The Energy News Digest for April 28, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors the Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Major Power Outage in Spain & Portugal Knocks Out Subway Networks, Traffic Lights & ATMs (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/spain-portugal-power-outage-electricity-b0c5fbca49b8422248c4f933e20303b3

Tacoma Man Charged with Sabotaging Power Grid Six Times. No Neo-Nazi Link Found (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/tacoma-man-charged-with-sabotaging-power-grid-six-times-no-neo-nazi-link-found

Feds Put Review of Columbia River Hydropower System on Ice (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA - Paywall Advisory)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/northwest/feds-put-review-of-columbia-river-hydropower-system-on-ice/article_10dac153-ab2b-5516-95f2-0ef65cea1dbb.html

A Dry April Lowers Water Supply Forecast (Lewiston Morning Tribune, ID – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.lmtribune.com/local-news/a-dry-april-lowers-water-supply-forecast-19309957

U.S. Wants to Slap Tariffs as High as 3,500% on Solar Panels from Southeast Asia (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/business/us-tariffs-southeast-asia-solar-panels-intl/index.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Tacoma Man Charged with Sabotaging Power Grid Six Times. No Neo-Nazi Link Found

2.      Feds Put Review of Columbia River Hydropower System on Ice

3.      Bill Blocking Utilities from Passing Wildfire Costs to Consumers Passes Oregon Senate

4.      WA Bill Signed into Law Adds Oversight to Private Utility Wildfire Protection Plans

5.      California: SoCal Edison Starts Work to Remove Idle Power Line in Eaton Canyon

6.      Oregon House Passes Bill Making Large Data Centers Pay for Power Grid Costs

7.      Big Tech’s Soaring Energy Demands Are Making Coal-Fired Power Plant Sites Attractive

8.      Smaller, Public Utilities See Growth Potential in Data Centers, But There Are Risks: APPA

9.      Pacific Gas & Electric Foresees ‘Bright Future’ with Lower Prices, Higher Demand

10.   At The Bonneville Power Administration, DOGE Cuts Are Having a ‘Compounding Effect’ on Staffing the Grid

11.   Demand for Electrical Engineers Is Surging

12.   Oregon Electric Utility Asserts Willamette Falls Land Rights in Court Battle

13.   California: Palm Springs Neighborhood Launches First-of-Its-Kind Utility Undergrounding Project

14.   Rising Utility Bills Have Americans Worried

15.   U.S. Wants to Slap Tariffs as High as 3,500% on Solar Panels from Southeast Asia

16.   ‘Repowering’ Era for America’s Aging Wind Energy Industry Begins, Despite Trump’s Effort to Kill It

17.   California Utility Executive-Turned-Lawmaker Seeks to Slash Energy Credit Benefits for Rooftop Solar Panels

18.   Grand Valley Power to Power Homes with Hydropower After Purchasing Agreement with Redlands Water & Power

19.   Washington Legislature Passes Columbia Endorsement; Next Heads to Governor

20.   ODFW Monitoring After Sick & Dead Brown Pelicans Found on Oregon Coast

21.   $19 Million Snoqualmie River Restoration Project Sees Early Success for Salmon, Flood Safety

22.   WA Environmental Legislation Passed This Year That You Should Know

23.   A Dry April Lowers Water Supply Forecast

24.   A Rare Glimpse Inside the Mountain Tunnel That Carries Water to Southern California

25.   Trump Administration Minimized Federal Climate Scientists’ Findings of Record Carbon Dioxide Growth

26.   WA State: Grant PUD Unveils Plan to Upgrade Fiber Network for Faster Speeds & Future Demand

27.   Oregon: Fraudster Tries to Steal $6.7 Million from City of Portland, in Phishing Scheme Targeting Huge Construction Project

28.   Bezos-Backed Slate Auto Unveils $20,000 Electric Truck as Competitor to Musk’s Tesla

29.   Tesla Profits Plummet 71% Amid Backlash to Elon Musk’s Role with Trump Administration

30.   April Showers Bring ‘Dirty Rain’ to New England After Storm Absorbs Desert Dust 2,000 Miles Away

31.   Nearly $78 Billion Budget Sent to Gov. Ferguson as WA Leg Session Ends

32.   A Mass Exodus Begins at the U.S. Department of Energy

33.   Republican Lawmakers Face Clean-Energy Conundrum as They Work on Tax Bill

34.   Major Power Outage in Spain & Portugal Knocks Out Subway Networks, Traffic Lights & ATMs

35.   Oregon Wildfire Forecast Is Looking ‘Eerily Similar’ to 2024’s Record-Breaking Year

36.   Army Corps Cuts Back Washington Camping & Recreation Access

37.   Washington’s Only Nuclear Power Station Will Be Shut Down for Two Months. Can Wind Energy Fill the Gap?

38.   Canada: I Mourn the Decline of Atlantic Salmon. I Need Politicians Who Get What’s at Stake

Today is National Great Poetry Reading Day

Excerpt from The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-great-poetry-reading-day-april-28

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Tacoma Man Charged with Sabotaging Power Grid Six Times. No Neo-Nazi Link Found (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/tacoma-man-charged-with-sabotaging-power-grid-six-times-no-neo-nazi-link-found

2.      Feds Put Review of Columbia River Hydropower System on Ice (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA - Paywall Advisory)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/northwest/feds-put-review-of-columbia-river-hydropower-system-on-ice/article_10dac153-ab2b-5516-95f2-0ef65cea1dbb.html

3.      Bill Blocking Utilities from Passing Wildfire Costs to Consumers Passes Oregon Senate (KPIC-TV, Roseburg, OR)

https://kpic.com/news/local/bill-blocking-utilities-passing-wildfire-costs-consumers-passes-oregon-senate-politics-money-people-fire-damage-rate-bill-pay-cost-living

4.      WA Bill Signed into Law Adds Oversight to Private Utility Wildfire Protection Plans (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_37c1e9cf-bfc6-4b5e-8fa1-1872bec56814.html

5.      California: SoCal Edison Starts Work to Remove Idle Power Line in Eaton Canyon (KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/california-wildfires/socal-edison-sce-power-lines-eaton-fire-altadena/3685140/

6.      Oregon House Passes Bill Making Large Data Centers Pay for Power Grid Costs (KCBY-TV, Coos Bay, OR)

https://kcby.com/news/local/oregon-house-passes-bill-making-large-data-centers-pay-for-power-grid-costs-electricity-money-consumers-cost-bill-politics

7.      Big Tech’s Soaring Energy Demands Are Making Coal-Fired Power Plant Sites Attractive (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/coal-electricity-artificial-intelligence-trump-power-energy-a3779aee7970dabded42d8d7b3ef3783

8.      Smaller, Public Utilities See Growth Potential in Data Centers, But There Are Risks: APPA (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/public-power-utilities-data-centers-appa/746254/

9.      Pacific Gas & Electric Foresees ‘Bright Future’ with Lower Prices, Higher Demand (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pge-wildfire-data-center-rate-case-earnings/746319/

10.   At The Bonneville Power Administration, DOGE Cuts Are Having a ‘Compounding Effect’ on Staffing the Grid (Latitude Media)

https://www.latitudemedia.com/news/at-bonneville-doge-cuts-are-having-a-compounding-effect-on-staffing-the-grid/

11.   Demand for Electrical Engineers Is Surging (Latitude Media)

https://www.latitudemedia.com/news/demand-for-electrical-engineers-is-surging/

12.   Oregon Electric Utility Asserts Willamette Falls Land Rights in Court Battle (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/oregon-electric-utility-asserts-willamette-falls-land-rights-in-court-battle/

13.   California: Palm Springs Neighborhood Launches First-of-Its-Kind Utility Undergrounding Project (Palm Springs Post, CA)

https://thepalmspringspost.com/palm-springs-neighborhood-launches-first-of-its-kind-utility-undergrounding-project/

14.   Rising Utility Bills Have Americans Worried (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/utilities/rising-gas-electric-bills-survey

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

15.   U.S. Wants to Slap Tariffs as High as 3,500% on Solar Panels from Southeast Asia (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/business/us-tariffs-southeast-asia-solar-panels-intl/index.html

16.   ‘Repowering’ Era for America’s Aging Wind Energy Industry Begins, Despite Trump’s Effort to Kill It (CNBC News)

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/27/wind-power-trump-climate-change-energy-policy.html

17.   California Utility Executive-Turned-Lawmaker Seeks to Slash Energy Credit Benefits for Rooftop Solar Panels (WRE News)

https://wrenews.com/california-utility-executive-turned-lawmaker-seeks-to-slash-energy-credit-benefits-for-rooftop-solar-panels/

18.   Grand Valley Power to Power Homes with Hydropower After Purchasing Agreement with Redlands Water & Power (KKCO-TV, Grand Junction, CO)

https://www.kkco11news.com/2025/04/25/grand-valley-power-power-homes-with-hydropower-after-purchasing-agreement-with-redlands-water-power/

Fish & Wildlife

19.   Washington Legislature Passes Columbia Endorsement; Next Heads to Governor (Northwest Sportsman)

https://nwsportsmanmag.com/washington-legislature-passes-columbia-endorsement-next-heads-to-governor/

20.   ODFW Monitoring After Sick & Dead Brown Pelicans Found on Oregon Coast (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/odfw-monitoring-sick-dead-brown-185658674.html

21.   $19 Million Snoqualmie River Restoration Project Sees Early Success for Salmon, Flood Safety (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_2bc2b8e1-5a9e-45c9-8a2f-a382b65ff84a.html

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

22.   WA Environmental Legislation Passed This Year That You Should Know (Cascade PBS)

https://www.cascadepbs.org/environment/2025/04/wa-environmental-legislation-passed-year-you-should-know

Water, Water, Anywhere?

23.   A Dry April Lowers Water Supply Forecast (Lewiston Morning Tribune, ID – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.lmtribune.com/local-news/a-dry-april-lowers-water-supply-forecast-19309957

24.   A Rare Glimpse Inside the Mountain Tunnel That Carries Water to Southern California (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/rare-glimpse-inside-mountain-tunnel-100056601.html

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

25.   Trump Administration Minimized Federal Climate Scientists’ Findings of Record Carbon Dioxide Growth (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/climate/noaa-co2-record/index.html

London Calling –Telecommunications

26.   WA State: Grant PUD Unveils Plan to Upgrade Fiber Network for Faster Speeds & Future Demand (Source ONE News, Ephrata, WA)

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/grant-pud-unveils-plan-to-upgrade-fiber-network-for-faster-speeds-and-future-demand/article_68979139-aed4-4ff8-838f-eef3b7d97a34.html

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

27.   Oregon: Fraudster Tries to Steal $6.7 Million from City of Portland, in Phishing Scheme Targeting Huge Construction Project (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2025/04/fraudster-tricks-city-of-portland-to-redirect-67-million-meant-for-bull-run-vendor.html

I Sing the Car Electric

28.   Bezos-Backed Slate Auto Unveils $20,000 Electric Truck as Competitor to Musk’s Tesla (Forbes Magazine – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/bezos-backed-slate-auto-unveils-20000-electric-truck-as-competitor-to-musk-s-tesla/ar-AA1DCvnz

29.   Tesla Profits Plummet 71% Amid Backlash to Elon Musk’s Role with Trump Administration (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/tesla-profits-plummet-71-amid-backlash-to-musks-role-with-trump-administration/ar-AA1DpJwZ

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

30.   April Showers Bring ‘Dirty Rain’ to New England After Storm Absorbs Desert Dust 2,000 Miles Away (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/new-england-dirty-rain-e41de0976847af5458a796dbb1e2238a

Politics, Governance, and Management

31.   Nearly $78 Billion Budget Sent to Gov. Ferguson as WA Leg Session Ends (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_40b0927f-302a-45d8-b770-aeaa2c376552.html

32.   A Mass Exodus Begins at the U.S. Department of Energy (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/politics/a-mass-exodus-begins-at-the-energy-department

33.   Republican Lawmakers Face Clean-Energy Conundrum as They Work on Tax Bill (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/republican-lawmakers-face-clean-energy-conundrum-they-work-tax-bill-2025-04-21/

Other Things to Know About Today

34.   Major Power Outage in Spain & Portugal Knocks Out Subway Networks, Traffic Lights & ATMs (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/spain-portugal-power-outage-electricity-b0c5fbca49b8422248c4f933e20303b3

35.   Oregon Wildfire Forecast Is Looking ‘Eerily Similar’ to 2024’s Record-Breaking Year (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/04/oregons-2025-wildfire-season-could-be-as-bad-as-2024s-record-year.html

36.   Army Corps Cuts Back Washington Camping & Recreation Access (RV Travel)

https://www.rvtravel.com/army-corps-cuts-back-washington-camping-recreation-access/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

37.   Washington’s Only Nuclear Power Station Will Be Shut Down for Two Months. Can Wind Energy Fill the Gap? (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/04/washingtons-only-nuclear-power-station.html

38.   Canada: I Mourn the Decline of Atlantic Salmon. I Need Politicians Who Get What’s at Stake (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/first-person-election-roger-jenkins-fishing-1.7514380

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Puppies Steal the Show at Portland International Airport for a Good Cause

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2025/04/puppies-steal-the-show-at-portland-international-airport-for-a-good-cause.html

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2025 inductees are here. See who made the list.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/rock-roll-hall-of-fame-2025-inductees-are-here-see-who-made-the-list/ar-AA1DJarT

German Men with the Strongest Fingers Compete in Bavaria’s ‘Fingerhakeln’ Wrestling Championship

https://apnews.com/article/germany-bavaria-finger-wrestling-competition-championship-8297cc5045a6e939eecd4928bb44af5b

A Secret Note Hidden in Dachau-Built ‘Violin of Hope’ Tells a Tale of Survival & Craftsmanship

https://apnews.com/article/hungary-dachau-nazi-violin-note-franciszek-kempa-62782ac2443386b7194901c3c4d47ea0

Song of the Day

Joe Cocker - Feeling Alright

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LRRpKVObKk

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.

Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.

The Energy News Digest for April 21, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

NWPPA’s Annual Conference & Membership Meeting

Join us as we raise a glass to 85 years of public power excellence at our Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Santa Rosa, California. Mark your calendars for May 19-22, 2025, as utility executives and policymakers convene in Sonoma County to celebrate this historic milestone and shape our industry’s future.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

President Trump’s Climate Pivot Kills $8 Billion of Clean Energy Plans (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2025/04/21/trump-climate-pivot-kills-8-billion-of-clean-energy-plans/

U.S. Natural Gas Production Remained Flat in 2024 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65025

Over 100 Employees Leave U.S. Energy Information Administration, Putting Crucial Energy Data at Risk, Sources Say (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/dozens-employees-leaving-us-eia-putting-crucial-energy-data-risk-sources-say-2025-04-16/

Massive Fire Erupts at Pacific Gas & Electric Substation in Rural Northern California (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/massive-fire-erupts-at-pg-e-substation-in-rural-northern-california/ar-AA1DhyRm

Up a Creek: $5B Culvert Removal Plan Appears Dead in WA Legislature (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/04/19/up-a-creek-5b-culvert-removal-plan-appears-dead-in-wa-legislature/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      U.S. Natural Gas Production Remained Flat in 2024

2.      Massive Fire Erupts at Pacific Gas & Electric Substation in Rural Northern California

3.      Idaho: Security Improvements at Oxbow Dam Will Restrict Access to Spillway Area

4.      WA State: Nominees Line Up for Vacant Seat on Lewis County PUD Commission

5.      Oklahoma: Regulators Advised—Don’t Rush to Make Utility Pole Changes

6.      Generation & Transmission Focus: PNGC’s Power Expansion Helps Member Co-Ops Face Load Growth

7.      Cold-Weather Grid Performance Improves, Plus Four Other FERC Open Meeting Takeaways

8.      How Affordable & Reliable is Your Power?

9.      President Trump’s Climate Pivot Kills $8 Billion of Clean Energy Plans

10.   Optimizing Power Network Expansion with Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Using a Multi-Objective Enhanced Spider Wasp Optimizer Approach

11.   Trump Administration Eyes Elimination of Program That Helps Low-Income People Heat & Cool Their Homes

12.   Up a Creek: $5B Culvert Removal Plan Appears Dead in WA Legislature

13.   Gray Whale Die-Off Feared as Starving Whales Migrate North

14.   Fishers Celebrate Trump’s Seafood Order While Conservation Groups Fear Overfishing

15.   President Trump Wants More Logging in National Forests. Here’s What That Could Mean for WA

16.   The Justice Department Is About to Make Its Case for a Google Breakup. Here’s What to Know

17.   Washington Wants 35% of New Vehicles to Be Electric by 2026; The State & Clark County Have a Way to Go

18.   With Federal Electric Vehicle Support Uncertain, Oregon Lawmakers Consider Revamping the State’s Popular Rebate to Prioritize Lower-Income Buyers

19.   Health & Human Services Eliminates Program That Helps Firefighters When Electric Vehicles Burn

20.   Over 100 Employees Leave U.S. Energy Information Administration, Putting Crucial Energy Data at Risk, Sources Say

21.   WA State: Abbarno Bill to Protect Utility Companies & Ratepayers One Step Closer to Becoming Law

22.   Washington State Lawmakers Approve New Work Group to Boost Wildfire Safety & Homeowner Support

23.   Maintaining/Enhancing Hydroelectricity/River Restoration Act of 2025: United States Senate Legislation Introduced

24.   Pope Francis, Latin America’s First Pontiff, Dies at 88

25.   Editorial: Oregon’s Energy Future is Not Very Bright

26.   Editorial: Transmission Lines – Portland City Council Misses the Forest for the Trees

Word of the Day

Ennui /on-WEE/ Noun - A feeling of weariness & dissatisfaction: boredom.

Ennui - A One-Word Poem

     Meh

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      U.S. Natural Gas Production Remained Flat in 2024 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65025

2.      Massive Fire Erupts at Pacific Gas & Electric Substation in Rural Northern California (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/massive-fire-erupts-at-pg-e-substation-in-rural-northern-california/ar-AA1DhyRm

3.      Idaho: Security Improvements at Oxbow Dam Will Restrict Access to Spillway Area (Elkhorn Media Group, LaGrande, OR)

https://elkhornmediagroup.com/security-improvements-at-oxbow-dam-will-restrict-access-to-spillway-area/

4.      WA State: Nominees Line Up for Vacant Seat on Lewis County PUD Commission (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/nominees-line-up-for-vacant-seat-on-lewis-county-pud-commission,379084?

5.      Oklahoma: Regulators Advised—Don’t Rush to Make Utility Pole Changes (OK Energy Today)

https://www.okenergytoday.com/2025/04/regulators-advised-dont-rush-to-make-utility-pole-changes/

6.      Generation & Transmission Focus: PNGC’s Power Expansion Helps Member Co-Ops Face Load Growth (Cooperative.Com)

https://www.cooperative.com/remagazine/articles/Pages/G&T-Focus-PNCG-Power-Expansion-Helps-Member-Co-ops-Face-Load-Growth.aspx

7.      Cold-Weather Grid Performance Improves, Plus Four Other FERC Open Meeting Takeaways (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-nerc-cold-weather-grid-performance-pjm-data-centers/745751/

8.      How Affordable & Reliable is Your Power? (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

https://ferc.gov/how-affordable-and-reliable-your-power

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

9.      President Trump’s Climate Pivot Kills $8 Billion of Clean Energy Plans (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2025/04/21/trump-climate-pivot-kills-8-billion-of-clean-energy-plans/

10.   Optimizing Power Network Expansion with Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Using a Multi-Objective Enhanced Spider Wasp Optimizer Approach (Springer Nature)

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-97798-3

Conservation & Efficiency

11.   Trump Administration Eyes Elimination of Program That Helps Low-Income People Heat & Cool Their Homes (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5255650-trump-administration-considering-low-income-home-energy-assistance-program-elimination/

Fish & Wildlife

12.   Up a Creek: $5B Culvert Removal Plan Appears Dead in WA Legislature (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/04/19/up-a-creek-5b-culvert-removal-plan-appears-dead-in-wa-legislature/

13.   Gray Whale Die-Off Feared as Starving Whales Migrate North (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2025/04/gray-whale-die-off-feared-as-starving-whales-migrate-north.html

14.   Fishers Celebrate Trump’s Seafood Order While Conservation Groups Fear Overfishing (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-seafood-fishing-executive-order-pacific-14793f6b00adb48f9510dc9ed5c1a0f1

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

15.   President Trump Wants More Logging in National Forests. Here’s What That Could Mean for WA (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via AOL)

https://www.aol.com/trump-wants-more-logging-national-120000892.html

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

16.   The Justice Department Is About to Make Its Case for a Google Breakup. Here’s What to Know (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/04/20/nx-s1-5367750/google-breakup-antirust-trial-remedy-phase

I Sing the Car Electric

17.   Washington Wants 35% of New Vehicles to Be Electric by 2026; The State & Clark County Have a Way to Go (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/apr/17/washington-has-distance-to-make-up-to-reach-electric-vehicles-goal/

18.   With Federal Electric Vehicle Support Uncertain, Oregon Lawmakers Consider Revamping the State’s Popular Rebate to Prioritize Lower-Income Buyers (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/04/15/with-federal-ev-support-uncertain-oregon-lawmakers-consider-revamping-the-states-popular-rebate-to-prioritize-lower-income-buyers/

19.   Health & Human Services Eliminates Program That Helps Firefighters When Electric Vehicles Burn (E&E News/Politico)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/hhs-eliminates-program-that-helps-firefighters-when-evs-burn/

Politics, Governance, and Management

20.   Over 100 Employees Leave U.S. Energy Information Administration, Putting Crucial Energy Data at Risk, Sources Say (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/dozens-employees-leaving-us-eia-putting-crucial-energy-data-risk-sources-say-2025-04-16/

21.   WA State: Abbarno Bill to Protect Utility Companies & Ratepayers One Step Closer to Becoming Law (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://chronline.com/stories/abbarno-bill-to-protect-utility-companies-and-ratepayers-one-step-closer-to-becoming-law,379053

22.   Washington State Lawmakers Approve New Work Group to Boost Wildfire Safety & Homeowner Support (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/legislature/washington-state-lawmakers-approve-new-work-group-to-boost-wildfire-safety-and-homeowner-support/article_88870624-fef4-4687-9f04-f90d271782d6.html

23.   Maintaining/Enhancing Hydroelectricity/River Restoration Act of 2025: United States Senate Legislation Introduced (JD Supra)

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/maintaining-enhancing-hydroelectricity-9315051/

Other Things to Know About Today

24.   Pope Francis, Latin America’s First Pontiff, Dies at 88 (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/pope-francis-dies-88-vatican-first-latin-american-pontiff-double-pneumonia-bishop-of-rome-chronic-lung-disease

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

25.   Editorial: Oregon’s Energy Future is Not Very Bright (Renewables Northwest)

https://renewablenw.org/oregons-energy-future-not-very-bright

26.   Editorial: Transmission Lines – Portland City Council Misses the Forest for the Trees (The Oregonian, Portland, OR – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/editorial-portland-city-council-misses-the-forest-for-the-trees/ar-AA1DgI6B

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

An Electrician in Rome Uncovers Stunning Frescoes from the 17th Century Behind a Trap Door at a Historic Villa

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/an-electrician-in-rome-uncovers-stunning-frescoes-from-the-17th-century-behind-a-trap-door-at-an-historic-villa/ar-AA1vrIjs

1,900-Year-Old Roman Papyrus Details Elaborate Tax Evasion Scheme, Research Suggests

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/papyrus-rome-tax-fraud-1.7510739?cmp=rss

Belgians Hunt for Hidden Beers in Easter Event

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/04/21/belgium-Easter-beer-hunt-Lutgarde-Lasne/4441745245220/

Special Place in Hell Edition – 500,000 Honeybees Dead in Suspected Poisoning at Virginia Farm

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/honeybees-dead-suspected-poisoning-virginia-b2736381.html

Song of the Day

Hector Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9, H 95

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDf_ektut5c

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