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

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-27/leonard-nimoy-spock-in-star-trek-movies-series-dies-at-83

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

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2015/02/26/net-neutrality-essential-state-officials-cheeer-fccs-new-rules/

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

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/claim_state_data_center_manage.html

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)

http://www.rco.wa.gov/doc_pages/press/2015/140.shtml

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

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2718007/Despite-increasing-sales-legal-pot-businesses-warn-of-impending-disaster-if-changes-not-made

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

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/technology/net-neutrality-fcc-vote-internet-utility.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/feb/25/washington-lawmaker-calls-for-focus-on-nuclear/

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

http://tdn.com/news/local/lack-of-snow-may-mean-less-power-generated-at-swift/article_5efb3f42-bd5d-11e4-8a25-f369e9b7e33b.html

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

http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article11159852.html

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

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/members/schools-county-to-give-back-k-to-wind-farm/article_a7bf9a26-bd16-11e4-94a6-db06fb536c71.html

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

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/technology/path-clears-for-net-neutrality-ahead-of-fcc-vote.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Proposals Push Nuclear Energy in Washington State (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/story/news/2015/02/24/proposals-push-nuclear-energy-in-washington-state/23966559/

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

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-s-low-snow-pack-could-affect-salmon-run-in-spring-1.2969992?cmp=rss

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

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/2942941-8/house-bill-on-tribal-pot-compacts-passes-committee

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

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/feb/25/proposed-low-carbon-fuel-standard-draws-praise/

Oil Industry Not Buying Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s Cap & Trade Plan (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/oil-industry-not-buying-inslee-plan/

The Sage Grouse Might Not Be Listed as an Endangered Species After All (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2015/02/23/the-sage-grouse-might-not-be-listed-as-an-endangered-species-after-all/

Olympic Region Clean Air Agency Awaiting Results after Emissions Tests on Nippon Biomass Boiler (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150224/news/302249988/olympic-region-clean-air-agency-awaiting-results-after-emissions

Alaska Becomes Third State with Legal Marijuana (Associated Press)

http://www.kgw.com/story/news/local/marijuana/2015/02/23/alaska-becomes-3rd-state-with-legal-marijuana/23909595/

Solar Eclipse Threatens European Power Supplies (CNBC)

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102450397

More Big Numbers Expected for 2015 Fall Chinook Return to Columbia; Third Highest Since 1938 (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/433202.aspx

Bonneville Power Administration Requests 100MW of External Reserves (Argus Media)

http://www.argusmedia.com/News/Article?id=996306

Bills in Washington State Legislature Hit First Do-Or-Die Deadline (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/bills-washington-legislature-hit-first-do-or-die-deadline

As U-S Offshore Wind Power Sinks, Backers Seek Regional Rescue (Breaking Energy)

http://breakingenergy.com/2015/02/20/as-us-offshore-wind-power-sinks-backers-seek-regional-rescue/

Car Drives into Case Inlet Friday; One Person Dead (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news/21497-car-drives-into-case-inlet-1-dead

John Kitzhaber Saga Fuels Conservatives’ Fight on Clean Energy (Politico)

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/john-kitzhaber-oregon-clean-energy-115287.html#ixzz3S8sSOpxv

‘Poison Pill’ in Washington State Gas Tax Plan Worry Enviros (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2015/02/poison-pill-gas-tax-plan-worry-enviros/

Last Year is Now Warmest Year on Record for Washington State (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/Last-year-is-warmest-year-on-record-for-Washington-state-292462111.html

How the West's New Energy Imbalance Market is Building a Smarter Energy System (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/how-the-wests-new-energy-imbalance-market-is-building-a-smarter-energy-sys/364883/

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

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/us/kate-brown-replacing-john-kitzhaber-as-oregon-governor.html?_r=0

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

http://washingtonstatewire.com/blog/spat-solar-power-leaves-tangle-bills-needing-move-cutoff/

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

http://www.cbbulletin.com/433156.aspx

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

http://theenergycollective.com/peterdykstra/2195356/atomic-balm-some-prominent-environmental-veterans-are-talking-nuclear-power-cli

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

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/oregon_senate_votes_to_extend_1.html

Apple Investing $850 Million in California Solar Farm (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/10/us-apple-cook-idUSKBN0LE2RN20150210

Montana Coal Plant to Shut Down in August (Associated Press)

http://www.kxly.com/news/northwest/montana-coal-plant-to-shut-down-in-august/31194970

California: Appeals Court Rejects Challenges to Fish Hatcheries’ Impact (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article9708359.html

Washington State Governor’s Cap-And-Trade Bill Needs More Votes (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2015/02/10/politics-government/123928/jay-inslee-carbon-cap-trade-house-vote-legislature/

School Board Votes to Close Shelton High Pool (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news/21305-shelton-pool-to-close#comments

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)

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-solar-race-20150209-story.html

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

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/lion+flash+mobs+prey+fishermen+catch/10800488/story.html

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

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/feb/10/avista-seeking-washington-rate-hikes-in-2016/

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

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2015/02/ocean_acidification_seattle.html

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

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/mayor-moves-end-seattles-cable-franchise-districts/nj7J9/

Six Claim Racial Bias in Suit with Utilities in Seattle Public Utilities Bill-Fixing Scandal (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2025656541_spulawsuit1xml.html

Amazon Plans Up to Eleven More Oregon Data Centers If Tax Situation Addressed (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2015/02/amazon_plans_up_to_11_more_ore.html

Idaho Regulators Shorten Renewable Power Contracts (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/idaho-regulators-shorten-renewable-power-contracts/361902/

2014 Snake River Fall Chinook Redd Estimate Highest Total since Surveys Began in 1988 (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/433115.aspx

Disaster on the Slopes: Record-Low Snow Year Continues (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2015/02/09/disaster-on-the-slopes-record-low-snow-year-continues/

Pineapple Express Promises Stormy Weekend (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

http://koin.com/2015/02/05/stormy-weekend-ahead/

U-S Army Corps of Engineers Set to Release Final Cormorant Kill Plan (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/02/army_corps_of_engineers_set_to.html

Inslee’s Climate Plan Would Cost Jobs, Business-Backed Study Says (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2025633805_capandtradestudyxml.html?syndication=rss

Do Electric Cars Still Need Support from Taxpayers? (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/do-electric-cars-still-need-support-taxpayers

Over 100 Tribes Exploring Marijuana Business Opportunities (Marijuana Business Daily)

http://mmjbusinessdaily.com/over-100-tribes-exploring-marijuana-business-opportunities/

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

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2015/02/as-scandal-subsides-nw-energy-oversight-giant.html

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

http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/February-2015/Tacoma-Public-Utilities-named-tops-for-business/

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

http://kmasnewsradio.com/2014-04-07-17-28-24/21187-shelton-s-conversion-to-led-lights-with-pud-3

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

http://www.eastoregonian.com/eo/local-news/20150204/county-says-proposed-wind-farm-lacks-detail-on-transmission

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

http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/washington-senate-votes-legalize-hemp-farming-oregon-starts-writing-permits

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

http://thevane.gawker.com/major-storms-in-the-pacific-northwest-to-bring-feet-of-1649405442

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

http://www.columbian.com/news/2015/feb/04/clark-public-utilities-community-solar-popular/

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

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/20150203-in-texas-suburbia-solar-not-always-welcome.ece

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

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2015/feb/03/pud-moratorium-extended-on-big-power-requests/

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

http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2015/02/centurylink_pursuing_cable_tv.html

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

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

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/PG-E-targeted-critics-after-San-Bruno-blast-6054156.php

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

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2015/02/legislature_to_consider_ban_on.html

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

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article8865596.html

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

http://www.ect.coop/editors-pick/sea-lions-find-new-places-to-snack-on-nw-fish/77571

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

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/technology/in-net-neutrality-push-fcc-is-expected-to-propose-regulating-the-internet-as-a-utility.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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.