Friday, June 1, 2018

Energy News Digest for June 1, 2018


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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

President Trump Prepares Lifeline for Money-Losing Coal Power Plants (Bloomberg News)

Oregon Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Salem Tap Water (Oregonian, Portland)

NOAA Says It Must Complete New Salmon/Steelhead BiOp in 2018 to Ensure ESA Compliance (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

State Department Vague But Optimistic on Columbia River Treaty Renegotiations (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)

Eastern Oregon Telecom Execs Buy Out Umatilla Electric Cooperative’s Broadband Business (Eastern Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      President Trump Prepares Lifeline for Money-Losing Coal Power Plants
2.      Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Board Makes Decision on BPA Spill Charges
3.      Washington State Blamed for Holding Up Fossil Fuel Exports
4.      Registration Challenge Dismissed against Ned Piper, Cowlitz PUD Commission Candidate
5.      Editorial: Bonneville Power Administration Power Kept in Public’s Hands
6.      Making Pacific Gas & Electric Pay More than Its Fair Share of Fire Damage Could Backfire on California
7.      Returning Home: A Seattle City Light Engineer’s Mission to Power Afghanistan
8.      A Diverse Power Supply Delivers Reliable Electricity
9.      2018 Women with Hydro Vision Award Recipients Announced – Including BPA Exec
10.   Bonneville Power Administration Saves $4.25 Million with Historic Designation Project
11.   Contractor at Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant Overcharged TVA Nearly $4.4 Million
12.   Battered Puerto Rico Still Two Months from Full Power as Hurricane Season Opens
13.   FERC Agrees to $2.7 Million Fine over ‘Serious’ Cyber Violations
14.   Michigan: Charges Dismissed for Taking High-Tech Meters Off House
15.   State Department Vague But Optimistic on Columbia River Treaty Renegotiations
16.   Feds Study Options for Managing Dams on Columbia, Snake Rivers
17.   NOAA Says It Must Complete New Salmon/Steelhead BiOp in 2018 to Ensure ESA Compliance
18.   You Can Keep More Adult Spring Chinook on Parts of the Snake
19.   Parts of British Columbia Coast Now Closed to Salmon Fishing in Effort to Protect Killer Whales
20.   Clean Energy – In the World of Cryptocurrency, Even Good Projects Can Go Bad
21.   Eastern Oregon Telecom Execs Buy Out Umatilla Electric Cooperative’s Broadband Business
22.   Editorial: Like Water & Electricity, Publicly Owned Broadband Could Boost Rural Areas
23.   24 Million Americans Don’t Have Access to Broadband—Why Isn’t It an Election Issue?
24.   FCC Rural Broadband Office Bill Introduced
25.   California, New York, New Jersey See Nearly $1.3 Billion in New Electric Vehicle Funding
26.   Canada: Electric-Powered Commercial Trucks Could Be Key to Hitting Climate Change Targets
27.   EPA’s Science Advisory Board Rebukes Pruitt over Rule Combating ‘Secret Science’
28.   Oregon Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Salem Tap Water
29.   360,000 Californians Have Unsafe Drinking Water. Are You One of Them?
30.   Owner of Sequim Marijuana Farm Fights To Stay Open
31.   What Starbucks Anti-Bias Training Day Was Like, According to Employees
32.   Seattle Just Recorded Warmest — And One of the Driest — Months of May in History
33.   Coast Guard, Life Jacket Save Life of Canoeist near Dosewallips State Park
34.   Several Hurt after Jumping from Balconies to Escape Federal Way Apartment Fire
35.   Man Trying to Torch Gophers Ignites 20-Acre Fire in Tri-Cities Neighborhood
36.   Port of Olympia Commissioners Accept Executive Director’s Resignation
37.   Mason County Forest Festival Is This Weekend!

WORD OF THE DAY

Banausic • \buh-NAW-sick\ • Adjective - Relating to or concerned with earning a living -- used pejoratively; also: utilitarian, practical

Despite her sheltered upbringing, Daisy loved digging in the garden with her bare hands. Her banausic pleasure was only slightly lessened by the soil that got under her fingernails.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    President Trump Prepares Lifeline for Money-Losing Coal Power Plants (Bloomberg News)

2.    Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Board Makes Decision on BPA Spill Charges (Blue Mountain Eagle, John Day. OR)

3.    Washington State Blamed for Holding Up Fossil Fuel Exports (Associated Press)

4.    Registration Challenge Dismissed against Ned Piper, Cowlitz PUD Commission Candidate (Longview Daily News, WA)

5.    Editorial: Bonneville Power Administration Power Kept in Public’s Hands – Selling off the BPA would have meant higher electricity bills & loss of control of a public asset (Everett Herald, WA)

6.    Making Pacific Gas & Electric Pay More than Its Fair Share of Fire Damage Could Backfire on California (Sacramento Bee, CA)

7.    Returning Home: A Seattle City Light Engineer’s Mission to Power Afghanistan (American Public Power Association)

8.    A Diverse Power Supply Delivers Reliable Electricity (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

9.    2018 Women with Hydro Vision Award Recipients Announced – Including BPA Exec (Hydro World)

10. Bonneville Power Administration Saves $4.25 Million with Historic Designation Project (Bonneville Power Administration)

11. Contractor at Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant Overcharged TVA Nearly $4.4 Million (Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN)

12. Battered Puerto Rico Still Two Months from Full Power as Hurricane Season Opens (USA Today)

13. FERC Agrees to $2.7 Million Fine over ‘Serious’ Cyber Violations (Politico Morning Energy)

14. Michigan: Charges Dismissed for Taking High-Tech Meters Off House (Associated Press)

COLUMBIA RIVER CACOPHONY

15. State Department Vague But Optimistic on Columbia River Treaty Renegotiations (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)

16. Feds Study Options for Managing Dams on Columbia, Snake Rivers (Capital Press)

FISH & WILDLIFE

17. NOAA Says It Must Complete New Salmon/Steelhead BiOp in 2018 to Ensure ESA Compliance (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

18. You Can Keep More Adult Spring Chinook on Parts of the Snake (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

19. Parts of British Columbia Coast Now Closed to Salmon Fishing in Effort to Protect Killer Whales (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

20. Clean Energy – In the World of Cryptocurrency, Even Good Projects Can Go Bad (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

21. Eastern Oregon Telecom Execs Buy Out Umatilla Electric Cooperative’s Broadband Business (Eastern Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

22. Editorial: Like Water & Electricity, Publicly Owned Broadband Could Boost Rural Areas (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

23. 24 Million Americans Don’t Have Access to Broadband—Why Isn’t It an Election Issue? (Motherboard)

24. FCC Rural Broadband Office Bill Introduced (Broadcasting & Cable)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

25. California, New York, New Jersey See Nearly $1.3 Billion in New Electric Vehicle Funding (Utility Dive)

26. Canada: Electric-Powered Commercial Trucks Could Be Key to Hitting Climate Change Targets (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

ENVIRONMENTAL FOOT LOCKER

27. EPA’s Science Advisory Board Rebukes Pruitt over Rule Combating ‘Secret Science’ (Washington Examiner)

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

28. Oregon Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Salem Tap Water (Oregonian, Portland)

29. 360,000 Californians Have Unsafe Drinking Water. Are You One of Them? (Sacramento Bee, CA)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

30. Owner of Sequim Marijuana Farm Fights To Stay Open (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

31. What Starbucks Anti-Bias Training Day Was Like, According to Employees (Fast Company)

GENERAL NEWS

32. Seattle Just Recorded Warmest — And One of the Driest — Months of May in History (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

33. Coast Guard, Life Jacket Save Life of Canoeist near Dosewallips State Park (Associated Press)

34. Several Hurt after Jumping from Balconies to Escape Federal Way Apartment Fire (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

35. Man Trying to Torch Gophers Ignites 20-Acre Fire in Tri-Cities Neighborhood (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

36. Port of Olympia Commissioners Accept Executive Director’s Resignation (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

37. Mason County Forest Festival Is This Weekend! (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Charges: Impersonators Acted as Police in Michigan for Years

New York School District Mulling Homework Ban Proposal from Students

Texas Boy Spells ‘Koinonia’ Correctly, Wins Scripps National Spelling Bee

Ted Dabney, a Founder of Atari & a Creator of Pong, Dies at 81

SONG OF THE DAY

Wendy Carlos – Tron (Soundtrack, Ending Titles)

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