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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
U.S. Bans Utilities Supplying Defense Facilities from Buying
Power Grid Items from China (Reuters)
Rising Renewables Penetration is a Threat to Grid
Reliability in Some Regions, NERC Concludes (Utility Dive)
Victoria, BC Begins Treating Sewage Before Releasing It into
Strait of Juan de Fuca (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/bc-begins-treating-sewage-before-releasing-it-into-strait/
For First Time in Years, Chinook Salmon Spawn in Upper
Columbia River System (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Public Power Officials Detail Plans for COVID-19 Vaccine
Distribution (American Public Power Association)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Public Power Officials Detail Plans for COVID-19
Vaccine Distribution
2.
Smokestacks at Navajo Generating Station in
Northern Arizona Demolished Friday
3.
FERC Chief Danly’s Bid to Investigate California
ISO over August Blackouts Rejected by Glick, Chatterjee
4.
Oregon: Ill Conceived Trades – Portland General
Electric Announces Conclusion of the Review by the Special Committee of the
Board of Directors
5.
WA State: Why Some Environmental Advocates
Oppose Klickitat County Pumped Hydropower Storage Project
6.
Op/Ed: In a Challenging Year, Columbia River
Treaty Work Continues
7.
Op/Ed: The Alaska Energy Authority is Helping
Prepare the Railbelt for Tomorrow
8.
Head of Wyoming Public Service Commission Resigns
9.
Avista Corporation: An Underappreciated
Renewable Utility
10.
Clean Air, Affordable Power & Environmental
Mitigation: Northwest Power Act Turns 40
11.
APPA Op/Ed: Maine Should Take the Public Power
Option Seriously
12.
California Paraglider Dressed as Santa Lands in
Tangle of Power Wires
13.
Rising Renewables Penetration is a Threat to
Grid Reliability in Some Regions, NERC Concludes
14.
No ‘Green Halo’ for Renewables: First Solar,
Veolia, Others Tackle Wind & Solar Environmental Impacts
15.
A Greener, Rural-Oklahoma Energy Grid is
Generating Jobs by the Hundreds & Revenues by the Millions
16.
Californians Can Now Pay More to Get Natural Gas
from Cow Manure
17.
WA State: Are You Eligible for a Free Ductless
Heat Pump?
18.
For First Time in Years, Chinook Salmon Spawn in
Upper Columbia River System
19.
How Seals May Be Impacting Salmon Conservation
20.
Op/Ed: Removal of Unproductive Dams Best for
Salmon
21.
Restoration Project Improves Fish Habitat,
Irrigation for Farmers
22.
Victoria, BC Begins Treating Sewage Before
Releasing It into Strait of Juan de Fuca
23.
Montana’s New Selenium Standards Should Affect
Fish All the Way to Washington State
24.
U.S.: More Must Be Done to Protect Colorado
River from Drought
25.
Don’t ‘Lose Yourself’ or Miss Your ‘One Shot’ to
Comment on Review of N Central Washington’s Eightmile Dam
26.
Climate Change Brings New Look at Benefits of
Hydroelectric Power
27.
Congress’ Stimulus Package to Set Aside $7
Billion for Broadband
28.
WA State: Mid-Columbia Libraries Expanding Free
Internet Access
29.
A National Solution to the Digital Divide Starts
with States
30.
‘Powerful Tradecraft’: How Foreign Cyber-Spies
Compromised America
31.
‘They Got into Everything’: US Surveys Damage
from Cyberattack
32.
WA State: Commerce Awards $9.8 Million for
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
33.
Pacific Power Grants to Fund Several Central
Oregon Clean Transportation Projects
34.
Electric Utilities Should Get Ready for Wave of
Electric Vehicles, Experts Say
35.
Jupiter, Saturn Merging in Night Sky, Closest in
Centuries (Yakima Herald, WA)
36.
U.S. Bans Utilities Supplying Defense Facilities
from Buying Power Grid Items from China
37.
Schrier and McMorris Rodgers Win Coveted Spots
on US House Energy & Commerce Committee
38.
Here’s What’s in the New Federal $900 Billion
Stimulus Package
39. In Historic Pick, Biden Taps U.S. Rep. Haaland of New Mexico as Interior Secretary
WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION
Gelid /JELL-id/ Adjective – Extremely cold: icy.
The days are darker
Winter, a gelid season
It begins today
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Public Power Officials Detail Plans for COVID-19
Vaccine Distribution (American Public Power Association)
2.
Smokestacks at Navajo Generating Station in
Northern Arizona Demolished Friday (KPHO-TV, Phoenix, AZ)
3.
FERC Chief Danly’s Bid to Investigate California
ISO over August Blackouts Rejected by Glick, Chatterjee (Utility Dive)
4.
Oregon: Ill-Conceived Trades – Portland General
Electric Announces Conclusion of the Review by the Special Committee of the
Board of Directors (PR Newswire)
5.
WA State: Why Some Environmental Advocates
Oppose Klickitat County Pumped Hydropower Storage Project (Sightline Institute)
6.
Op/Ed: In a Challenging Year, Columbia River
Treaty Work Continues (East Kootenay Weekly, CA)
7.
Op/Ed: The Alaska Energy Authority is Helping
Prepare the Railbelt for Tomorrow (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
8.
Head of Wyoming Public Service Commission Resigns
(Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
9.
Avista Corporation: An Underappreciated
Renewable Utility (Seeking Alpha)
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4395410-avista-corporation-underappreciated-renewable-utility
10.
Clean Air, Affordable Power & Environmental
Mitigation: Northwest Power Act Turns 40 (Bonneville Power Administration)
11.
APPA Op/Ed: Maine Should Take the Public Power
Option Seriously (Bangor Daily News, ME)
12.
California Paraglider Dressed as Santa Lands in
Tangle of Power Wires (San Francisco Chronicle CA)
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-paraglider-dressed-as-Santa-lands-in-15819429.php
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
13.
Rising Renewables Penetration is a Threat to
Grid Reliability in Some Regions, NERC Concludes (Utility Dive)
14.
No ‘Green Halo’ for Renewables: First Solar,
Veolia, Others Tackle Wind & Solar Environmental Impacts (Utility Dive)
15.
A Greener, Rural-Oklahoma Energy Grid is
Generating Jobs by the Hundreds & Revenues by the Millions (The Oklahoman, Oklahoma
City, OK)
16.
Californians Can Now Pay More to Get Natural Gas
from Cow Manure (Bloomberg News)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
17.
WA State: Are You Eligible for a Free Ductless
Heat Pump? (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)
https://www.thedailyworld.com/life/are-you-eligible-for-a-free-ductless-heat-pump/
FISH & WILDLIFE
18.
For First Time in Years, Chinook Salmon Spawn in
Upper Columbia River System (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
19.
How Seals May Be Impacting Salmon Conservation
(The Planet Magazine)
https://theplanetmagazine.net/how-seals-may-be-impacting-salmon-conservation-d99faeaa207f
20.
Op/Ed: Removal of Unproductive Dams Best for
Salmon (Bend Bulletin, OR)
21.
Restoration Project Improves Fish Habitat,
Irrigation for Farmers (Bonneville Power Administration)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
22.
Victoria, BC Begins Treating Sewage Before
Releasing It into Strait of Juan de Fuca (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/bc-begins-treating-sewage-before-releasing-it-into-strait/
23.
Montana’s New Selenium Standards Should Affect
Fish All the Way to Washington State (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/dec/20/montanas-new-selenium-standards-should-affect-fish/
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
24.
U.S.: More Must Be Done to Protect Colorado
River from Drought (Associated Press)
25.
Don’t ‘Lose Yourself’ or Miss Your ‘One Shot’ to
Comment on Review of N Central Washington’s Eightmile Dam (Northwest News
Network)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
26.
Climate Change Brings New Look at Benefits of
Hydroelectric Power (The Daily Reporter, Milwaukee, WI)
https://dailyreporter.com/2020/12/21/wisconsins-original-renewables-roll-with-climate-change/
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
27.
Congress’ Stimulus Package to Set Aside $7
Billion for Broadband (Broadband Communities Magazine)
https://www.bbcmag.com/breaking-news/government-stimulus-package-includes-7b-for-broadband
28.
WA State: Mid-Columbia Libraries Expanding Free
Internet Access (KNDO/KNDU – Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA)
29.
A National Solution to the Digital Divide Starts
with States (Techdirt)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
30.
‘Powerful Tradecraft’: How Foreign Cyber-Spies Compromised
America (Reuters)
31.
‘They Got into Everything’: US Surveys Damage from
Cyberattack (Christian Science Monitor)
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
32.
WA State: Commerce Awards $9.8 Million for
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (WA State Dept. of Commerce)
33.
Pacific Power Grants to Fund Several Central Oregon
Clean Transportation Projects (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)
34.
Electric Utilities Should Get Ready for Wave of
Electric Vehicles, Experts Say (Cooperative.Com)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
35.
Jupiter, Saturn Merging in Night Sky, Closest in
Centuries (Yakima Herald, WA)
GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
36.
U.S. Bans Utilities Supplying Defense Facilities
from Buying Power Grid Items from China (Reuters)
37.
Schrier and McMorris Rodgers Win Coveted Spots on
US House Energy & Commerce Committee (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)
38.
Here’s What’s in the New Federal $900 Billion
Stimulus Package (Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/12/20/stimulus-package-details/
39.
In Historic Pick, Biden Taps U.S. Rep. Haaland of
New Mexico as Interior Secretary (Associated Press)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Happy Winter Solstice! Monday Marks Official Start to Winter,
Shortest Amount of Daylight
McDonald’s Sells ‘Spam Burger’ with Cookie Crumbs in China
Illegal Winery Busted at Alabama Town’s Sewage Plant
Motorist Rescued After 10 Hours in Car Buried by Snowplow
SONG OF THE DAY
Emmylou Harris - Two More Bottles of Wine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Z2MGv7DLU
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations
update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Possible
Paywall restrictions are noted in the media attribution.
