Friday, April 10, 2020

The Energy News Digest for April 10, 2020


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

Comment Period to Close Soon on Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement & Preferred Alternative (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Clearer Picture of Coronavirus-Driven Grid Load Declines Emerges in U.S. After Weeks of Lockdowns (Utility Dive)

Port Angeles City Council OKs Utility, Rental Assistance (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Washington State Nears Half a Million Unemployed from Coronavirus, with ‘Tsunami’ of More Claims Expected (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Another Positive COVID-19 Case in Mason County (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Comment Period to Close Soon on Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement & Preferred Alternative
2.      Op/Ed: Take A Few Minutes to Help Save Our Dams – By April 13th
3.      Op/Ed: Setting the Record Straight on Lower Snake River Dams
4.      Fitch Rates Chelan PUD’s $165 Million Bonds at ‘AA+’; Outlook Stable
5.      FERC Accepts NorthernGrid Jurisdictional Tariff Filings, NW Power Pool to Serve as NorthernGrid Project Coordinator
6.      Meet Jennifer Hollenbeck, Bonneville Power Administration’s Energy-Saving Energy Engineer
7.      Clearer Picture of Coronavirus-Driven Grid Load Declines Emerges in U.S. After Weeks of Lockdowns
8.      How Coronavirus Is Changing Electricity Usage, in Three Charts
9.      Port Angeles City Council OKs Utility, Rental Assistance
10.   Can’t Pay Your Utility Bill? Cities, PUDs Are Helping
11.   Inslee Should Suspend All Water-Service Shut-Offs During Coronavirus Crisis, Advocacy Groups Say
12.   APPA Urges Congress to Boost Funding for LIHEAP, Coronavirus Relief Fund
13.   NRECA Requests Federal Aid for Cooperatives Unable to Pay Electric Bills During Pandemic
14.   State Telemeeting About California Fishing Ban Erupts into Chaos. ‘Make Fishing Great Again!’
15.   Op/Ed: Environmentalists Are Dragging Us Back to the Dark Ages
16.   Cow Poop Could Fuel California’s Clean Energy Future – Not Everyone’s on Board
17.   Ireland: Butterfly Concerns Delay Solar Farm Planning Decision
18.   Snohomish County PUD earns Energy Star Award for Excellence
19.   Our Lack of Will to Expand Broadband Access Has Left Millions of Students Disconnected During Closures
20.   Op/Ed: Rural Broadband & Telehealth Critical to America’s COVID-19 Response
21.   How a 5G Virus Conspiracy Theory Fueled Arson & Harassment in Britain
22.   Washington State Nears Half a Million Unemployed from Coronavirus, with ‘Tsunami’ of More Claims Expected
23.   Senate Adjourns Until Monday After Democrats Block McConnell’s Bid to Add $250 Billion in Small Business Aid
24.   About 70% of Small Businesses Have Applied for a CARES Act Loan. It’s Unclear How Many Have Received Them.
25.   U.S. Rep. Denny Heck Officially Announces Run for Washington State Lieutenant Governor
26.   Another Positive COVID-19 Case in Mason County
27.   Feds Seize Coronavirus Test Kit Materials Bound for Bellingham Hospital & Pacific Northwest
28.   Redmond City Leadership Accused of Telling Employees to Stay Quiet About Having COVID
29.   ‘Strong Evidence’ Social Distancing Measures Are Working in Washington State
30.   ‘Be the Light’: The Inspirational Reason High Schools Nationwide Are Burning Stadium Lights During the Coronavirus Pandemic
31.   Super Spring Weather Ahead

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Hermetic • \herr-MET-tick\ • Adjective - 1: relating to or characterized by occultism or abstruseness: recondite 2a: airtight b: impervious to external influence c: recluse, solitary

Frank the Hermetic
Lived thus not by his choice
Garlic was his vice


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Comment Period to Close Soon on Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement & Preferred Alternative (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

2.      Op/Ed: Take A Few Minutes to Help Save Our Dams – By April 13th (Tri-City Herald, WA)

3.      Op/Ed: Setting the Record Straight on Lower Snake River Dams (Idaho State Journal)

4.      Fitch Rates Chelan PUD’s $165 Million Bonds at ‘AA+’; Outlook Stable (Fitch Ratings)

5.      FERC Accepts NorthernGrid Jurisdictional Tariff Filings, NW Power Pool to Serve as NorthernGrid Project Coordinator (Transmission & Distribution World)

6.      Meet Jennifer Hollenbeck, Bonneville Power Administration’s Energy-Saving Energy Engineer (Bonneville Power Administration)

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS – THE CORONAVIRUS CONUNDRUM

7.      Clearer Picture of Coronavirus-Driven Grid Load Declines Emerges in U.S. After Weeks of Lockdowns (Utility Dive)

8.      How Coronavirus Is Changing Electricity Usage, in Three Charts (Grist Online)

9.      Port Angeles City Council OKs Utility, Rental Assistance (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

10.   Can’t Pay Your Utility Bill? Cities, PUDs Are Helping (Wenatchee World, WA)

11.   Inslee Should Suspend All Water-Service Shut-Offs During Coronavirus Crisis, Advocacy Groups Say (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

12.   APPA Urges Congress to Boost Funding for LIHEAP, Coronavirus Relief Fund (American Public Power Association)

13.   NRECA Requests Federal Aid for Cooperatives Unable to Pay Electric Bills During Pandemic (Daily Energy Insider)

FISH & WILDLIFE

14.   State Telemeeting About California Fishing Ban Erupts into Chaos. ‘Make Fishing Great Again!’ (Sacramento Bee, CA)

15.   Op/Ed: Environmentalists Are Dragging Us Back to the Dark Ages (Lewiston Tribune, ID)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

16.   Cow Poop Could Fuel California’s Clean Energy Future – Not Everyone’s on Board (Los Angeles Times, CA)

17.   Ireland: Butterfly Concerns Delay Solar Farm Planning Decision (Irish Times)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

18.   Snohomish County PUD earns Energy Star Award for Excellence (Mountlake Terrace News, WA)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

19.   Our Lack of Will to Expand Broadband Access Has Left Millions of Students Disconnected During Closures (Fast Company)

20.   Op/Ed: Rural Broadband & Telehealth Critical to America’s COVID-19 Response (The Hill, Washington, DC)

21.   How a 5G Virus Conspiracy Theory Fueled Arson & Harassment in Britain (NY Times)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

22.   Washington State Nears Half a Million Unemployed from Coronavirus, with ‘Tsunami’ of More Claims Expected (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

23.   Senate Adjourns Until Monday After Democrats Block McConnell’s Bid to Add $250 Billion in Small Business Aid (CNBC)


25.   U.S. Rep. Denny Heck Officially Announces Run for Washington State Lieutenant Governor (MSN News)

SICKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

26.   Another Positive COVID-19 Case in Mason County (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

27.   Feds Seize Coronavirus Test Kit Materials Bound for Bellingham Hospital & Pacific Northwest (Bellingham Herald, WA)

28.   Redmond City Leadership Accused of Telling Employees to Stay Quiet About Having COVID (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)

29.   ‘Strong Evidence’ Social Distancing Measures Are Working in Washington State (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)

30.   ‘Be the Light’: The Inspirational Reason High Schools Nationwide Are Burning Stadium Lights During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Yahoo News)

GENERAL NEWS

31.   Super Spring Weather Ahead (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

BAD WOLF – DIVERSIONS

The Howling: Americans Let It Out from Depths of Pandemic

Czech Nudists Told to Wear Face Masks by Police

Trump Says He Will ‘Take a Look’ at Pardon for ‘Tiger King’ Star (Courthouse News Service)

Easter Bunny Declared an ‘Essential Service’ in British Columbia as Premier Makes ‘Special Eggs-Emption’

SONG OF THE DAY

Mariachi Entertainment System – Take on Me (A-Ha)

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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