Monday, April 27, 2020

The Energy News Digest for April 27, 2020


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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS





HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Environmentalists Eye Power Plants After Supreme Court Ruling (Bloomberg News)

Columbia River Treaty Talks Impacted by COVID-19 Crisis (Salmon Arm Observer, BC)

Public Power Steps Up – ‘Drive-By Wi-Fi’: Hotspots Popping Up to Bridge Digital Divide Amid Virus Pandemic (Northwest News Network)

Fearsome New Predator on the Prowl in the Yakima River Near Tri-Cities (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Companies’ Use of Thermal Cameras to Speed Return to Work Sparks Worries about Civil Liberties (Washington Post)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Columbia River Treaty Talks Impacted by COVID-19 Crisis
2.      Op/Ed: Tom Karier – Time for a New Columbia River Treaty
3.      Mason PUD 3 Praised for
4.      Snohomish PUD Partners with Local Union to Make Masks
5.      Santee Cooper’s Top In-House Lawyer Fired as Utility Continues to Face Uncertain Future
6.      As Extreme Weather Spurs Billions in Utility Resilience Spending, Regulators Struggle to Value Investments
7.      Fearsome New Predator on the Prowl in the Yakima River Near Tri-Cities
8.      Chinook Fishing Season Is Now Open, But Few Fish Are in Idaho Yet
9.      ‘I Babysat a Whale All Day’: Rescuers Describe Freeing Gray Whale from Fishing Net Near Port Angeles
10.   Environmentalists Eye Power Plants After Supreme Court Ruling
11.   Bipartisan Senators Ask Feds to Extend Safe Harbor Deadlines for Wind, Solar Projects
12.   Op/Ed: Post-COVID-19 – A Positive Outlook for the Commercial Solar Industry
13.   Tech Can Help Trim Your Utility Bills, Which May Be on the Rise Amid Coronavirus Shutdown
14.   Chelan PUD Rolling Out Bigger Rebates
15.   Public Power Steps Up – ‘Drive-By Wi-Fi’: Hotspots Popping Up to Bridge Digital Divide Amid Virus Pandemic
16.   Op/Ed: Idaho’s Inadequate Rural Broadband Is Hurting Agriculture
17.   Amid Utility Concerns – FCC Opens 6 Ghz Band to Unlicensed Users
18.   Facebook Launches Zoom Competitor, with Built-In Special Effects
19.   For the Love of God, Don’t Use Facebook’s Video Chat Rooms
20.   New Bill Calls for Cannabis Companies to Be Eligible for Federal COVID-19 Help
21.   In a Crisis, Radio Should Be Bigger Than Ever — So Why Isn’t It?
22.   Op/Ed: Dean Ridings, CEO America’s Newspapers: Why Congress Needs to Support Your Local News Sources in This Crisis
23.   Internet Speech Will Never Go Back to Normal
24.   Companies’ Use of Thermal Cameras to Speed Return to Work Sparks Worries about Civil Liberties
25.   Inslee Expected to Lay Out Plan for Reopening Parks, Recreation
26.   President Trump Signs Coronavirus Response Legislation into Law
27.   H.R.266 - Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act
28.   Pelosi: No More Virus Bailouts without State & Local Aid
29.   Large, Troubled Companies Got Bailout Money in Coronavirus Small-Business Loan Program
30.   Grays Harbor County Employees Back to Work
31.   Washington State Reports 202 New COVID-19 Cases
32.   Mason County: First Confirmed Death Due to COVID-19
33.   Rural Hospitals Spiral Deeper into Red Ink Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
34.   Barges on the Columbia – A Boom for Bean Farmers: Pandemic Spurs Demand for Legumes
35.   ‘Food Supply Chain Is Breaking,’ Tyson Foods Chairman Says as Processing Plants Continue to Close
36.   Virus Is Expected to Reduce Meat Selection & Raise Prices

WORD OF THE DAY

Ensconce \in-SKONSS\ Verb - 1: to place or hide securely: conceal 2: to establish or settle firmly, comfortably, or snugly

“You’ve got one chance with this,” shouted the grizzled sergeant over the whistling winds, and growling engines of the paratroopers’ fragile training craft. “Now GO…GO…GO…” The fresh-faced new recruit did not budge, could not budge…ensconced in his seat as if held down by super glue. Which he was, much to the amusement of his fellow soldiers.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Columbia River Treaty Talks Impacted by COVID-19 Crisis (Salmon Arm Observer, BC)

2.      Op/Ed: Tom Karier – Time for a New Columbia River Treaty (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

3.      Mason PUD 3 Praised for Safety (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

4.      Snohomish PUD Partners with Local Union to Make Masks (American Public Power Association)

5.      Santee Cooper’s Top In-House Lawyer Fired as Utility Continues to Face Uncertain Future (The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC)

6.      As Extreme Weather Spurs Billions in Utility Resilience Spending, Regulators Struggle to Value Investments (Utility Dive)

FISH & WILDLIFE

7.      Fearsome New Predator on the Prowl in the Yakima River Near Tri-Cities (Tri-City Herald, WA)

8.      Chinook Fishing Season Is Now Open, But Few Fish Are in Idaho Yet (East Idaho News, Idaho Falls, ID)

9.      ‘I Babysat a Whale All Day’: Rescuers Describe Freeing Gray Whale from Fishing Net Near Port Angeles (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

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

10.   Environmentalists Eye Power Plants After Supreme Court Ruling (Bloomberg News)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   Bipartisan Senators Ask Feds to Extend Safe Harbor Deadlines for Wind, Solar Projects (Utility Dive)

12.   Op/Ed: Post-COVID-19 – A Positive Outlook for the Commercial Solar Industry (Utility Dive)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

13.   Tech Can Help Trim Your Utility Bills, Which May Be on the Rise Amid Coronavirus Shutdown (USA Today)

14.   Chelan PUD Rolling Out Bigger Rebates (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

15.   Public Power Steps Up – ‘Drive-By Wi-Fi’: Hotspots Popping Up to Bridge Digital Divide Amid Virus Pandemic (Northwest News Network)

16.   Op/Ed: Idaho’s Inadequate Rural Broadband Is Hurting Agriculture (Idaho County Free Press, Grangeville, ID)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

17.   Amid Utility Concerns – FCC Opens 6 Ghz Band to Unlicensed Users (American Public Power Association)

18.   Facebook Launches Zoom Competitor, with Built-In Special Effects (Washington Post)

19.   For the Love of God, Don’t Use Facebook’s Video Chat Rooms (Gizmodo)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

20.   New Bill Calls for Cannabis Companies to Be Eligible for Federal COVID-19 Help (Tech Crunch)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

21.   In a Crisis, Radio Should Be Bigger Than Ever — So Why Isn’t It? (Rolling Stone Magazine)

22.   Op/Ed: Dean Ridings, CEO America’s Newspapers: Why Congress Needs to Support Your Local News Sources in This Crisis (Wenatchee World, WA)

23.   Internet Speech Will Never Go Back to Normal (Atlantic Magazine)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE


GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

25.   Inslee Expected to Lay Out Plan for Reopening Parks, Recreation (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)


27.   H.R.266 - Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act (Congress.Gov)

28.   Pelosi: No More Virus Bailouts without State & Local Aid (Associated Press)

29.   Large, Troubled Companies Got Bailout Money in Coronavirus Small-Business Loan Program (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

30.   Grays Harbor County Employees Back to Work (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

SICKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

31.   Washington State Reports 202 New COVID-19 Cases (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

32.   Mason County: First Confirmed Death Due to COVID-19 (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

33.   Rural Hospitals Spiral Deeper into Red Ink Amid COVID-19 Pandemic (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

GENERAL NEWS


35.   ‘Food Supply Chain Is Breaking,’ Tyson Foods Chairman Says as Processing Plants Continue to Close (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

36.   Virus Is Expected to Reduce Meat Selection & Raise Prices (Associated Press)

STARS IN YOUR EYES – DIVERSIONS

Astronomer Files Trademark Lawsuit Against American Girl, Alleging Astronaut Doll Copies Her Likeness

Hubble Marks 30 Years of Seeing a Universe Being Born & Dying

Sale of Defective Parrot Leads to British Columbia Lawsuit

There’s Officially a Snake Named After Salazar Slytherin Now

SONG OF THE DAY

Willie Nelson – Stardust

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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