Friday, December 14, 2018

Energy News Digest for December 14, 2018


The Hot Shots edition of the news digest is available on Facebook, and on Twitter.

To subscribe to the Energy News Digest, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS






HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Wind Storm Forecast for South Sound on Friday, Local Utility Says “It’s Ready” (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee Wants $1.1 Billion to Help Save Puget Sound’s Critically Endangered Orcas (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Idaho Power, Idaho & Oregon Make Deal on Fish Passage at Hells Canyon Complex of Dams (Associated Press)

TransAlta Grants More Than $1 Million in Conservation Funds to Lewis County PUD (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

Port of Skagit to Partner with Port of Whitman on Fiber Network (Skagit Valley News, Mount Vernon, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Wind Storm Forecast for South Sound on Friday, Local Utility Says “It’s Ready”
2.      Downed Power Lines Are a Danger Most British Columbians Don’t Recognize, Survey Finds
3.      As PacifiCorp & Other Analyses Point to More Coal Shutdowns, Replacement Questions Rise
4.      Pacific Gas & Electric Wants Rate Hike to Fund Wildfire Safety
5.      PUD Scam Making the Rounds Again
6.      After 18 Years, Jefferson County PUD Commissioner Attends Final Meeting
7.      Grant PUD Bids Farewell to Outgoing Commissioners Brewer & Bernd
8.      Talks of Electric Retail Dereg Begin Again in Arizona
9.      Why Electricity Demand Is About to Get a Jolt
10.   FERC: Glick Blasts Chatterjee Clean Power Plan Comments as Not ‘Appropriate,’ ‘Relevant’
11.   Idaho Power, Idaho & Oregon Make Deal on Fish Passage at Hells Canyon Complex of Dams
12.   Federal Judge Orders Stronger Cold-Water Fish Protections in Oregon Rivers
13.   Warmer Arctic Temperatures Are Killing Cod – The Effects Are Being Felt in Oregon
14.   West Coast Fishery Rebounds after Years of Conservation Efforts
15.   Washington State to Hear Public Input on Columbia River Salmon & Sturgeon Policies
16.   Half of Canada’s Chinook Salmon Populations in Decline
17.   Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee Wants $1.1 Billion to Help Save Puget Sound’s Critically Endangered Orcas
18.   Washington State Gov. Inslee Speaks at Orca Rally in Olympia after Unveiling $1.1 Billion Recovery Proposa
19.   New Bill Makes It Easier to Kill Sea Lions, But Can It Save Local Orcas?
20.   U-S Solar Takes Hit from Trump Tariffs But Is Cheaper Than Ever: Report
21.   Waste of Energy – Burning Garbage? Chicken Poop? Your State Could Be Getting Renewable Energy from Nasty Sources.
22.   Port of Skagit to Partner with Port of Whitman on Fiber Network
23.   Internet Speeds Up in Oregon Cities, But Rural Areas Still Lag
24.   California Proposes a Plan to Tax Text Messages
25.   The Global Cashless Movement Meets Its Foe: Local Government
26.   In Annual Ranking of Worst Passwords, ‘Donald’ Makes Its Debut
27.   President Trump Blasts General Motors for Move Toward Electric Vehicles
28.   As More Cars Plug In, Utilities & Makers Juggle Ways to Power Them
29.   TransAlta Grants More Than $1 Million in Conservation Funds to Lewis County PUD
30.   Conservation Measures Can Take a Bite Out of Electric Bills
31.   A Study Examined Why Customers Remain in Time of Use Programs – The Results Were Terrible
32.   Faulty Gate at Bremerton Plant Causes Sewage, Runoff Spill
33.   Southwestern U-S States Get Jan. 31 Deadline for Drought Deal
34.   U-S House to Introduce Carbon Capture Bill amid Questions of Tech Viability
35.   Climate Change Is ‘Shrinking Winter’
36.   Thinning Glaciers Will Affect Freshwater Across Asia
37.   Facebook Says a Bug Affecting Up To 6.8 Million Users Exposed Photos They Hadn’t Shared
38.   Virgin Galactic Rocket Ship Reaches Space in Test Flight
39.   Washington State Governor Proposes Capital Gains Tax in New Budget
40.   Editorial: Other Elected Officials Comply with Public Records Laws. Washington State Legislators Should Figure It Out
41.   First Major Blow of the Winter
42.   Emailed Bomb Threats Investigated in Oregon, Nationwide
43.   Collapsed Beaver Dam Causes Extensive Flooding Near Shelton
44.   Would Seattle Drink Coffee from Its Stanley Cup?

WORD OF THE DAY

Pizzicato • \pitts-sih-KAW-toe\ • Noun - A note or passage played by plucking strings.

(To be read in a soft, nasally, pretentious manner…)
The dancing mice in the orchestral score of “Three Blind Mice” will be represented by the sharp, pizzicato passages.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    Wind Storm Forecast for South Sound on Friday, Local Utility Says “It’s Ready” (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

2.    Downed Power Lines Are a Danger Most British Columbians Don’t Recognize, Survey Finds (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

3.    As PacifiCorp & Other Analyses Point to More Coal Shutdowns, Replacement Questions Rise (Utility Dive)

4.    Pacific Gas & Electric Wants Rate Hike to Fund Wildfire Safety (Sacramento Bee, CA)

5.    PUD Scam Making the Rounds Again (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

6.    After 18 Years, Jefferson County PUD Commissioner Attends Final Meeting (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

7.    Grant PUD Bids Farewell to Outgoing Commissioners Brewer & Bernd (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

8.    Talks of Electric Retail Dereg Begin Again in Arizona (Arizona Capitol Times)

9.    Why Electricity Demand Is About to Get a Jolt (Morningstar)

10. FERC: Glick Blasts Chatterjee Clean Power Plan Comments as Not ‘Appropriate,’ ‘Relevant’ (Utility Dive)

FISH & WILDLIFE


12. Federal Judge Orders Stronger Cold-Water Fish Protections in Oregon Rivers (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

13. Warmer Arctic Temperatures Are Killing Cod – The Effects Are Being Felt in Oregon (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

14. West Coast Fishery Rebounds after Years of Conservation Efforts (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

15. Washington State to Hear Public Input on Columbia River Salmon & Sturgeon Policies (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

16. Half of Canada’s Chinook Salmon Populations in Decline – Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada says some are in danger of disappearing (Canadian Press)

ORCA ORDINATION – SWIMMING IN A SEA OF HEARTBREAK

17. Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee Wants $1.1 Billion to Help Save Puget Sound’s Critically Endangered Orcas (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

18. Washington State Gov. Inslee Speaks at Orca Rally in Olympia after Unveiling $1.1 Billion Recovery Proposal (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)

19. New Bill Makes It Easier to Kill Sea Lions, But Can It Save Local Orcas? (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

20. U-S Solar Takes Hit from Trump Tariffs But Is Cheaper Than Ever: Report (Reuters)

21. Waste of Energy – Burning Garbage? Chicken Poop? Your State Could Be Getting Renewable Energy from Nasty Sources. (Grist Online)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

22. Port of Skagit to Partner with Port of Whitman on Fiber Network (Skagit Valley News, Mount Vernon, WA)

23. Internet Speeds Up in Oregon Cities, But Rural Areas Still Lag (Oregonian, Portland)

24. California Proposes a Plan to Tax Text Messages (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

25. The Global Cashless Movement Meets Its Foe: Local Government (Washington Post)

26. In Annual Ranking of Worst Passwords, ‘Donald’ Makes Its Debut (Washington Post)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

27. President Trump Blasts General Motors for Move Toward Electric Vehicles (Washington Examiner)

28. As More Cars Plug In, Utilities & Makers Juggle Ways to Power Them (NY Times)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

29. TransAlta Grants More Than $1 Million in Conservation Funds to Lewis County PUD (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

30. Conservation Measures Can Take a Bite Out of Electric Bills (East Oregonian, Pendleton)

31. A Study Examined Why Customers Remain in Time of Use Programs – The Results Were Terrible (Utility Dive)

ENVIRONMENTAL FOOT LOCKER

32. Faulty Gate at Bremerton Plant Causes Sewage, Runoff Spill (Associated Press)

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

33. Southwestern U-S States Get Jan. 31 Deadline for Drought Deal (Associated Press)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

34. U-S House to Introduce Carbon Capture Bill amid Questions of Tech Viability (Utility Dive)

35. Climate Change Is ‘Shrinking Winter’ (British Broadcasting Corporation)

36. Thinning Glaciers Will Affect Freshwater Across Asia (Courthouse News Service)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

37. Facebook Says a Bug Affecting Up To 6.8 Million Users Exposed Photos They Hadn’t Shared (CNBC)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

38. Virgin Galactic Rocket Ship Reaches Space in Test Flight (Associated Press)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

39. Washington State Governor Proposes Capital Gains Tax in New Budget (Associated Press)

40. Editorial: Other Elected Officials Comply with Public Records Laws. Washington State Legislators Should Figure It Out (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

41. First Major Blow of the Winter (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

42. Emailed Bomb Threats Investigated in Oregon, Nationwide (Oregonian, Portland)

43. Collapsed Beaver Dam Causes Extensive Flooding Near Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

44. Would Seattle Drink Coffee from Its Stanley Cup? (NY Times – No, artisan, craft beer. Or Hard Cider.)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Actress Sondra Locke, Longtime Clint Eastwood Co-Star & Partner, Has Died

Scuba-Diving Santa Brings Holiday Cheer to Fish, Museumgoers

KFC Selling Firelog That Smells Like Fried Chicken

Candidate Whose Missed Vote Led to Tie Loses on Dice Roll

SONG OF THE DAY

Eddie Rabbit – Every Which Way But Loose (Soundtrack)

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.