Thursday, June 13, 2019

Energy News Digest for June 13, 2019


The Hot Shots edition of the Energy News Digest is available on Facebook, and on Twitter.

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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS





The Long-Awaited Upgrade to the U.S. Weather Forecast Model Is Here (Ars Technica)

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Colstrip Coal Units to Close Early as Operator Blames Fuel Supplier (Utility Dive)

Unusual Number of Dead Ice Seals Wash Up on Alaska Shores (Courthouse News Service)

Oregon Cap & Trade Bill Advances to a House Vote (Portland Business Journal, OR)

$140 Million Estimated Cost of New Grant PUD Quincy Electrical Transmission Line (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

New Network for First Responders Raises Concern Among Media (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Colstrip Coal Units to Close Early as Operator Blames Fuel Supplier
2.      A Big Coal Shutdown -- Plants Part-Owned by Puget Sound Energy
3.      $140 Million Estimated Cost of New Grant PUD Quincy Electrical Transmission Line
4.      Editorial: Columbia Basin Treaty Must Be Negotiated Ethically, Responsibly
5.      Port Orchard Puts a Hold on Water Hook-Ups for New Development
6.      Mason PUD 1 Implements Voluntary Water Conservation
7.      Energy Adviser: Going Extra Mile for Large Customers
8.      Utilities Ask Congress to ‘Come to Grips’ with Clean Energy Requirements by Setting Nationwide Rules
9.      Unusual Number of Dead Ice Seals Wash Up on Alaska Shores
10.   Conservationists Raise Alarm Over Wild Fish Found on British Columbia Salmon Farms
11.   Streamside Buffers Could Help Efforts to Save Washington Orcas
12.   Oregon Tribe Aims to Buy Willamette Falls Site
13.   Suquamish Tribe Threatens to Sue the U.S. Navy Over Sewage Spills
14.   Water Could Be Shut Off to Some Eastern Idaho Irrigators
15.   Whatcom County Dairy Looks to Wring Clean Water from Manure
16.   Lower Columbia River Critical Front on the Thin Green Line
17.   Welcome to the ‘Wild West’ of Wind Law
18.   New Network for First Responders Raises Concern Among Media
19.   McMorris Rodgers Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Revamp Broadband Mapping Process
20.   FCC Wants to Fix Maps That Now Overstate Broadband Coverage
21.   FCC Authorizes $166.8 Million for Rural Broadband
22.   Three Million U.S. Students Don’t Have Home Internet
23.   Suits Allege Amazon’s Alexa Violates Laws by Recording Children’s Voices without Consent
24.   The Rise of Electric Vehicles Could Overwhelm the Grid - Pacific Gas & Electric Has a Better Plan
25.   Oregon Cap & Trade Bill Advances to a House Vote
26.   Oregon Preparing for Possible Interstate Pot Commerce
27.   Store’s Bid to Shame Customers Over Plastic Bags Backfires
28.   Twitter Deletes Accounts Linked to Foreign Governments
29.   I’ve Been Studying Logos for Decades. Here’s What Changed This Year
30.   High Court to Decide If Secret Washington State Legislative Records Are a ‘Black Hole’ or a Needed Balance
31.   The 2020 Census Is Coming – Will Native Americans Be Counted?
32.   Idaho’s Republican Senators Have Bill to Split 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
33.   President Trump May Veto House Budget Bill Over Hanford Cleanup Spending
34.   Cooler Temps & Abundant Sunshine After Record-Breaking Heat
35.   Heat Wave Causes Road to Buckle in South Seattle
36.   FedEx Trailer Rolls, Dumps Load on I-5 North, Slowing Traffic
37.   Washington State Could Soon See 40-Cent Dip in Gas Prices
38.   Opportunity Zones Knocking for Projects Around Washington
39.   El Niño Forecast to Continue Through the Summer, Could Knock Down Hurricanes

WORD OF THE DAY

Vexillology • \vek-suh-LAH-luh-jee\ • noun - The study of flags

Alfred was flummoxed. He was the foremost authority on vexillology in the village. However, when people used flag patterns for clothing he couldn’t help trying to determine the country and vintage of the flags so used. This led to a short jail stint after an unfortunate visit to the beach on an extremely hot day. The mayor’s wife was not amused by his attention to her stars and stripes swimsuit.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    Colstrip Coal Units to Close Early as Operator Blames Fuel Supplier (Utility Dive)

2.    A Big Coal Shutdown -- Plants Part-Owned by Puget Sound Energy (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

3.    $140 Million Estimated Cost of New Grant PUD Quincy Electrical Transmission Line (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

4.    Editorial: Columbia Basin Treaty Must Be Negotiated Ethically, Responsibly (Nelson Star, BC)

5.    Port Orchard Puts a Hold on Water Hook-Ups for New Development (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

6.    Mason PUD 1 Implements Voluntary Water Conservation (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

7.    Energy Adviser: Going Extra Mile for Large Customers (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

8.    Utilities Ask Congress to ‘Come to Grips’ with Clean Energy Requirements by Setting Nationwide Rules (Washington Examiner)

FISH & WILDLIFE

9.    Unusual Number of Dead Ice Seals Wash Up on Alaska Shores (Courthouse News Service)

10. Conservationists Raise Alarm Over Wild Fish Found on British Columbia Salmon Farms (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

11. Streamside Buffers Could Help Efforts to Save Washington Orcas (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

12. Oregon Tribe Aims to Buy Willamette Falls Site (Portland Business Journal, OR)

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

13. Suquamish Tribe Threatens to Sue the U.S. Navy Over Sewage Spills (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

14. Water Could Be Shut Off to Some Eastern Idaho Irrigators (Associated Press)

15. Whatcom County Dairy Looks to Wring Clean Water from Manure (Capital Press)

16. Lower Columbia River Critical Front on the Thin Green Line (Sightline Institute)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

17. Welcome to the ‘Wild West’ of Wind Law (E&E News)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

18. New Network for First Responders Raises Concern Among Media (Associated Press)

19. McMorris Rodgers Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Revamp Broadband Mapping Process (Ripon Advance, Washington, DC)

20. FCC Wants to Fix Maps That Now Overstate Broadband Coverage (Associated Press)

21. FCC Authorizes $166.8 Million for Rural Broadband (State Scoop)

22. Three Million U.S. Students Don’t Have Home Internet (Associated Press)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

23. Suits Allege Amazon’s Alexa Violates Laws by Recording Children’s Voices without Consent (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

24. The Rise of Electric Vehicles Could Overwhelm the Grid - Pacific Gas & Electric Has a Better Plan (Utility Dive)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

25. Oregon Cap & Trade Bill Advances to a House Vote (Portland Business Journal, OR)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

26. Oregon Preparing for Possible Interstate Pot Commerce (Everett Herald, WA)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

27. Store’s Bid to Shame Customers Over Plastic Bags Backfires (NY Times)

28. Twitter Deletes Accounts Linked to Foreign Governments (Associated Press)

29. I’ve Been Studying Logos for Decades. Here’s What Changed This Year (Fast Company)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

30. High Court to Decide If Secret Washington State Legislative Records Are a ‘Black Hole’ or a Needed Balance (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

31. The 2020 Census Is Coming – Will Native Americans Be Counted? (Los Angeles Times, CA)

32. Idaho’s Republican Senators Have Bill to Split 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

GENERAL NEWS

33. President Trump May Veto House Budget Bill Over Hanford Cleanup Spending (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

34. Cooler Temps & Abundant Sunshine After Record-Breaking Heat (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

35. Heat Wave Causes Road to Buckle in South Seattle (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

36. FedEx Trailer Rolls, Dumps Load on I-5 North, Slowing Traffic (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

37. Washington State Could Soon See 40-Cent Dip in Gas Prices (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

38. Opportunity Zones Knocking for Projects Around Washington (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

39. El Niño Forecast to Continue Through the Summer, Could Knock Down Hurricanes (USA Today)

SEAGULLS ON RADAR – DIVERSIONS

Flock of Seagulls Appear on Minnesota Radar

Poorly-Made Fake License Plate Leads to Arrest in California

New City of Roswell Logo Receives Trademark Protection

Report: Universal Music Group Covered Up Destruction of Irreplaceable Master Tapes In 2008 Fire

SONG OF THE DAY

A Flock of Seagulls – Space Age Love Song

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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