Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The Energy News Digest for April 28, 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

COVID-19: Gov. Inslee Eases Restrictions on Washington State Outdoor Activities (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

Lewis County PUD, ToledoTel Take Action to Make Wi-Fi Hotspots Available Around the County (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

First Circuit Clears General Electric on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster (Courthouse News Service)

Utility Shutoff Bans Are in Effect for Many Families, But What Happens When They End? (Utility Dive)

‘Salmon Cannon’ Coming to Help Threatened Fraser River Fish Bypass Rock Slide (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.        First Circuit Clears General Electric on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
2.        Utility Shutoff Bans Are in Effect for Many Families, But What Happens When They End?
3.        Clark Public Utilities’ Home & Garden Fair to Go Virtual This Year
4.        Mason PUD 1 Receives “Excellence in Communications” Awards
5.        Something for Everyone in New OPALCO COVID-19 Relief Measures
6.        Tri-State, Colorado Cooperatives in ‘Race to the Courthouse’ Over Exit Fee Jurisdiction
7.        In 2019, U.S Energy Production Exceeded Consumption for the First Time in 62 Years
8.        ‘Salmon Cannon’ Coming to Help Threatened Fraser River Fish Bypass Rock Slide
9.        Major Dust Storm Closes Highway Near Dusty, Washington
10.     Investors Donate Solar Panels to Jefferson County Airport
11.     Work to Install a Tidal Turbine in Waters Off China Has Been Completed, Despite the Coronavirus Pandemic
12.     Seattle Startup WattBuy Shines a New Light on Electric Rates by Plugging into Public Energy Data
13.     Lewis County PUD, ToledoTel Take Action to Make Wi-Fi Hotspots Available Around the County
14.     Comcast Extends COVID-19 Response Policies to June 30
15.     Even in Crisis Times, There Is a Push to Wire Rural America
16.     Meteorologists Say 2020 on Course to Be Hottest Year Since Records Began
17.     How a Major Electric Company Is Aiming to Be Carbon-Free by 2050
18.     Amid Falling Revenue, Sound Publishing Lays Off 70 Workers
19.     Typing Debate: Do You Type 2 Spaces Between Sentences or 1?
20.     Mile-Long Asteroid to Make Close Approach to Earth April 29, NASA Says
21.     COVID-19: Gov. Inslee Eases Restrictions on Washington State Outdoor Activities
22.     U.S. Congress Abandons Return to Washington After Lawmakers Revolt
23.     Side-Effect of the Pandemic: Pipes Clogged with Non-Flushable Junk
24.     Mason County Ballots for Special Election Due
25.     Pacific Northwest Maple Syrup? UW Testing Local Bigleaf Maples for Sweet Industry

WORD OF THE DAY

nabob \NAY-bobb\ Noun – 1: a provincial governor of the Mogul empire in India 2: a person of great wealth or prominence

Spio Agnew was no William Jenning Bryant. In the heat of Agnew’s battle with the press, famed speechwriter and newspaper columnist William Safire made him sound like Shakespeare with this famous quote:

"In the United States today, we have more than our share of nattering nabobs of negativism. They have formed their own 4-H club -- the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history."

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      First Circuit Clears General Electric on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster (Courthouse News Service)

2.      Utility Shutoff Bans Are in Effect for Many Families, But What Happens When They End? (Utility Dive)

3.      Clark Public Utilities’ Home & Garden Fair to Go Virtual This Year (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

4.      Mason PUD 1 Receives “Excellence in Communications” Awards (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

5.      Something for Everyone in New OPALCO COVID-19 Relief Measures (San Juan Islander, Friday Harbor, WA)

6.      Tri-State, Colorado Cooperatives in ‘Race to the Courthouse’ Over Exit Fee Jurisdiction (Utility Dive)

7.      In 2019, U.S Energy Production Exceeded Consumption for the First Time in 62 Years (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

FISH & WILDLIFE


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


RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

10.   Investors Donate Solar Panels to Jefferson County Airport (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

11.   Work to Install a Tidal Turbine in Waters Off China Has Been Completed, Despite the Coronavirus Pandemic (CNBC)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

12.   Seattle Startup WattBuy Shines a New Light on Electric Rates by Plugging into Public Energy Data (GeekWire)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

13.   Lewis County PUD, ToledoTel Take Action to Make Wi-Fi Hotspots Available Around the County (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

14.   Comcast Extends COVID-19 Response Policies to June 30 (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

15.   Even in Crisis Times, There Is a Push to Wire Rural America (National Public Radio)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

16.   Meteorologists Say 2020 on Course to Be Hottest Year Since Records Began (The Guardian, UK)

17.   How a Major Electric Company Is Aiming to Be Carbon-Free by 2050 (Axios)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

18.   Amid Falling Revenue, Sound Publishing Lays Off 70 Workers (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

19.   Typing Debate: Do You Type 2 Spaces Between Sentences or 1? (National Public Radio)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

20.   Mile-Long Asteroid to Make Close Approach to Earth April 29, NASA Says (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

21.   COVID-19: Gov. Inslee Eases Restrictions on Washington State Outdoor Activities (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

22.   U.S. Congress Abandons Return to Washington After Lawmakers Revolt (British Broadcasting Corporation)

SICKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

23.   Side-Effect of the Pandemic: Pipes Clogged with Non-Flushable Junk (Oregon Public Radio)

GENERAL NEWS

24.   Mason County Ballots for Special Election Due (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

25.   Pacific Northwest Maple Syrup? UW Testing Local Bigleaf Maples for Sweet Industry (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

This 1,000-Year-Old Mill Has Resumed Production Due to Demand for Flour

Undefeated, High Schoolers Head Online for Isolation Proms

Seuss-Star Trek Copyright Battleship Makes Landing at Ninth Circuit

Backyard Bird-Watching Picks Up in British Columbia as Neighborhoods Get Quieter

SONG OF THE DAY

Leon Redbone - Up A Lazy River & Mr. Jelly Roll Baker

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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