The Energy News Digest for March 23, 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.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Northwest Lawmakers Push for New Bonneville Power Administration Leadership as Energy Pressures Build Across Oregon (Grants Pass Tribune, OR)

https://www.grantspasstribune.com/northwest-lawmakers-push-for-new-bpa-leadership-as-energy-pressures-build-across-oregon/

Amazon’s $100 Million Morrow County Deals Put Local Insiders Under Fire (Hoodline)

https://hoodline.com/2026/03/amazon-s-100-million-morrow-county-deals-put-local-insiders-under-fire/

Oregon: Environmentalists Say Washington County Renewable Energy Project Is Too Near National Wildlife Refuge (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/17/washington-county-oregon-renewable-energy-project-wildlife-refuge/

Southern Oregon Dam Operators Face Intensifying Legal Battles After 2023 Lamprey Killing (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/23/southern-oregon-dam-operators-face-intensifying-legal-battles-after-2023-lamprey-killing/

Oregon Snowpack Continues to Worsen (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/weather/oregon-snowpack-continues-to-worsen/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Northwest Lawmakers Push for New Bonneville Power Administration Leadership as Energy Pressures Build Across Oregon

2.      News Release: Members of Congress Present Secretary of Energy with List of Attributes Considered Essential in the Selection of New Administrator for the Bonneville Power Administration

3.      Washington State, Trump Administration Standoff Continues in Fight Over Coal Plant

4.      Oregon: Power Line Proposal Brings Environmental Worries in Washington County

5.      Oregon: Blachly-Lane to Acquire Monroe Service Area; Power Cost Impact

6.      Utilities Weigh Regional Resource Adequacy Under New Western Market

7.      Blackout: Why Is Resource-Rich Canada a Net Importer of Electricity from the U.S.?

8.      Cuba Begins to Restore Electricity After Nationwide Power Grid Collapse

9.      Oregon: Environmentalists Say Washington County Renewable Energy Project Is Too Near National Wildlife Refuge

10.   Idaho: Jerome County Drafts a New Ordinance to Restrict Renewable Energy Projects to Industrial Zones Only

11.   Puget Sound Energy, Partners Test How Electric Vehicles Can Power Homes During Outages

12.   Energy Fallout from Iran War Signals a Global Wake-Up Call for Renewable Energy

13.   More Washington State Utilities Want to Remotely Control Your Thermostat

14.   WA State: Backlash Grows Over Proposed Thurston Co. Home Seller Energy Checks

15.   How Air Conditioner Maker Carrier Wants to Turn Air Conditioners from Energy Hogs to Grid Assets

16.   Southern Oregon Dam Operators Face Intensifying Legal Battles After 2023 Lamprey Killing

17.   Federal Funding Kicks Off Exploration of Fish Passage Solutions in Oregon

18.   Oregon Snowpack Continues to Worsen

19.   Spring Outlook in Pacific Northwest Favors Above-Normal Temperatures, Below-Average Precipitation

20.   WA State: Additional Odessa Groundwater Replacement Area Canals Coming

21.   Why Colorado River Negotiations Stalled & How They Could Restart

22.   Two Dozen States, 10 Cities Sue EPA Over Repeal of ‘Endangerment’ Finding Central to Climate Fight

23.   The Planet is Heating Faster Than Ever Before, New Research Shows

24.   Alaska Broadband Office Releases Interactive BEAD Map, Two Providers Tout Awards

25.   Fiber Broadband Association Releases New Paper on the Importance of Fiber in Tribal Communities

26.   Amazon’s $100 Million Morrow County Deals Put Local Insiders Under Fire

27.   Data Centers Under Scrutiny by California Lawmakers as Fears Rise About Health & Energy Impacts

28.   ‘ChatGPT Gets a D’: Washington State University Study Finds ‘Inaccuracies’ with Artificial Intelligence

29.   Oregon Electric Vehicle Growth Petered Out Last Year

30.   Washington’s Electric Vehicle Sales Laws Just Took a Big Turn

31.   CBS News Shutters Its Storied Radio News Service After Nearly a Century, Ending an Era

32.   APPA, NRECA Send Letter to DOE on the Importance of Preference Power, Power Marketing Administrations

33.   Environment & Climate Bills That Passed & Failed in WA’s Legislative Session

34.   Hawaii Hit with More Flooding as Heat Tops Records in West

35.   United Nations Issues New Climate Warning as El Niño Looms

36.   Guest Essay: It’s a Bad Idea to Cap Tennessee Valley Authority Salaries

Word of the Day

Orotund \ORE-uh-tund\ Adjective - 1: marked by fullness, strength, & clarity of sound: sonorous 2: pompous, bombastic.

The powerful, orotund music enveloped Frederick’s dinner guests in rich waves, the booming resonance causing the wine glasses to vibrate in harmony with the Wagnerian opera blasting from his stereo system. Conversation became impossible, as was hearing anything after the overwhelming concert filled the enclosed dining space of his small apartment.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Northwest Lawmakers Push for New Bonneville Power Administration Leadership as Energy Pressures Build Across Oregon (Grants Pass Tribune, OR)

https://www.grantspasstribune.com/northwest-lawmakers-push-for-new-bpa-leadership-as-energy-pressures-build-across-oregon/

2.      News Release: Members of Congress Present Secretary of Energy with List of Attributes Considered Essential in the Selection of New Administrator for the Bonneville Power Administration (U.S. Rep Cliff Bentz, Oregon)

https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-of-congress-present-secretary-of-energy-with-list-of-attributes-considered-essential-in-the-selection-of-new-administrator-for-the-bonneville-power-administration

3.      Washington State, Trump Administration Standoff Continues in Fight Over Coal Plant (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-state-trump-administration-standoff-continues-in-fight-over-coal-plant,398709

4.      Oregon: Power Line Proposal Brings Environmental Worries in Washington County (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/power-line-proposal-brings-envrionmental-worries-in-washington-county/

5.      Oregon: Blachly-Lane to Acquire Monroe Service Area; Power Cost Impact (KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR)

https://www.kezi.com/news/local/blachly-lane-to-acquire-monroe-service-area-power-cost-impact/article_adcd9bdb-8f56-4bdb-9b3a-cfad4692fb3e.html

6.      Utilities Weigh Regional Resource Adequacy Under New Western Market (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/western-utilities-weigh-a-new-resource-adequacy-program-under-rowe/815043/

7.      Blackout: Why Is Resource-Rich Canada a Net Importer of Electricity from the U.S.? (Kelowna Now, British Columbia)

https://www.kelownanow.com/news/news/National_News/BLACKOUT/

8.      Cuba Begins to Restore Electricity After Nationwide Power Grid Collapse (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/cuba-begins-restore-electricity-nationwide-183219533.html

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

9.      Oregon: Environmentalists Say Washington County Renewable Energy Project Is Too Near National Wildlife Refuge (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/17/washington-county-oregon-renewable-energy-project-wildlife-refuge/

10.   Idaho: Jerome County Drafts a New Ordinance to Restrict Renewable Energy Projects to Industrial Zones Only (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)

https://www.kivitv.com/jerome/jerome-county-drafts-a-new-ordinance-to-restrict-renewable-energy-projects-to-industrial-zones-only

11.   Puget Sound Energy, Partners Test How Electric Vehicles Can Power Homes During Outages (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/featured/51551-pse-partners-test-how-evs-can-power-homes-during-outages/

12.   Energy Fallout from Iran War Signals a Global Wake-Up Call for Renewable Energy (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/energy-fallout-from-iran-war-signals-a-global-a22086953

Conservation & Efficiency

13.   More Washington State Utilities Want to Remotely Control Your Thermostat (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/more-washington-state-utilities-want-to-remotely-control-your-thermostat,398744

14.   WA State: Backlash Grows Over Proposed Thurston Co. Home Seller Energy Checks (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/issues/energy/article_0a26da29-1a37-45b5-8213-c87fee96c2bd.html

15.   How Air Conditioner Maker Carrier Wants to Turn Air Conditioners from Energy Hogs to Grid Assets (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/company-thats-turning-air-conditioners-energy-hogs-into-grid-assets--ecmii-2026-03-18/

Fish & Wildlife

16.   Southern Oregon Dam Operators Face Intensifying Legal Battles After 2023 Lamprey Killing (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/23/southern-oregon-dam-operators-face-intensifying-legal-battles-after-2023-lamprey-killing/

17.   Federal Funding Kicks Off Exploration of Fish Passage Solutions in Oregon (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/21/federal-funding-kicks-off-exploration-of-fish-passage-solutions-in-oregon/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

18.   Oregon Snowpack Continues to Worsen (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/weather/oregon-snowpack-continues-to-worsen/

19.   Spring Outlook in Pacific Northwest Favors Above-Normal Temperatures, Below-Average Precipitation (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/mar/22/spring-outlook-warns-of-dreaded-heat-dome/

20.   WA State: Additional Odessa Groundwater Replacement Area Canals Coming (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2026/mar/23/additional-odessa-groundwater-replacement-area-canals-coming/

21.   Why Colorado River Negotiations Stalled & How They Could Restart (PBS News)

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/why-colorado-river-negotiations-stalled-and-how-they-could-restart

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

22.   Two Dozen States, 10 Cities Sue EPA Over Repeal of ‘Endangerment’ Finding Central to Climate Fight (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-climate-change-epa-states-endangerment-6b1b5b38140c76a5cc55e17ae5f3b99b

23.   The Planet is Heating Faster Than Ever Before, New Research Shows (TIME Magazine)

https://time.com/7382950/climate-change-speeding-up-science/

London Calling –Telecommunications

24.   Alaska Broadband Office Releases Interactive BEAD Map, Two Providers Tout Awards (Telecompetitor)

https://www.telecompetitor.com/alaska-broadband-office-releases-interactive-bead-map-two-providers-tout-awards/

25.   Fiber Broadband Association Releases New Paper on the Importance of Fiber in Tribal Communities (BusinessWire)

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318364196/en/Fiber-Broadband-Association-Releases-New-Paper-on-The-Importance-of-Fiber-in-Tribal-Communities

HAL’s Internet Café

26.   Amazon’s $100 Million Morrow County Deals Put Local Insiders Under Fire (Hoodline)

https://hoodline.com/2026/03/amazon-s-100-million-morrow-county-deals-put-local-insiders-under-fire/

27.   Data Centers Under Scrutiny by California Lawmakers as Fears Rise About Health & Energy Impacts (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/data-centers-under-scrutiny-california-100000620.html

28.   ‘ChatGPT Gets a D’: Washington State University Study Finds ‘Inaccuracies’ with Artificial Intelligence (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/news/technology/chatgpt-wsu-study-finds-inaccuracies-with-ai/

I Sing the Car Electric

29.   Oregon Electric Vehicle Growth Petered Out Last Year (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2026/03/oregon-electric-vehicle-growth-petered-out-last-year.html

30.   Washington’s Electric Vehicle Sales Laws Just Took a Big Turn (KONA Radio, Pasco, WA)

https://610kona.com/ixp/1135/p/washington-ev-direct-sales/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

31.   CBS News Shutters Its Storied Radio News Service After Nearly a Century, Ending an Era (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/cbs-radio-news-bari-weiss-11372c28f9557d0b10e329e6c4be339f

Politics, Governance, and Management

32.   APPA, NRECA Send Letter to DOE on the Importance of Preference Power, Power Marketing Administrations (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/appa-nreca-send-letter-doe-importance-preference-power-pmas

33.   Environment & Climate Bills That Passed & Failed in WA’s Legislative Session (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/03/22/environment-and-climate-bills-that-passed-and-failed-in-was-legislative-session-data-centers-transmission-authority-loopholes/

Other Things to Know About Today

34.   Hawaii Hit with More Flooding as Heat Tops Records in West (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/mar/21/hawaii-hit-with-more-flooding-as-heat-tops-records/

35.   United Nations Issues New Climate Warning as El Niño Looms (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/un-issues-climate-warning-el-040627850.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

36.   Guest Essay: It’s a Bad Idea to Cap Tennessee Valley Authority Salaries (Washington Examiner – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/it-s-a-bad-idea-to-cap-tennessee-valley-authority-salaries/ar-AA1Z9E1X

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Cursive Is Back. But Should Students Be Learning the Skill?

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/19/cursive-reemerges-in-schools-with-pushback-from-experts/

A Rare Look Inside the Sistine Chapel for a Private Concert About Angel Encounters

https://apnews.com/article/sistine-chapel-concert-vatican-8158bf4d0a7cb3f1c78d5c0fd1f324b6

Real Possum Found Among Plush Toy Animals in Australian Airport Gift Shop

https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/19/travel/possum-toys-australia-airport-shop-intl-scli

Message in a Bottle Floats from Canada to Scotland in 2 Years

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/message-in-a-bottle-floats-from-canada-to-scotland-in-2-years/ar-AA1Z01g7

Song of the Day

When in Rome - The Promise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRC2XC5MVVU

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.

The Energy News Digest for March 18, 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.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

U.S. Natural Gas Consumption Set a Monthly & Yearly Record in 2025 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67365

Pain of Soaring Gas Prices Compounded by Electricity Rate Increases Across States (Alaska Beacon)

https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/03/18/repub/pain-of-soaring-gas-prices-compounded-by-electricity-rate-increases-across-states/

Montana: Fish Woes in the Pacific Northwest Could Mean Higher Electric Rates Here (Hungry Horse News, Columbia Falls, MT)

https://hungryhorsenews.com/news/2026/mar/18/fish-woes-in-the-northwest-could-mean-higher-electric-rates-here/

Oregon: Environmentalists Say Washington County Renewable Energy Project Is Too Near National Wildlife Refuge (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/17/washington-county-oregon-renewable-energy-project-wildlife-refuge/

U.S. Postal Service Will Run Out of Cash Within a Year Without Congress’ Help, Postmaster Warns (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)

https://www.kcra.com/article/usps-mail-postmaster-funding-congress/70778119

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      U.S. Natural Gas Consumption Set a Monthly & Yearly Record in 2025

2.      Pain of Soaring Gas Prices Compounded by Electricity Rate Increases Across States

3.      California: Edison Executive Pay Soars Despite Devastating Eaton Fire

4.      Utilities Have Made Over $200 Billion in Profit Since 2021, New Report Says

5.      Concerns About New WA Agency Tasked with Modernizing Energy Grid

6.      U.S. Senators Urge Trump Admin to Release $400 Million in LIHEAP Funding to Help Families Pay Utility Bills

7.      Cuba Restores Power After 29-Hour Blackout Amid U.S. Oil Blockade

8.      Utilities Weigh Regional Resource Adequacy Under New Western Market

9.      Canada: Electricity Demand, Natural Gas Production & Renewable Power Expected to Soar by 2050

10.   Can Hydropower Ride the Wave of the Energy Boom?

11.   Oregon: Environmentalists Say Washington County Renewable Energy Project Is Too Near National Wildlife Refuge

12.   Oregon: How Oregon’s Solar Industry Is Faring After the End of Federal Tax Incentives

13.   New Report: West Coast Offshore Wind Needs Better Planning

14.   WA State: Thurston Could Become First County in U.S. To Mandate Energy Assessment Before Home Sales

15.   Montana: Fish Woes in the Pacific Northwest Could Mean Higher Electric Rates Here

16.   Fewer Fish in West Coast Waters Will Be Federally Regulated

17.   U.S. Senator Wyden (OR) Urges Federal Action on Western Drought

18.   Fiber Suppliers Pledge Support for BEAD Deployments — But Can They Deliver?

19.   Montana: NorthWestern Tells PSC to Throw Out Data Center Complaint

20.   Columbia River Data Centers Threaten Pacific Northwest Renewable Energy Goals, Report Says

21.   Canada: Ontario Premier Ford Urges B.C., Quebec to Drop Electric Vehicle Sales Targets

22.   The Adversarial Answer to California’s Electric Vehicle Woes

23.   Study Finds ChatGPT Answers Inaccurate & Inconsistent, Washington State University Says

24.   Idaho National Laboratory Advances U.S. Space Nuclear Power Leadership

25.   Heat Wave Strikes Southwest Amid Record March Highs

26.   High Avalanche Warnings Issued Across Cascades as Atmospheric River Arrives

27.   Montana: Weather Forecast – Warming Temperatures & Rising Rivers

28.   The Northwest's Kona Connection

29.   U.S. Postal Service Will Run Out of Cash Within a Year Without Congress’ Help, Postmaster Warns

30.   WA & Oregon Scale Back I-5 Bridge Ambitions as Cost Balloons to $14.4 Billion

Word of the Day

Jejune /jih-JOON/ Adjective - Uninteresting or boring. Also, a synonym of juvenile to describe things (such as behaviors, attitudes, etc.) that are immature, childish, or simplistic.

The intern’s report was so jejune that even the office Ficus looked disappointed, as if begging for more intellectual fertilizer.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      U.S. Natural Gas Consumption Set a Monthly & Yearly Record in 2025 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67365

2.      Pain of Soaring Gas Prices Compounded by Electricity Rate Increases Across States (Alaska Beacon)

https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/03/18/repub/pain-of-soaring-gas-prices-compounded-by-electricity-rate-increases-across-states/

3.      California: Edison Executive Pay Soars Despite Devastating Eaton Fire (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/edison-executive-pay-soars-despite-devastating-eaton-fire/ar-AA1YTGJb

4.      Utilities Have Made Over $200 Billion in Profit Since 2021, New Report Says (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-have-made-200b-in-profit-since-2021-new-report-says/814940/

5.      Concerns About New WA Agency Tasked with Modernizing Energy Grid (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/issues/energy/article_670af00b-3018-4446-862e-6bcc12a15371.html

6.      U.S. Senators Urge Trump Admin to Release $400 Million in LIHEAP Funding to Help Families Pay Utility Bills (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/51516-senators-urge-trump-admin-to-release-400m-in-liheap-funding-to-help-families-pay-utility-bills/

7.      Cuba Restores Power After 29-Hour Blackout Amid U.S. Oil Blockade (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/cuba-reconnects-electrical-grid-millions-still-without-power-2026-03-17/

8.      Utilities Weigh Regional Resource Adequacy Under New Western Market (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/western-utilities-weigh-a-new-resource-adequacy-program-under-rowe/815043/

9.      Canada: Electricity Demand, Natural Gas Production & Renewable Power Expected to Soar by 2050 (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/cer-energy-future-2026-9.7131616

10.   Can Hydropower Ride the Wave of the Energy Boom? (Renewable Energy World)

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/news/can-hydropower-ride-the-wave-of-the-energy-boom/?utm_term=sidebar

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

11.   Oregon: Environmentalists Say Washington County Renewable Energy Project Is Too Near National Wildlife Refuge (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/17/washington-county-oregon-renewable-energy-project-wildlife-refuge/

12.   Oregon: How Oregon’s Solar Industry Is Faring After the End of Federal Tax Incentives (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/17/think-out-loud-oregon-solar-storage/

13.   New Report: West Coast Offshore Wind Needs Better Planning (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/18/west-coast-offshore-wind-needs-better-planning-new-report/

Conservation & Efficiency

14.   WA State: Thurston Could Become First County in U.S. To Mandate Energy Assessment Before Home Sales (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/thurston-county-home-energy-score-hes-policy-utility-bills-reduce-carbon-emissions-commission-homeowners-cooling-systems-water-heating-systems-evaluation-insulation

Fish & Wildlife

15.   Montana: Fish Woes in the Pacific Northwest Could Mean Higher Electric Rates Here (Hungry Horse News, Columbia Falls, MT)

https://hungryhorsenews.com/news/2026/mar/18/fish-woes-in-the-northwest-could-mean-higher-electric-rates-here/

16.   Fewer Fish in West Coast Waters Will Be Federally Regulated (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)

https://www.knkx.org/environment/2026-03-18/pacific-fishery-management-council-federal-groundfish-species-washington-oregon

Water, Water, Anywhere?

17.   U.S. Senator Wyden (OR) Urges Federal Action on Western Drought (KOBI-TV, Medford, OR)

https://kobi5.com/news/wyden-urges-federal-action-on-western-drought-301954/

London Calling –Telecommunications

18.   Fiber Suppliers Pledge Support for BEAD Deployments — But Can They Deliver? (Fierce Network)

https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/fiber-suppliers-pledge-support-bead-deployments-can-they-deliver

HAL’s Internet Café

19.   Montana: NorthWestern Tells PSC to Throw Out Data Center Complaint (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/03/17/northwestern-tells-psc-to-throw-out-data-center-complaint/

20.   Columbia River Data Centers Threaten Pacific Northwest Renewable Energy Goals, Report Says (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/columbia-river-data-centers-threaten-renewable-energy-goals-report-says/article_87441308-71b1-4b09-a69e-4726f4dc32a8.html

I Sing the Car Electric

21.   Canada: Ontario Premier Ford Urges B.C., Quebec to Drop Electric Vehicle Sales Targets (Global News, Canada)

https://globalnews.ca/news/11736176/ontario-doug-ford-ev-sales-targets-bc-quebec/

22.   The Adversarial Answer to California’s Electric Vehicle Woes (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-climate/2026/03/17/the-adversarial-answer-to-californias-ev-woes-00833427

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

23.   Study Finds ChatGPT Answers Inaccurate & Inconsistent, Washington State University Says (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/study-finds-chatgpt-answers-inaccurate-and-inconsistent-washington-state-university-says-ai-articicila-intelligence-work-automated-cheating-layoffs-openai-technology-tests-college-school-prompt-accuracy

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

24.   Idaho National Laboratory Advances U.S. Space Nuclear Power Leadership (Idaho Business Review – Paywall Advisory)

https://idahobusinessreview.com/2026/03/18/idaho-national-laboratory-us-space-nuclear-power-leadership/

Whither the Weather

25.   Heat Wave Strikes Southwest Amid Record March Highs (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_29e75a05-f221-4472-a1b8-f4d027834fcd.html

26.   High Avalanche Warnings Issued Across Cascades as Atmospheric River Arrives (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/pacific-northwest-weather/avalanche-cascade/4217876

27.   Montana: Weather Forecast – Warming Temperatures & Rising Rivers (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

https://www.kpax.com/weather/weather-forecast-warming-temperatures-and-rising-rivers

28.   The Northwest's Kona Connection (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-northwests-kona-connection.html

Other Things to Know About Today

29.   U.S. Postal Service Will Run Out of Cash Within a Year Without Congress’ Help, Postmaster Warns (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)

https://www.kcra.com/article/usps-mail-postmaster-funding-congress/70778119

30.   WA & Oregon Scale Back I-5 Bridge Ambitions as Cost Balloons to $14.4 Billion (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/03/17/cost-of-new-i-5-bridge-linking-oregon-and-wa-doubles-to-14-4b/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Suspect Arrested After Causing Nearly $250,000 In Damage at Chihuly Garden & Glass

https://komonews.com/newsletter-daily/suspect-arrested-seattle-police-after-causing-nearly-250000-in-damage-at-seattle-chihuly-garden-and-glass-museum-visitor-tourist-art-crime-dale-chihuly

Seven-Ton Meteor Identified as Likely Cause of Boom Heard Across Ohio

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/meteor-identified-likely-cause-boom-141659723.html

Raucous Bird Tornado Touches Down as Snow Geese Make Annual Flight to Arctic

https://apnews.com/article/photos-snow-geese-spring-migration-pennsylvania-arctic-7451cf86ba2298c909d1618495b05eb7

Archaeologists Unearth 43,000 Ancient Egyptian Receipts, Notes, and ‘To Do’ Lists

https://gizmodo.com/archaeologists-unearth-43000-ancient-egyptian-receipts-notes-and-to-do-lists-2000734191

Song of the Day

Post Modern Jukebox – Heart of Glass (Blondie)

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

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