Friday, March 8, 2019

Energy News Digest for March 8, 2019


The Hot Shots edition of the Energy 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

After 14-Year Search Scientists Think They Have Found a New Type of Killer Whale Off Coast of Chile (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Bill Would Rewrite Oregon’s 90-Year-Old Dam Safety Rules (Oregonian, Portland)

Washington State House, Senate Pass Help for Orcas (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Bureau of Reclamation Predicts Healthy Water Supply in Yakima Basin This Year (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

America’s Light Bulb Revolution (NY Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Bill Would Rewrite Oregon’s 90-Year-Old Dam Safety Rules
2.      Oroville Dam: Trump Administration Denies California Repair Funds
3.      Navigation Locks on Columbia/Snake Rivers Closed This Month for Annual Maintenance
4.      Power Slowly Comes Back to Douglas County
5.      Idaho Governor Appoints New Member to Northwest Power & Conservation Council
6.      Bankrupt California Utility, Pacific Gas & Electric Wants to Give $235 Million in Bonuses
7.      New U-S Power Plants Expected to be Mostly Natural Gas Combined-Cycle & Solar PV
8.      Brattle: Electrification Could Drive $600 Billion in Transmission Spending by 2050
9.      Electric Cooperatives Provide Economic Boost New Report Says
10.   Venezuela Hit by Major Blackout, Government Blames ‘Sabotage’
11.   Electrical Common Electrical Safety Problems, & How to Solve Them
12.   After 14-Year Search Scientists Think They Have Found a New Type of Killer Whale Off Coast of Chile
13.   Washington State House, Senate Pass Help for Orcas
14.   Wildlife Biologist: What’s Actually Decimating Orcas in Puget Sound?
15.   Sea Lion Abundance at Bonneville Dam Below 10-Year Average; Mostly Stellers
16.   Video of British Columbia Fisherman Throwing Explosive into Crowd of Sea Lions Sparks Controversy
17.   A Trump Official Said Seismic Air Gun Tests Don’t Hurt Whales. So, a Congressman Blasted Him with an Air Horn.
18.   Bite-Sized Solar Investment Coming to Snohomish County
19.   America’s Light Bulb Revolution
20.   Washington State Senate Unanimously Votes to Create Broadband Office
21.   Clallam County Planning Commission Urged to Prohibit 5G
22.   Jefferson PUD Plans Internet Questionnaire: Survey Part of Strategy to Expand Broadband
23.   FCC ‘Looking Into’ Reported Error that Threw Broadband Deployment Numbers Off by Millions
24.   Incentives for Electric Car Buyers? Yes, in Oregon, Maybe in Washington State
25.   Alabama: Gas Tax Bill Adding Fees for Electric, Hybrid Vehicles
26.   Bureau of Reclamation Predicts Healthy Water Supply in Yakima Basin This Year
27.   Health Advisory Lifted for Historically Polluted Bremerton Stream
28.   Here’s How Facebook Plans to Act Against Anti-Vaccine Content
29.   Tim Cook Subtly Shades Trump by Changing His Name on Twitter
30.   (Posted Last Night) Last Chance for Lowland Snow for the Winter
31.   Four Washington State Companies Accused of Scamming Seniors in Tech-Support Schemes
32.   2019 Is Shaping Up to Be the Worst Year for Measles Since 1992, CDC Data Show
33.   Construction for Mason General Hospital’s New Mason Clinic is Well Underway
34.   Daylight Saving Time Starts This Weekend. Why Do We Spring Forward?

WORD OF THE DAY

Congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\ • adjective - 1*a: being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b: conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation: appropriate 2: marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements

The bleary-eyed reviewer slowly turned his gaze from what appeared to be a concerted letter-writing campaign by a certain candy cane company which had been trying to keep its confections in the hands of department store Santas. “The congruous nature of these letters is astounding,” he sighed. “They’re exactly the same, tout the benefits of high fructose corn syrup for children, and are all return addressed to the north pole.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    Bill Would Rewrite Oregon’s 90-Year-Old Dam Safety Rules (Oregonian, Portland)

2.    Oroville Dam: Trump Administration Denies California Repair Funds (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

3.    Navigation Locks on Columbia/Snake Rivers Closed This Month for Annual Maintenance (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

4.    Power Slowly Comes Back to Douglas County (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

5.    Idaho Governor Appoints New Member to Northwest Power & Conservation Council (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

6.    Bankrupt California Utility, Pacific Gas & Electric Wants to Give $235 Million in Bonuses (Associated Press)

7.    New U-S Power Plants Expected to be Mostly Natural Gas Combined-Cycle & Solar PV (U-S Energy Information Administration)

8.    Brattle: Electrification Could Drive $600 Billion in Transmission Spending by 2050 (Utility Dive)

9.    Electric Cooperatives Provide Economic Boost New Report Says (Daily Energy Insider)

10. Venezuela Hit by Major Blackout, Government Blames ‘Sabotage’ (Reuters)

11. Electrical Common Electrical Safety Problems, & How to Solve Them (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

12. After 14-Year Search Scientists Think They Have Found a New Type of Killer Whale Off Coast of Chile (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

13. Washington State House, Senate Pass Help for Orcas (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

14. Wildlife Biologist: What’s Actually Decimating Orcas in Puget Sound? (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA)

15. Sea Lion Abundance at Bonneville Dam Below 10-Year Average; Mostly Stellers (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

16. Video of British Columbia Fisherman Throwing Explosive into Crowd of Sea Lions Sparks Controversy (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

17. A Trump Official Said Seismic Air Gun Tests Don’t Hurt Whales. So, a Congressman Blasted Him with an Air Horn. (Washington Post)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

18. Bite-Sized Solar Investment Coming to Snohomish County (Everett Herald, WA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

19. America’s Light Bulb Revolution (NY Times)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

20. Washington State Senate Unanimously Votes to Create Broadband Office (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

21. Clallam County Planning Commission Urged to Prohibit 5G (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

22. Jefferson PUD Plans Internet Questionnaire: Survey Part of Strategy to Expand Broadband (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

23. FCC ‘Looking Into’ Reported Error that Threw Broadband Deployment Numbers Off by Millions (TechCrunch)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

24. Incentives for Electric Car Buyers? Yes, in Oregon, Maybe in Washington State (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

25. Alabama: Gas Tax Bill Adding Fees for Electric, Hybrid Vehicles (WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL)

“CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE” – WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

26. Bureau of Reclamation Predicts Healthy Water Supply in Yakima Basin This Year (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

27. Health Advisory Lifted for Historically Polluted Bremerton Stream (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

28. Here’s How Facebook Plans to Act Against Anti-Vaccine Content (Los Angeles Times, CA)

29. Tim Cook Subtly Shades Trump by Changing His Name on Twitter (Huffington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

30. (Posted Last Night) Last Chance for Lowland Snow for the Winter (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

31. Four Washington State Companies Accused of Scamming Seniors in Tech-Support Schemes (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

32. 2019 Is Shaping Up to Be the Worst Year for Measles Since 1992, CDC Data Show (Washington Post)

33. Construction for Mason General Hospital’s New Mason Clinic is Well Underway (Thurston Talk, Olympia, WA)

34. Daylight Saving Time Starts This Weekend. Why Do We Spring Forward? (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

California Tesla Driver Appears to Be Asleep at the Wheel as Car Goes 75 Mph on Freeway

Jan-Michael Vincent, star of ‘Airwolf’ & ‘The Winds of War,’ dies at 74

Mystery Good Samaritan Enables Man’s $273 Million Lottery Win

New Zealand Farmers Have a New Tool for Herding Sheep: Drones That Bark Like Dogs

SONG OF THE DAY

Robert Cobert – The Winds of War, Main Title

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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