Friday, February 27, 2015

Leonard Nimoy, Spock in ‘Star Trek’ Series, Dies at 83 (Bloomberg News)

‘Net Neutrality Essential’ – Washington State, City Officials Cheer FCC’s New Rules (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

Claim: Oregon State Data Center Managers ‘In Trouble’ for Talking to Kitzhaber-Hayes Investigators (Oregonian, Portland)

News Release: New Report Shows Status of Salmon Recovery – More salmon are returning home in some areas, although significant work remains (Washington State Governor’s Office)

Despite Increasing Sales, Legal Washington State Pot Businesses Warn of Impending Disaster if Changes Not Made (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Thursday, February 26, 2015

In Net Neutrality Victory, FCC Classifies Broadband Internet Service as a Public Utility (NY Times)

Washington State Lawmaker Calls for Focus on Nuclear Energy (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Lack of Snow May Mean Less Power Generated at Cowlitz PUD’s Swift 2 Plant This Year (Longview Daily News, WA)

Companies Spend $1 Billion in Latest California Carbon Auction (Sacramento Bee, CA)

VSchools, Kittitas County to Give Back $500,000 to Wind Farm (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

As Republicans Concede, FCC is Expected to Enforce Net Neutrality (NY Times)

Proposals Push Nuclear Energy in Washington State (Associated Press)

British Columbia’s Low Snow Pack Could Affect Spring Salmon Run (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Washington State House Bill on Tribal Pot Compacts Passes Committee (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Proposed Washington State Low-Carbon Fuel Standard Draws Praise, Criticism (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Kate Brown Sworn In as Oregon Governor, Replacing John Kitzhaber (NY Times)

Washington State Legislature: Spat over Solar Power Leaves Tangle of Bills Needing to Move before Cutoff (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

Salmon, Steelhead Spawning, Rearing In New White Salmon River Habitat above Removed Condit Dam Site (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Atomic Balm: Some Prominent Environmental Veterans Are Talking Up Nuclear Power as a Climate Change Solution (The Energy Collective)

Oregon Senate Approves Clean-Fuels Extension despite Tie to Cylvia Hayes (Oregonian, Portland)

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Minority Groups Back Energy Companies in Fight against Solar Power “…Low-income households…paying higher…bills to subsidize solar arrays that only wealthier people can afford…” (Los Angeles Times, CA)

British Columbia: Sea Lion Flash Mobs Prey on Fishermen’s Catch (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Avista Seeking Washington State Rate Hikes in 2016 (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Lawsuit Over Ocean Acidification in Oregon, Washington Gets a Hearing in Seattle (Oregonian, Portland)

Mayor Moves to End Seattle’s Cable Franchise Districts (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Thursday, February 5, 2015

As Scandal Subsides, Pacific Northwest Energy Giant Turns Its Attention to the Future (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Tacoma Public Utilities Named Tops for Business (South Sound Business Examiner, WA)

Shelton’s Conversion to LED Lights, with Mason PUD 3 (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Oregon: Umatilla County Says Proposed Wind Farm Lacks Detail on Transmission (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

Rope Tricks: Washington Senate Votes to Legalize Hemp Farming as Oregon Starts Writing Permits (Northwest Public Radio)

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Major Storms in the Pacific Northwest to Bring Feet of Rain & Snow (The Vane, Gawker)

Clark Public Utilities’ Community Solar Program Embraced (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

In Texas Suburbia, Solar Not Always Welcome (Dallas Morning News, TX)

Chelan PUD Moratorium Extended on Big Power Requests (Wenatchee World, WA)

CenturyLink, Pursuing Cable TV in Portland, Already Looking Toward Suburbs (Oregonian, Portland)

Joe's CREB Shack (Politico)

www.politco.com

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- The IRS has a total of $1.4 billion worth of so-called New Clean Renewable Energy Bonds ready for reallocation, the agency says. Congress in 2008 and 2009 allocated a total of $2.4 billion worth of CREBs, which can be used by power providers and others to finance renewable energy projects by giving the bondholder federal tax credits instead of part of the typical bond interest. The CREBs had to be used within three years of issuance, however, and a bit more than half of the volume cap remains now that that time has passed. The IRS says it has available $517 million of CREBs for projects to be owned by public power providers, $597 million for governmental entities like states or cities, and $281 million for electric co-ops. An IRS notice describes the application process for new CREB allocation: http://1.usa.gov/1zQHfnr

Monday, February 2, 2015

Emails Show Pacific Gas & Electric Targeted Critics after San Bruno Blast (SF Chronicle)

Oregon Legislature to Consider Ban on Electricity from Coal-Fired Plants (Oregonian, Portland)

Sick Sea Lions Washing Ashore in California; Rescuers Brace for Bad Year (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Sea Lions Find New Places to Snack on Pacific Northwest Fish (Electric Co-op Today)

In Net Neutrality Push, FCC Is Expected to Propose Regulating the Internet as a Utility (NY Times)

Quadrennial Energy Review Now at White House (Politico)

(WASHINGTON, DC) --  The Energy Department has sent the draft Quadrennial Energy Review to the White House for review, a spokeswoman confirmed to ME. By executive order, the report was due to the president on Saturday. It's unclear when the White House plans to release the review, which is meant to outline the nation's various energy challenges. The QER task force was overseen by the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy and Domestic Policy Council, with DOE coordinating the nearly two dozen departments and agencies involved. The report is due every four years, leaving the 2019 iteration in the hands of the next administration.