Friday, February 1, 2019

Energy News Digest for February 1, 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

River Health in Hot Water: Washington State Takes Steps to Save Salmon, Steelhead (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Grant PUD Files Reply to Cryptocurrency Lawsuit (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Pacific Gas & Electric Bankruptcy Hearing Opens as Fire Victims Call for Action (Courthouse News Service)

High-Speed Broadband to Increase in Parts of Spokane & Stevens Counties (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

$11 Million Sought to Extend Sewer Line from Belfair Plant to Bremerton Industrial Park (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Grant PUD Files Reply to Cryptocurrency Lawsuit
2.      Pacific Gas & Electric Bankruptcy Hearing Opens as Fire Victims Call for Action
3.      Judge Says Pacific Gas & Electric Violated Probation, Citing ‘Clear Pattern’ of Fire Ignitions
4.      Colstrip Power Plant Threatened by Westmoreland Bankruptcy
5.      Opposition to Smart Meters Voiced at Clallam PUD Meeting
6.      Pacific Power Oregon Customers to See Decrease on February Bills Due to Federal Tax Savings
7.      Editorial: Snake River Dams Fill a Power Gap. Lawmakers Need to Know That
8.      One Year Later, See Bonneville Power Administration’s Strategy in Motion
9.      Natural Gas Prices Slump Despite U-S Winter Weather Blast
10.   LaFleur Will Not Seek Third Term as a FERC Commissioner
11.   FERC Proposes Expedited Hydro Licensing Process
12.   City in Iowa Loses Appeal of Electrical Damage Caused by Squirrel
13.   River Health in Hot Water: Washington State Takes Steps to Save Salmon, Steelhead
14.   Salmon & Orcas Linked, Legislature Told
15.   Fish & Wildlife Could See Expanded Powers Under One Proposal to Help Save Orcas
16.   Canadian Indigenous Groups Want Sea Health Study, Marine Traffic Halt
17.   ESA Winter Steelhead Impacted by Prolonged Steller Sea Lion Presence at Bonneville Dam
18.   West Coast’s Biggest Starfish Vanishing amid Disease, Warming Oceans, Study Finds
19.   Hawkins Proposes Bill to Allow Washington State PUDs to Make Hydrogen Fuel
20.   California’s Big Climate Plans Could Be in Hands of PG&E Bankruptcy Judge
21.   Energy Adviser: Follow Easy Steps to Prevent Electrical Fires
22.   High-Speed Broadband to Increase in Parts of Spokane & Stevens Counties
23.   Net Neutrality Repeal at Stake as Key Court Case Starts
24.   The Doorbells Have Eyes: The Privacy Battle Brewing over Home Security Cameras
25.   $11 Million Sought to Extend Sewer Line from Belfair Plant to Bremerton Industrial Park
26.   Bureau of Reclamation – Dusty Agency Gets Sharp Elbows Under Trump
27.   Draft of Oregon Carbon Emissions Bill Emerges
28.   More U-S Companies Discussing Climate Change in Wake of Hurricanes, Wildfires
29.   Facebook Posts Record $6.9 Billion Profit Despite Privacy Scandals
30.   Google+ Pages Will Shut Down April 2
31.   Meet the Guardian of Grammar Who Wants to Help You Be a Better Writer
32.   These Seven Unusual Tips Will Explode Your Writing Skills
33.   Oregon Is Producing Twice as Much Cannabis as People Are Using
34.   Yay or Nay on Permanent Daylight-Saving Time? You May Get to Vote on It
35.   Washington State U-S Rep. Jayapal Featured on the Cover of the Nation
36.   America’s Renegade Retirees – South of the Border, It’s Relatively Easy for U.S. Citizens to Live without Legal Documentation
37.   Kamilche Man Charged with Felony Hit-And-Run in Thurston Court
38.   Cold Wave to Hit the Pacific Northwest – Some Lowland Snow Possible
39.   New Ramps, Enhanced Fish Passage Proposed for U-S 101 Shelton-Matlock Interchange
40.   One Month In, Vancouver-Area Measles Outbreak Reaches 41 People
41.   Shelton Man Arrested after Stealing & Using Front End Loader in Hoquiam
42.   Shelton Students Take Second Place in State Cybersecurity Competition, Qualify for National Semifinals

WORD OF THE DAY

Exigent • \EX-uh-junt\ • Adjective - 1: requiring immediate aid or action 2: requiring or calling for much: demanding

The annual company jalapeƱo pepper eating contest was heating up. Barty piled up ten peppers in 20 seconds, beads of sweat bursting from the top of his bald pate. Only the application of cold milk in an exigent fashion would provide his rescue. Unfortunately, there was no milkfat on the frosted glass of “skim milk” in front of his heaping plate of green gut bombs. It was not a pretty end to an exciting competition.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    Grant PUD Files Reply to Cryptocurrency Lawsuit (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, Wa)

2.    Pacific Gas & Electric Bankruptcy Hearing Opens as Fire Victims Call for Action (Courthouse News Service)

3.    Judge Says Pacific Gas & Electric Violated Probation, Citing ‘Clear Pattern’ of Fire Ignitions (Utility Dive)

4.    Colstrip Power Plant Threatened by Westmoreland Bankruptcy (Power Magazine)

5.    Opposition to Smart Meters Voiced at Clallam PUD Meeting (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

6.    Pacific Power Oregon Customers to See Decrease on February Bills Due to Federal Tax Savings (Daily Energy Insider)

7.    Editorial: Snake River Dams Fill a Power Gap. Lawmakers Need to Know That (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

8.    One Year Later, See Bonneville Power Administration’s Strategy in Motion (Bonneville Power Administration)

9.    Natural Gas Prices Slump Despite U-S Winter Weather Blast (Associated Press)

10. LaFleur Will Not Seek Third Term as a FERC Commissioner (American Public Power Association)

11. FERC Proposes Expedited Hydro Licensing Process (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

12. City in Iowa Loses Appeal of Electrical Damage Caused by Squirrel (Associated Press)

FISH & WILDLIFE

13. River Health in Hot Water: Washington State Takes Steps to Save Salmon, Steelhead (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

14. Salmon & Orcas Linked, Legislature Told (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

15. Fish & Wildlife Could See Expanded Powers Under One Proposal to Help Save Orcas (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

16. Canadian Indigenous Groups Want Sea Health Study, Marine Traffic Halt (Columbia Valley Pioneer, BC)

17. ESA Winter Steelhead Impacted by Prolonged Steller Sea Lion Presence at Bonneville Dam (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

18. West Coast’s Biggest Starfish Vanishing amid Disease, Warming Oceans, Study Finds (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

19. Hawkins Proposes Bill to Allow Washington State PUDs to Make Hydrogen Fuel (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

20. California’s Big Climate Plans Could Be in Hands of PG&E Bankruptcy Judge (KQED Broadcasting, San Francisco, CA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

21. Energy Adviser: Follow Easy Steps to Prevent Electrical Fires (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

22. High-Speed Broadband to Increase in Parts of Spokane & Stevens Counties (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

23. Net Neutrality Repeal at Stake as Key Court Case Starts (NY Times)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

24. The Doorbells Have Eyes: The Privacy Battle Brewing over Home Security Cameras (Washington Post)

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

25. $11 Million Sought to Extend Sewer Line from Belfair Plant to Bremerton Industrial Park (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

26. Bureau of Reclamation – Dusty Agency Gets Sharp Elbows Under Trump (E&E News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

27. Draft of Oregon Carbon Emissions Bill Emerges (Associated Press)

28. More U-S Companies Discussing Climate Change in Wake of Hurricanes, Wildfires (Reuters)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

29. Facebook Posts Record $6.9 Billion Profit Despite Privacy Scandals (CNN)

30. Google+ Pages Will Shut Down April 2 (C/NET News)

31. Meet the Guardian of Grammar Who Wants to Help You Be a Better Writer (NY Times)

32. These Seven Unusual Tips Will Explode Your Writing Skills (If You’re Willing to Try Them) (Medium)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

33. Oregon Is Producing Twice as Much Cannabis as People Are Using (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

34. Yay or Nay on Permanent Daylight-Saving Time? You May Get to Vote on It (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

35. Washington State U-S Rep. Jayapal Featured on the Cover of the Nation (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

36. America’s Renegade Retirees – South of the Border, It’s Relatively Easy for U.S. Citizens to Live without Legal Documentation (US News & World Report)

GENERAL NEWS

37. Kamilche Man Charged with Felony Hit-And-Run in Thurston Court (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

38. Cold Wave to Hit the Pacific Northwest – Some Lowland Snow Possible (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

39. New Ramps, Enhanced Fish Passage Proposed for U-S 101 Shelton-Matlock Interchange (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

40. One Month In, Vancouver-Area Measles Outbreak Reaches 41 People (Oregonian, Portland)

41. Shelton Man Arrested after Stealing & Using Front End Loader in Hoquiam (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

42. Shelton Students Take Second Place in State Cybersecurity Competition, Qualify for National Semifinals (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Minnesota Neighborhood Pranked by Frozen Pants

Act by Vegetable Oil Vandals Delays Classes at New Mexico School

These Seals Took Over a California Beach during the Government Shutdown — And Won’t Give It Back

Pungent ‘J-Queen’ Durians Sell for $1,000 In Indonesia

SONG OF THE DAY

The American Epic Sessions – Stars Record Music with 1920s Technology

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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