Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Energy News Digest for May 15, 2019


Programming Note

May 16 & 17, the Energy News Digest will be getting sand between its toes, in the car, the hotel room, and eventually at home. Yes, sand gets everywhere. I said something stupid one day about the beach, “I love it here. Except for all the sand, of course.”

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

Puget Sound Energy Announces Planned Closures of Customer Service Offices Because ‘Customer Habits Are Changing’ – Includes: Bellingham, Ellensburg, Freeland, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Tacoma & Vashon Island (Bellingham Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Push Is on to Tear Down Dams to Save Salmon & Orcas. Why These People Say It’s a Bad Idea (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

Puget Sound Dam Jeopardizing Salmon, Endangered Orcas (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

California Sues to Sink Planned Expansion of Shasta Dam (Courthouse News Service)

Asotin PUD to Take Over Clarkston Sewer (Lewiston Tribune, ID)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Puget Sound Energy Announces Planned Closures of Customer Service Offices Because ‘Customer Habits Are Changing’
2.      Push Is on to Tear Down Dams to Save Salmon & Orcas. Why These People Say It’s a Bad Idea
3.      Editorial: Study of Snake River Dams Waste of Tax Dollars
4.      California Sues to Sink Planned Expansion of Shasta Dam
5.      Editorial: Selling Off the Bonneville Power Administration Transmission System Is Shortsighted
6.      NorthWestern Announces Stipulation, Settlement Agreement in Montana Electric General Rate Review
7.      Maine: Power Companies & Their Critics Clash Over Proposal for Consumer-Owned Utility
8.      United Kingdom: Smart Meters – Why They Are Driving Some People Mad
9.      How Arcane Accounting Rules Could Help Save Coal-Heavy Utilities
10.   Puget Sound Dam Jeopardizing Salmon, Endangered Orcas
11.   Tribes Seek Ban on Public Hunting of Revered Grizzly Bears
12.   U.S. Consumers Sue Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, Starkist Over ‘Dolphin-Safe’ Tuna Claims
13.   Wild Pigs Causing ‘Ecological Disaster’ as They Spread Rapidly across Canada, Survey Says
14.   Feral Parrots Are Taking Over America
15.   Oregon: Energy Storage Firm Completes Eugene Water & Electric Board Project
16.   Tax Credit Phaseout Encourages More Wind Power Plants to Be Added by End of the Year
17.   Asotin PUD to Take Over Clarkston Sewer
18.   Future Tri-Cities Area Reservoir to Be Used as Central Storage
19.   911 Outage for Grays Harbor Comcast Customers
20.   The Fastest & Slowest Internet in the U.S.
21.   Tribes Across Country Push for Better Internet Access
22.   Rise of Smaller Rivals Throws Up Fresh Challenge to Bitcoin
23.   U.S. Senate Moves Forward on Plan to Develop Electric Vehicle Supply Chain
24.   The Real Reason You’re Not Driving an Electric Car
25.   Op/Ed: Electric Vehicles Mean More Power to You
26.   ‘You Idiots’: Bill Nye’s Fiery Message to Leaders Stalling on Climate Change
27.   Energy-Intensive Cannabis Industry to Boost Demand on Electric Grid in Michigan
28.   Study Finds U.S. Journalism Is Becoming More Subjective
29.   Day Two of Mason County Candidate Filing Week
30.   Oregon Sees Huge Windfall in Tax Revenue
31.   Two Small Planes Crashed in Alaska. Here’s Why Few Experts Were Surprised.
32.   Before Ethiopian Crash, Boeing Resisted Pilots’ Calls for Aggressive Steps on 737 MAX
33.   Half of Americans Don’t Know About the Fatal Boeing Crashes & Most Say Ticket Price Is More Important Anyway
34.   Poulsbo Man Sentenced for Olympia Crash That Killed Teen
35.   Brinnon ShrimpFest Returns Memorial Day Weekend

WORD OF THE DAY

Debutant • \DEB-yoo-tawnt\ • Noun - One making a debut

The new employee was literally shaking in his boots. His first task was to make a twenty-minute presentation to the board of directors on the duties of his position. For a debutant, with the entire job description listed as “other duties as assigned,” the speaking engagement was daunting enough. To hold forth for 20 minutes on his mysterious duties was the figurative “Mount Everest” of public speaking.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES


2.    Push Is on to Tear Down Dams to Save Salmon & Orcas. Why These People Say It’s a Bad Idea (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

3.    Editorial: Study of Snake River Dams Waste of Tax Dollars (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

4.    California Sues to Sink Planned Expansion of Shasta Dam (Courthouse News Service)

5.    Editorial: Selling Off the Bonneville Power Administration Transmission System Is Shortsighted (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

6.    NorthWestern Announces Stipulation, Settlement Agreement in Montana Electric General Rate Review (Daily Energy Insider)

7.    Maine: Power Companies & Their Critics Clash Over Proposal for Consumer-Owned Utility (Portland Press-Herald, ME)

8.    United Kingdom: Smart Meters – Why They Are Driving Some People Mad (British Broadcasting Corporation)

9.    How Arcane Accounting Rules Could Help Save Coal-Heavy Utilities (Utility Dive)

FISH & WILDLIFE

10. Puget Sound Dam Jeopardizing Salmon, Endangered Orcas (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

11. Tribes Seek Ban on Public Hunting of Revered Grizzly Bears (Associated Press)

12. U.S. Consumers Sue Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, Starkist Over ‘Dolphin-Safe’ Tuna Claims (Reuters)

13. Wild Pigs Causing ‘Ecological Disaster’ as They Spread Rapidly across Canada, Survey Says (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

14. Feral Parrots Are Taking Over America (Gizmodo)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

15. Oregon: Energy Storage Firm Completes Eugene Water & Electric Board Project (Daily Energy Insider)

16. Tax Credit Phaseout Encourages More Wind Power Plants to Be Added by End of the Year (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

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

17. Asotin PUD to Take Over Clarkston Sewer (Lewiston Tribune, ID)

18. Future Tri-Cities Area Reservoir to Be Used as Central Storage (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

19. 911 Outage for Grays Harbor Comcast Customers (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)


21. Tribes Across Country Push for Better Internet Access (Associated Press)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

22. Rise of Smaller Rivals Throws Up Fresh Challenge to Bitcoin (Reuters)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

23. U.S. Senate Moves Forward on Plan to Develop Electric Vehicle Supply Chain (Reuters)

24. The Real Reason You’re Not Driving an Electric Car (Washington Post)

25. Op/Ed: Electric Vehicles Mean More Power to You (Bloomberg News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

26. ‘You Idiots’: Bill Nye’s Fiery Message to Leaders Stalling on Climate Change (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

27. Energy-Intensive Cannabis Industry to Boost Demand on Electric Grid in Michigan (Crain’s Detroit Business, MI)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

28. Study Finds U.S. Journalism Is Becoming More Subjective (Courthouse News Service)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

29. Day Two of Mason County Candidate Filing Week (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

30. Oregon Sees Huge Windfall in Tax Revenue (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

31. Two Small Planes Crashed in Alaska. Here’s Why Few Experts Were Surprised. (NY Times)

32. Before Ethiopian Crash, Boeing Resisted Pilots’ Calls for Aggressive Steps on 737 MAX (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

33. Half of Americans Don’t Know About the Fatal Boeing Crashes & Most Say Ticket Price Is More Important Anyway (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

34. Poulsbo Man Sentenced for Olympia Crash That Killed Teen (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

35. Brinnon ShrimpFest Returns Memorial Day Weekend (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Lena Horne Dies At 92; Singer & Civil Rights Activist Who Broke Barriers

Claude Monet Haystack Painting Fetches $110.7 Million at NY Auction

Company Offers $1,000, Free Internet for Playing 50 Hours of ‘Fortnite’

Missouri Town’s Tires Aren’t Safe from Richard, an Angry Wild Turkey

SONGS OF THE DAY

Lena Horne – Yesterday When I Was Young

Lena Horne – Stormy Weather (2002 rerelease)

Lena Horne – Stormy Weather (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.