The Energy News Digest for August 17, 2026

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest.

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) will deliver breaking news throughout the week so you can stay informed.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest to keep up with the latest updates.

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

Sign Up for NWPPA’s Substation Boot Camp

Gain hands-on experience and practical knowledge at NWPPA’s Substation Boot Camp: Field Operations, Oct. 6-8 in Seattle, Washington. Designed for lineworkers, substation personnel, and distribution engineers, this immersive training covers switching operations, electrical fundamentals, grounding and bonding, safety leadership, and handheld meter use. Register by Aug. 22 to get the early-bird rate and save $120.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Northwest Power Plan Calls for Billions of Dollars in Electric Buildout to Meet Soaring Demand (The Oregonian, Portland, OR – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/northwest-power-plan-calls-for-billions-of-dollars-in-electric-buildout-to-meet-soaring-demand/ar-AA2a3WaE

Pacific Gas & Electric Ordered to Pay $22 Million for Devastating 2022 Mosquito Fire (KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA)

https://www.kron4.com/wildfires/pge-ordered-to-pay-22m-for-devastating-2022-mosquito-fire/

As The WA Attorney General Pushes to Cut Avista’s Profit, The Spokane Utility Says the Reduction Could End Up Costing Customers More (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/aug/16/as-the-attorney-general-pushes-to-cut-avistas-prof/

‘Uncharted Territory’: Second-Largest Reservoir in U.S. Plunges to a Record Low (Cable News Network)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/uncharted-territory-second-largest-reservoir-142029308.html

After Historic Crash, Yukon River’s Iconic King Salmon Run Shows Early Signs of Rebound (Alaska Beacon)

https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/08/17/after-historic-crash-yukon-rivers-iconic-king-salmon-run-shows-early-signs-of-rebound/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Northwest Power Plan Calls for Billions of Dollars in Electric Buildout to Meet Soaring Demand

2.      Federal Council Recommends Big Push for More Northwest Electricity Generation

3.      With Pacific Northwest Electricity Demand Surging, Planners Map Out Major Grid Upgrades

4.      Pacific Gas & Electric Ordered to Pay $22 Million for Devastating 2022 Mosquito Fire

5.      As The WA Attorney General Pushes to Cut Avista’s Profit, The Spokane Utility Says the Reduction Could End Up Costing Customers More

6.      California Planned a Nuclear Exit. Now It’s Reconsidering

7.      Bonneville Power Administration Releases Its Third Official Financial Forecast for Fiscal Year 2026

8.      Black Hills Energy Wants to Hike Electric Rates 32% in Northeast Wyoming

9.      What Potential Change from Puget Sound Energy to Kitsap PUD Could Mean for Kitsap Customers

10.   Paywall Advisory: Fixing Seattle’s Power Outages Continues a 1960s Class Divide

11.   News Release: U.S. Energy Secretary Announces Cancellation of Three Proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors

12.   Light Up Navajo Project Connects More Than 250 Navajo Homes to the Electric Grid

13.   Home Battery Installations Climb Despite Loss of Federal Incentives

14.   Hydrogen Failed as Car Fuel. Now California’s Big Dollar Bet on It for Green Energy Is Fading, Too

15.   After Historic Crash, Yukon River’s Iconic King Salmon Run Shows Early Signs of Rebound

16.   Battle for Buoy 10: Excellent Sport Salmon Season Reaches a Crescendo on the Lower Columbia

17.   WA State: Orca Sighting at Ballard Locks Is Great News for Salmon

18.   U.S. Department of Energy Whittles Down Hanford Board That Gives Feds, State Advice on Cleanup

19.   WA Gov. Ferguson’s Office Delayed Climate Data Correction

20.   Updated El Niño Forecast Warns of ‘Historic Event’

21.   ‘Uncharted Territory’: Second-Largest Reservoir in U.S. Plunges to a Record Low

22.   Underground Dams? They May Be a Storage Solution as Idaho’s Water Flows Away

23.   Irrigation Districts Announce Pre-Closing ‘Cutbacks’ on Water Deliveries in Southeastern WA

24.   What the Data Center Boom Means for Washington Local Governments

25.   Why Fossilized Feces from Ancestors of Modern Animals Help Us Understand Earth’s Early Ecosystems

26.   Chatbots Are Doing the Work of Congress with Little Oversight

27.   More Than 180,000 Without Power in Hawaii, 100 Homes Damaged as Lala Weakens to Tropical Storm

28.   Crews Building Transmission Line Use Equipment to Help Fight Wildfires Near Oregon-Idaho Border

29.   Critical Crossroads – Bonneville Power Administration Faces Defining Day-ahead Markets Decision

30.   Who Should Regulate Space?

Word of the Day

Misanthrope /MISS-sun-thrope/ Noun – A person who hates or distrusts humankind.

Abernathy wore his hatred on his sleeve. As the small town’s reviled misanthrope, he was wont to say, “I’m an equal opportunity hater. I even hate myself.”

Prognosticating a Powerful Plan

1.      Northwest Power Plan Calls for Billions of Dollars in Electric Buildout to Meet Soaring Demand (The Oregonian, Portland, OR – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/northwest-power-plan-calls-for-billions-of-dollars-in-electric-buildout-to-meet-soaring-demand/ar-AA2a3WaE

2.      Federal Council Recommends Big Push for More Northwest Electricity Generation (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/13/more-northwest-electricity-generation-data-centers-energy-use/

3.      With Pacific Northwest Electricity Demand Surging, Planners Map Out Major Grid Upgrades (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/pnw-electricity-demand-surging-planners-110002963.html

Energy & Utility Issues

4.      Pacific Gas & Electric Ordered to Pay $22 Million for Devastating 2022 Mosquito Fire (KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA)

https://www.kron4.com/wildfires/pge-ordered-to-pay-22m-for-devastating-2022-mosquito-fire/

5.      As The WA Attorney General Pushes to Cut Avista’s Profit, The Spokane Utility Says the Reduction Could End Up Costing Customers More (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/aug/16/as-the-attorney-general-pushes-to-cut-avistas-prof/

6.      California Planned a Nuclear Exit. Now It’s Reconsidering (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/california-planned-nuclear-exit-now-100000630.html

7.      Bonneville Power Administration Releases Its Third Official Financial Forecast for Fiscal Year 2026 (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20260813-bpa-releases-its-third-official-financial-forecast-for-fiscal-year-2026

8.      Black Hills Energy Wants to Hike Electric Rates 32% in Northeast Wyoming (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/black-hills-energy-wants-to-hike-electric-rates-32-in-northeast-wyoming/

9.      What Potential Change from Puget Sound Energy to Kitsap PUD Could Mean for Kitsap Customers (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/general/what-potential-change-from-pse-to-kpud-could-mean-for-kitsap-customers/ar-AA2a6afu

10.   Paywall Advisory: Fixing Seattle’s Power Outages Continues a 1960s Class Divide (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/fixing-seattles-power-outages-continues-a-1960s-class-divide/

11.   News Release: U.S. Energy Secretary Announces Cancellation of Three Proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (U.S. Dept. of Energy)

https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-secretary-announces-cancellation-three-proposed-national-interest-electric

12.   Light Up Navajo Project Connects More Than 250 Navajo Homes to the Electric Grid (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/light-navajo-project-connects-more-250-navajo-homes-electric-grid

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

13.   Home Battery Installations Climb Despite Loss of Federal Incentives (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/energy-storage/home-battery-installations-climb

14.   Hydrogen Failed as Car Fuel. Now California’s Big Dollar Bet on It for Green Energy Is Fading, Too (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/articles/hydrogen-failed-car-fuel-now-100500000.html

Fish & Wildlife

15.   After Historic Crash, Yukon River’s Iconic King Salmon Run Shows Early Signs of Rebound (Alaska Beacon)

https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/08/17/after-historic-crash-yukon-rivers-iconic-king-salmon-run-shows-early-signs-of-rebound/

16.   Battle for Buoy 10: Excellent Sport Salmon Season Reaches a Crescendo on the Lower Columbia (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://chinookobserver.com/2026/08/16/battle-for-buoy-10-excellent-sport-salmon-season-reaches-a-crescendo-on-the-lower-columbia/

17.   WA State: Orca Sighting at Ballard Locks Is Great News for Salmon (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://chronline.com/stories/orca-sighting-at-ballard-locks-is-great-news-for-salmon,406613

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

18.   U.S. Department of Energy Whittles Down Hanford Board That Gives Feds, State Advice on Cleanup (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-08-14/us-department-of-energy-whittles-down-hanford-board-that-gives-feds-state-advice-on-cleanup

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

19.   WA Gov. Ferguson’s Office Delayed Climate Data Correction (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2026/08/13/governor-media-policy-cap-and-trade-emissions-error

20.   Updated El Niño Forecast Warns of ‘Historic Event’ (USA Today – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/updated-el-ni-o-forecast-130114419.html

Water, Water Anywhere?

21.   ‘Uncharted Territory’: Second-Largest Reservoir in U.S. Plunges to a Record Low (Cable News Network)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/uncharted-territory-second-largest-reservoir-142029308.html

22.   Underground Dams? They May Be a Storage Solution as Idaho’s Water Flows Away (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID – Via AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/articles/underground-dams-may-storage-solution-100000000.html

23.   Irrigation Districts Announce Pre-Closing ‘Cutbacks’ on Water Deliveries in Southeastern WA (KONA Radio, Pasco, WA)

https://610kona.com/ixp/136/p/columbia-basin-water-delivery-cuts/

HAL’s Internet Café

24.   What the Data Center Boom Means for Washington Local Governments (Municipal Research $ Services Center)

https://mrsc.org/stay-informed/mrsc-insight/august-2026/data-centers

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

25.   Why Fossilized Feces from Ancestors of Modern Animals Help Us Understand Earth’s Early Ecosystems (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/fossil-feces-cambrian-ocean-ecosystems-9.7305871

Politics, Governance, and Management

26.   Chatbots Are Doing the Work of Congress with Little Oversight (The Philadelphia Inquirer, PA)

https://www.inquirer.com/politics/ai-congress-staff-rules-chatbots-speeches-research-legislation-20260813.html

Other Things to Know About Today

27.   More Than 180,000 Without Power in Hawaii, 100 Homes Damaged as Lala Weakens to Tropical Storm (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/more-100-000-without-power-160901409.html

28.   Crews Building Transmission Line Use Equipment to Help Fight Wildfires Near Oregon-Idaho Border (DailyFly)

https://www.dailyfly.com/2026/08/14/crews-building-transmission-line-use-equipment-to-help-fight-wildfires-near-oregon-idaho-order/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

29.   Critical Crossroads – Bonneville Power Administration Faces Defining Day-ahead Markets Decision (The Bulletin, NW Public Power Association)

https://www.nwppa.org/bulletin/critical-crossroads-bpa-faces-defining-day-ahead-markets-decision/

30.   Who Should Regulate Space? (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2026/08/11/who-should-regulate-space/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Corgis Run, Bark & Sniff Their Way to Glory at a Growing International Race

https://apnews.com/article/lithuania-vilnius-corgi-race-costumes-nose-bark-82c1d801bc7805e78bf365ea44a1344f

Italy Recovers Renoir, Cezanne & Matisse Works Stolen from Museum

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/italy-recovers-renoir-cezanne-matisse-works-stolen-museum-2026-08-14/

She Lost Her Rings. Her Husband Scoured 20,000 Pounds of Trash to Find Them.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/she-lost-her-rings-her-090000007.html

Two Loose Goats Visit Oregon Transit Station, Board Bus

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/08/13/goats-board-bus-Portland-Oregon-TriMet/7881786637047/

Song of the Day

Vangelis - Chariots of Fire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r78QV5Cwiq0

Links & Paywall Advisory

The links in The Energy News Digest point to current news stories. Since media websites are updated often, some links might stop working over time.

I try to select stories that you can read without a subscription. Your experience may be different. The news source will let you know if there might be a paywall. Clearing your browser history and cookies can sometimes help you access these sites.

The Energy News Digest for August 12, 2026

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) will deliver breaking news throughout the week so you can stay informed.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest to keep up with the latest updates.

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

Get the Early-Bird Rate for the NWPPA’s HR and Labor Relations Conference

This week is your last chance to get the early-bird rate for NWPPA’s HR and Labor Relations Conference. Register by Aug. 15 to save and join general managers, labor relations managers, operations managers, human resources professionals, and others interested in HR and labor relations topics Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Whitefish, Montana. Formerly known as the Labor and Employee Relations Group Conference, this event brings together utility professionals to share experiences, recommendations, and lessons learned on key labor relations and human resources issues.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Gov. Newsom Won’t Extend Life of California’s Only Nuclear Power Plant. What That Means (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/gov-newsom-won-t-extend-234108015.html

U.S. Power Use to Beat Record Highs in 2026 & 2027 as Artificial Intelligence Use Surges, EIA Says (BOE Report)

https://boereport.com/2026/08/11/us-power-use-to-beat-record-highs-in-2026-and-2027-as-ai-use-surges-eia-says-5/

In 2020, Engineers Pumped 225,000 Cubic Yards of Dredged Sediment into the Columbia River; It Became Four New Islands Now Being Studied as Salmon Habitat (The Times of India)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133186604.cms

U.S. Court Rules Meta, Other Tech Firms Must Face Thousands of Lawsuits Over Social Media Addiction (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-appeals-court-allows-thousands-lawsuits-against-social-media-companies-over-2026-08-10/

Oregon: Big Grass Fire Now Largest in State History, 35% Contained (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2026/08/big-grass-fire-now-largest-in-state-history-35-contained.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Gov. Newsom Won’t Extend Life of California’s Only Nuclear Power Plant. What That Means

2.      U.S. Power Use to Beat Record Highs in 2026 & 2027 as Artificial Intelligence Use Surges, EIA Says

3.      Seattle City Light Customers Will See Rate Shock in Future Electric Bills

4.      Idaho Leads Nation with Lowest Residential Electrical Rates

5.      California State Senator ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Utility Threats

6.      Pacific Northwest Co-ops Work Around the Clock to Keep Lights on Amid Raging Wildfires

7.      Hoover Dam Is Set to Lose 40% of Its Maximum Power This Year

8.      In Idaho, Engineers Opened an Empty Chamber Inside Dworshak Dam for the First Time in Half a Century & Filled It with Water to See Whether Another Turbine Could Fit

9.      Virginia: The Two Proposed Dam Projects in Wise County Are Part of a Nationwide Renaissance of Hydropower

10.   BHE Montana to Participate in CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market, Expanding Reliability & Delivering Customer Benefits

11.   EIA Expects Highest Natural Gas Inventories in a Decade Heading into Winter

12.   News Release: Northwest Power and Conservation Council Meets in Seattle to Discuss Approval of Draft Ninth Northwest Regional Power Plan

13.   DIY – Make Your Fan into a Cooling Center

14.   In 2020, Engineers Pumped 225,000 Cubic Yards of Dredged Sediment into the Columbia River; It Became Four New Islands Now Being Studied as Salmon Habitat

15.   Transient Orcas Surprise Visitors with Rare Appearance at Seattle’s Ballard Locks

16.   Work Resumes at Spokane Hatchery After Wildfire Evacuation

17.   Nuclear Power Push Ramps Up Uranium Mill — And Tribal Health Concerns

18.   PacifiCorp Loses Appeal Over Washington’s Carbon Cap Law

19.   Montana: Federal Circuit Dismisses Youth Climate Lawsuit

20.   Experts Raise Concerns After Parts of Spokane River Lose All Surface Water for Second Year

21.   Verizon Offers $25,000 Reward to Catch Suspects Behind California Fiber Cuts

22.   The Farm Bill Fight That Will Shape Rural Broadband

23.   The Data Center Backlash Is Building

24.   Tesla Has to Fix 20,000 Vehicles with Too-Bright Headlights It’s Known About Since 2024

25.   U.S. Court Rules Meta, Other Tech Firms Must Face Thousands of Lawsuits Over Social Media Addiction

26.   El Niño Could Bring Highest Sea Levels Ever Recorded to the California Coast

27.   U.S. Sen. Wyden’s (OR) Wildfire Tax Relief Bill Passes Just Before Congress Recesses, Goes to White House

28.   U.S. Sen. Padilla (CA) Announces Plan to Reward Offshore Wind Developers Who Stand Up to Trump Administration

29.   Montana PSC Criticized for Responses to Water Problems, Energy Rate Case

30.   Oregon: Big Grass Fire Now Largest in State History, 35% Contained

31.   Washington State Fire Season Already Third Worst in Decades; 1,125 Square Miles Burn

32.   All Spokane Complex Fires Evacuation Levels Lifted in Spokane County

33.   U.S. Senators Urge End to Online Bets on Wildfires

34.   Powerball Jackpot Increased to $1 Billion for Wednesday’s Drawing

35.   Guest Essay: ‘This Year Is Different’: The Water Reality Idaho Can No Longer Ignore

36.   Guest Essay: New Bonneville Administrator Faces Tall Order

37.   The Need for Public Wi-Fi

Word of the Day

Grog • \GRAHG\ • noun – Alcoholic liquor; especially liquor (as rum) cut with water and now often served hot with lemon juice and sugar sometimes added.

“By golly, this is the WORST grog I’ve ever had,” croaked the sailor on the HMS Pinafore. “Watch your mouth,” muttered his fellow sailors. “The next thing you know, we’ll have to be swilling down our salt pork and pea soup with plain old water!”

In The Know: Eighteenth-century English admiral Edward Vernon reputedly earned the nickname “Old Grog” because he often wore a cloak made from grogram (a coarse, loosely woven fabric made of silk or silk blended with mohair or wool). In Old Grog’s day, sailors in the Royal Navy were customarily given a daily ration of rum, but in 1740 the admiral, concerned about the health of his men, ordered that the rum should be diluted with water. The decision wasn’t very popular with the sailors, who supposedly dubbed the mixture “grog” after Vernon. Today, “grog” can be used as a general term for any liquor, even undiluted, and someone who acts drunk or shaky can be called “groggy.”

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Gov. Newsom Won’t Extend Life of California’s Only Nuclear Power Plant. What That Means (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/gov-newsom-won-t-extend-234108015.html

2.      U.S. Power Use to Beat Record Highs in 2026 & 2027 as Artificial Intelligence Use Surges, EIA Says (BOE Report)

https://boereport.com/2026/08/11/us-power-use-to-beat-record-highs-in-2026-and-2027-as-ai-use-surges-eia-says-5/

3.      Seattle City Light Customers Will See Rate Shock in Future Electric Bills (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_1eb10014-cee1-4ffd-8968-1b0ba75cb697.html

4.      Idaho Leads Nation with Lowest Residential Electrical Rates (Idaho Business Review)

https://idahobusinessreview.com/2026/08/12/idaho-leads-nation-lowest-residential-electrical-rates/

5.      California State Senator ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Utility Threats (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/senator-deeply-troubled-utility-threats-100000888.html

6.      Pacific Northwest Co-ops Work Around the Clock to Keep Lights on Amid Raging Wildfires (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

https://www.electric.coop/northwest-co-ops-work-around-the-clock-to-keep-lights-on-amid-raging-wildfires

7.      Hoover Dam Is Set to Lose 40% of Its Maximum Power This Year (Boing Boing)

https://boingboing.net/2026/08/12/hoover-dam-40-percent-power-drop.html

8.      In Idaho, Engineers Opened an Empty Chamber Inside Dworshak Dam for the First Time in Half a Century & Filled It with Water to See Whether Another Turbine Could Fit (Energies Media)

https://energiesmedia.com/idaho-engineers-hydroelectric-dam-turbine/

9.      Virginia: The Two Proposed Dam Projects in Wise County Are Part of a Nationwide Renaissance of Hydropower (Cardinal News)

https://cardinalnews.org/2026/08/12/the-two-proposed-dam-projects-in-wise-county-are-part-of-a-nationwide-renaissance-of-hydropower/

10.   BHE Montana to Participate in CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market, Expanding Reliability & Delivering Customer Benefits (Morningstar)

https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260810144170/bhe-montana-to-participate-in-caisos-extended-day-ahead-market-expanding-reliability-and-delivering-customer-benefits

11.   EIA Expects Highest Natural Gas Inventories in a Decade Heading into Winter (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/pressroom/releases/press591.php

12.   News Release: Northwest Power and Conservation Council Meets in Seattle to Discuss Approval of Draft Ninth Northwest Regional Power Plan (News Release: EarthJustice)

https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/northwest-power-and-conservation-council-meets-in-seattle-to-discuss-approval-of-draft-ninth-northwest-regional-power-plan

Conservation & Efficiency

13.   DIY – Make Your Fan into a Cooling Center (BC Hydro - TikTok)

https://www.tiktok.com/@bchydro/video/7672545310337469712

Fish & Wildlife

14.   In 2020, Engineers Pumped 225,000 Cubic Yards of Dredged Sediment into the Columbia River; It Became Four New Islands Now Being Studied as Salmon Habitat (The Times of India)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133186604.cms

15.   Transient Orcas Surprise Visitors with Rare Appearance at Seattle’s Ballard Locks (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/newsletter-daily/transient-orcas-killer-whales-ballard-locks-seattle-salmon-seal-hunting-grounds-viewer-videos-captured-puget-sound-california-alalaska-waters-marine-mammals-sea-life-animals-photography-washington-state

16.   Work Resumes at Spokane Hatchery After Wildfire Evacuation (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/aug/12/work-resumes-at-spokane-hatchery-after-wildfire-ev/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

17.   Nuclear Power Push Ramps Up Uranium Mill — And Tribal Health Concerns (Utah Public Radio)

https://www.upr.org/npr-news/2026-08-12/nuclear-power-push-ramps-up-uranium-mill-and-tribal-health-concerns

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

18.   PacifiCorp Loses Appeal Over Washington’s Carbon Cap Law (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/washington-decarbonization/

19.   Montana: Federal Circuit Dismisses Youth Climate Lawsuit (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/08/11/federal-circuit-dismisses-youth-climate-lawsuit/

Water, Water Anywhere?

20.   Experts Raise Concerns After Parts of Spokane River Lose All Surface Water for Second Year (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/experts-raise-concerns-after-parts-of-spokane-river-lose-all-surface-water-for-second-year/article_5ffb26e0-347d-41bf-9387-4236b5e6290c.html

London Calling –Telecommunications

21.   Verizon Offers $25,000 Reward to Catch Suspects Behind California Fiber Cuts (Broadband Breakfast)

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-offers-25k-reward-to-catch-suspects-behind-california-fiber-cuts/

22.   The Farm Bill Fight That Will Shape Rural Broadband (The Daily Yonder)

https://dailyyonder.com/the-farm-bill-fight-that-will-shape-rural-broadband/2026/08/11/

HAL’s Internet Café

23.   The Data Center Backlash Is Building (Washington Post – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-data-center-backlash-is-building/ar-AA29R1nC

I Sing the Car Electric

24.   Tesla Has to Fix 20,000 Vehicles with Too-Bright Headlights It’s Known About Since 2024 (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/tesla-has-to-fix-20000-vehicles-with-too-bright-headlights-its-known-about-since-2024-2000797533

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

25.   U.S. Court Rules Meta, Other Tech Firms Must Face Thousands of Lawsuits Over Social Media Addiction (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-appeals-court-allows-thousands-lawsuits-against-social-media-companies-over-2026-08-10/

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

26.   El Niño Could Bring Highest Sea Levels Ever Recorded to the California Coast (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/el-ni-o-could-bring-100000919.html

Politics, Governance, and Management

27.   U.S. Sen. Wyden’s (OR) Wildfire Tax Relief Bill Passes Just Before Congress Recesses, Goes to White House (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/08/11/repub/sen-wydens-wildfire-tax-relief-bill-passes-just-before-congress-recesses-goes-to-white-house/

28.   U.S. Sen. Padilla (CA) Announces Plan to Reward Offshore Wind Developers Who Stand Up to Trump Administration (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/padilla-announces-plan-to-reward-offshore-wind-developers-who-stand-up-to-trump-administration/ar-AA29Wbjo

29.   Montana PSC Criticized for Responses to Water Problems, Energy Rate Case (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/08/11/montana-psc-criticized-for-responses-to-water-problems-energy-rate-case/

Other Things to Know About Today

30.   Oregon: Big Grass Fire Now Largest in State History, 35% Contained (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2026/08/big-grass-fire-now-largest-in-state-history-35-contained.html

31.   Washington State Fire Season Already Third Worst in Decades; 1,125 Square Miles Burn (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-state-fire-season-already-third-worst-in-decades-1125-square-miles-burn,406565

32.   All Spokane Complex Fires Evacuation Levels Lifted in Spokane County (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/aug/11/all-spokane-complex-fires-evacuation-levels-lifted/

33.   U.S. Senators Urge End to Online Bets on Wildfires (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/nation-world/online-bets-on-wildfires-senators-urge-restrictions/507-183ce737-de32-4b92-a375-896b11660317

34.   Powerball Jackpot Increased to $1 Billion for Wednesday’s Drawing (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/powerball-jackpot-increased-1-billion-wednesdays-drawing/VAGWCH3C5ZBYROINC2CH4BVHQM/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

35.   Guest Essay: ‘This Year Is Different’: The Water Reality Idaho Can No Longer Ignore (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2026/08/12/this-year-is-different-the-water-reality-idaho-can-no-longer-ignore/

36.   Guest Essay: New Bonneville Administrator Faces Tall Order (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

https://www.thedailyworld.com/2026/08/11/commissioners-corner-new-bonneville-administrator-faces-tall-order/

37.   The Need for Public Wi-Fi (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2026/08/12/the-need-for-public-wifi/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

‘Harry Potter’ Fans Succeed in Moving Energy Construction Project to Avoid Dobby’s Grave

https://www.nme.com/news/film/harry-potter-fans-succeed-moving-construction-project-avoid-dobby-grave-3961714

Britain’s Andy Green Sets Another Speed Record, This Time for Fastest Run in a Hydrogen-Powered Car

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/britains-andy-green-sets-another-speed-record-this-time-for-fastest-run-in-a-hydrogen-powered-car

This Dad Ran a 4:17 Stroller Mile with His Daughter—and Set an Unofficial World Record

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a73395243/stroller-mile-world-record-dad/

Pacific Northwest Outshines New England When It Comes to Leaf Peeping

https://kw3.com/fall-foliage-destinations-2026/

Song of the Day

John Williams – Dobby Theme (Harry Potter Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em0xL3gtfVw

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