington, DC)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/202558-new-tax-bill-includes-wind-energy-credit

Geothermal Energy Is a Superior Solution for Today’s Electrical Grids (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/04/flexibility-benefits-make-geothermal-a-superior-solution-for-todays-changing-grids?cmpid=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Star Partners: Evergreen Schools Recognized by EPA (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/apr/04/evergreen-schools-recognized-epa/

Opower Initial Public Offering: Opens Up Strong, Starts Trading at $25 Per Share (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2014/04/04/opower-ipo-opens-up-strong-starts-trading-at-25-per-share/

Nest Halts the Sale of Nest Protect Smoke Alarms While It Fixes a Flaw (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2014/04/03/nest-halts-the-sale-of-protect-smoke-alarms-while-it-fixes-a-flaw/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

White House Advisers Accused of Blowing Off Climate Change (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/04/04/66776.htm

In the Balance: A new report from the IPCC implies that “climate exceptionalism”, the notion that global warming is a problem like no other, is coming to an end (Economist Magazine)

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21600080-new-report-ipcc-implies-climate-exceptionalism-notion

United Kingdom: Smog Expert Says Worsening Saharan Dust Storms to Become an Annual Spring Fixture as Climate Changes (The Independent, UK)

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/smog-expert-worsening-saharan-dust-storms-to-become-an-annual-spring-fixture-as-climate-changes-9236489.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Air Pollutants from Biomass Burning Exceeds Coal (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-03/air-pollutants-from-biomass-burning-exceeds-coal.html

Hot Air Balloon? Blimp Spreads Encouragement, Shame in Silicon Valley Flyover (Data Center Knowledge)

http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2014/04/03/blimp-spreads-encouragement-shame-silicon-valley-flyover/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

For the Tech-Savvy with a Need for Speed, a Limited Choice of Towns with Fiber (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/technology/personaltech/for-the-tech-savvy-with-a-need-for-speed-a-limited-choice-of-towns-with-fiber.html?_r=3

Portland Reworks City Ordinances for Google Fiber (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Portland-Reworks-City-Ordinances-for-Google-Fiber-128414

Google Fiber Files Permits for Thousands of Miles of Cable in Austin (Austin Business Journal, TX)

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2014/04/03/google-fiber-files-permits-for-thousands-of-miles.html

Report: Google Eyes Its Own Wireless Network (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2014/04/03/google-wireless-network-carrier/

Silicon Valley Supports Aereo Video Streaming Service in Supreme Court (U-S News & World Report)

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/04/03/silicon-valley-supports-aereo-in-supreme-court

SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING

Backlash against Duracell for Oso-Related ‘Selfie’ (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/backlash-against-duracell-posting-selfie-about-fre/nfRkR/

Lemons to Lemonade: Honey Maid is Okay with People Hating Its Ad Showing “Wholesome” Gay Parents (Consumerist)

http://consumerist.com/2014/04/03/honey-maid-is-okay-with-people-hating-its-ad-showing-wholesome-gay-parents/

Seattle Tech Industry Can Learn from Seahawks: Be Brash & You Might Win (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2014/04/seattle-tech-industry-can-learn-from-seahawks-be.html

Lost in Translation: Three Ways Your Firm Can Create a Better Spanish Website (Orlando Business Journal, FL)

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/latin/2014/04/lost-in-translation-3-ways-your-firm-can-create-a.html

Google Is Struggling to Trademark the Word ‘Glass’ (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/google-is-struggling-to-trademark-the-word-glass-1558074111

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State’s Top Court Oks $57 Million for Home-Care Workers (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/States-top-court-OKs-57-million-for-home-care-workers-253795201.html

GENERAL NEWS

DNA Shows Skull Found in Crab Pot Off Washington Coast Was from a Female; No Database Match (Associated Press)

http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2014/04/03/no-dna-database-match-for-skull-found-in-crab-pot

Washington Lands Commissioner Accuses Anti-Logging Interests of Exploiting Oso Slide (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/lands-commissioner-accuses-anti-logging-interests-exploiting-oso-slide

Three Injured in Skokomish Valley Crash – Alcohol or Drugs Suspected (Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/12551

Hoquiam Men Arrested Stealing Copper from Harbor Paper (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kxro.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/hoquiam-men-arrested-stealing-copper-from-harbor-paper/

Washington, Montana, Oklahoma Tribal Leaders Criticize Land Buyback Program (Associated Press)

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/tribal-leaders-criticize-land-buyback-program/25310306

Two-Legged Vancouver Dog’s Beach Video Goes Viral (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Vancouver-dog-video-loses-legs-253749761.html

DIVERSIONS

Top Ten List: Words for Things You Didn’t Know Have Names

http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-words-you-didnt-know-vol-1/philtrum.html

A Friendly Reminder: Check Furniture for Cats Before Donating It to Charity

http://consumerist.com/2014/04/03/a-friendly-reminder-check-furniture-for-cats-before-donating-it-to-charity/

The Untold History of Where Barcodes Come From

http://gizmodo.com/the-untold-history-of-where-barcodes-come-from-1557238699

How Far Would You Go to Rescue Your Mobile Phone? A teenager in Kent had to be rescued by firefighters after she got stuck in a storm drain while trying to retrieve her mobile phone

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/03/how-far-would-you-go-to-rescue-your-mobile-phone-teen-stuck

SONG OF THE DAY

MFSB – Freddie’s Dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz4QPSNw3b8

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 April 3, 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:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 3, 2014

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2014/04/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for-april_3.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Could Steelhead Fishing End in Order to Save Them? Lawsuit: Steelhead hatcheries central to sport fishery hurting endangered wild stocks (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Could-steelhead-fishing-end-in-order-to-save-them-5371030.php

Port Angeles to Pay Nippon $200,000 over Disagreement about Utility Tax on Electricity (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20140403/news/304039989/port-angeles-to-pay-nippon-200000-over-utility-tax-disagreement

Pacific Northwest Hydro Generation Output in March Up Sharply Year on Year (Platts)

http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/washington/pacific-northwest-hydro-generation-output-in-21413895

Mayor Says Seattle City Light, Police & Fire Not Paying Women Enough (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/seattle-city-light-police-and-fire-not-paying-wome/nfQ6r/

Gallup Poll Finds Majority Favor Energy Conservation over Production (The Hill, Washington, DC)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/202473-gallup-majority-favor-energy-conservation-over-production

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Port Angeles to Pay Nippon $200,000 over Disagreement about Utility Tax on Electricity (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
• Pacific Northwest Hydro Generation Output in March Up Sharply Year on Year (Platts)
• Mayor Says Seattle City Light, Police & Fire Not Paying Women Enough (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
• Inslee Urged to Veto Budget Items – Includes Nuclear Energy Study (Everett Herald, WA)
• Tillamook PUD Board Awards Community Grants (North Coast Citizen, Manzanita, OR)
• Energy Boom Fuels Electric Co-op Growth - North Dakota’s energy boom is fueling rural economic development (Electric Co-op Today)
• U-S Public Support for Nuclear Power Declines Slightly: Poll (Platts)
• Revised OSHA Rule Will Have a Significant Impact on the Utility Industry, Says APPA’s Michael Hyland (American Public Power Association)
• Texas: Brrrr! Unusually Cold Winter Brings Abnormally High Electric Bills (Dallas Business Journal)
• Could Steelhead Fishing End in Order to Save Them? Lawsuit: Steelhead hatcheries central to sport fishery hurting endangered wild stocks (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
• Wind River Steelhead Add to Coastal Bird Buffet (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
• Smelt Make It Past Bonneville Dam this Spring (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
• Deals on Species Listings, Including the Mazama Pocket Gopher, Duck Challenge (Courthouse News Service)
• U-S House Members Offer Bills to Make Changes to Endangered Species Act (American Public Power Association)
• Engineered Salmon May Be a Tough Sell (Associated Press)
• Salmon for All Tastes - Versatile fish can be baked, barbecued, smoked or put on a plank (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
• Oregon: Terrebonne Water Board Members Recalled After Bills Triple (Associated Press)
• Minnesota: Wind Energy Businessman Convicted of Defrauding Investors (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, MN)
• Texas Supreme Court Blows Away Wind Generator Claims, Finds Contracts Assigned Risk of Transmission Congestion to Generators (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)
• Green Groups Say German Energy Reform Painful, Despite Concessions (Reuters)
• Advancements in Wind Turbine Technology: Improving Efficiency & Reducing Cost (Renewable Energy World)
• Robots Find a Job in the Emerging World of Solar Energy (Washington Post)
• Gallup Poll Finds Majority Favor Energy Conservation over Production (The Hill, Washington, DC)
• DOE Needs to Rework Proposal to Make Computers Subject to Energy Efficiency Standards (American Public Power Association)
• Idaho Scientists Lay Out Their Data on How Our Climate Has Changed (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
• Smarter Crock Pots: The Smart Home Gateway Drug? (Ovens Reviewed)
• Op/Ed: A California Green Bank Would Create More Clean Energy Innovation (Sacramento Bee, CA)
• Electric Cars Must Make Noise Under New European Union Rules (British Broadcasting Corporation)
• Amazon Unveils New Fire TV Streaming Video Box (USA Today)
• Google Fiber Means Business: Comcast & Crowd React (The Motley Fool)
• Greenpeace Report Points to Iowa’s Role in Google, Facebook Efforts to ‘Green the Internet’ (Des Moines Register, IA)
• Consumers Are Souring on Web, Post-NSA, Survey Says (USA Today)
• Branded Viral Videos: The Secret Marketing Weapon (Mashable)
• President Obama Declares Federal Disaster in Mudslide Area; Locals Told to Register with FEMA (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
• Community Bank Offers to Forgive Home Loan Debt for Customers Impacted by Oso Mudslide (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
• Another Warning for the Pacific Northwest from Chile’s Earthquake Hot Zone (NY Times)
• Mason County Commissioner Jeffreys Seeking Re-Election (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)
• Washington Pot Store Lottery Announced; Grow Licenses Lagging (Northwest Public Radio)
• Utah: Banned from the Slopes, Snowboarders File Suit (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

WORD OF THE DAY

Cadge • \KAJ\ • Verb - Beg, sponge

Craving a smoke

Cadge a butt, take a deep drag

Blow some smoke rings

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

Port Angeles to Pay Nippon $200,000 over Disagreement about Utility Tax on Electricity (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20140403/news/304039989/port-angeles-to-pay-nippon-200000-over-utility-tax-disagreement

Pacific Northwest Hydro Generation Output in March Up Sharply Year on Year (Platts)

http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/washington/pacific-northwest-hydro-generation-output-in-21413895

Mayor Says Seattle City Light, Police & Fire Not Paying Women Enough (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/seattle-city-light-police-and-fire-not-paying-wome/nfQ6r/

Inslee Urged to Veto Budget Items – Includes Nuclear Energy Study (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140403/NEWS01/140409750

Tillamook PUD Board Awards Community Grants (North Coast Citizen, Manzanita, OR)

http://northcoastcitizen.com/briefs_paid/article_8758ec9c-ba88-11e3-bbc5-0019bb2963f4.html

Energy Boom Fuels Electric Co-op Growth - North Dakota’s energy boom is fueling rural economic development (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/editors-pick/energy-boom-fuels-electric-co-op-growth/68166

U-S Public Support for Nuclear Power Declines Slightly: Poll (Platts)

http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/washington/us-public-support-for-nuclear-power-declines-21419108

Revised OSHA Rule Will Have a Significant Impact on the Utility Industry, Says APPA’s Michael Hyland (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=260663&issueID=34827

Texas: Brrrr! Unusually Cold Winter Brings Abnormally High Electric Bills (Dallas Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/morning_call/2014/04/brrrr-unusually-cold-winter-brings-abnormally-high.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Could Steelhead Fishing End in Order to Save Them? Lawsuit: Steelhead hatcheries central to sport fishery hurting endangered wild stocks (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Could-steelhead-fishing-end-in-order-to-save-them-5371030.php

Wind River Steelhead Add to Coastal Bird Buffet (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/apr/03/outdoors-wind-steelhead-add-coastal-bird-buffet/

Smelt Make It Past Bonneville Dam this Spring (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/apr/03/outdoors-smelt-Bonneville-Dam-Columbia-River/

Deals on Species Listings, Including the Mazama Pocket Gopher, Duck Challenge (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/04/02/66709.htm

U-S House Members Offer Bills to Make Changes to Endangered Species Act (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=260589&issueID=34827

Engineered Salmon May Be a Tough Sell (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/engineered-salmon-may-tough-sell-071605310.html

Salmon for All Tastes - Versatile fish can be baked, barbecued, smoked or put on a plank (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/rg/life/food/31348252-68/salmon-fish-rogers-flavor-minutes.html.csp

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon: Terrebonne Water Board Members Recalled After Bills Triple (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/04/terrebone_water_board_members.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Minnesota: Wind Energy Businessman Convicted of Defrauding Investors (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, MN)

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/blog/law/2014/04/wind-energy-businessman-convicted-of-defrauding.html

Texas Supreme Court Blows Away Wind Generator Claims, Finds Contracts Assigned Risk of Transmission Congestion to Generators (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

http://www.energynaturalresourceslaw.com/2014/04/texas-supreme-court-blows-away-wind-generator-claims-finds-contracts-assigned-risk-of-transmission-c.html

Green Groups Say German Energy Reform Painful, Despite Concessions (Reuters)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/04/02/germany-energy-idUKL5N0MU39I20140402

Advancements in Wind Turbine Technology: Improving Efficiency & Reducing Cost (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/04/advancements-in-wind-turbine-technology-improving-efficiency-and-reducing-cost?cmpid=rss

Robots Find a Job in the Emerging World of Solar Energy (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/04/03/robots-find-a-job-in-the-emerging-world-of-solar-energy/?wprss=rss_technology

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Gallup Poll Finds Majority Favor Energy Conservation over Production (The Hill, Washington, DC)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/202473-gallup-majority-favor-energy-conservation-over-production

DOE Needs to Rework Proposal to Make Computers Subject to Energy Efficiency Standards (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=260654&issueID=34827

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Idaho Scientists Lay Out Their Data on How Our Climate Has Changed (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/04/02/3114133/barker-idaho-scientists-lay-out.html?sp=/99/101/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Smarter Crock Pots: The Smart Home Gateway Drug? (Ovens Reviewed)

http://ovens.reviewed.com/news/smart-crock-pots-smart-home-gateway-drug-jarden-wemo

Op/Ed: A California Green Bank Would Create More Clean Energy Innovation (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/03/6290647/viewpoints-green-bank-would-create.html

Electric Cars Must Make Noise Under New European Union Rules (British Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26857743

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Amazon Unveils New Fire TV Streaming Video Box (USA Today)

http://tinyurl.com/n89bje8

Google Fiber Means Business: Comcast & Crowd React (The Motley Fool)

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/31/google-fiber-means-business-comcast-and-crowd-reac.aspx?

Greenpeace Report Points to Iowa’s Role in Google, Facebook Efforts to ‘Green the Internet’ (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/new-business/2014/04/02/greenpeace-green-cloud-renewable-energy-report/7212061/

SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING

Consumers Are Souring on Web, Post-NSA, Survey Says (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/04/02/eset-survey-nsa-consumer-trust-in-the-web/7164519/

Branded Viral Videos: The Secret Marketing Weapon (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2014/04/02/viral-branded-videos/

GENERAL NEWS

President Obama Declares Federal Disaster in Mudslide Area; Locals Told to Register with FEMA (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2014/04/02/inslee-asks-for-major-disaster-declaration-in-snohomish-county-mudslide/#axzz2xpqDMNcT

Community Bank Offers to Forgive Home Loan Debt for Customers Impacted by Oso Mudslide (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2486675/Community-bank-offers-to-forgive-home-loan-debt-for-customers-impacted-by-Oso-mudslide

Another Warning for the Pacific Northwest from Chile’s Earthquake Hot Zone (NY Times)

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/another-warning-for-the-northwest-from-chiles-earthquake-hot-zone/?_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Mason County Commissioner Jeffreys Seeking Re-Election (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/12529

Washington Pot Store Lottery Announced; Grow Licenses Lagging (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/washington-pot-store-lottery-announced-grow-licenses-lagging

Utah: Banned from the Slopes, Snowboarders File Suit (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2014/04/03/banned-from-the-slopes-snowboarders-file-suit/#axzz2xpqDMNcT

DIVERSIONS

125^th Anniversary of the Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

https://news.yahoo.com/photos/125th-anniversary-of-the-eiffel-tower-slideshow/

Starbucks: Sorry About ‘666’ in Coffee Foam

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/02/newser-starbucks-satanic-coffee/7198189/

Two Dollar Bill is Oddity, but Some Love the Tender

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/nyregion/two-dollar-bill-is-oddity-but-some-love-the-tender.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Newsflash: Americans Are Dumping Ranch Dressing All Over Everything

http://consumerist.com/2014/04/02/newsflash-american-are-dumping-ranch-dressing-all-over-everything/

SONG OF THE DAY

Camille - Le Festin (Ratatouille Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_hdmt4vpBo

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.