Energy News Digest for February 5, 2018

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

The Energy News Digest is on Facebook, and on Twitter.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 5, 2018

Landslide Threat Increased – Special Weather Statement

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Carbon Tax Clears Washington State Senate Committee (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/carbon-tax-clears-washington-senate-committee

Pacific Northwest Tribes Ask Washington State Governor to Halt Tacoma Natural Gas Plant Construction (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/03/northwest-tribes-ask-gov-inslee-to-halt-tacoma-pla/

Pacific Gas & Electric Power Lines Sparked Two Fires in Santa Rosa Last October, City Probe Finds (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2018/02/05/pg-e-power-lines-santa-rose-fires.html

Bill Seeking to Improve Washington State’s Rural Broadband Access Approved in Energy, Tech Committee (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://www.chronline.com/news/bill-seeking-to-improve-rural-broadband-access-approved-in-energy/article_0d805784-08a4-11e8-80a7-9b739612b2f8.html

Washington State Lawmakers Get Ready to Abide by Public Record Law –Legislators Say They Support Access, But Want Constituents’ Privacy Protected (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/news/lawmakers-get-ready-to-abide-by-public-record-law/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Pacific Northwest Tribes Ask Washington State Governor to Halt Tacoma Natural Gas Plant Construction
• Pacific Gas & Electric Power Lines Sparked Two Fires in Santa Rosa Last October, City Probe Finds
• Clallam PUD to Raise Rates
• Op/Ed: Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Will Benefit Entire Region
• Challenging, Changing Hydropower Market Addressed in Bonneville Power Administration Strategic Plan
• The Future of Nuclear Power? Think Small, Look to Corvallis
• Coal Production in NE Wyoming Tops 300 Million Tons Again
• FERC’s Resilience Order May Suggest Reliability Tweaks, Rather Than Novel Solutions
• Four Reasons Connecticut Residents Pay Highest Electric Rates in the Continental U-S
• San Diego: Water Bill Investigation – The Meter Is Unreadable, So How Is Your Bill Right?
• The Cost of Crypto Is Turning Miners towards Green Power
• Steigerwald Salmon Habitat Restoration Propelled by $4.6 Million Grant – Majority Funded by the Bonneville Power Administration
• What’s So Great about Wetlands? More Than You Might Realize!
• The Forgotten Renewable: Geothermal Energy Production Heats Up
• Electric Cars Could Destroy the Electric Grid – Or Fix It Forever
• Energy-Efficient Renovations Transform Clatsop Community College’s Historic Patriot Hall
• California’s Chief Marijuana Regulator Predicts More Issues with Supply
• Carbon Tax Clears Washington State Senate Committee
• Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions by State, 2000-2015
• Bill Seeking to Improve Washington State’s Rural Broadband Access Approved in Energy, Tech Committee
• Senate Committee Approves Bill to Bring Broadband to Rural Washington
• ‘An Issue That Needs to Matter’: Washington Legislators Team Up for Net Neutrality in Washington State
• Wave Broadband Outage Fixed, Spokesman Says
• FCC Gets Ready to Kick Off $2 Billion Rural Broadband Fund
• The Five Best Ads of Super Bowl LII
• Ram’s Super Bowl Ad Using Martin Luther King Jr. Gets Ripped Apart on Twitter
• NBC Blames 30-Second Super Bowl Blackout on ‘Equipment Failure’
• Washington State Lawmakers Get Ready to Abide by Public Record Law
• Two Clam Diggers Die at Long Beach – Became Caught in Rough Surf
• To Study ‘Atmospheric Rivers,’ Scientists Take Lab into Skies Off Washington State Coast
• Breweries, Taprooms Say They Were Forced to Shut Down for Unclear Violations
• Shelton Bowling Team Takes Fifth in State
• District Bound: Mason County Basketball Teams
• Eagles Stun Patriots for First Super Bowl Title

WORD OF THE DAY

Deuteragonist • \doo-tuh-RAG-uh-nist\ • Noun - 1: the actor taking the part of second importance in a classical Greek drama *2: a person who serves as a foil to another

Some fanboys think Frodo’s legacy in the “Lord of the Rings” is misplaced. As a deuteragonist, Gollum is a more interesting character.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Pacific Northwest Tribes Ask Washington State Governor to Halt Tacoma Natural Gas Plant Construction (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/03/northwest-tribes-ask-gov-inslee-to-halt-tacoma-pla/

Pacific Gas & Electric Power Lines Sparked Two Fires in Santa Rosa Last October, City Probe Finds (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2018/02/05/pg-e-power-lines-santa-rose-fires.html

Clallam PUD to Raise Rates (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/clallam-pud-to-raise-rates/

Op/Ed: Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Will Benefit Entire Region (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

http://www.eastoregonian.com/eo/columnists/20180202/colburn-transmission-line-will-benefit-entire-region

Challenging, Changing Hydropower Market Addressed in Bonneville Power Administration Strategic Plan (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/hydro/2018/02/challenging-changing-hydropower-market-elicits-strategic-plan-from-bpa.html

The Future of Nuclear Power? Think Small, Look to Corvallis (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2018/02/the_future_of_nuclear_power_th.html#incart_river_index

Coal Production in NE Wyoming Tops 300 Million Tons Again (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wyoming/articles/2018-02-05/coal-production-in-ne-wyoming-tops-300m-tons-again

FERC’s Resilience Order May Suggest Reliability Tweaks, Rather Than Novel Solutions (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/fercs-resilience-order-may-suggest-reliability-tweaks-rather-than-novel-s/515944/

Four Reasons Connecticut Residents Pay Highest Electric Rates in the Continental U-S (RJ Media Group, Meriden, CT)

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/State/Experts-explain-Connecticut-s-high-electric-rates.html

San Diego: Water Bill Investigation – The Meter Is Unreadable, So How Is Your Bill Right? (KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA)

http://www.cbs8.com/story/37418157/news-8-water-bill-investigation-the-meter-is-unreadable-so-how-is-your-bill-right

The Cost of Crypto Is Turning Miners towards Green Power (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-04/power-hungry-crypto-mines-clean-up-as-cost-of-electricity-grows

FISH & WILDLIFE

Steigerwald Salmon Habitat Restoration Propelled by $4.6 Million Grant – Majority Funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2018/feb/03/steigerwald-salmon-habitat-restoration-propelled-by-4-6m-grant/

What’s So Great about Wetlands? More Than You Might Realize! (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Whats-so-great-about-wetlands-More-than-you-might-realize.aspx

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

The Forgotten Renewable: Geothermal Energy Production Heats Up (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2018/02/04/582132168/the-forgotten-renewable-geothermal-energy-production-heats-up

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

Electric Cars Could Destroy the Electric Grid – Or Fix It Forever (Wired Magazine)

https://www.wired.com/story/electric-cars-impact-electric-grid/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy-Efficient Renovations Transform Clatsop Community College’s Historic Patriot Hall (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2018/02/03/energy-efficient-renovations-transform-clatsop.html

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

California’s Chief Marijuana Regulator Predicts More Issues with Supply (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/california-weed/article198291569.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Carbon Tax Clears Washington State Senate Committee (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/carbon-tax-clears-washington-senate-committee

Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions by State, 2000-2015 (U-S Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/state/analysis/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Bill Seeking to Improve Washington State’s Rural Broadband Access Approved in Energy, Tech Committee (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://www.chronline.com/news/bill-seeking-to-improve-rural-broadband-access-approved-in-energy/article_0d805784-08a4-11e8-80a7-9b739612b2f8.html

Senate Committee Approves Bill to Bring Broadband to Rural Washington (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://keprtv.com/news/local/senate-committee-approves-bill-to-bring-broadband-to-rural-washington

‘An Issue That Needs to Matter’: Washington Legislators Team Up for Net Neutrality in Washington State (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/state_news/an-issue-that-needs-to-matter-washington-legislators-team-up/article_a02a2c10-0a41-11e8-a685-ef07f6e25c32.html

Wave Broadband Outage Fixed, Spokesman Says (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/wave-broadband-outage-fixed-spokesman-says/

FCC Gets Ready to Kick Off $2 Billion Rural Broadband Fund (Tech Crunch)

https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/02/fcc-gets-ready-to-kick-off-2-billion-rural-broadband-fund/

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

The Five Best Ads of Super Bowl LII (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/creativity/the-5-best-ads-of-super-bowl-lii/

Ram’s Super Bowl Ad Using Martin Luther King Jr. Gets Ripped Apart on Twitter (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/digital/dodges-super-bowl-ad-using-martin-luther-king-jr-gets-ripped-apart-on-twitter/

NBC Blames 30-Second Super Bowl Blackout on ‘Equipment Failure’ (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/tv-video/nbc-blames-30-second-super-bowl-blackout-on-equipment-failure/

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

Washington State Lawmakers Get Ready to Abide by Public Record Law –Legislators Say They Support Access, But Want Constituents’ Privacy Protected (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/news/lawmakers-get-ready-to-abide-by-public-record-law/

GENERAL NEWS

Two Clam Diggers Die at Long Beach – Became Caught in Rough Surf (Associated Press)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/regional_state_news/clam-diggers-die-when-they-are-caught-in-rough-surf/article_c90428d0-0a90-11e8-a417-a79e46e25ac5.html

To Study ‘Atmospheric Rivers,’ Scientists Take Lab into Skies Off Washington State Coast (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/to-study-atmospheric-rivers-scientists-take-lab-into-skies-off-washington-coast/

Breweries, Taprooms Say They Were Forced to Shut Down for Unclear Violations (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://komonews.com/news/local/2-king-county-breweries-say-they-were-forced-to-shutdown-for-unclear-violations

Shelton Bowling Team Takes Fifth in State (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/29147

District Bound: Mason County Basketball Teams (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/29153

Eagles Stun Patriots for First Super Bowl Title (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-football-nfl-superbowl-anthem/eagles-stun-patriots-for-first-super-bowl-title-idUSKBN1FO0V7

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Axe-Throwing Bars: Why Mixing Weapons & Beer Is Surprisingly Good Business

https://www.fastcompany.com/40524369/axe-throwing-bars-why-mixing-weapons-and-beer-is-surprisingly-good-business

House Speaker Ryan Deletes Tweet Praising $1.50 Pay Increase

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tax-ryan/house-speaker-ryan-deletes-tweet-praising-1-50-pay-increase-idUSKBN1FO00T

Dead Goose Falls from Sky, Knocks Hunter Unconscious

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/dead-goose-falls-from-sky-knocks-hunter-unconscious/article_044b7a2a-5672-5187-a022-2ae742b4feb1.html

“Starry Night” Mural – Mount Dora Couple Fined $100 per Day for Paint Job on House

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/homeowners-behind-starry-night-mural-hit-with-new-fines

SONG OF THE DAY

Don McLean – Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)

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

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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Energy News Digest for February 2, 2018

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

The Energy News Digest is on Facebook and on Twitter.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 2, 2018

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Landslide Danger – Special Weather Statement

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Washington State Carbon Tax Measure Clears Senate Committee (Associated Press)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/state_news/washington-carbon-tax-measure-clears-senate-committee/article_d16e4ca7-9ae0-591e-ac98-c86fa5b932b1.html

Feds, Others File Reply Briefs in Ninth Circuit over Judge’s More Columbia River Spill for Fish Order (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/440166.aspx

Tesla Expands Sales of Solar Gear at Home Depot (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-01/tesla-expands-sales-of-solar-gear-at-home-depot-in-critical-test

New Hampshire Rejects Northern Pass Transmission, Throwing Project into Doubt (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/new-hampshire-rejects-northern-pass-transmission-throwing-project-into-dou/516201/

U-S Attorney for Oregon Says State Has ‘Formidable’ Problem with Black Market Marijuana (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2018/02/us_attorney_for_oregon_says_st.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• New Hampshire Rejects Northern Pass Transmission, Throwing Project into Doubt
• Bondholders to Receive More Electric Shocks from Puerto Rico’s Power Utility
• New Jersey: Oldest Nuclear Power Plant in the U-S Closing a Year Ahead of Schedule
• Seattle City Light Months Behind on Hook-Ups for New Housing
• Editorial: Seattle City Council Should Butt Out of Tacoma’s Proposed Natural-Gas Depot
• Op/Ed: Nuclear Energy Supports Jobs, Clean Energy Economy
• Lane Electric: Dave D’Avanzo, Manager, Member Services Retires
• Ohio: Copper Theft Blamed for another Fatality
• Super Bowl Sunday & Electricity Demand: What Happens in Cities with Super Bowl Teams & Host Cities?
• Feds, Others File Reply Briefs in Ninth Circuit over Judge’s More Columbia River Spill for Fish Order
• Can Kelp & Seagrass Help Oysters Adapt to Major Ocean Change?
• States Team Up to Fortify Great Lakes against Invasive Carp
• Nearly Half of California Gripped by New Drought
• A Major South African City Is About to Run Out of Water – Officials Say It Will Be the Worst Disaster Since 9/11
• Tesla Expands Sales of Solar Gear at Home Depot
• In Stunning Reversal, President Trump Could Open California Desert to More Solar & Wind Farms
• Maine’s Governor Fought on Wind-Turbine Moratorium
• Texas: Wind Turbine Blades Falling Off Addison’s Water Tower Result In $1 Million Flop, Crazy Lawsuit
• Home Energy Audit: The Best Money I’ve Ever Spent
• San Francisco Seeks Universal Fiber Broadband with Net Neutrality & Privacy
• Behind Kerfuffle over a ‘Nationalized 5G Network,’ Real US-China Concerns
• Studies Offer No Clear Answers on Safety of Cellphone Use
• Bitcoin Tumbles as Cryptocurrency Sell-Off Intensifies
• Washington State Carbon Tax Measure Clears Senate Committee
• Washington State $10 per Ton Carbon-Tax Proposal Takes Key Step in Legislature
• Oregon Cap-&-Trade Proposal Facing Attack Ads
• Lawmakers from Nine States Vow to Put a Price on Carbon
• How Brands Can Stand Out on Instagram
• Scientists Shocked – Shocked! – To Learn Anti-Vaxxers Tend to Believe other Conspiracies, Too
• U-S Attorney for Oregon Says State Has ‘Formidable’ Problem with Black Market Marijuana
• U-S House Republicans Release Nunes Memo Accusing Russia Investigators of Bias
• Nunes Memo Release: What You Need to Know About the Controversial Document
• Crashed Website: The Nunes Memo Was Just Released – That Didn’t Mean You Could Read It
• Former Shelton City Commissioner Refutes State Public Disclosure Claims
• ‘We’re Screwed.’ Some School Districts Feel Like Losers in New School-Funding Scheme
• New Phishing Scam Targets Western Washington Teacher Payroll Information
• Report: Rattlesnake Ridge Landslide Could Last Years
• An Unusual Heavy Rain Event on Sunday
• Woman Keeps Seeing Her Ex-Boyfriend around Gig Harbor – Finds a GPS Tracker on Her Car

WORD OF THE DAY

Precocial • \prih-KOE-shull\ • Adjective - Capable of a high degree of independent activity from birth.

Behold the precocial skills of the protagonist in Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons”:

I was born one mornin’ when the sun didn’t shine

I picked up my shovel & I walked to the mine

I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal

And the straw boss said “Well, a-bless my soul”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

New Hampshire Rejects Northern Pass Transmission, Throwing Project into Doubt (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/new-hampshire-rejects-northern-pass-transmission-throwing-project-into-dou/516201/

Bondholders to Receive More Electric Shocks from Puerto Rico’s Power Utility (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/debtwire/2018/02/02/bondholders-to-receive-more-electric-shocks-from-puerto-ricos-power-utility/#14fccdf53611

New Jersey: Oldest Nuclear Power Plant in the U-S Closing a Year Ahead of Schedule (Associated Press)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/business/national/oldest-nuke-plant-in-the-us-closing-a-year-ahead/article_330cbbac-f972-5f71-ba63-2acda8ebf19c.html

Seattle City Light Months Behind on Hook-Ups for New Housing (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2018/02/seattle-city-light-delays-construction-growth-engineering/

Editorial: Seattle City Council Should Butt Out of Tacoma’s Proposed Natural-Gas Depot (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/seattle-city-council-should-butt-out-of-tacomas-proposed-natural-gas-depot/

Op/Ed: Nuclear Energy Supports Jobs, Clean Energy Economy (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/sponsored/nuclear-energy-supports-jobs-clean-energy-economy/

Lane Electric: Dave D’Avanzo, Manager, Member Services Retires (Lane Electric, Eugene, OR)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2018/02/lane-electric-dave-davanzo-manager.html

Ohio: Copper Theft Blamed for another Fatality (Recycling Today)

http://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/copper-thief-electrocuted-cleveland-2018/

Super Bowl Sunday & Electricity Demand: What Happens in Cities with Super Bowl Teams & Host Cities? (The Energy Collective)

http://www.theenergycollective.com/chesterenergy/2420415/super-bowl-sunday-electricity-demand-happens-cities-super-bowl-teams-host-cities

FISH & WILDLIFE

Feds, Others File Reply Briefs in Ninth Circuit over Judge’s More Columbia River Spill for Fish Order (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/440166.aspx

Can Kelp & Seagrass Help Oysters Adapt to Major Ocean Change? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/news/article/kelp-seagrass-oysters-ocean-change/

States Team Up to Fortify Great Lakes against Invasive Carp (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2018/0201/States-team-up-to-fortify-Great-Lakes-against-invasive-carp

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

Nearly Half of California Gripped by New Drought (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/nearly-half-of-california-gripped-by-new-drought/

A Major South African City Is About to Run Out of Water – Officials Say It Will Be the Worst Disaster Since 9/11 (Business Insider)

https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-a-major-south-african-city-is-about-to-/f-65ef126cd9%2Fbusinessinsider.com

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

Tesla Expands Sales of Solar Gear at Home Depot (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-01/tesla-expands-sales-of-solar-gear-at-home-depot-in-critical-test

In Stunning Reversal, President Trump Could Open California Desert to More Solar & Wind Farms (The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA)

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2018/02/01/trump-could-open-california-desert-more-solar-and-wind-farms-mining-off-roading/1087021001/

Maine’s Governor Fought on Wind-Turbine Moratorium (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/maines-lepage-fought-on-wind-turbine-moratorium/

Texas: Wind turbine blades falling off Addison’s water tower result in $1 million flop, crazy lawsuit (Dallas Morning News, TX)

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/watchdog/2018/02/01/wind-turbine-blades-falling-addisons-water-tower-results-1-million-flop-crazy-lawsuit

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Home Energy Audit: The Best Money I’ve Ever Spent (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/home-energy-audit-the-best-money-ive-ever-spent/2018/02/01/06643628-fbac-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

San Francisco Seeks Universal Fiber Broadband with Net Neutrality & Privacy (Ars Technica)

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2018/02/san-fran-seeks-universal-fiber-broadband-with-net-neutrality-and-privacy/

Behind Kerfuffle over a ‘Nationalized 5G Network,’ Real US-China Concerns (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2018/0201/Behind-kerfuffle-over-a-nationalized-5G-network-real-US-China-concerns

Studies Offer No Clear Answers on Safety of Cellphone Use (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/news/articles/2018-02-02/studies-offer-no-clear-answers-on-safety-of-cellphone-use

Bitcoin Tumbles as Cryptocurrency Sell-Off Intensifies (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-markets-bitcoin/bitcoin-tumbles-as-cryptocurrency-sell-off-intensifies-idUSKBN1FM11M

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Carbon Tax Measure Clears Senate Committee (Associated Press)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/state_news/washington-carbon-tax-measure-clears-senate-committee/article_d16e4ca7-9ae0-591e-ac98-c86fa5b932b1.html

Washington State $10 per Ton Carbon-Tax Proposal Takes Key Step in Legislature (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-state-10-a-ton-carbon-tax-proposal-takes-key-step-in-legislature/

Oregon Cap-&-Trade Proposal Facing Attack Ads (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2018/02/01/oregon-cap-and-trade-proposal-facing-attack-ads.html

Lawmakers from Nine States Vow to Put a Price on Carbon (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/lawmakers-from-9-states-vow-to-put-a-price-on-carbon/516154/

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

How Brands Can Stand Out on Instagram (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/digital/how-brands-can-stand-out-on-instagram/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

Scientists Shocked – Shocked! – To Learn Anti-Vaxxers Tend to Believe other Conspiracies, Too (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/scientists-shocked-shocked-to-learn-anti-vaxxers-tend-1822664709

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

U-S Attorney for Oregon Says State Has ‘Formidable’ Problem with Black Market Marijuana (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2018/02/us_attorney_for_oregon_says_st.html

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

U-S House Republicans Release Nunes Memo Accusing Russia Investigators of Bias (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/us/politics/trump-fbi-memo.html

Nunes Memo Release: What You Need to Know About the Controversial Document (USA Today)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/02/fisa-surveillance-nunes-memo-allegations/300583002/

Crashed Website: The Nunes Memo Was Just Released – That Didn’t Mean You Could Read It (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/2018/02/02/nunes-memo-website-crash/

GENERAL NEWS

Former Shelton City Commissioner Refutes State Public Disclosure Claims (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/former-shelton-commissioner-counteracts-state-public-disclosure-claims/article_8f316292-07b3-11e8-b35b-5fe5e534c0bb.html

‘We’re Screwed.’ Some School Districts Feel Like Losers in New School-Funding Scheme (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article197970769.html

New Phishing Scam Targets Western Washington Teacher Payroll Information (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/new-phishing-scam-targets-western-washington-teacher-payroll-information/

Report: Rattlesnake Ridge Landslide Could Last Years (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/01/report-rattlesnake-ridge-landslide-could-last-year/

An Unusual Heavy Rain Event on Sunday (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2018/02/an-unusual-heavy-rain-event-on-sunday.html

Woman Keeps Seeing Her Ex-Boyfriend around Gig Harbor – Finds a GPS Tracker on Her Car (Associated Press)

http://www.khq.com/story/37400660/woman-keeps-seeing-her-ex-boyfriend-around-gig-harbor-then-she-finds-a-gps-tracker-on-her-car

COYOTE CURMUDGEON – DIVERSIONS

Handlers: Punxsutawney Phil Sees Six More Weeks of Winter

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/handlers-punxsutawney-phil-sees-more-weeks-of-winter/article_4a44ce31-218d-5461-875a-a797cc757036.html

This Coyote Was Stealing Newspapers, So Here’s What the Delivery Man Did

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/coyote-stealing-newspapers-so-heres-what-delivery-man-did?ref=yfp

‘Jeopardy’ Trolls Sad-Sack Browns after Contestants Fail to Answer Football Questions

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/watch-jeopardy-trolls-sad-sack-browns-after-contestants-fail-to-answer-football-questions/

The Super Bowl Could Cost Employers $3 Billion

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-small-business/wp/2018/02/02/the-super-bowl-could-cost-employers-3-billion/

SONG OF THE DAY

UB40 Featuring Chrissie Hynde – I Got You Babe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aP4GaAruws

Sonny & Cher – I Got You Babe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3BWaRkJ58M

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.

Energy News Digest for February 1, 2018

Occasionally clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

The Energy News Digest is on Facebook and on Twitter.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 1, 2018

Landslide Threat – Special Weather Statement

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Power Administration Outlines Its Plan to Stay Competitive (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2018/01/bonneville_power_outlines_its.html

White House Seeks 72 Percent Cut to Clean Energy Research, Underscoring Administration’s Preference for Fossil Fuels (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-seeks-72-percent-cut-to-clean-energy-research-underscoring-administrations-preference-for-fossil-fuelsv/2018/01/31/c2c69350-05f3-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html

Miamians Are the Worst Electricity Hogs in the U-S, New Survey Says. Blame AC. (Miami Herald, FL)

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article197748859.html

Washington Fish & Wildlife Predicts Smaller Smelt Run for 2018 (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/washington-fish-and-wildlife-predicts-smaller-smelt-run-for/article_683b69e3-41f1-5905-9f19-b17b43363dcb.html

Funding for Yakima Water Plan Back Before Congress (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/funding-for-yakima-water-plan-back-in-front-of-congress/article_85bc8000-0715-11e8-9c90-573996703681.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Bonneville Power Administration Outlines Its Plan to Stay Competitive
• Low Gas Prices, Renewable Energy Squeeze Bonneville Power Administration
• Jefferson PUD, Public Debate Proposed Electrical Rate Hikes
• Op/Ed: Wrong to Pick on Jefferson PUD’s Citizen Board
• Vashon’s Source of Clean Electricity
• Utility Customers Win $775 Million Back from San Onofre Deal Criticized as Lopsided against Them
• Insurance Claims for California Wildfires Climb to $12 Billion
• The Controversy Surrounding Massachusetts’ $1.6B Hydropower Transmission Line
• More Utility Workers in Puerto Rico as Power Restoration Continues
• Puerto Rico Says Energy Assets May Fetch Up to $4 Billion
• For Utilities, the New Corporate Tax Cuts Are a Double-Edged Sword
• Four Tips to Prepare for Extended Power Outages
• Washington Fish & Wildlife Predicts Smaller Smelt Run for 2018
• Lingering Blob – The Warm-Water Anomoly Known as the Blob May Be Gone – Its Effects Linger
• Once-Vanished Fishers Are Making Their Comeback in Washington
• Funding for Yakima Water Plan Back Before Congress
• Global River Cleanups Grow – How Communities from Portland, Oregon, to Paris Are Cleaning & Playing in Their Waterways
• California Gauges Snowpack amid Dry Winter
• White House Seeks 72 Percent Cut to Clean Energy Research, Underscoring Administration’s Preference for Fossil Fuels
• Alaska: Juneau Assembly Eyes Renewable Energy Target
• Seattle Offers New Incentives to Urge Residents to Buy Electric Cars
• Uncoordinated Trouble? Electric Vehicles Can Be a Grid Asset, But Only With Planning & Investment
• Miamians Are the Worst Electricity Hogs in the U-S, New Survey Says. Blame AC.
• U-S Green Building Council Releases Annual Top Ten States for LEED Green Building Per Capita
• Vermont Electric Co-Op Seeks Adopters for New Smart Energy Device
• California Makes Big Money From Its Carbon Pricing Program. Who Gets It?
• Idaho Lawmakers Continue to Balk at New Science Standards
• How Cloud Seeding May Alleviate Northwest Drought
• Op/Ed: Should President Trump Nationalize a 5G Network?
• Microsoft’s Cloud Computing Business Grows, Stock Edges Up
• What He Did on His Summer Break: Exposed a Global Security Flaw
• Twitter Followers Vanish amid Inquiries into Fake Accounts
• Capitalizing on the Super Bowl or Olympics without Landing in Legal Trouble
• Bad Reputation: America’s Top 20 Most-Hated Companies
• Trump’s $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan Is Light on Federal Funds, & Details
• All the Money in the Law – Will Tax Savings go to Energy Infrastructure
• Report: Ed Murray’s Spokesperson Secretly Worked against Him
• Social Media Threats Investigation Cancels Shelton School Assemblies
• Camas Mill Will Lay Off Workers Starting May 1
• Shelton City Commission Approves Economic Development Plan
• Warmer Weather Hitting Seattle in the Middle of Winter
• From the Ashes, Shelton’s Bowling Team Returns to State Prominence

WORD OF THE DAY - Horrible Haiku Edition

Deadline ● /DED-line/ ● Noun – 1: a line drawn within or around a prison that a prisoner passes at the risk of being shot 2 a: a date or time before which something must be done b: the time after which copy is not accepted for a particular issue of a publication

Those dratted deadlines

Immutable march of time

Missed. Copy now dead

Word Origins, “Wonderopolis

The term “deadline” has uncertain origins. The earliest uses of the word appear to have referred simply to lines that did not move. This usage may have developed into “deadline” being used around the time of the Civil War as a term related to prisons, meaning a line that could not be crossed by prisoners.

Eventually, the term began to be used by journalists in the sense we know today. This was most likely the result of the design of early printing presses that featured a guideline on the printing plate. Any text inside the line would be printed. Any text outside the line — the “deadline” — would not be printed and would “die.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Outlines Its Plan to Stay Competitive (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2018/01/bonneville_power_outlines_its.html

Low Gas Prices, Renewable Energy Squeeze Bonneville Power Administration (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/low-gas-prices-renewable-energy-squeeze-bonneville-power-administration/516028/

Jefferson PUD, Public Debate Proposed Electrical Rate Hikes (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

http://www.ptleader.com/news/pud-public-debate-proposed-electrical-rate-hikes/article_1b48198c-0616-11e8-af6a-9394265675fd.html

Op/Ed: Wrong to Pick on Jefferson PUD’s Citizen Board (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

http://www.ptleader.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-wrong-to-pick-on-pud-s-citizen-board/article_1680f93a-0618-11e8-8ea1-eb06d7e02619.html

Vashon’s Source of Clean Electricity (The Vashon Loop, WA)

http://www.vashonloop.com/article/vashon%E2%80%99s-source-clean-electricity

Utility Customers Win $775 Million Back from San Onofre Deal Criticized as Lopsided against Them (San Diego Union Tribune, CA)

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sd-me-settlement-deal-20180130-story.html

Insurance Claims for California Wildfires Climb to $12 Billion (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/insurance-claims-for-california-wildfires-climb-to-12-billion/

The Controversy Surrounding Massachusetts’ $1.6B Hydropower Transmission Line (Green Tech Media)

https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/massachusetts-hydro-power-transmission-line-controversy#gs.V04pkto

More Utility Workers in Puerto Rico as Power Restoration Continues (Power Magazine)

http://www.powermag.com/more-utility-workers-in-puerto-rico-as-power-restoration-continues/

Puerto Rico Says Energy Assets May Fetch Up to $4 Billion (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-31/puerto-rico-hears-energy-assets-may-fetch-up-to-4-billion

For Utilities, the New Corporate Tax Cuts Are a Double-Edged Sword (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/for-utilities-the-new-corporate-tax-cuts-are-a-double-edged-sword/516071/

Four Tips to Prepare for Extended Power Outages (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/online_features/tech_talk_and_innovation/tips-to-prepare-for-extended-power-outages/article_0c6933aa-7a56-51eb-8cfd-3ce6e6236c32.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Washington Fish & Wildlife Predicts Smaller Smelt Run for 2018 (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/washington-fish-and-wildlife-predicts-smaller-smelt-run-for/article_683b69e3-41f1-5905-9f19-b17b43363dcb.html

Lingering Blob – The Warm-Water Anomoly Known as the Blob May Be Gone – Its Effects Linger (Northwest Power & Conservation Council)

https://www.nwcouncil.org/news/blog/ocean-conditions-and-salmon-noaa-report-january-2018/

Once-Vanished Fishers Are Making Their Comeback in Washington (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/2018/01/30/once-vanished-fishers-are-making-their-comeback-in-washington/

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

Funding for Yakima Water Plan Back Before Congress (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/funding-for-yakima-water-plan-back-in-front-of-congress/article_85bc8000-0715-11e8-9c90-573996703681.html

Global River Cleanups Grow – How Communities from Portland, Oregon, to Paris Are Cleaning & Playing in Their Waterways (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Progress-Watch/2018/0131/Global-river-cleanups-grow

California Gauges Snowpack amid Dry Winter (Associated Press)

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/california-gauges-snowpack-amid-dry-winter-52758944

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

White House Seeks 72 Percent Cut to Clean Energy Research, Underscoring Administration’s Preference for Fossil Fuels (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-seeks-72-percent-cut-to-clean-energy-research-underscoring-administrations-preference-for-fossil-fuelsv/2018/01/31/c2c69350-05f3-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html

Alaska: Juneau Assembly Eyes Renewable Energy Target (KTOO Radio, Jeanue, AK)

https://www.ktoo.org/2018/01/31/juneau-assembly-eyes-renewable-energy-target/

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

Seattle Offers New Incentives to Urge Residents to Buy Electric Cars (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-offers-new-incentives-to-urge-residents-to-buy-electric-cars

Uncoordinated Trouble? Electric Vehicles Can Be a Grid Asset, But Only With Planning & Investment (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/uncoordinated-trouble-electric-vehicles-can-be-a-grid-asset-but-only-with/515787/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Miamians Are the Worst Electricity Hogs in the U-S, New Survey Says. Blame AC. (Miami Herald, FL)

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article197748859.html

U-S Green Building Council Releases Annual Top Ten States for LEED Green Building Per Capita (Green Building Council)

http://newsroom.usgbc.org/us-green-building-council-releases-annual-top-10-states-for-leed-green-building-per-capita/

Vermont Electric Co-Op Seeks Adopters for New Smart Energy Device (Vermont Business Magazine)

http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/2018/february/01/vermont-electric-co-op-seeks-adopters-new-smart-energy-device

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Makes Big Money From Its Carbon Pricing Program. Who Gets It? (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/article/california-makes-big-money-from-its-carbon-pricing-program-who-gets-it/

Idaho Lawmakers Continue to Balk at New Science Standards (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/idaho/articles/2018-02-01/idaho-lawmakers-continue-to-balk-at-new-science-standards

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

How Cloud Seeding May Alleviate Northwest Drought (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/2018/01/30/how-cloud-seeding-may-alleviate-northwest-drought/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Op/Ed: Should President Trump Nationalize a 5G Network? (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/opinion/nationalize-5g-network.html

Microsoft’s Cloud Computing Business Grows, Stock Edges Up (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-microsoft-results/microsofts-cloud-computing-business-grows-stock-edges-up-idUSKBN1FK33P

What He Did on His Summer Break: Exposed a Global Security Flaw (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/world/australia/strava-heat-map-student.html

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

Twitter Followers Vanish amid Inquiries into Fake Accounts (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/01/31/technology/social-media-bots-investigations.html

Capitalizing on the Super Bowl or Olympics without Landing in Legal Trouble (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/digital/chas-rampenthal-legalzoom-guest-post-capitalizing-on-the-super-bowl-or-olympics-without-landing-in-legal-trouble/

Bad Reputation: America’s Top 20 Most-Hated Companies (USA Today)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/02/01/bad-reputation-americas-top-20-most-hated-companies/1058718001/

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

Trump’s $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan Is Light on Federal Funds, & Details (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/us/politics/trump-infrastructure-plan.html

All the Money in the Law – Will Tax Savings go to Energy Infrastructure (Politico’s Morning Energy)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2018/02/all-money-in-law-will-tax-savings-go-to.html

Report: Ed Murray’s Spokesperson Secretly Worked against Him (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/886493/report-ed-murrays-spokesperson-secretly/

GENERAL NEWS

Social Media Threats Investigation Cancels Shelton School Assemblies (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/social-media-threats-investigation-cancels-shelton-school-assemblies/article_e5b0ad5a-06e4-11e8-a505-533dfafa7da5.html

Camas Mill Will Lay Off Workers Starting May 1 (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2018/jan/31/camas-mill-will-lay-off-243-workers-by-may-1/

Shelton City Commission Approves Economic Development Plan (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/29093

Warmer Weather Hitting Seattle in the Middle of Winter (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/article/news/local/warmer-weather-hitting-seattle-in-the-middle-of-winter/281-513387013

From the Ashes, Shelton’s Bowling Team Returns to State Prominence (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.theolympian.com/sports/high-school/article197703654.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Washington State Legislators Express Their Creativity with Colorful Socks

http://mynorthwest.com/885087/washington-state-legislators-express-their-creativity-through-colorful-socks/

Owner Receives Letter Granting Dog Unemployment Benefits

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/feb/01/owner-receives-letter-granting-dog-unemployment-be/

How to Get a Killer Whale to Say ‘Hello’

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/science/killer-whale-hello-mimicry.html

Maine City’s Attempt to Break Beer Can Record Comes Up Short

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/weird_news/maine-city-s-attempt-to-break-beer-can-record-comes/article_3bdc1bce-8454-5c3e-a4f9-d171f7c9f686.html

SONG OF THE DAY

James Taylor - “Mud Slide Slim”

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

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.