The Energy News Digest

Monday, May 4, 2026

The Energy News Digest for May 4, 2026

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.

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

Register for Flipping the Switch: A Public Power Boot Camp

New to public power, onboarding staff, or interested in learning more about the industry? Then NWPPA’s Flipping the Switch: A Public Power Boot Camp is for you! Join us or send your staff to the next boot camp, June 1-4 in Eugene, Oregon.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

PacifiCorp and California ISO Successfully Launch New Market (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/pacificorp-and-caiso-successfully-launch-new-market

TransAlta Seeks $19.9 Million for Centralia, WA Plant’s First DOE ‘Emergency’ Order (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/transalta-centralia-doe-emergency-order-ferc/819043/

Seattle Considers Ban on New Data Centers After Reported Expansion Interest (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-ban-new-data-centers/281-6eeed363-eee2-4e56-93c0-ccb305a1f232

WA State: Kennewick Irrigation Customers Face 10-Day Water Shutdown (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/kennewick-irrigation-customers-face-10-day-water-shutdown/article_f6f022d0-3674-4b0a-b858-1fdd40fbef5f.html

The ADA Web Accessibility Deadline just moved. Utilities Still Need to Act. (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/spons/the-ada-deadline-just-moved-utilities-still-need-to-act/818513/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1. PacifiCorp and California ISO Successfully Launch New Market

2. TransAlta Seeks $19.9 Million for Centralia, WA Plant’s First DOE ‘Emergency’ Order

3. Without Wildfire Reform, California Utilities Could See Credit Impacts: Edison International

4. Northwest Regional Forecast – of Power Loads & Resources

5. Americans’ Air Conditioning Costs Expected to Rise Again This Summer

6. Okanogan County Commissioners Consider Limits on New Cannabis Businesses – Also, Concern over Power Supply Issues

7. Top U.S. Nuclear Regulator Is Rewriting Its Rules for New Era of Reactors

8. Electric Co-ops Call for Stronger USDA Loan Support as Rural Power Demand Outpaces Infrastructure

9. Wyoming Towns Want Energy Developers to Pay Up Front for Public Service Impacts

10. Solar Ranch in Tennessee Aims to Prove Grazing Cattle Under the Panels Is a Farmland Win-Win

11. News Release: Reducing Electricity Use & Costs

12. Nearly $100 Million to Be Given to Help Support Endangered Salmon Runs in the Pacific Northwest

13. 330,000 Sockeye Fry to Be Released in Okanagan & Columbia Basins This Spring

14. Endangered Whale Protections May Be Delayed to 2035 Under Trump-Backed Plan

15. Lake Huron’s ‘Fish City’ Is a Sign of Trouble at Nuclear Plant, Says Ontario First Nation

16. Part of an Old Aluminum Smelter Along the Columbia River Could Soon Get Cleaned Up. An Energy Project Is Helping Fast-Track the Work

17. Do You Really Need a Water Filter? Here’s What Experts Say

18. WA State: Kennewick Irrigation Customers Face 10-Day Water Shutdown

19. California, Arizona & Nevada Announce New Water-Saving Plan for Dwindling Colorado River

20. WA’s Latest Emissions Report Shows Small Decline

21. Private Telecom Company Aids Washington First Responders

22. Seattle Considers Ban on New Data Centers After Reported Expansion Interest

23. Artificial Intelligence-Generated Erroneous Court Filings Are ‘Rapidly Escalating,’ Oregon Appeals Judge Warns

24. Montana: Missoula Resident Starts Petition Opposing Bonner Data Center

25. High Gas Prices Have You Considering an Electric Car? Ask Yourself These Questions Before Making the Switch.

26. Rivian Owners in Alaska May Have to Pay Thousands for Warranty Repairs

27. Oregon to Add 24 New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Across Its Highways

28. The ADA Web Accessibility Deadline just moved. Utilities Still Need to Act.

29. WA Gov. Ferguson’s Office Bottlenecking State Communications, Delaying Public Information: Report

30. Data Center Politics Could Sway Some Oregon Elections

31. ‘Wiped Us Out Completely’: Trusted Small-Town Clerk Emptied Metaline’s Bank Account, Cratered Nonprofit

32. Forest Service Lab Closures Spark Concern Amid Fire Risks

33. Idaho Was the Second-Fastest Growing State Last Year, Population Up 10% Since 2020

34. Guest Essay: Natural Gas Plants Key to Keeping Electricity Reliable in Pacific Northwest

Word of the Day

Something /SUM-thing/ pronoun – 1a: some indeterminate or unspecified thing b: some indeterminate amount more than a specified number 2: a person or thing of consequence 3: one having more or less the character, qualities, or nature of something different

It is strong with this one

So, May the Fourth be with you

Or something like that

Energy & Utility Issues

1. PacifiCorp and California ISO Successfully Launch New Market (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/pacificorp-and-caiso-successfully-launch-new-market

2. TransAlta Seeks $19.9 Million for Centralia, WA Plant’s First DOE ‘Emergency’ Order (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/transalta-centralia-doe-emergency-order-ferc/819043/

3. Without Wildfire Reform, California Utilities Could See Credit Impacts: Edison International (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/eix-california-utilities-credit-rating-wildfire-earnings/819026/

4. Northwest Regional Forecast – of Power Loads & Resources (Links to PDF File – Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee)

https://www.pnucc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-PNUCC-Northwest-Regional-Forecast-4-21-26-final.pdf

5. Americans’ Air Conditioning Costs Expected to Rise Again This Summer (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/04/30/repub/americans-air-conditioning-costs-expected-to-rise-again-this-summer/

6. Okanogan County Commissioners Consider Limits on New Cannabis Businesses – Also, Concern over Power Supply Issues (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)

https://methowvalleynews.com/2026/04/30/county-commissioners-consider-limits-on-new-cannabis-businesses/

7. Top U.S. Nuclear Regulator Is Rewriting Its Rules for New Era of Reactors (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/nuclear/us-nuclear-regulator-rewriting-rules

8. Electric Co-ops Call for Stronger USDA Loan Support as Rural Power Demand Outpaces Infrastructure (RFD-TV)

https://www.rfdtv.com/electric-co-ops-call-for-stronger-usda-loan-support-as-rural-power-demand-outpaces-infrastructure

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

9. Wyoming Towns Want Energy Developers to Pay Up Front for Public Service Impacts (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/wyoming-towns-want-energy-developers-to-pay-up-front-for-public-service-impacts/

10. Solar Ranch in Tennessee Aims to Prove Grazing Cattle Under the Panels Is a Farmland Win-Win (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/solar-ranch-in-tennessee-aims-to-prove-grazing-cattle-under-the-panels-is-a-farmland-win-win/

Conservation & Efficiency

11. News Release: Reducing Electricity Use & Costs (U.S. Department of Energy)

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/reducing-electricity-use-and-costs

Fish & Wildlife

12. Nearly $100 Million to Be Given to Help Support Endangered Salmon Runs in the Pacific Northwest (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/99m-to-be-given-to-help-support-endangered-salmon-runs-in-the-pacific-northwest-tries-culture-fishing-recreation-economy-food-ecosystem-population-habitat-conservation

13. 330,000 Sockeye Fry to Be Released in Okanagan & Columbia Basins This Spring (Vernon New, Canada)

https://www.vernonnow.com/watercooler/news/news/Okanagan/330_000_sockeye_fry_to_be_released_in_Okanagan_and_Columbia_basins_this_spring/

14. Endangered Whale Protections May Be Delayed to 2035 Under Trump-Backed Plan (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/right-whales-endangered-species-fishing-trump-adc7b729501406d0f550e7351bfa9a17

15. Lake Huron’s ‘Fish City’ Is a Sign of Trouble at Nuclear Plant, Says Ontario First Nation (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/bruce-nuclear-power-shad-sturgeon-lake-huron-reactor-limits-9.7179212?cmp=rss

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

16. Part of an Old Aluminum Smelter Along the Columbia River Could Soon Get Cleaned Up. An Energy Project Is Helping Fast-Track the Work (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-05-01/part-of-an-old-aluminum-smelter-along-the-columbia-river-could-soon-get-cleaned-up-an-energy-project-is-helping-fast-track-the-work

17. Do You Really Need a Water Filter? Here’s What Experts Say (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/water-filters-pfas-tap-drinking-041e85cc583e4a7e21b52861cc9b31a4

Water, Water, Anywhere?

18. WA State: Kennewick Irrigation Customers Face 10-Day Water Shutdown (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/kennewick-irrigation-customers-face-10-day-water-shutdown/article_f6f022d0-3674-4b0a-b858-1fdd40fbef5f.html

19. California, Arizona & Nevada Announce New Water-Saving Plan for Dwindling Colorado River (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/news/california-arizona-nevada-announce-water-165414847.html

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

20. WA’s Latest Emissions Report Shows Small Decline (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/04/29/was-latest-emissions-report-shows-small-decline/

London Calling –Telecommunications

21. Private Telecom Company Aids Washington First Responders (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/wildfire/private-telecom-company-washington-first-responders/281-718f489b-207e-4b91-86fb-bc689e72ac8d

HAL’s Internet Café

22. Seattle Considers Ban on New Data Centers After Reported Expansion Interest (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-ban-new-data-centers/281-6eeed363-eee2-4e56-93c0-ccb305a1f232

23. Artificial Intelligence-Generated Erroneous Court Filings Are ‘Rapidly Escalating,’ Oregon Appeals Judge Warns (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/ai-generated-erroneous-court-filings-are-rapidly-escalating-oregon-appeals-judge-warns/

24. Montana: Missoula Resident Starts Petition Opposing Bonner Data Center (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

https://www.kpax.com/news/missoula-county/missoula-resident-starts-petition-opposing-bonner-data-center

I Sing the Car Electric

25. High Gas Prices Have You Considering an Electric Car? Ask Yourself These Questions Before Making the Switch. (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/article/high-gas-prices-have-you-considering-an-electric-car-ask-yourself-these-questions-before-making-the-switch-214158850.html

26. Rivian Owners in Alaska May Have to Pay Thousands for Warranty Repairs (AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/rivian-owners-alaska-may-pay-154500044.html

27. Oregon to Add 24 New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Across Its Highways (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/01/ev-chargers-oregon/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

28. The ADA Web Accessibility Deadline just moved. Utilities Still Need to Act. (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/spons/the-ada-deadline-just-moved-utilities-still-need-to-act/818513/

29. WA Gov. Ferguson’s Office Bottlenecking State Communications, Delaying Public Information: Report (KVI Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kvi.com/2026/04/30/gov-fergusons-office-bottlenecking-state-communications-delaying-public-information-report/

Politics, Governance, and Management

30. Data Center Politics Could Sway Some Oregon Elections (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2026/05/data-centers-emerge-as-flashpoint-in-oregons-spring-elections.html

31. ‘Wiped Us Out Completely’: Trusted Small-Town Clerk Emptied Metaline’s Bank Account, Cratered Nonprofit (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/may/02/wiped-us-out-completely-trusted-small-town-clerk-e/

Other Things to Know About Today

32. Forest Service Lab Closures Spark Concern Amid Fire Risks (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/forest-service-lab-closures-spark-concern-amid-fire-risks/gm-GM352A5E17

33. Idaho Was the Second-Fastest Growing State Last Year, Population Up 10% Since 2020 (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/local/idaho-fastest-growing-population/4234623

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

34. Guest Essay: Natural Gas Plants Key to Keeping Electricity Reliable in Pacific Northwest (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/may/03/andy-barth-natural-gas-plants-key-to-keeping-elect/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Washington Ranks High in Star Wars Fandom

https://kpq.com/ixp/137/p/washington-star-wars-ranking-2026/

Sleep Takes Center Stage at Seoul’s Han River Nap Competition, in Photos

https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/seoul-korea-nap-competition-photos-0c723490529969ff81947a510d8aa9df

Video: Hitting The High Notes: How Switzerland Keeps Its Yodeling Tradition Alive

https://apnews.com/video/hitting-the-high-notes-how-switzerland-keeps-its-yodelling-tradition-alive-61ff5c27d6c648f4beae74319e23c278

Nipper, Stay! The Future of a Beloved Dog Statue on a New York Warehouse Is Up in the Air

https://apnews.com/article/nipper-dog-statue-albany-new-york-69a5ca4ec514f837626475b5d5264c1d

Song of the Day

John Williams – Star Wars – Princess Leia’s Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT1T6BwojXI

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations frequently update their websites, which can cause 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 cookies may help you access certain paywall sites.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

The Energy News Digest for April 29, 2026

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 Simple Tips to Sharpen Your Writing

Interested in improving your everyday English skills and becoming a better writer at the office? Learn 17 effective writing principles to help you create workplace documents during Simple Tips to Sharpen Your Writing, June 15-16 in Vancouver, Washington. Early-bird rates end this Friday, May 1.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Furrer Named Acting Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration (NewsData)

https://www.newsdata.com/clearing_up/clearing_it_up/furrer-named-acting-administrator-of-bpa/article_9b5ac2e7-37b2-4a89-80a5-ed2fb92a1961.html

Trump Administration to Pay Two More Companies to Walk Away from U.S. Offshore Wind Leases (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-offshore-wind-energy-climate-interior-02a1fa04b750809bbe035a70256c734d

Lummi Nation Accuses Whidbey Telecom of Digging Up, Ignoring Remains at Point Roberts (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/lummis-accuse-whidbey-telecom-of-digging-up-ignoring-remains-at-point-roberts

Higher Temperatures Spur Alaska’s Invasive Pike to Eat More, a Bad Sign for Salmon (Alaska Beacon)

Https://Alaskabeacon.Com/2026/04/28/Higher-Temperatures-Spur-Alaskas-Invasive-Pike-To-Eat-More-A-Bad-Sign-For-Salmon/

Credit Agency Puts WA on Notice Reporting a Negative Financial Outlook (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/moodys-washington-financial-outlook-negative

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1. Furrer Named Acting Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration

2. Paywall Advisory: DOE Selects Interim Leader for the Bonneville Power Administration

3. TVA Board of Directors Selects Mike Skaggs as TVA’s Interim President and CEO

4. Audio - Radio Update: Study Warns of Near-Term Northwest Power Shortfall, Blackout Risk

5. Electric Cooperatives Support New Idaho Power Project

6. Alaska’s Energy Cliff Isn’t Coming. It’s Already Here.

7. Seattle City Light Time of Use Rate Available to Residential Customers Starting in May

8. Section 247: Maintaining & Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives Selections

9. List of Section 247 Projects

10. Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium RFI Seeks Interest from Communities that Want to Explore Small Modular Reactors, Microreactors

11. A Trump-Branded Nuclear Power Project Thrilled Investors. Then Came the Crash.

12. Final LIHEAP Funds Released After Bipartisan Push from U.S. Senators

13. Washington State University Research Helps to Unravel European Power Outage Mystery

14. Trump Administration to Pay Two More Companies to Walk Away from U.S. Offshore Wind Leases

15. California Clears $700 Million Soda Mountain Solar Project After Decades of Debate

16. Avangrid to Supply Power from Oregon Trail Solar Project to Amazon

17. Douglas County PUD Links Hydropower Generation with Hydrogen Production Capabilities in Integrated System Rollout

18. Why Are Blue States Scapegoating Energy Efficiency?

19. Higher Temperatures Spur Alaska’s Invasive Pike to Eat More, a Bad Sign for Salmon

20. Conservation Groups Sue to Stop Lithium Drilling Project on Oregon-Nevada Border

21. More Than 60 Percent of U.S. Is Covered by Drought as Impacts Worsen

22. Utilities for King County Residents Could Rise $96 a Year Under Proposed Sewage Rate Hike

23. WA’s Latest Emissions Report Shows Small Decline

24. Lummi Nation Accuses Whidbey Telecom of Digging Up, Ignoring Remains at Point Roberts

25. T-Mobile Launches SuperBroadband for Business Customers

26. Internet Blackout Causes Huge Damage to Iran Economy

27. Data Centers Replace Fruit Orchards in Changing Central Washington

28. Data Center Uncertainty Is Making Power Grid Planning Difficult, Experts Say

29. Washington Launches $112 Million Program to Help Businesses Switch to Electric Vehicles

30. Australia Moves to Tax Meta, Google & TikTok to Fund Newsrooms

31. Weather Shifts Ahead as El Niño Looms for Washington

32. Credit Agency Puts WA on Notice Reporting a Negative Financial Outlook

33. Utility CEO Pay Surges Amid Higher Profits, Customer Struggles

34. California Senate Committee Blocks San Francisco Utility Municipalization Bill

35. Guest Essay: Washington Is Making Energy-Efficient HVAC Harder Than It Needs to Be

Word of the Day

Bilious /BILL-yuss/ Adjective – 1: having or causing a sick feeling in the stomach: feeling or causing nausea 2: angry or bad-tempered 3: very unpleasant to look at.

After three hours on the small fishing charter boat, Francois tumbled off the craft with a bilious expression that warned everyone to give him plenty of space. His sea-based chumming, however, ensured a full limit for all those who were on board the unseaworthy vessel.

Energy & Utility Issues

1. Furrer Named Acting Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration (NewsData)

https://www.newsdata.com/clearing_up/clearing_it_up/furrer-named-acting-administrator-of-bpa/article_9b5ac2e7-37b2-4a89-80a5-ed2fb92a1961.html

2. Paywall Advisory: DOE Selects Interim Leader for the Bonneville Power Administration (RTO Insider)

https://www.rtoinsider.com/131191-doe-selects-interim-leader-for-bpa/

3. TVA Board of Directors Selects Mike Skaggs as TVA’s Interim President and CEO (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/tva-board-directors-selects-mike-skaggs-tvas-interim-president-and-ceo

4. Audio - Radio Update: Study Warns of Near-Term Northwest Power Shortfall, Blackout Risk (TV Washington)

https://substack.com/@tvwstories/p-195779906

5. Electric Cooperatives Support New Idaho Power Project (Whitefish Pilot, MT)

https://whitefishpilot.com/news/2026/apr/29/electric-cooperatives-support-new-idaho-power-project/

6. Alaska’s Energy Cliff Isn’t Coming. It’s Already Here. (Northern Journal)

https://www.northernjournal.com/alaskas-energy-cliff-isnt-coming-its-already-here/

7. Seattle City Light Time of Use Rate Available to Residential Customers Starting in May (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/seattle-city-light-time-use-rate-available-residential-customers-starting-may

8. Section 247: Maintaining & Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives Selections (U.S. Department of Energy)

https://www.energy.gov/cmei/water/section-247-maintaining-and-enhancing-hydroelectricity-incentives-selections

9. List of Section 247 Projects (U.S. Department of Energy)

https://www.energy.gov/cmei/water/section-247-maintaining-and-enhancing-hydroelectricity-incentives-selections

10. Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium RFI Seeks Interest from Communities that Want to Explore Small Modular Reactors, Microreactors (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/idaho-advanced-energy-consortium-rfi-seeks-interest-communities-want-explore-small-modular-reactors

11. A Trump-Branded Nuclear Power Project Thrilled Investors. Then Came the Crash. (Washington Post – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/a-trump-branded-nuclear-power-project-thrilled-investors-then-came-the-crash/ar-AA21TW9E

12. Final LIHEAP Funds Released After Bipartisan Push from U.S. Senators (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/52052-final-liheap-funds-released-after-bipartisan-push-from-u-s-senators/

13. Washington State University Research Helps to Unravel European Power Outage Mystery (WSU Insider)

https://news.wsu.edu/news/2026/04/29/wsu-research-helps-to-unravel-power-outage-mystery/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

14. Trump Administration to Pay Two More Companies to Walk Away from U.S. Offshore Wind Leases (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-offshore-wind-energy-climate-interior-02a1fa04b750809bbe035a70256c734d

15. California Clears $700 Million Soda Mountain Solar Project After Decades of Debate (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/california-clears-700m-soda-mountain-solar-project-after-decades-of-debate/gm-GM82F6D76F

16. Avangrid to Supply Power from Oregon Trail Solar Project to Amazon (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/avangrid-to-supply-power-from-oregon-trail-solar-project-to-amazon/ar-AA1NdRXv

17. Douglas County PUD Links Hydropower Generation with Hydrogen Production Capabilities in Integrated System Rollout (Energies Media)

https://energiesmedia.com/douglas-pud-hydropower-hydrogen/

Conservation & Efficiency

18. Why Are Blue States Scapegoating Energy Efficiency? (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/energy-efficiency/why-are-blue-states-scapegoating-energy-efficiency

Fish & Wildlife

19. Higher Temperatures Spur Alaska’s Invasive Pike to Eat More, a Bad Sign for Salmon (Alaska Beacon)

Https://Alaskabeacon.Com/2026/04/28/Higher-Temperatures-Spur-Alaskas-Invasive-Pike-To-Eat-More-A-Bad-Sign-For-Salmon/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

20. Conservation Groups Sue to Stop Lithium Drilling Project on Oregon-Nevada Border (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/conservation-groups-sue-to-stop-lithium-drilling-project-on-oregon-nevada-border/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

21. More Than 60 Percent of U.S. Is Covered by Drought as Impacts Worsen (Washington Post – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/more-than-60-percent-of-us-is-covered-by-drought-as-impacts-worsen/ar-AA21Zw1B

22. Utilities for King County Residents Could Rise $96 a Year Under Proposed Sewage Rate Hike (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/king-county-utility-may-rise-nearly-100-a-year-under-proposed-sewage-rate-hike

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

23. WA’s Latest Emissions Report Shows Small Decline (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/04/29/was-latest-emissions-report-shows-small-decline/

London Calling –Telecommunications

24. Lummi Nation Accuses Whidbey Telecom of Digging Up, Ignoring Remains at Point Roberts (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/lummis-accuse-whidbey-telecom-of-digging-up-ignoring-remains-at-point-roberts

25. T-Mobile Launches SuperBroadband for Business Customers (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/t-mobile-launches-superbroadband-business-130843206.html

26. Internet Blackout Causes Huge Damage to Iran Economy (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2026/04/27/nx-s1-5792049/internet-blackout-causes-huge-damage-to-iran-economy

HAL’s Internet Café

27. Data Centers Replace Fruit Orchards in Changing Central Washington (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/data-centers-replace-fruit-orchards-in-changing-central-washington,401356

28. Data Center Uncertainty Is Making Power Grid Planning Difficult, Experts Say (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/28/data-center-uncertainty-making-power-grid-planning-difficult/

I Sing the Car Electric

29. Washington Launches $112 Million Program to Help Businesses Switch to Electric Vehicles (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/washington-launches-112m-program-businesses-switch-to-electric-vehicles/281-ee2a151f-d912-43db-9ff7-fe6143937b29

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

30. Australia Moves to Tax Meta, Google & TikTok to Fund Newsrooms (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/australia-moves-to-tax-meta-google-and-tiktok-to-a22229647

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

31. Weather Shifts Ahead as El Niño Looms for Washington (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://thequake1021.com/el-nino-washington-weather-impact/

Politics, Governance, and Management

32. Credit Agency Puts WA on Notice Reporting a Negative Financial Outlook (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/moodys-washington-financial-outlook-negative

33. Utility CEO Pay Surges Amid Higher Profits, Customer Struggles (Energy Policy Institute)

https://energyandpolicy.org/utility-ceo-pay-2025/

34. California Senate Committee Blocks San Francisco Utility Municipalization Bill (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/featured/52081-california-senate-committee-blocks-san-francisco-utility-municipalization-bill/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

35. Guest Essay: Washington Is Making Energy-Efficient HVAC Harder Than It Needs to Be (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/apr/28/jeremy-kliemann-and-melissa-olson-frause-washingto/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Baby Skunks Popping Up Across L.A. County in Spring

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/baby-skunks-popping-up-across-l-a-county-in-spring/

Construction Workers Were Building a Wind Turbine—and Found a Hoard of Bronze Age Jewelry

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/construction-workers-were-building-wind-130000562.html

Meteor Lights Up the Night Sky Over Western WA, British Columbia

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/meteor-western-wa-british-columbia

YouTuber Breaks Rubik's Cube Record While Skydiving

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/04/29/germany-Guinness-World-Records-Rubiks-cube-freefall/1571777473564/

Song of the Day

Boy Meets Girl – Waiting for a Star to Fall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjHsYpN1a9M