Monday, December 2, 2019

The Energy News Digest for December 2, 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

Some British Columbia Salmon Runs Face ‘Meaningful Chance of Extinction’ after Landslide, Despite Rescue Mission-Critical Migration Route on Fraser River Blocked by Rock Slide (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Regulators Suggest $20 Million in Repairs at Colstrip Coal-Fired Power Plant (Associated Press)

Cowlitz PUD among U.S. Utilities Targeted in Cyberattacks (Longview Daily News, WA)

Idaho Power Will Drop Lawsuit against EPA Over Snake River Dams – Feds Allowing Warmer Water in Fish Habitat (Associated Press)

Mount Rainier Caps Swarm of Weekend Seismicity with 3.6 Magnitude Quake (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.        Regulators Suggest $20 Million in Repairs at Colstrip Coal-Fired Power Plant
2.        Cowlitz PUD among U.S. Utilities Targeted in Cyberattacks
3.        Avista Customers’ Bills in Idaho Will Fall by 1%
4.        Douglas PUD Sets Public Hearing for Larger Load Rates
5.        Industrial Development Feeds Umatilla Electric Cooperative Growth
6.        Pacific Gas & Electric Says Blackouts Limited Fires Despite One Likely Failure
7.        California Should Take Over Pacific Gas & Electric & Possibly Other Utilities, Former Top Regulator Says
8.        San Diego: Lawsuit Says City Utilities Department Leader Was Fired for Exposing Illegal Activity
9.        Re-Envisioning Public Power in the Tennessee Valley
10.     Op/Ed: Bitter Cold Stops Coal, While Nuclear Power Excels
11.     Some British Columbia Salmon Runs Face ‘Meaningful Chance of Extinction’ after Landslide, Despite Rescue Mission
12.     ‘Our Worst Nightmares Are Being Realized’: Experts Say First Nations Need More Power to Save British Columbia Salmon
13.     Idaho Power Will Drop Lawsuit against EPA Over Snake River Dams – Feds Allowing Warmer Water in Fish Habitat
14.     Federal Agencies Will Increase Columbia River’s Flows to Help Chum Salmon
15.     Ribbon Cutting Celebrated for New Coho Hatchery West of Ellensburg
16.     Cooke Aquaculture to Pay $2.75 Million over 2017 Net-Pen Collapse
17.     Portland Approves $51 Million Design Contract for Controversial Water Filtration Plant
18.     Another Settlement Reached Over Columbia & Snake River Dams Leaking Oil
19.     Remote British Columbia School Gets Most of Its Power from $450,000 Solar Energy System
20.     Chew on This: Farmers Are Using Food Waste to Make Electricity
21.     Disconnected: A New Broadband Provider in Clatskanie Wants Internet Decentralized
22.     Digital Inclusion: Feds Advancing the Internet-for-All-Concept with Digital Equity Act 2019
23.     Cantwell & U.S. Senate Democrats Propose Internet Privacy Regulation
24.     Undersea Telecommunications Cables That Connect the World Can Also Be Used to Detect Earthquakes
25.     Here’s the Main Problem with Tesla’s Supercharger Network – Not Enough Chargers
26.     Op/Ed: Too Much Wind & Solar Raises Power System Costs. Deep Decarbonization Requires Nuclear
27.     Salt Lake Tribune’s Publisher Says He’s Hearing Interest in Nonprofit Turn
28.     Idaho’s Stargazing Spots Could Be Affected by Boise’s Growing Population, Lights
29.     State Pausing Some Transportation Projects Because of $30 Car Tab Measure
30.     New Insurance Surcharge to Fight Wildfires to be Proposed by Washington State’s Lands Commissioner
31.     Marbled Murrelet Plan to Have Huge Impact on Junior Taxing Districts, Forks Official Says
32.     The Evergreen State College Sees Signs of Progress, But a Long Way to Go as It Looks to Stop Shrinking
33.     Mount Rainier Caps Swarm of Weekend Seismicity with 3.6 Magnitude Quake
34.     Fatal Head-On Crash on SR-302 Kills Lakebay Woman
35.     The Driest Pacific Northwest November in 43 Years
36.     Black Friday Online Sales Reach Record $7.4 Billion
37.     “Mason Health” – Mason General Hospital & Family of Clinics Unveils New Name
38.     Chris Petersen Steps Down, Jimmy Lake Named UW Huskies Head Football Coach
39.     Cosmic Crisp: New Washington State Apple Launched That ‘Lasts for a Year’

WORD OF THE DAY

Bon Vivant \bahn-vee-VAHNT\ Noun – Sociable person who has cultivated & refined tastes especially with respect to food & drink.

From Paul Simon, “American Tune:”

Still, you don’t expect to be
Bright and bon vivant
So far away from home, so far away from home

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Regulators Suggest $20 Million in Repairs at Colstrip Coal-Fired Power Plant (Associated Press)

2.      Cowlitz PUD among U.S. Utilities Targeted in Cyberattacks (Longview Daily News, WA)

3.      Avista Customers’ Bills in Idaho Will Fall by 1% (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

4.      Douglas PUD Sets Public Hearing for Larger Load Rates (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

5.      Industrial Development Feeds Umatilla Electric Cooperative Growth (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

6.      Pacific Gas & Electric Says Blackouts Limited Fires Despite One Likely Failure (Associated Press)

7.      California Should Take Over Pacific Gas & Electric & Possibly Other Utilities, Former Top Regulator Says (Los Angeles Times, CA)

8.      San Diego: Lawsuit Says City Utilities Department Leader Was Fired for Exposing Illegal Activity – uncovered $1 million in water & wastewater funds diverted to other city departments (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)

9.      Re-Envisioning Public Power in the Tennessee Valley (Appalachian Voices, Boone, NC)

10.   Op/Ed: Bitter Cold Stops Coal, While Nuclear Power Excels (Forbes Magazine)

FISH & WILDLIFE

11.   Some British Columbia Salmon Runs Face ‘Meaningful Chance of Extinction’ after Landslide, Despite Rescue Mission – Critical Migration Route on Fraser River Blocked by Rock Slide (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

12.   ‘Our Worst Nightmares Are Being Realized’: Experts Say First Nations Need More Power to Save British Columbia Salmon – Big Bar Landslide on Fraser River Brought Stocks ‘To Their Knees’ after Decades of Decline (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

13.   Idaho Power Will Drop Lawsuit against EPA Over Snake River Dams – Feds Allowing Warmer Water in Fish Habitat (Associated Press)

14.   Federal Agencies Will Increase Columbia River’s Flows to Help Chum Salmon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

15.   Ribbon Cutting Celebrated for New Coho Hatchery West of Ellensburg (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

16.   Cooke Aquaculture to Pay $2.75 Million over 2017 Net-Pen Collapse (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

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

17.   Portland Approves $51 Million Design Contract for Controversial Water Filtration Plant (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

18.   Another Settlement Reached Over Columbia & Snake River Dams Leaking Oil (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

19.   Remote British Columbia School Gets Most of Its Power from $450,000 Solar Energy System (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

20.   Chew on This: Farmers Are Using Food Waste to Make Electricity (National Public Radio)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

21.   Disconnected: A New Broadband Provider in Clatskanie Wants Internet Decentralized (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

22.   Digital Inclusion: Feds Advancing the Internet-for-All-Concept with Digital Equity Act 2019 (Ifiberone News, Ephrata, WA)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

23.   Cantwell & U.S. Senate Democrats Propose Internet Privacy Regulation (NCW Life, East Wenatchee, WA)

24.   Undersea Telecommunications Cables That Connect the World Can Also Be Used to Detect Earthquakes (Gizmodo)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

25.   Here’s the Main Problem with Tesla’s Supercharger Network – Not Enough Chargers (Jalopnik)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

26.   Op/Ed: Too Much Wind & Solar Raises Power System Costs. Deep Decarbonization Requires Nuclear (Utility Dive)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

27.   Salt Lake Tribune’s Publisher Says He’s Hearing Interest in Nonprofit Turn (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

28.   Idaho’s Stargazing Spots Could Be Affected by Boise’s Growing Population, Lights (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

29.   State Pausing Some Transportation Projects Because of $30 Car Tab Measure (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

30.   New Insurance Surcharge to Fight Wildfires to be Proposed by Washington State’s Lands Commissioner (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

31.   Marbled Murrelet Plan to Have Huge Impact on Junior Taxing Districts, Forks Official Says (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

32.   The Evergreen State College Sees Signs of Progress, But a Long Way to Go as It Looks to Stop Shrinking (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

GENERAL NEWS

33.   Mount Rainier Caps Swarm of Weekend Seismicity with 3.6 Magnitude Quake (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

34.   Fatal Head-On Crash on SR-302 Kills Lakebay Woman (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

35.   The Driest Pacific Northwest November in 43 Years (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

36.   Black Friday Online Sales Reach Record $7.4 Billion (Courthouse News Service)

37.   “Mason Health” – Mason General Hospital & Family of Clinics Unveils New Name (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

38.   Chris Petersen Steps Down, Jimmy Lake Named UW Huskies Head Football Coach (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

39.   Cosmic Crisp: New Washington State Apple Launched That ‘Lasts for a Year’ (British Broadcasting Corporation)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Cat That Survived Three Weeks in Shipping Container Has Made Amazing Comeback

Found Frozen & Almost Perfectly Preserved in Permafrost, this 18,000-Year-Old Puppy Could Be a Huge Deal

Villagers Fill Potholes with Rubber Ducks in Possibly the Most British Protest Ever (Includes Some PG-13 Content)

When the Security State is Insecure: Burglars Hit East German Secret Police Museum in Berlin

SONG OF THE DAY

Stringspace Jazz Band – Slow Boat to China

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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