Friday, February 28, 2020

Energy News Digest for February 28, 2020


The “Hot Shots” edition of the news digest is available on Facebook, and on Twitter.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS





HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Feds Reject Removal of Four Snake River Dams in Key Report (Associated Press)

As Puget Sound Energy Moves to Sell Colstrip Share, Critics Say NorthWestern Energy is Desperate to Keep Coal Plant Online (Utility Dive)

Environmental Evaluation for Proposed Chehalis River Flood Reduction Project Ready for Review (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Local Gray Whales Named ‘Sounders’ May Hold Clues to Mystery of 2019 Die-Off (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Coronavirus Expected to Spread as Washington State Prepares to Become First in Country to Perform In-State Testing (KNDO/KNDU – Tri-Cities, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.        Feds Reject Removal of Four Snake River Dams in Key Report
2.        Snake River Dams Should Stay, Concludes Court-Ordered Draft Federal Report
3.        Columbia River System Operations EIS Comment Period Open – February 28 - April 13
4.        As Puget Sound Energy Moves to Sell Colstrip Share, Critics Say NorthWestern Energy is Desperate to Keep Coal Plant Online
5.        Regulators Boost Pacific Gas & Electric’s Wildfire Fine to $2.1 Billion
6.        Massive New Bipartisan Senate Energy Legislative Package Could See Vote as Early as Next Week
7.        Landmark Bipartisan Energy Bill Includes Cantwell Provisions to Modernize, Protect America’s Energy Grid
8.        Local Gray Whales Named ‘Sounders’ May Hold Clues to Mystery of 2019 Die-Off
9.        Tensions rise ahead of B.C. herring fishery season
10.     Successful Blast Removes Portion of Big Bar Landslide Obstructing Fraser River Salmon Migration
11.     Op/Ed: Oregon’s Orcas, Too
12.     SpaceX May Be Eyeing the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction for Rural Broadband Funding
13.     U.S. Senate OKs $1 Billion for Small Telecom Providers
14.     Why Are U.S. Broadband Prices So High?
15.     Cloud Computing Is Not the Energy Hog That Had Been Feared
16.     Google to Invest $10 Billion in Offices & Data Centers in 11 States This Year, Including Washington
17.     Many Internet of Things Projects Fail — Portland General Electric’s Approach Could Change That for Utilities
18.     Environmental Evaluation for Proposed Chehalis River Flood Reduction Project Ready for Review
19.     Lewis County Commissioners Up the Ante in Bottled Water Battle
20.     California Is Abnormally Dry after Low-Precipitation Winter
21.     Can Electric Cars Rise In Time To Save Us? Washington State Says Yes
22.     The Plug-In Electric Car Is Having Its Moment – Despite False Starts, Toyota Is Still Trying to Make the Fuel Cell Happen
23.     Earth Temporarily Captures New Moon the Size of a Car
24.     Biggest Explosion in the Universe Spotted by Astronomers
25.     Washington Agency Rejects Facebook Political Ad Settlement
26.     Op/Ed: Protecting More of the Olympic Peninsula Would Be a Win for Public Lands & the Economy
27.     Coronavirus Expected to Spread as Washington State Prepares to Become First in Country to Perform In-State Testing
28.     North Mason to re-run school support levy in April
29.     Suspect Killed in Gun Battle with State Troopers in Purdy
30.     Judge Blocks Trump from Using Kitsap Naval Base Funds on Border Wall

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Feds Reject Removal of Four Snake River Dams in Key Report (Associated Press)

2.      Snake River Dams Should Stay, Concludes Court-Ordered Draft Federal Report (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

3.      Columbia River System Operations EIS Comment Period Open – February 28 - April 13 (Columbia River System Operations)

4.      As Puget Sound Energy Moves to Sell Colstrip Share, Critics Say NorthWestern Energy is Desperate to Keep Coal Plant Online (Utility Dive)

5.      Regulators Boost Pacific Gas & Electric’s Wildfire Fine to $2.1 Billion (Associated Press)

6.      Massive New Bipartisan Senate Energy Legislative Package Could See Vote as Early as Next Week (Utility Dive)

7.      Landmark Bipartisan Energy Bill Includes Cantwell Provisions to Modernize, Protect America’s Energy Grid (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

8.      Local Gray Whales Named ‘Sounders’ May Hold Clues to Mystery of 2019 Die-Off (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

9.      Tensions rise ahead of B.C. herring fishery season (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

10.   Successful Blast Removes Portion of Big Bar Landslide Obstructing Fraser River Salmon Migration (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

11.   Op/Ed: Oregon’s Orcas, Too (Oregonian, Portland)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

12.   SpaceX May Be Eyeing the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction for Rural Broadband Funding (Telecompetitor)

13.   U.S. Senate OKs $1 Billion for Small Telecom Providers (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

14.   Why Are U.S. Broadband Prices So High? (Pots & Pans)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

15.   Cloud Computing Is Not the Energy Hog That Had Been Feared “…Some have been built near the Arctic for natural cooling & others beside huge hydroelectric plants in the Pacific Northwest…” (NY Times)

16.   Google to Invest $10 Billion in Offices & Data Centers in 11 States This Year, Including Washington (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

17.   Many Internet of Things Projects Fail — Portland General Electric’s Approach Could Change That for Utilities (Utility Dive)

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

18.   Environmental Evaluation for Proposed Chehalis River Flood Reduction Project Ready for Review (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

19.   Lewis County Commissioners Up the Ante in Bottled Water Battle (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

20.   California Is Abnormally Dry after Low-Precipitation Winter (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

21.   Can Electric Cars Rise In Time To Save Us? Washington State Says Yes (Forbes Magazine)

22.   The Plug-In Electric Car Is Having Its Moment – Despite False Starts, Toyota Is Still Trying to Make the Fuel Cell Happen (Washington Post)

VATS OF STEAMING GOO – POTPOURRI OF SCIENCE

23.   Earth Temporarily Captures New Moon the Size of a Car (Washington Examiner)

24.   Biggest Explosion in the Universe Spotted by Astronomers (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

25.   Washington Agency Rejects Facebook Political Ad Settlement (Associated Press)

26.   Op/Ed: Protecting More of the Olympic Peninsula Would Be a Win for Public Lands & the Economy (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

GENERAL NEWS

27.   Coronavirus Expected to Spread as Washington State Prepares to Become First in Country to Perform In-State Testing (KNDO/KNDU – Tri-Cities, WA)

28.   North Mason to re-run school support levy in April (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

29.   Suspect Killed in Gun Battle with State Troopers in Purdy (Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA)

30.   Judge Blocks Trump from Using Kitsap Naval Base Funds on Border Wall (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

DREAM OF WHIRLED PEAS – DIVERSIONS

Scientists Made an Environmentally Friendly Gin from Peas. Yes, It Will Still Get You Drunk (Mashable)

Ontario’s New License Plates Have a Problem: You Can’t Read Them

Centuries-Old Law against Cursing in Public Repealed by Virginia Legislators

Tradition Behind Women Proposing on a Leap Year - And the Get-Out Clause for Men

SONG OF THE DAY

The Fifth Dimension - Wedding Bell Blues

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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

Dam Review Coming (Politico)

(WASHINGTON, DC) — The Trump administration is expected to release today a new draft environmental impact statement for the system of federal dams along the Columbia River and its tributary, the Snake River. The dams produce nearly half of the nation's hydropower but also serve as major impediments for fish, including endangered salmon. Environmental groups have targeted four of the dams on the lower Snake River for removal — an option fiercely opposed by Republican lawmakers in eastern Washington, including Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse, who have won backing from the Trump administration.

Greens, who won the environmental review as part of a 2016 court ruling, are already panning the new environmental review. "At this critical point, when what were the world's most abundant salmon runs are nearing extinction, what we need are new solutions, not a repackaging of previous strategies that clearly haven't, and won't, deliver the recovery of salmon," said Tom France, the National Wildlife Federation's regional director for the Pacific Northwest.