Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Energy News Digest for December 18, 2019


The Hot Shots edition of The Energy Newws 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

Heavy Rain Marks Return to Normal to Close Out Weird Year of Seattle Weather (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Will There Be Enough Electricity after Coal Plants Shut Down? (KOMO TV, Seattle, WA)

Douglas PUD Chief Pushes for Reduced Columbia River Treaty Payments (NCW Life News, East Wenatchee, WA)

Washington Policy Center Poll Finds Washington Residents Care About Salmon, But Want to Keep Dams (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Oregon Snowpack Very Low After Dry November (Washington Ag Network)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.        Will There Be Enough Electricity after Coal Plants Shut Down?
2.        Douglas PUD Chief Pushes for Reduced Columbia River Treaty Payments
3.        Washington Policy Center Poll Finds Washington Residents Care About Salmon, But Want to Keep Dams
4.        New Poll Reveals Washingtonians’ Knowledge of Snake River Dams & Preference for Their Future
5.        Northwest Public Power Association Executive Director to Testify before U.S. Senate Energy Committee
6.        July 19 - U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources – Full Committee Hearing to Examine the Impacts of Wildfire on Electric Grid Reliability
7.        Avista Powerline Worker Pulled from Columbia River after Fall Near Hanford
8.        Three Workers Injured by Flash Burns at High-Rise Construction Site in Downtown Seattle
9.        The Pacific Northwest Uses the Cleanest Energy in the Country
10.     Op/Ed: Hydropower Is Key to an Equitable Clean-Energy Future
11.     County Commissioner Asking Douglas PUD to Hold Off on Increases for Data Centers, Cryptocurrency
12.     Bankruptcy Judge Signs Off on $24.5 Billion in Pacific Gas & Electric Wildfire Settlements
13.     Editorial: California Has Power Over Pacific Gas & Electric. Use It
14.     Op/Ed: What Will It Take to Clean Up the Electric Grid?
15.     New Plan for Endangered Washington State Bird Doesn’t Make Anyone Happy
16.     Chelan PUD Touts Resident Fish Stocking Efforts
17.     Video: Other Resident Orcas May Be ‘Stealing’ Big Salmon from Southern Residents
18.     For Sustenance & Tradition, Puget Sound Tribes & Scientists Join Forces to Breed Millions of Clams
19.     One of the World’s Most Endangered Whales Spotted with Calf Off Georgia Coast
20.     Oregon Snowpack Very Low After Dry November
21.     Offshore Wind Loses on Tax Credit, But Giant Turbine Sets Record
22.     U.S. Investment in Energy Efficiency Dropped Estimated 18% in Two Years: Report
23.     These Tiny Model Homes Are Teaching Big Concepts in Building Weatherization
24.     ‘All Circuits Are Busy’: A Widespread Service Outage Affected Verizon Customers
25.     Why So Many Gas Pumps Still Have Less-Secure Credit Card Readers
26.     Investment Bankers Are Now Waging the War on Coal
27.     Local Governments Uniquely Positioned on Building Decarbonization
28.     Real vs. Artificial: Which Type of Christmas Tree Is Best/Worse for the Environment?
29.     Pay-Per-Mile Should Replace Gas Tax, State Commission Says. Don’t Expect a Quick Change
30.     Nevada Accuses U.S. Government of ‘Secret Plutonium Smuggling’
31.     State to Start Offering Paid Family & Medical Leave in 2020
32.     Washington State’s Governor Urged B.C. Premier to Slow Down Move to Permanent Daylight Time, Memo Shows (
33.     “She Took the Precaution of Getting Her Performance Approved” Says Dancer after Performance Prompts King County Homeless Advocate Resignation
34.     Convicted of Murdering Man Found in His Shower, Belfair Man Gets 19 Years in Prison
35.     Boeing 737 MAX Freeze Divides Suppliers into Haves & Have-Nots
36.     U.S. Supreme Court Leaves Cities with One Option on Homelessness: Build More Housing
37.     Olympia’s Fish Brewing Co. Sold to Husband-Wife Team with Ties to Seattle & Yelm
38.     Lewis County Commissioners Honor State Championship Onalaska Football Team
39.     After 25 Years, ‘The Far Side’ Is Back — With an Online Debut & New Comics!
40.     Heavy Rain Marks Return to Normal to Close Out Weird Year of Seattle Weather
41.     A Moderate Atmospheric River is Aimed at the Pacific Northwest
42.     Winter Storm Watch: Significant Snowfall Expected Around Inland Northwest Beginning Wednesday Night

WORD OF THE DAY

Frenetic • \frih-NET-ick\ • Adjective - Frenzied, frantic.

The small terrier ran at a frenetic pace, up and down the stairs, showing its joy at the return of its master…after a one minute absence.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Will There Be Enough Electricity after Coal Plants Shut Down? (KOMO TV, Seattle, WA)

2.      Douglas PUD Chief Pushes for Reduced Columbia River Treaty Payments (NCW Life News, East Wenatchee, WA)

3.      Washington Policy Center Poll Finds Washington Residents Care About Salmon, But Want to Keep Dams (Tri-City Herald, WA)

4.      New Poll Reveals Washingtonians’ Knowledge of Snake River Dams & Preference for Their Future (KNDO/KNDU TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

5.      Northwest Public Power Association Executive Director to Testify before U.S. Senate Energy Committee (Northwest Public Power Association)

6.      December 19 - U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources – Full Committee Hearing to Examine the Impacts of Wildfire on Electric Grid Reliability

7.      Avista Powerline Worker Pulled from Columbia River after Fall Near Hanford (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

8.      Three Workers Injured by Flash Burns at High-Rise Construction Site in Downtown Seattle (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

9.      The Pacific Northwest Uses the Cleanest Energy in the Country (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

10.   Op/Ed: Hydropower Is Key to an Equitable Clean-Energy Future (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

11.   County Commissioner Asking Douglas PUD to Hold Off on Increases for Data Centers, Cryptocurrency (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

12.   Bankruptcy Judge Signs Off on $24.5 Billion in Pacific Gas & Electric Wildfire Settlements (Courthouse News Service)

13.   Editorial: California Has Power Over Pacific Gas & Electric. Use It (Los Angeles Times, CA)

14.   Op/Ed: What Will It Take to Clean Up the Electric Grid? (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

15.   New Plan for Endangered Washington State Bird Doesn’t Make Anyone Happy (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

16.   Chelan PUD Touts Resident Fish Stocking Efforts (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)


18.   For Sustenance & Tradition, Puget Sound Tribes & Scientists Join Forces to Breed Millions of Clams (Crosscut Seattle)

19.   One of the World’s Most Endangered Whales Spotted with Calf Off Georgia Coast (USA Today)

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

20.   Oregon Snowpack Very Low After Dry November (Washington Ag Network)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

21.   Offshore Wind Loses on Tax Credit, But Giant Turbine Sets Record (Portland Business Journal, OR)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

22.   U.S. Investment in Energy Efficiency Dropped Estimated 18% in Two Years: Report (Utility Dive)


TELECOMMUNICATIONS

24.   ‘All Circuits Are Busy’: A Widespread Service Outage Affected Verizon Customers (USA Today)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

25.   Why So Many Gas Pumps Still Have Less-Secure Credit Card Readers (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

26.   Investment Bankers Are Now Waging the War on Coal (Atlantic Magazine)

27.   Local Governments Uniquely Positioned on Building Decarbonization (American Public Power Association)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

28.   Real vs. Artificial: Which Type of Christmas Tree Is Best/Worse for the Environment? (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

29.   Pay-Per-Mile Should Replace Gas Tax, State Commission Says. Don’t Expect a Quick Change (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

30.   Nevada Accuses U.S. Government of ‘Secret Plutonium Smuggling’ (Associated Press)

31.   State to Start Offering Paid Family & Medical Leave in 2020 (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

32.   Washington State’s Governor Urged B.C. Premier to Slow Down Move to Permanent Daylight Time, Memo Shows (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

33.   “She Took the Precaution of Getting Her Performance Approved” Says Dancer after Performance Prompts King County Homeless Advocate Resignation (KNDO/KNDU TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

34.   Convicted of Murdering Man Found in His Shower, Belfair Man Gets 19 Years in Prison (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton – Paywall Advisory)

35.   Boeing 737 MAX Freeze Divides Suppliers into Haves & Have-Nots (Reuters)

36.   U.S. Supreme Court Leaves Cities with One Option on Homelessness: Build More Housing (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

37.   Olympia’s Fish Brewing Co. Sold to Husband-Wife Team with Ties to Seattle & Yelm (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

38.   Lewis County Commissioners Honor State Championship Onalaska Football Team (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

39.   After 25 Years, ‘The Far Side’ Is Back — With an Online Debut & New Comics! (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

ARK-BUILDING 101

40.   Heavy Rain Marks Return to Normal to Close Out Weird Year of Seattle Weather (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

41.   A Moderate Atmospheric River is Aimed at the Pacific Northwest (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

42.   Winter Storm Watch: Significant Snowfall Expected Around Inland Northwest Beginning Wednesday Night (KHQ TV, Spokane, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

17 Tons of M&M’s Spill onto Interstate Ramp after Tractor-Trailer Overturns

Cheese Smells. Deal with It, a German Court Rules.

Thief Stuffs $500 Worth of Frozen Shrimp Down His Pants, Police Say

For Sale: Newspaper in a Small Alaska Town. Price: $0.

SONG OF THE DAY

The Strangeloves - I Want Candy

Bow Wow Wow – I Want Candy

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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