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Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
Legal Battle Reignites Over Lower Snake River Dams, Salmon
(The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
https://www.chronline.com/stories/legal-battle-reignites-over-lower-snake-river-dams-salmon,387047
Feds Greenlight Killing More Sea Lions to Protect Endangered
Salmon as Controversy Fades (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
Idaho: Ada County Commission Vote Means Future of Solar
Projects Isn’t Very Sunny (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ada-county-commission-vote-means-100000981.html
California Lawmakers Send Gov. Newsom a High-Stakes Energy
Overhaul Tied to Wildfires, Utilities & Oil (CalMatters)
https://calmatters.org/environment/2025/09/climate-change-package-legislature/
Low Colorado River Flows Create Ripple Effects on Utah’s
Recreation Industry (Utah Dispatch)
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/14/colorado-river-low-levels-impact-utah-recreation-industry/
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
California Lawmakers Send Gov. Newsom a
High-Stakes Energy Overhaul Tied to Wildfires, Utilities & Oil
2.
Court Sides with Wyoming Utility, Rules State
Should Have Allowed Higher Rate Increase
3.
WA State: Grant PUD Proposes 16-Month Power
Sales “Bridge” to Prep for New Market Era
4.
Northwest U.S. Natural Gas Prices Remain
Historically Low in 2025
5.
BNSF Addresses Utility Permit Issues Raised by
Lawmakers, Montana Cities
6.
House Appropriations Committee Approves HHS
Funding Legislation with Increase for LIHEAP
7.
Lawmakers Examine Why Longstanding Federal
Tribal Energy Loan Program Has Delivered Only One Deal
8.
Electric Grid Growing Faster Than Anticipated:
EIA
9.
Puget Sound Energy Appoints New Board Chairman
10.
Legal Battle Reignites Over Lower Snake River
Dams, Salmon
11.
Lawsuits Against Federal Government Over
Columbia Basin Dams to Resume
12.
Oregon Resumes Legal Battle After Trump
Administration Abandons Historic Columbia River Agreement
13.
Tribes, States Push to Revive Snake &
Columbia River Salmon Lawsuit After Trump Order
14.
Idaho: Ada County Commission Vote Means Future
of Solar Projects Isn’t Very Sunny
15.
Illinois Farmers Find That Sheep & Solar
Arrays Go Well Together
16.
U.S. Asks Federal Court to Cancel Permit for
Maryland Offshore Wind Farm
17.
Feds Greenlight Killing More Sea Lions to
Protect Endangered Salmon as Controversy Fades
18.
Shorthanded Federal Fish Hatcheries Rely on
States, Tribes & Volunteers During Critical Spawning Period
19.
Southern Resident Orca Seen Carrying Dead Calf
Raises Concerns for Endangered Population
20.
Idaho to Treat Snake River Again in ‘Aggressive’
Fight Against Quagga Mussels
21.
As Feds Talk of Changing Course on Hanford
Nuclear Cleanup, WA Officials Get Heated
22.
WA Dept. Of Ecology Proposes Air Quality General
Order for Some NCW Data Centers
23.
Low Colorado River Flows Create Ripple Effects
on Utah’s Recreation Industry
24.
Sweeping California Climate Bills Heading to
Newsom’s Desk
25.
Latest Carbon Auction Raises $446 Million as WA
Experiences Highest Gas Prices in Nation
26.
Per Capita Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide
Emissions Decreased in Every State Between 2005 & 2023
27.
Accelerated Glacier Melt Is Threatening Europe’s
Villages, Rivers & Economies
28.
U.S. Electric Grids Under Pressure from
Energy-Hungry Data Centers Are Changing Strategy
29.
California Just Crossed an Electric Vehicle
Milestone. Here’s How
30.
A Framework Deal on TikTok Has Been Reached
Between the U.S. & China
31.
Comcast Lawsuit Argues New Washington Tax on
Advertising Is Illegal
32.
Google’s Stricter Business Verification Process:
What Utilities & Broadband Providers Need to Know
33.
Along Those Lines: Co-ops Embrace Cultural
Evolution Amid a Generational Workforce Shift
34.
Washington State Hits Highest Gas Prices in the
Country, Surpassing California
35.
Guest Essay: Back to Court, But Our Regional
Work to Protect Salmon Will Continue
36.
Fact-Checking the Electricity Bill Debate
37.
5G to 6G – Here We Go Again
Word of the Day
Bucolic \byoo-CALL-ick\ Adjective – 1: of or relating to shepherds or herdsmen: pastoral 2a: relating to or typical of rural life b: idyllic.
A soft, warm breeze rustled the tall grass that enveloped Barney as he lay in the pasture, watching the clouds lazily roll by, framed by a deep azure sky. “This day couldn’t be better,” he mused, enjoying his bucolic escape with a deep, spiritual contentment.
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
California Lawmakers Send Gov. Newsom a High-Stakes
Energy Overhaul Tied to Wildfires, Utilities & Oil (CalMatters)
https://calmatters.org/environment/2025/09/climate-change-package-legislature/
2.
Court Sides with Wyoming Utility, Rules State
Should Have Allowed Higher Rate Increase (WyoFile)
3.
WA State: Grant PUD Proposes 16-Month Power Sales
“Bridge” to Prep for New Market Era (Source ONE News, Ephrata, WA)
4.
Northwest U.S. Natural Gas Prices Remain
Historically Low in 2025 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=66084
5.
BNSF Addresses Utility Permit Issues Raised by
Lawmakers, Montana Cities (The Daily Montanan)
6.
House Appropriations Committee Approves HHS
Funding Legislation with Increase for LIHEAP (American Public Power
Association)
7.
Lawmakers Examine Why Longstanding Federal
Tribal Energy Loan Program Has Delivered Only One Deal (Tribal Business News)
8.
Electric Grid Growing Faster Than Anticipated: EIA
(Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electric-grid-growth-generation-natural-gas-solar/759745/
9.
Puget Sound Energy Appoints New Board Chairman (Daily
Energy Insider)
https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/49620-puget-sound-energy-appoints-new-board-chairman/
Snake
River Saga – A River Flows Through It
10.
Legal Battle Reignites Over Lower Snake River
Dams, Salmon (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
https://www.chronline.com/stories/legal-battle-reignites-over-lower-snake-river-dams-salmon,387047
11.
Lawsuits Against Federal Government Over Columbia
Basin Dams to Resume (Washington State Standard)
12.
Oregon Resumes Legal Battle After Trump Administration
Abandons Historic Columbia River Agreement (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
13.
Tribes, States Push to Revive Snake & Columbia
River Salmon Lawsuit After Trump Order (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/sep/12/tribes-states-push-to-revive-snake-and-columbia-ri/
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
14.
Idaho: Ada County Commission Vote Means Future of
Solar Projects Isn’t Very Sunny (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ada-county-commission-vote-means-100000981.html
15.
Illinois Farmers Find That Sheep & Solar
Arrays Go Well Together (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/illinois-farmers-graze-sheep-agrivoltaics
16.
U.S. Asks Federal Court to Cancel Permit for Maryland
Offshore Wind Farm (Reuters)
Fish
& Wildlife
17.
Feds Greenlight Killing More Sea Lions to
Protect Endangered Salmon as Controversy Fades (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
18.
Shorthanded Federal Fish Hatcheries Rely on
States, Tribes & Volunteers During Critical Spawning Period (Spokesman-Review,
Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/sep/13/shorthanded-federal-fish-hatcheries-rely-on-states/
19.
Southern Resident Orca Seen Carrying Dead Calf
Raises Concerns for Endangered Population (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
20.
Idaho to Treat Snake River Again in ‘Aggressive’
Fight Against Quagga Mussels (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/sep/12/idaho-to-treat-snake-river-again-in-aggressive-fig/
Environmental
Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three
21.
As Feds Talk of Changing Course on Hanford Nuclear
Cleanup, WA Officials Get Heated (Washington State Standard)
22.
WA Dept. Of Ecology Proposes Air Quality General
Order for Some NCW Data Centers (NCW News, East Wenatchee, WA)
Water,
Water, Anywhere?
23.
Low Colorado River Flows Create Ripple Effects on
Utah’s Recreation Industry (Utah Dispatch)
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/14/colorado-river-low-levels-impact-utah-recreation-industry/
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
24.
Sweeping California Climate Bills Heading to Newsom’s
Desk (The Hill, Washington, DC)
https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/5504189-california-newsoms-climate-agenda/
25.
Latest Carbon Auction Raises $446 Million as WA Experiences
Highest Gas Prices in Nation (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_dd578cc3-f08b-4052-aea3-a1168d046adc.html
26.
Per Capita Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Decreased in Every State Between 2005 & 2023 (U.S. Energy Information
Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=66104
27.
Accelerated Glacier Melt Is Threatening Europe’s
Villages, Rivers & Economies (National Public Radio)
The
Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity
28.
U.S. Electric Grids Under Pressure from
Energy-Hungry Data Centers Are Changing Strategy (Associated Press)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/big-techs-energy-hungry-data-040203455.html
I
Sing the Car Electric
29.
California Just Crossed an Electric Vehicle
Milestone. Here’s How (MSN News)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/california-just-crossed-an-ev-milestone-here-s-how/ar-AA1BERpa
Public
Relations, Marketing & Media
30.
A Framework Deal on TikTok Has Been Reached
Between the U.S. & China (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-b2621f7554d4a45eef83d05b4b958034
31.
Comcast Lawsuit Argues New Washington Tax on Advertising
Is Illegal (Washington State Standard)
32.
Google’s Stricter Business Verification Process:
What Utilities & Broadband Providers Need to Know (Pioneer Utility
Resources)
https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/googleverification/
Politics,
Governance, and Management
33.
Along Those Lines: Co-ops Embrace Cultural
Evolution Amid a Generational Workforce Shift (National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association)
Other
Things to Know About Today
34.
Washington State Hits Highest Gas Prices in the Country,
Surpassing California (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
Soapbox
Serenade – Vox Populi
35.
Guest Essay: Back to Court, But Our Regional
Work to Protect Salmon Will Continue (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
36.
Fact-Checking the Electricity Bill Debate (Politico)
37.
5G to 6G – Here We Go Again (Pots & Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2025/09/15/here-we-go-again/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
The World’s Tallest Sunflower Blooms in an Indiana Backyard as
a Tribute to Ukraine
Long-Lost Postcard Returned to Sender 72 Years After Being
Mailed
A Greek Island Has 1,000 Private Chapels. Families Maintain
Them for Faith & Community
Man Spits Table Tennis Ball at a Wall 51 Times in 30 Seconds
Song of the Day
Glen Campbell – Sunflower
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcMSzOjpirM
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