Monday, December 9, 2019

The Energy News Digest for December 9, 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

Puget Sound Was Supposed to Be Healthy by Now. It’s Not (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

Pacific Gas & Electric Reaches $13.5 Billion Wildfire Settlement with Victims (Courthouse News Service)

Canada: Threats to the Fraser River at ‘New Zenith,’ Says River Conservationist (The Columbia Valley Pioneer, BC)

New Marine Heat Wave Known as ‘The Blob’ Spotted Again Off the West Coast (KING TV, Seattle, WA)

Students Strike Again in Olympia to Demand Action on Climate Change (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.        Pacific Gas & Electric Reaches $13.5 Billion Wildfire Settlement with Victims
2.        Coalition of Elected Leaders Gains Support for Pacific Gas & Electric Restructuring Proposal
3.        Environmentalist Calls for Discussions on Snake River Dams
4.        Oregon Public Utility Commission Approves Reduction of Meter Reading Fees
5.        Chelan PUD Commissioners Approve 2020 Budget
6.        Clallam PUD Installs More Payment Kiosks
7.        Overpowered: Eyeing Zero-Carbon Grid, California Seeks a Gas Exit Strategy
8.        British Columbians’ Energy Use Soars on Christmas Day: Report
9.        South Africa: Body of Suspected Thief Found Electrocuted at Sub-Station
10.     Puget Sound Was Supposed to Be Healthy by Now. It’s Not
11.     Canada: Threats to the Fraser River at ‘New Zenith,’ Says River Conservationist
12.     Manure Spill Kills Threatened Steelhead in Northwest Washington Creek
13.     Commercial Ocean Crabbing Further Delayed in Oregon
14.     Hilary Franz Says Washington State Will Protect Birds & Jobs with Its Plan for the Threatened Marbled Murrelet
15.     New Marine Heat Wave Known as ‘The Blob’ Spotted Again Off the West Coast
16.     Kitsap Commissioners to Weigh Nearly 18% Increase in Sewer Rates
17.     Logging Prohibited in Skagit River Headwaters, Mining Still a Possibility
18.     Is FERC Overstepping Its Authority & Hurting Renewables? States, Power Groups Question PURPA Plan
19.     President Trump Complains Low-Flow Toilets Are Flush with Problems
20.     Lewis County PUD Receives Grant for Study on Rural Internet Access
21.     Washington State Public Works Board Approves Broadband Planning-Feasibility Study Grants
22.     Oregon Rep. Walden’s Rural Broadband Expansion Efforts Pay Off
23.     Alabama to Receive $62.3M in USDA Funds for Rural Broadband
24.     Students Strike Again in Olympia to Demand Action on Climate Change
25.     California Restaurant Group Is Hot Over Berkeley’s Natural Gas Ban. It’s Suing the City
26.     Apocalyptic Climate Fears & Hope: Seattle Meetup Aims to Reverse Climate Change, or at Least Our Grief Over It
27.     British Columbia Municipalities Join Federal Government’s Side in Carbon Tax Court Fight
28.     Columbian to Drop Monday Print Edition, Make Other Changes
29.     Actress in Ridiculed Peloton Ad Starts Over — With Ryan Reynolds’s Gin
30.     Webcam Live Feed Showed Tourists Inside New Zealand Volcano Right Before It’s Deadly Eruption
31.     $30 Car Tabs on Hold, But Transportation Cuts Coming Anyway
32.     Wild Olympics Act Clears U.S. House Natural Resources Committee
33.     Governor Inslee Appoints First Native American to Sit on Washington State’s Supreme Court
34.     Who’ll Succeed Retiring Denny Heck in Congress? It’s a Crowded Field of Maybes
35.     Christmastown USA Returns to Shelton with Record-Setting Tree Maze
36.     Three Injured in 101/Shelton-Matlock Crash
37.     Antifa & Far-Right Groups’ Capitol Clash Leads to Assault & Arrest
38.     Bad Weather Causes Potato Shortage Everywhere Except Washington State

WORD OF THE DAY

Amok • \uh-MUCK\ • adverb - 1: in a murderously frenzied state 2a: in a violently raging manner b: in an undisciplined, uncontrolled, or faulty manner

Copy paper flew every direction, as the newly minted copier repair technician ran amok in the cramped, dark, musty workroom. Every outlet had been claimed by a cheap power strip, pigtailed to at least two others, jury-rigged to run a copier, fax machine, phone base station, microwave, coffee maker and (inexplicably) a rechargeable electric toothbrush.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Pacific Gas & Electric Reaches $13.5 Billion Wildfire Settlement with Victims (Courthouse News Service)

2.      Coalition of Elected Leaders Gains Support for Pacific Gas & Electric Restructuring Proposal (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

3.      Environmentalist Calls for Discussions on Snake River Dams (Capital Press)

4.      Oregon Public Utility Commission Approves Reduction of Meter Reading Fees (Daily Energy Insider)

5.      Chelan PUD Commissioners Approve 2020 Budget (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

6.      Clallam PUD Installs More Payment Kiosks (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

7.      Overpowered: Eyeing Zero-Carbon Grid, California Seeks a Gas Exit Strategy (S&P Global)

8.      British Columbians’ Energy Use Soars on Christmas Day: Report (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

9.      South Africa: Body of Suspected Thief Found Electrocuted at Sub-Station (Howe Business Daily)

FISH & WILDLIFE

10.   Puget Sound Was Supposed to Be Healthy by Now. It’s Not (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

11.   Canada: Threats to the Fraser River at ‘New Zenith,’ Says River Conservationist (The Columbia Valley Pioneer, BC)

12.   Manure Spill Kills Threatened Steelhead in Northwest Washington Creek (Associated Press)

13.   Commercial Ocean Crabbing Further Delayed in Oregon (Associated Press)

14.   Hilary Franz Says Washington State Will Protect Birds & Jobs with Its Plan for the Threatened Marbled Murrelet (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

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

15.   New Marine Heat Wave Known as ‘The Blob’ Spotted Again Off the West Coast (KING TV, Seattle, WA)

16.   Kitsap Commissioners to Weigh Nearly 18% Increase in Sewer Rates (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton – Paywall Advisory)

17.   Logging Prohibited in Skagit River Headwaters, Mining Still a Possibility (Skagit Valley Herald, Mt Vernon, WA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

18.   Is FERC Overstepping Its Authority & Hurting Renewables? States, Power Groups Question PURPA Plan (Utility Dive)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

19.   President Trump Complains Low-Flow Toilets Are Flush with Problems (Associated Press)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

20.   Lewis County PUD Receives Grant for Study on Rural Internet Access (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

21.   Washington State Public Works Board Approves Broadband Planning-Feasibility Study Grants (Washington State Department of Commerce)

22.   Oregon Rep. Walden’s Rural Broadband Expansion Efforts Pay Off (Ripon Advance)

23.   Alabama to Receive $62.3M in USDA Funds for Rural Broadband (Government Technology)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

24.   Students Strike Again in Olympia to Demand Action on Climate Change (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

25.   California Restaurant Group Is Hot Over Berkeley’s Natural Gas Ban. It’s Suing the City (Sacramento Bee, CA)

26.   Apocalyptic Climate Fears & Hope: Seattle Meetup Aims to Reverse Climate Change, or at Least Our Grief Over It (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

27.   British Columbia Municipalities Join Federal Government’s Side in Carbon Tax Court Fight (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

28.   Columbian to Drop Monday Print Edition, Make Other Changes (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

29.   Actress in Ridiculed Peloton Ad Starts Over — With Ryan Reynolds’s Gin (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

30.   Webcam Live Feed Showed Tourists Inside New Zealand Volcano Right Before It’s Deadly Eruption (Yahoo! News)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

31.   $30 Car Tabs on Hold, But Transportation Cuts Coming Anyway (Crosscut Seattle)

32.   Wild Olympics Act Clears U.S. House Natural Resources Committee (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

33.   Governor Inslee Appoints First Native American to Sit on Washington State’s Supreme Court (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

34.   Who’ll Succeed Retiring Denny Heck in Congress? It’s a Crowded Field of Maybes (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

GENERAL NEWS

35.   Christmastown USA Returns to Shelton with Record-Setting Tree Maze (KING TV, Seattle, WA)

36.   Three Injured in 101/Shelton-Matlock Crash (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

37.   Antifa & Far-Right Groups’ Capitol Clash Leads to Assault & Arrest (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

38.   Bad Weather Causes Potato Shortage Everywhere Except Washington State (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

CHICKEN IN THE FIREPLACE – DIVERSIONS

KFC Is Selling a Chicken-Scented Fire Log to Warm Your Drumsticks This Holiday Season

Performance Artist Eats $120,000 Banana Duct-Taped to Wall, Calls It ‘Delicious’

Abandoned Baby Giraffe Befriended by Dog in Africa Dies

Caroll Spinney, ‘Sesame Street’ Big Bird Puppeteer, Dies at 85

SONG OF THE DAY

John Barry – Out of Africa Suite (Main Theme)

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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