Monday, October 29, 2018

Energy News Digest for October 29, 2018


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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Irrigators Claim Judge Erred in Columbia River Basin Hydropower Ruling (Capital Press)

PUD Commissioner – The Most Important Political Race You’ve Never Heard Of (Sightline Institute)

West Oregon Electric Cooperative Members Circulate Petition to Leave Co-Op (Banks Post, OR)

More Than a Dozen Cities Are Challenging the FCC over How to Deploy 5G Cell Sites (Washington Post)

A Strong Atmospheric River Should Hit the Northwest Next Weekend (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      PUD Commissioner – The Most Important Political Race You’ve Never Heard Of
2.      West Oregon Electric Cooperative Members Circulate Petition to Leave Co-Op
3.      Washington State Utilities & Transportation Commission Approves Rate Decreases for Several Natural Gas Companies
4.      How Snake River Dam Debate Could Affect Your Power Bill
5.      Lead Diplomat for U-S Sizes Up Ongoing Columbia River Treaty Negotiations
6.      Grant PUD Discusses Options for $50 Million
7.      Avista CEO Scott Morris Discusses the Utility’s Proposed Sale, His Role & What It Means to His Hometown
8.      Utilities Worry FCC Plan to Open Wireless Spectrum Could Compromise Communications
9.      Billionaire Brawl: Warren Buffett vs. Sheldon Adelson in Nevada Energy Ballot Measure
10.   Florida: Hit & Run - Three Linemen Killed While Repairing Power Lines Downed by Hurricane
11.   Energy Secretary Perry Says White House Still Backs Nevada Nuclear Dump
12.   FERC Names Chatterjee as New Chairman
13.   Power from the People: Rural Electrification Brought More than Lights
14.   Irrigators Claim Judge Erred in Columbia River Basin Hydropower Ruling
15.   Now’s Your Last Chance to Provide Feedback on the Southern Resident Task Force Recommendations
16.   A Homecoming for Lostine Coho – Run was officially declared extinct in the 1980s
17.   Feds, Tribes, States Sign Extended Columbia Basin Fish Accords; $400 Million for Fish/Wildlife
18.   Scientists Declare Annual ‘Dead Zone’ Season Off Pacific Coast
19.   With Comments on Newport Silicon Smelter Open Through Oct. 26, Citizens Express Concerns
20.   Energy Northwest to Construct Solar Array & Energy Storage System
21.   California: Clock Ticking on Humboldt County Wind Energy Project
22.   More Than a Dozen Cities Are Challenging the FCC over How to Deploy 5G Cell Sites
23.   Bringing VoIP to Rural America via Electric Cooperatives
24.   The Digital Gap Between Rich & Poor Kids Is Not What We Expected
25.   Seattle Caught Between Tribal Rights & Protecting Its Water Supply
26.   Will One State Go It Alone to Make Polluters Pay?
27.   Washington State Carbon Fee Initiative Too Risky for Cowlitz PUD Commissioners
28.   Unions Helped Write Washington State’s Carbon Fee Initiative. Some Also Want to Sink It.
29.   Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the U-S Power Sector Have Declined 28% Since 2005
30.   Google Wants to Write Your Emails for You. It’s Time to Draw the Line.
31.   Twitter Should Kill the Retweet
32.   Vancouver, Canada’s Marijuana Capital, Struggles to Tame the Black Market
33.   Pork Giant Smithfield to Convert Pig Poop Gases into Power
34.   Yakamas in the Supreme Court: A Tax Lion in the Cougar Den? — Treaties Versus Taxes in Federal Indian Law
35.   Lawsuit Claims Washington State Rep Walsh’s Blocking of Facebook Users Violates First Amendment
36.   A Strong Atmospheric River Should Hit the Northwest Next Weekend
37.   Washington State’s Volcanoes Ranked among Nation’s Most Hazardous
38.   Tacoma Man Faces DUI Charge in 101 Head-On Crash near Lilliwaup
39.   Highway 8 McCleary Construction Complete. All Roads Open & 60 Mph Once Again
40.   Kitsap’s Crisis Triage Center Serves 88 in First Two Months
41.   Video: Ross McDowell – Mason County Emergency Management

WORD OF THE DAY - THE HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Shambles /SHAM-bulls/ Noun – 1: slaughterhouse 2a: a place of mass slaughter or bloodshed b: a scene or a state of great destruction: wreckage c: a scene or a state of great disorder or confusion d: great confusion: mess.

Scrambles and shambles
Poles like jackstraws, big damage
Storm season’s coming

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    PUD Commissioner – The Most Important Political Race You’ve Never Heard Of (Sightline Institute)

2.    West Oregon Electric Cooperative Members Circulate Petition to Leave Co-Op (Banks Post, OR)

3.    Washington State Utilities & Transportation Commission Approves Rate Decreases for Several Natural Gas Companies (Daily Energy Insider)

4.    How Snake River Dam Debate Could Affect Your Power Bill (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

5.    Lead Diplomat for U-S Sizes Up Ongoing Columbia River Treaty Negotiations (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

6.    Grant PUD Discusses Options for $50 Million (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

7.    Avista CEO Scott Morris Discusses the Utility’s Proposed Sale, His Role & What It Means to His Hometown (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

8.    Utilities Worry FCC Plan to Open Wireless Spectrum Could Compromise Communications (Utility Dive)

9.    Billionaire Brawl: Warren Buffett vs. Sheldon Adelson in Nevada Energy Ballot Measure (Politico)

10. Florida: Hit & Run - Three Linemen Killed While Repairing Power Lines Downed by Hurricane (CBS News)

11. Energy Secretary Perry Says White House Still Backs Nevada Nuclear Dump (Bloomberg News)

12. FERC Names Chatterjee as New Chairman (Daily Energy Insider)

13. Power from the People: Rural Electrification Brought More than Lights (Smithsonian Magazine)

FISH & WILDLIFE

14. Irrigators Claim Judge Erred in Columbia River Basin Hydropower Ruling (Capital Press)

15. Now’s Your Last Chance to Provide Feedback on the Southern Resident Task Force Recommendations (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

16. A Homecoming for Lostine Coho – Run was officially declared extinct in the 1980s (Lewiston Tribune, ID)

17. Feds, Tribes, States Sign Extended Columbia Basin Fish Accords; $400 Million for Fish/Wildlife (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

18. Scientists Declare Annual ‘Dead Zone’ Season Off Pacific Coast (Politico, Morning Energy)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

19. With Comments on Newport Silicon Smelter Open Through Oct. 26, Citizens Express Concerns (The Inlander, Spokane, WA)

20. Energy Northwest to Construct Solar Array & Energy Storage System (Daily Energy Insider)

21. California: Clock Ticking on Humboldt County Wind Energy Project (Mad River Union, Arcata, CA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

22. More Than a Dozen Cities Are Challenging the FCC over How to Deploy 5G Cell Sites (Washington Post)

23. Bringing VoIP to Rural America via Electric Cooperatives (ToolBox)

24. The Digital Gap Between Rich & Poor Kids Is Not What We Expected (NY Times)

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

25. Seattle Caught Between Tribal Rights & Protecting Its Water Supply (Crosscut Seattle)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

26. Will One State Go It Alone to Make Polluters Pay? (NY Times)

27. Washington State Carbon Fee Initiative Too Risky for Cowlitz PUD Commissioners (Longview Daily News, WA)

28. Unions Helped Write Washington State’s Carbon Fee Initiative. Some Also Want to Sink It. (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

29. Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the U-S Power Sector Have Declined 28% Since 2005 (U-S Energy Information Administration)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

30. Google Wants to Write Your Emails for You. It’s Time to Draw the Line. (Washington Post)

31. Twitter Should Kill the Retweet (Atlantic Magazine)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

32. Vancouver, Canada’s Marijuana Capital, Struggles to Tame the Black Market (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

33. Pork Giant Smithfield to Convert Pig Poop Gases into Power (Associated Press)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

34. Yakamas in the Supreme Court: A Tax Lion in the Cougar Den? — Treaties Versus Taxes in Federal Indian Law (SCOTUS Blog)

35. Lawsuit Claims Washington State Rep Walsh’s Blocking of Facebook Users Violates First Amendment (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

36. A Strong Atmospheric River Should Hit the Northwest Next Weekend (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

37. Washington State’s Volcanoes Ranked among Nation’s Most Hazardous (Associated Press)

38. Tacoma Man Faces DUI Charge in 101 Head-On Crash near Lilliwaup (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

39. Highway 8 McCleary Construction Complete. All Roads Open & 60 Mph Once Again (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)


41. Video: Ross McDowell – Mason County Emergency Management (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Pumpkins Fly in Union

What a Break! Man’s Fall Leads to Hospital Lottery Pool Win

Blowtorch Used to Kill Spiders May Have Started House Fire

The Curse of the Bradford Pear

SONG OF THE DAY

Louis Dowdeswell – Gonna Fly Now

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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.