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Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
Scientists Say They
Have Solved the Mystery of What Killed More Than 5 Billion Sea Stars
(Associated Press)
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/scientists-say-they-have-solved-the-mystery-of-20801000.php
Trump
Administration Cancels Plans to Develop New Offshore Wind Projects (Associated
Press)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-wind-permitting-offshore-7a05dff77ba92e4a7761604583a6d208
Trump,
Congressional Republicans Propose Big Cuts for Western Renewable Energy Labs,
Research (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Washington Bans
Company Trying to Sell ‘Fishy’ Carbon Allowances (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA
– Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/aug/01/washington-bans-company-trying-to-sell-fishy-carbo/
Electricity Cost
Concerns Grow Amid Push for More Artificial Intelligence Data Centers (MSN
News)
News Highlights (See
Stories Below)
1. Electricity
Cost Concerns Grow Amid Push for More Artificial Intelligence Data Centers
2. Avista
Makes Annual Price Adjustment Filings in Idaho
3. NW
Natural Wants to Raise Rates by 3% or Less — Less Than It First Proposed
4. Skagit
Residents Voice Concerns Over Seattle’s Dam Project Proposal
5. Oregon:
Powell Butte Residents Push Back Against Pacific Power Transmission Line
Proposal
6. As
Utilities Start to Bury Power Lines, Homeowners Are Increasingly Worried About the
Cost
7. Preparing
For the Future: Transmission Crews Reflect on Last Year’s Winter Storm Damage
8. Idaho
National Laboratory Director Says Trump Is Ushering in Nuclear Renaissance
9. Scam
Alert: New Fraud Targets Franklin PUD Electric Customers
10. Customer
Awareness of Utility Sustainability Efforts Rising, Says J.D. Power
11. British
Columbia Brush Fire Sparked by Bird Dropping Fish on Power Lines, Firefighters
Say
12. Trump
Administration Cancels Plans to Develop New Offshore Wind Projects
13. Federal
Government Rescinds Oregon’s Offshore Wind Energy Area
14. Chart:
The Clean-Energy Manufacturing Boom Is Going Bust
15. California
Halts Building Code Updates in a Blow to Electrification
16. Scientists
Say They Have Solved the Mystery of What Killed More Than 5 Billion Sea Stars
17. Chinook
Salmon Fishing Returning to Oregon’s Coquille River
18. Steelhead
Surprise: Early Returns Are Outpacing the Preseason Forecast
19. Alaska
Experts Recommend Management Overhaul to Rescue Yukon River Salmon Runs
20. A
Decades-Long Quest to Restore Washington’s Only Native Oyster Sees Success
21. WA
State: LOTT Clean Water Alliance Wants to Make Wastewater Drinkable. Are You
Ready for That?
22. Washington
Bans Company Trying to Sell ‘Fishy’ Carbon Allowances
23. Washington
State Climate Policies Face Headwinds as Trump Aims to Ax Regulations
24. U.S.
Dept. of Energy Questions Climate Change Consensus
25. Starlink
‘Not Up to Task’ of Delivering Broadband
26. From
Electricity to Broadband in One Lifetime: Interview
27. Chinese
Researchers Suggest Lasers & Sabotage to Counter Musk’s Starlink Satellites
28. How
The U.S. Lost Its Lead in Electric Vehicles & Other Clean Energy Inventions
29. Corporation
for Public Broadcasting to Shut Down After Funding Cut
30. It’s
Not Just About Cheating. How Artificial Intelligence Is Quietly Eroding College
Students’ Networks
31. Up,
Up & Run Away! Radioactive Wasps Found at South Carolina Nuclear Facility
32. Trump,
Congressional Republicans Propose Big Cuts for Western Renewable Energy Labs,
Research
33. A
Wind & Solar Tax Mystery Solved
34. Washington’s
Work Zone Speed Camera Program Issues Over 7,500 Infractions in 90 Days
35. The
First Frontal System of the Autumn
36. Where’s
the Buzz? Wasps Are Missing This Year Across the Inland Northwest
37.
Guest Essay: Protecting Utah’s Communities
Starts with Three Simple Numbers
Phrase of the Day
Where Does the Phrase “Home, James” Come From?
The phrase became widely recognized thanks to the saying “Home, James, and don’t spare the horses!” This line showed up in a 1934 British song. The lyrics describe a bad date and a woman wanting to get home quickly.
Or
One theory links the phrase to Queen Victoria and her carriage driver, James Darling. Victoria…often traveled by horse-drawn carriage. It’s said that she would end outings by saying “Home, James” to her driver.
https://scholarshipinstitute.org/blog/where-does-the-phrase-home-james-originate/
Energy & Utility
Issues
1.
Electricity Cost Concerns Grow Amid Push for
More Artificial Intelligence Data Centers (MSN News)
2.
Avista Makes Annual Price Adjustment Filings in
Idaho (Morningstar)
3.
NW Natural Wants to Raise Rates by 3% or Less —
Less Than It First Proposed (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
4.
Skagit Residents Voice Concerns Over Seattle’s Dam
Project Proposal (KGMI-Radio, Bellingham, WA)
5.
Oregon: Powell Butte Residents Push Back Against
Pacific Power Transmission Line Proposal (Central Oregon Daily, Bend, OR)
6.
As Utilities Start to Bury Power Lines,
Homeowners Are Increasingly Worried About the Cost (LAist)
7.
Preparing For the Future: Transmission Crews
Reflect on Last Year’s Winter Storm Damage (Bonneville Power Administration)
8.
Idaho National Laboratory Director Says Trump Is
Ushering in Nuclear Renaissance (Idaho Capital Sun)
9.
Scam Alert: New Fraud Targets Franklin PUD Electric
Customers (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)
10.
Customer Awareness of Utility Sustainability
Efforts Rising, Says J.D. Power (Daily Energy Insider)
11.
British Columbia Brush Fire Sparked by Bird
Dropping Fish on Power Lines, Firefighters Say (Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-wildfire-bird-fish-1.7598594
Renewable Energy &
Self Storage
12. Trump
Administration Cancels Plans to Develop New Offshore Wind Projects (Associated
Press)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-wind-permitting-offshore-7a05dff77ba92e4a7761604583a6d208
13.
Federal Government Rescinds Oregon’s Offshore
Wind Energy Area (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
14.
Chart: The Clean-Energy Manufacturing Boom Is
Going Bust (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy-manufacturing/trump-investments-drop-ira
Conservation &
Efficiency
15.
California Halts Building Code Updates in a Blow
to Electrification (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/carbon-free-buildings/ca-ab-130-code-housing
Fish & Wildlife
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/scientists-say-they-have-solved-the-mystery-of-20801000.php
17.
Chinook Salmon Fishing Returning to Oregon’s Coquille
River (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
18.
Steelhead Surprise: Early Returns Are Outpacing the
Preseason Forecast (Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Lewiston, ID)
19.
Alaska Experts Recommend Management Overhaul to
Rescue Yukon River Salmon Runs (Alaska Beacon)
20.
A Decades-Long Quest to Restore Washington’s Only
Native Oyster Sees Success (Cascadia Daily News)
Water, Water, Anywhere?
21.
WA State: LOTT Clean Water Alliance Wants to
Make Wastewater Drinkable. Are You Ready for That? (The Olympian, WA – Via MSN
News)
Climate Change
Sequestration Vault
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/aug/01/washington-bans-company-trying-to-sell-fishy-carbo/
23.
Washington State Climate Policies Face Headwinds
as Trump Aims to Ax Regulations (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
24.
U.S. Dept. of Energy Questions Climate Change
Consensus (Politico)
London Calling
–Telecommunications
25.
Starlink ‘Not Up to Task’ of Delivering
Broadband (MSN News)
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/starlink-not-up-to-task-of-delivering-broadband/ar-AA1JOKbP
26.
From Electricity to Broadband in One Lifetime:
Interview (Telecompetitor)
https://www.telecompetitor.com/from-electricity-to-broadband-in-one-lifetime-interview/
The Wizarding World of
Technology & Cybersecurity
27.
Chinese Researchers Suggest Lasers &
Sabotage to Counter Musk’s Starlink Satellites (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/spacex-musk-starlink-china-satellites-759e53143378357ce3af21ca8a6916df
I Sing the Car Electric
28.
How The U.S. Lost Its Lead in Electric Vehicles &
Other Clean Energy Inventions (Washington Post – Via MSN)
Public Relations,
Marketing & Media
29.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Shut Down
After Funding Cut (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_59c308ca-c26f-4728-96bf-d67d3cf63f6c.html
30. It’s
Not Just About Cheating. How Artificial Intelligence Is Quietly Eroding College
Students’ Networks (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
Barrel O’ Green
Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
31.
Up, Up & Run Away! Radioactive Wasps Found at
South Carolina Nuclear Facility (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/radioactive-wasps-found-south-carolina-182054726.html
Politics, Governance,
and Management
33.
A Wind & Solar Tax Mystery Solved (Politico)
Other Things to Know
About Today
34.
Washington’s Work Zone Speed Camera Program
Issues Over 7,500 Infractions in 90 Days (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
35.
The First Frontal System of the Autumn (Cliff
Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-first-frontal-system-of-autumn.html
36.
Where’s the Buzz? Wasps Are Missing This Year
Across the Inland Northwest (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jul/30/wheres-the-buzz-wasps-are-missing-this-year-across/
Soapbox Serenade – Vox
Populi
37.
Guest Essay: Protecting Utah’s Communities
Starts with Three Simple Numbers (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)
https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2025/08/03/protecting-utah-utility-strikes-811/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Popular 1980s Actor
Loni Anderson of the Hit TV Series ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ Has Died
https://apnews.com/article/loni-anderson-actor-died-obituary-3614dc44dbad987f74fc4cd64bd3e7fc
Conservationists Are
Giving Rhinos Radioactive Horns to Save Them from Poachers
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/radioactive-rhino-horns-1.7599955
Evolutionary Origins
of the Potato Revealed – A Tomato Was Involved
https://www.reuters.com/science/evolutionary-origins-potato-revealed-tomato-was-involved-2025-08-01/
Utility Workers in Peru
Unearth Pre-Incan Tomb with 1,000-Year-Old Remains
Song of the Day
WKRP in Cincinnati
Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgrVP_J0BHk&list=RDzgrVP_J0BHk&start_radio=1
Links & Paywall Advisory
Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites frequently, which may result in broken links.
Although I choose
stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual
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