The Energy News Digest

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

The Energy News Digest for February 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.

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

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Portland General Electric Spends Nearly $2 Billion to Expand in Washington, Acquiring 140,000 Customers from PacifiCorp (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/17/portland-general-electric-pacificorp-oregon-washington/

Columbia Generating Station Back Online (Energy Northwest)

https://www.energy-northwest.com/news-releases/columbia-generating-station-back-online/

Public Health, Green Groups Sue EPA Over Repeal of Rule Supporting Climate Protections (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-climate-change-epa-clean-air-act-27a69e8e349bd8cc7091af202b81517c

The Colorado River Crisis Is Here – States Fail to Reach a Deal; Lake Powell Deadpool Appears Imminent (Land Desk)

https://www.landdesk.org/p/the-colorado-river-crisis-is-here

WA State: 5,700 Acre (Nine Sq. Miles) Grant Co. Solar Projects Moving Forward (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2026/feb/18/grant-co-solar-projects-moving-forward/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1. Portland General Electric Spends Nearly $2 Billion to Expand in Washington, Acquiring 140,000 Customers from PacifiCorp

2. PacifiCorp to Sell Its Washington Power Plants, Wind Farms — A ‘Divorce’ Cheered by Utah Leaders

3. Columbia Generating Station Back Online

4. PacifiCorp Tries To Trim Potential Losses as Oregon Wildfire Litigation Grinds On

5. Oregon: Judge – Feds Can’t Be Sued Over Power Line Decision Before Holiday Farm Fire

6. The Bonneville Power Administration Releases First Official Forecast of Expected Financial Performance for FY 2026

7. Lawmakers Push for Federal Nuclear Innovation Campus in Tri-Cities Region

8. The Future of American Nuclear Energy Just Touched Down in Utah

9. U.S. Natural Gas Production to Reach Record Highs in 2026 & 2027

10. What’s Behind Your Eye-Popping Power Bill? We Broke It Down, Region by Region.

11. News Release: Western Energy Imbalance Market Surpasses $8 Billion in Total Benefits Since Inception

12. WA State: 5,700 Acre (Nine Sq. Miles) Grant Co. Solar Projects Moving Forward

13. Fear of Farmland Loss Slows Solar & Wind Development

14. California Lawmakers Eye 'Plug-In Solar' to Help Renters Cut Energy Costs

15. Lawmakers Say ‘Virtual Power Plants’ Could Help Oregon. Utilities Say They’re Already Here

16. Southern California Air Board Rejected Pollution Rules After Artificial Intelligence-Generated Flood of Comments

17. The Colorado River Crisis Is Here – States Fail to Reach a Deal; Lake Powell Deadpool Appears Imminent

18. Can Washington State Recover from Its 'Abysmally Low' Mountain Snowpack?

19. Public Health, Green Groups Sue EPA Over Repeal of Rule Supporting Climate Protections

20. As U.S. Abandons Climate Fight, Washington State Feels the Heat to Do More

21. Amazon's $5 Billion Data Center in Walla Walla Region to Boost Economy & Job Market

22. Data Center Growth Has Helped Pacific Gas & Electric Cut Rates 11% Since 2024, CEO Says

23. As Electricity Costs Rise, Everyone Wants Data Centers to Pick Up Their Tab. But How?

24. Data Centers: Your New Neighbor?

25. Ford Unveils New Details on Its Cheaper Electric Vehicle Platform. First Up, a Midsize Pickup.

26. Washington State Launches New Program to Encourage Trucking Companies to Switch to Electric

27. Is Social Media Over for Creatives? Or Have We Just Woken Up to What It Is?

28. California, Colorado & Washington Sue Trump Administration to Unlock Funding for Clean Energy Projects

29. Meta to Spend $65 Million in 2026 to Boost Politicians Who Favor Artificial Intelligence – Report

30. Washington House Approves Bill to Give Spokane’s Energy-Generating Trash Incinerator More Time to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

31. WA Fish & Wildlife Saga Deepens with Claims of Collusion

32. Another Storm Arrives in Southern California, Bringing Fierce Wind, Rain & Heavy Snow

33. Guest Essay: Washington’s Competitive Edge Is Eroding

34. Guest Essay: A New Space Race—The U.S. Looks to Lunar Nuclear Power

35. Editorial: Set Deadline for Chemical in Tires That’s Killing Coho Salmon

Word of the Day

Contumacious \conn-too-MAY-shush\ Adjective - Stubbornly disobedient: rebellious.

Contumacious: the terrible twos and the terrifying teens. ‘Nuff said.

Energy & Utility Issues

1. Portland General Electric Spends Nearly $2 Billion to Expand in Washington, Acquiring 140,000 Customers from PacifiCorp (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/17/portland-general-electric-pacificorp-oregon-washington/

2. PacifiCorp to Sell Its Washington Power Plants, Wind Farms — A ‘Divorce’ Cheered by Utah Leaders (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2026/02/18/utah-applauds-pacificorps-energy/

3. Columbia Generating Station Back Online (Energy Northwest)

https://www.energy-northwest.com/news-releases/columbia-generating-station-back-online/

4. PacifiCorp Tries To Trim Potential Losses as Oregon Wildfire Litigation Grinds On (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2026/02/pacificorp-tries-to-trim-potential-losses-as-oregon-wildfire-litigation-grinds-on.html

5. Oregon: Judge – Feds Can’t Be Sued Over Power Line Decision Before Holiday Farm Fire (Lookout Eugene-Springfield, OR)

https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/environment/2026/02/11/judge-feds-cant-be-sued-over-power-line-decision-before-holiday-farm-fire/

6. The Bonneville Power Administration Releases First Official Forecast of Expected Financial Performance for FY 2026 (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20260212-bpa-releases-first-official-forecast-of-expected-financial-performance-f

7. Lawmakers Push for Federal Nuclear Innovation Campus in Tri-Cities Region (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/legislature/lawmakers-push-for-federal-nuclear-innovation-campus-in-tri-cities-region/article_e2a5b1e9-da95-47e3-aa86-cb4cf330df02.html

8. The Future of American Nuclear Energy Just Touched Down in Utah (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2026/02/15/first-small-nuclear-reactor-lands-in-utah/

9. U.S. Natural Gas Production to Reach Record Highs in 2026 & 2027 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67166

10. What’s Behind Your Eye-Popping Power Bill? We Broke It Down, Region by Region. (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/energy/power-bills-electricity-prices-state-by-state/

11. News Release: Western Energy Imbalance Market Surpasses $8 Billion in Total Benefits Since Inception (California ISO)

https://www.caiso.com/about/news/news-releases/western-energy-imbalance-market-surpasses-8-billion-in-total-benefits-since-inception

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

12. WA State: 5,700 Acre (Nine Sq. Miles) Grant Co. Solar Projects Moving Forward (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2026/feb/18/grant-co-solar-projects-moving-forward/

13. Fear of Farmland Loss Slows Solar & Wind Development (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/food-and-farms/fear-farmland-loss-slows-solar-wind-development

14. California Lawmakers Eye 'Plug-In Solar' to Help Renters Cut Energy Costs (KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA)

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/california-lawmakers-plug-solar-renters-cut-energy-costs/509-89b1dec2-002c-4df4-9c91-8f3b63ec82d2

15. Lawmakers Say ‘Virtual Power Plants’ Could Help Oregon. Utilities Say They’re Already Here (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/11/oregon-politics-energy-power-virtual-plants-senate-bill-1582/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

16. Southern California Air Board Rejected Pollution Rules After Artificial Intelligence-Generated Flood of Comments (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/southern-california-air-board-rejected-pollution-rules-after-ai-generated-flood-of-comments/ar-AA1WvJX0

Water, Water, Anywhere?

17. The Colorado River Crisis Is Here – States Fail to Reach a Deal; Lake Powell Deadpool Appears Imminent (Land Desk)

https://www.landdesk.org/p/the-colorado-river-crisis-is-here

18. Can Washington State Recover from Its 'Abysmally Low' Mountain Snowpack? (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-state-snowpack-february-2026

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

19. Public Health, Green Groups Sue EPA Over Repeal of Rule Supporting Climate Protections (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-climate-change-epa-clean-air-act-27a69e8e349bd8cc7091af202b81517c

20. As U.S. Abandons Climate Fight, Washington State Feels the Heat to Do More (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/as-u-s-abandons-climate-fight-washington-state-feels-the-heat-to-do-more

HAL’s Internet Café

21. Amazon's $5 Billion Data Center in Walla Walla Region to Boost Economy & Job Market (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/amazons-5b-data-center-in-walla-walla-region-to-boost-economy-and-job-market/article_49a899d0-5c2d-4040-961d-a55c11d24646.html

22. Data Center Growth Has Helped Pacific Gas & Electric Cut Rates 11% Since 2024, CEO Says (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/data-center-growth-has-helped-pge-cut-rates-11-since-2024-ceo-says/812230/

23. As Electricity Costs Rise, Everyone Wants Data Centers to Pick Up Their Tab. But How? (Associated Press)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/13/as-electricity-costs-rise-everyone-wants-data-centers-to-pick-up-their-tab-but-how/

24. Data Centers: Your New Neighbor? (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2026/02/13/data-centers-your-new-neighbor-00780829

I Sing the Car Electric

25. Ford Unveils New Details on Its Cheaper Electric Vehicle Platform. First Up, a Midsize Pickup. (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-unveils-new-details-on-its-cheaper-ev-platform-first-up-a-midsize-pickup-160039022.html

26. Washington State Launches New Program to Encourage Trucking Companies to Switch to Electric (KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.kxly.com/news/washington-state-launches-new-program-to-encourage-trucking-companies-to-switch-to-electric/article_20bb779f-ce84-45a1-b03f-fe64af4a8054.html

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

27. Is Social Media Over for Creatives? Or Have We Just Woken Up to What It Is? (Creative Boom)

https://www.creativeboom.com/insight/is-social-media-over-for-creatives-or-are-we-just-waking-up-to-what-it-is/

Politics, Governance, and Management

28. California, Colorado & Washington Sue Trump Administration to Unlock Funding for Clean Energy Projects (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/california-colorado-washington-sue-trump-administration-unlock-funding-clean-2026-02-18/

29. Meta to Spend $65 Million in 2026 to Boost Politicians Who Favor Artificial Intelligence – Report (Seeking Alpha)

https://seekingalpha.com/news/4553463-meta-to-spend-65m-in-2026-to-boost-politicians-who-favor-ai---report

30. Washington House Approves Bill to Give Spokane’s Energy-Generating Trash Incinerator More Time to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/feb/17/washington-house-approve-bill-to-give-spokanes-ene/

31. WA Fish & Wildlife Saga Deepens with Claims of Collusion (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/13/wa-fish-and-wildlife-saga-deepens-with-claims-of-collusion/

Other Things to Know About Today

32. Another Storm Arrives in Southern California, Bringing Fierce Wind, Rain & Heavy Snow (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/night-fierce-winds-rain-another-110000030.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

33. Guest Essay: Washington’s Competitive Edge Is Eroding (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, WA)

https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/johnson-feb-2026

34. Guest Essay: A New Space Race—The U.S. Looks to Lunar Nuclear Power (Power Magazine)

https://www.powermag.com/a-new-space-race-the-u-s-looks-to-lunar-nuclear-power/

35. Editorial: Set Deadline for Chemical in Tires That’s Killing Coho Salmon (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-set-deadline-for-chemical-in-tires-thats-killing-coho/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Loose Dog Crosses the Finish Line at Olympic Skiing Event

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/18/winter-olympics-cross-country-team-sprint-dog/2311771422753/

Home Renovation Reveals Surprising Photo Under the Floor: ‘Hey, That’s My Mom’

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/home-renovation-reveals-surprising-photo-162126016.html

Famous ‘Lovers’ Arch’ in Italy Collapses into Sea on Valentine’s Day Following Severe Weather

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/famous-lovers-arch-italy-collapses-211258080.html

'Rhapsody in Blue': After a Century, Gershwin's Musical Melting Pot Still Resonates

https://www.npr.org/2024/02/12/1230433015/rhapsody-in-blue-gershwin-centennial-jazz-classical

Song of the Day

George Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue (Leonard Bernstein)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVh5cZ_ZvM

Links & Paywall Advisory

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

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

The Energy News Digest for February 11, 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

EPA Will Revoke ‘Endangerment Finding’ That Underpins All Climate Regulation This Week (U.S. News & World Report)

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/10/epa-revoke-endangerment-finding-climate-regulations.html

Oregon: Public Hearing on Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Program Set for Thursday in Bend (Bend Bulletin, OR)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/10/public-hearing-on-columbia-basin-fish-and-wildlife-program-set-for-thursday-in-bend/

WA State: 23,000 Lost Power in the Puyallup Area Wednesday Morning. What Happened? (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via Yahoo!)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/23-000-without-power-puyallup-181044986.html

Oregon: One Solar Project Scrapped, Another Stalled in Lake County (Bend Bulletin, OR)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/11/one-solar-project-stalled-another-scrapped-near-christmas-valley/

Oregon E-Scooter, E-Bike Crashes Rise as Popularity Grows (KPTV-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kptv.com/2026/02/10/oregon-e-scooter-e-bike-crashes-rise-popularity-grows/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1. WA State: 23,000 Lost Power in the Puyallup Area Wednesday Morning. What Happened?

2. ‘I Don’t Think They Have a Case’: Why Danielle Smith Is Playing Hardball with the U.S. on Electricity Trade

3. President Trump Seeks to Loosen Environmental Regulations to ‘Unleash’ Nuclear Energy

4. Tennessee: Lineman Accused of Seriously Injuring His Coworker in Ambush During Winter Storm Power Restoration

5. California ISO Shifts Transmission Focus to Reliability to Meet Peak Demand Growth

6. Oregon: One Solar Project Scrapped, Another Stalled in Lake County

7. Will Farmers Be Able To ‘Farm the Sun’ on Agricultural Land in Yakima, WA?

8. Oregon Awards $12 Million to 24 Projects in Community Renewable Energy Grant Program

9. Oregon Lawmakers Seek to Shine a Light on Balcony Solar, But Safety Issues Linger

10. How to Keep Your Heat Pump Humming in the Freezing Cold

11. Need Another Excuse to Use Your Air Fryer? Here’s How Little Energy They Use

12. Oregon: Public Hearing on Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Program Set for Thursday in Bend

13. Record Snow Drought in Western U.S. Raises Concern for a Spring of Water Shortages & Wildfires

14. Drought-Triggered Restriction on North Platte River Squeezes Spigots for Wyoming Towns

15. Water Infrastructure Resolutions Moving in Idaho Legislature

16. EPA Will Revoke ‘Endangerment Finding’ That Underpins All Climate Regulation This Week

17. Scientists Thought They Understood Global Warming. Then the Past Three Years Happened.

18. Lutnick Agrees to Follow Statute on BEAD Non-Deployment Funds

19. It’s Official. Amazon Is $5 Billion Mystery Data Center Developer Near Tri-Cities

20. How WA Lawmakers Are Trying to Regulate Data Centers

21. Data Center Water/Power Needs, Regulatory Challenges Strain Rural Communities

22. Oregon E-Scooter, E-Bike Crashes Rise as Popularity Grows

23. Ford’s 2025 Financial Losses Were Blue Oval’s Biggest Since the Great Recession, Due to Electric Vehicle Shifts

24. Chinese Automaker BYD Files Lawsuit, Seeks Refund Over Trump’s U.S. Auto Tariffs

25. Instagram CEO Denies Addiction Claims in Landmark U.S. Trial

26. Legislation Could Impact Energy Costs, Utility Operations in Oregon

27. Former Federal Renewables Lab Lays Off 134 People

28. Copper Wire Theft Stalls Light Rail Service Before Seahawks Super Bowl Parade

29. Guest Essay: Alaska Salmon Run Declines Are a Crisis. Pointing the Finger at Trawl Is Misleading.

30. When Winter Moves in, Hydropower Remains Steady

Word of the Day

Tabula Rasa /TAB-yuh-luh RAH-zah/ Noun – In general use, tabula rasa refers to something existing in an original, pristine state. In philosophy, tabula rasa refers to the mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty state before receiving outside impressions.

Tabula Rasa on the Brain

Mind in a blank state.

What are you thinking? She asks.

Husband says “nothing.”

Energy & Utility Issues

1. WA State: 23,000 Lost Power in the Puyallup Area Wednesday Morning. What Happened? (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via Yahoo!)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/23-000-without-power-puyallup-181044986.html

2. ‘I Don’t Think They Have a Case’: Why Danielle Smith Is Playing Hardball with the U.S. on Electricity Trade (National Post – Via Yahoo!)

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/dont-think-case-why-danielle-220748878.html

3. President Trump Seeks to Loosen Environmental Regulations to ‘Unleash’ Nuclear Energy (The Hill, Washington, DC – Via AOL)

https://www.aol.com/articles/trump-seeks-loosen-environmental-regulations-121543604.html

4. Tennessee: Lineman Accused of Seriously Injuring His Coworker in Ambush During Winter Storm Power Restoration (KTUU-TV – Anchorage, AK)

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/02/10/lineman-accused-seriously-injuring-his-coworker-ambush-during-winter-storm-power-restoration/

5. California ISO Shifts Transmission Focus to Reliability to Meet Peak Demand Growth (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/caiso-transmission-reliability-legislature-report/811818/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

6. Oregon: One Solar Project Scrapped, Another Stalled in Lake County (Bend Bulletin, OR)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/11/one-solar-project-stalled-another-scrapped-near-christmas-valley/

7. Will Farmers Be Able To ‘Farm the Sun’ on Agricultural Land in Yakima, WA? (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-02-10/will-farmers-be-able-to-farm-the-sun-on-agricultural-land-in-yakima

8. Oregon Awards $12 Million to 24 Projects in Community Renewable Energy Grant Program (Solar Power World)

https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2026/02/oregon-awards-12-million-to-24-projects-in-community-renewable-energy-grant-program/

9. Oregon Lawmakers Seek to Shine a Light on Balcony Solar, But Safety Issues Linger (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/09/oregon-lawmakers-seek-to-shine-light-on-balcony-solar-but-safety-issue-linger/

Conservation & Efficiency

10. How to Keep Your Heat Pump Humming in the Freezing Cold (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/how-to-keep-your-heat-pump-humming-in-the-freezing-cold

11. Need Another Excuse to Use Your Air Fryer? Here’s How Little Energy They Use (C|Net News)

https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/how-much-energy-does-an-air-fryer-use/

Fish & Wildlife

12. Oregon: Public Hearing on Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Program Set for Thursday in Bend (Bend Bulletin, OR)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/10/public-hearing-on-columbia-basin-fish-and-wildlife-program-set-for-thursday-in-bend/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

13. Record Snow Drought in Western U.S. Raises Concern for a Spring of Water Shortages & Wildfires (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/west-snow-drought-wildfires-water-shortages-rain-45034fc86084a9d62198dc4de8e4ff41

14. Drought-Triggered Restriction on North Platte River Squeezes Spigots for Wyoming Towns (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/drought-triggered-restriction-on-north-platte-river-squeezes-spigots-for-wyoming-towns/

15. Water Infrastructure Resolutions Moving in Idaho Legislature (Pacific NW Ag Network)

https://pnwag.net/water-infrastructure-id/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

16. EPA Will Revoke ‘Endangerment Finding’ That Underpins All Climate Regulation This Week (U.S. News & World Report)

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/10/epa-revoke-endangerment-finding-climate-regulations.html

17. Scientists Thought They Understood Global Warming. Then the Past Three Years Happened. (Washington Post – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/science/environmental-science/scientists-thought-they-understood-global-warming-then-the-past-three-years-happened/ar-AA1W7Eot

London Calling –Telecommunications

18. Lutnick Agrees to Follow Statute on BEAD Non-Deployment Funds (Light Reading)

https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/lutnick-agrees-to-follow-statute-on-bead-non-deployment-funds

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

19. It’s Official. Amazon Is $5 Billion Mystery Data Center Developer Near Tri-Cities (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/business/article314662893.html

20. How WA Lawmakers Are Trying to Regulate Data Centers (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/11/how-wa-lawmakers-are-trying-to-regulate-data-centers/

21. Data Center Water/Power Needs, Regulatory Challenges Strain Rural Communities (Nevada Current)

https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/02/09/data-center-water-power-needs-regulatory-challenges-strain-rural-communities/

I Sing the Car Electric

22. Oregon E-Scooter, E-Bike Crashes Rise as Popularity Grows (KPTV-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kptv.com/2026/02/10/oregon-e-scooter-e-bike-crashes-rise-popularity-grows/

23. Ford’s 2025 Financial Losses Were Blue Oval’s Biggest Since the Great Recession, Due to Electric Vehicle Shifts (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fords-2025-financial-losses-were-162900775.html

24. Chinese Automaker BYD Files Lawsuit, Seeks Refund Over Trump’s U.S. Auto Tariffs (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/09/byd-files-lawsuit-seeks-refund-over-trumps-us-auto-tariffs.html

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

25. Instagram CEO Denies Addiction Claims in Landmark U.S. Trial (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/instagram-ceo-testify-social-media-161812069.html

Politics, Governance, and Management

26. Legislation Could Impact Energy Costs, Utility Operations in Oregon (Salem Statesman-Journal, OR – Via Yahoo!)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/legislation-could-impact-energy-costs-020328622.html

27. Former Federal Renewables Lab Lays Off 134 People (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5732319-renewable-energy-lab-job-cuts/

Other Things to Know About Today

28. Copper Wire Theft Stalls Light Rail Service Before Seahawks Super Bowl Parade (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/copper-wire-theft-parade-super-bowl-parade

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

29. Guest Essay: Alaska Salmon Run Declines Are a Crisis. Pointing the Finger at Trawl Is Misleading. (Alaska Beacon)

https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/02/10/alaska-salmon-run-declines-are-a-crisis-pointing-the-finger-at-trawl-is-misleading/

30. When Winter Moves in, Hydropower Remains Steady (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/feb/10/when-winter-moves-in-hydropower-remans-steady/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

India’s Migratory Beekeepers & Their Hives Follow the Flowers to Make the Honey Flow

https://apnews.com/article/india-honey-bees-beekeepers-climate-change-d38a29dbfaf2d67aca1455241ae28eda

Huge Halibut Caught Through the Ice in Quebec Is a New Scientific Record

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/huge-halibut-caught-ice-quebec-174938902.html

At 100, WWII Veteran Celebrates a Life of Service Aboard Battleship New Jersey

https://apnews.com/article/world-war-wwii-veteran-100-3c0ca92e8a247becf81ae7637daed449

Man Balances Chair on His Chin for 1 Hour, 20 Minutes

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/10/Guinness-World-Records-David-Rush-chair-chin/4361770737355/

Song of the Day

Playing for Change – Fly Like an Eagle

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