The Energy News Digest for August 5, 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.

The NIC Early-Bird Deadline is This Week

Early-bird savings for NWPPA’s Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference ends this Friday, Aug. 7. Register today to join public power communicators and energy service professionals at this award-winning conference Sept. 21-24 in Walla Walla, Washington. This year’s conference features University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication professor and researcher Damian Radcliffe and leadership expert Dave Mitchell as keynote speakers. Topics covered will include artificial intelligence, energy literacy, customer engagement, and more.

The early-bird rate for the Sept. 24 post-conference course, Humanizing Your Website: Writing, Accessibility, and the STAR Standard, ends Monday, Aug. 10.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Utility’s Idle Transmission Tower Caused 2025 Eaton Fire That Killed 19, Los Angeles Officials Say (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/california-eaton-wildfire-edison-equipment-34a688a6c362eb59bde3d68e2da66912

California Produced Over Half Its May Electricity from Solar, A World Record (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/california-produced-over-half-may-100000873.html

As Oregon Cities Buck Data Centers, A Committee Is Set to Propose Statewide Regulations (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/04/oregon-data-centers-advisory-committee-to-propose-statewide-regulations/

Portland Has the Worst Air Quality in the World (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/portland-air-quality-today-smoke-poor-air-quality-worst-world-wildfires/283-a3fbbb17-9b00-4544-99a6-bb59049c9b53

Man Charged with Arson in One of Three Wildfires Torching Washington’s Spokane Area (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/man-arrested-arson-charge-crews-094642181.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Utility’s Idle Transmission Tower Caused 2025 Eaton Fire That Killed 19, Los Angeles Officials Say

2.      Rising Curtailments in California Underline U.S. Grid Ordeal

3.      Three Electricity Grids, One Toasty Summer

4.      The Grid’s Climate Stress Test

5.      NorthWestern Energy Lineman Recovering in Salt Lake City Burn Unit After High-Voltage Accident in Cascade

6.      California Produced Over Half Its May Electricity from Solar, A World Record

7.      U.S. Weighs Polysilicon Price Floor, Tariffs to Counter China in Solar & Chips

8.      Renewable Energy Is Growing in Utah, But Not without Obstacles

9.      Portland General Electric Offers Tips to Stay Cool & Lower Energy Bills as Excessive Heat Grips Oregon

10.   DOE Mulls Changes to Biden-Era Transformer Efficiency Rule, Raising Utility Concerns

11.   Whales Are Dying in British Columbia Waters. Here’s How Two Groups Are Trying to Save Them

12.   Portland Has the Worst Air Quality in the World

13.   Water Rights Group Slams Washington State Ecology Office for Permit Gridlock

14.   Why Is This Trump Official Dead Set on Saving a Failing California Dam?

15.   Colorado Residents Are Ratting Out Neighbors Over Water Use During Drought

16.   As Oregon Cities Buck Data Centers, A Committee Is Set to Propose Statewide Regulations

17.   New Map Traces Washington State’s Tech ‘Universe’ to a Few Key Hubs, & Shows What’s at Risk

18.   L.A. City Council Members Call for New Restrictions on E-Bikes

19.   This Summer Isn’t Breaking Heat Records — Yet. Wait Until El Niño Kicks In, Scientists Say

20.   Court Rules Against Trump EPA’s Freeze of $20 Billion in ’Green Bank’ Funds

21.   Man Charged with Arson in One of Three Wildfires Torching Washington’s Spokane Area

22.   Private Drones Continue to Hamper Firefighting Efforts in Spokane

23.   Smoke in the West Means Relief in the East. The Big Threat Comes Later this Week

24.   As Oregon Burns & Gamblers Bet, Lawmakers Push Back Against Wildfire Betting Markets Drawing Millions

25.   Columbia River System Operations and the Future of the Lower Snake River Dams

26.   Associated Press Wildfire Tracker

Word of the Day

Ameliorate • \uh-MEEL-yuh-rate\ • Verb - To make better or more tolerable

“Is there anything I can do to ameliorate your experience?” Cooed the woolen-shirt salesman to his uncomfortable customer. “Yes,” pleaded the writhing patron, “please sell me an extra-thick undershirt.”

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Utility’s Idle Transmission Tower Caused 2025 Eaton Fire That Killed 19, Los Angeles Officials Say (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/california-eaton-wildfire-edison-equipment-34a688a6c362eb59bde3d68e2da66912

2.      Rising Curtailments in California Underline U.S. Grid Ordeal (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/rising-curtailments-california-underline-us-grid-ordeal--reeii-2026-08-04/

3.      Three Electricity Grids, One Toasty Summer (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2026/08/04/three-electricity-grids-one-toasty-summer-01024022

4.      The Grid’s Climate Stress Test (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/2026/07/31/us-electric-grid-extreme-weather

5.      NorthWestern Energy Lineman Recovering in Salt Lake City Burn Unit After High-Voltage Accident in Cascade (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

https://www.krtv.com/news/northwestern-energy-lineman-recovering-in-salt-lake-city-burn-unit-after-high-voltage-accident-in-cascade

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

6.      California Produced Over Half Its May Electricity from Solar, A World Record (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/california-produced-over-half-may-100000873.html

7.      U.S. Weighs Polysilicon Price Floor, Tariffs to Counter China in Solar & Chips (Reuters – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/energy/articles/us-weighs-polysilicon-price-floor-160922522.html

8.      Renewable Energy Is Growing in Utah, But Not without Obstacles (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.deseret.com/environment/2026/08/03/utah-leaders-discuss-us-energy-dominance/

Conservation & Efficiency

9.      Portland General Electric Offers Tips to Stay Cool & Lower Energy Bills as Excessive Heat Grips Oregon (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

https://katu.com/news/local/pge-offers-tips-to-stay-cool-and-lower-energy-bills-as-excessive-heat-grips-oregon-portland-general-electric-heat-wave-nws-money-budget-savings

10.   DOE Mulls Changes to Biden-Era Transformer Efficiency Rule, Raising Utility Concerns (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-mulls-changes-to-biden-era-transformer-rule-raising-utility-concerns/826440/

Fish & Wildlife

11.   Whales Are Dying in British Columbia Waters. Here’s How Two Groups Are Trying to Save Them (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/whales-dying-b-c-waters-groups-trying-to-save-them-9.7289474

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

12.   Portland Has the Worst Air Quality in the World (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/portland-air-quality-today-smoke-poor-air-quality-worst-world-wildfires/283-a3fbbb17-9b00-4544-99a6-bb59049c9b53

Water, Water Anywhere?

13.   Water Rights Group Slams Washington State Ecology Office for Permit Gridlock (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_37e70e16-117a-4b3f-8a41-08b9411744e7.html

14.   Why Is This Trump Official Dead Set on Saving a Failing California Dam? (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/politics/brooke-rollins-potter-valley-project-california-dams/

15.   Colorado Residents Are Ratting Out Neighbors Over Water Use During Drought (Washington Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/colorado-residents-ratting-neighbors-over-151637312.html

HAL’s Internet Café

16.   As Oregon Cities Buck Data Centers, A Committee Is Set to Propose Statewide Regulations (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/04/oregon-data-centers-advisory-committee-to-propose-statewide-regulations/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

17.   New Map Traces Washington State’s Tech ‘Universe’ to a Few Key Hubs, & Shows What’s at Risk (Geekwire)

https://www.geekwire.com/2026/new-map-traces-washington-states-tech-universe-to-a-few-key-hubs-and-shows-whats-at-risk/

I Sing the Car Electric

18.   L.A. City Council Members Call for New Restrictions on E-Bikes (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/l-city-council-members-call-171717043.html

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

19.   This Summer Isn’t Breaking Heat Records — Yet. Wait Until El Niño Kicks In, Scientists Say (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/warming-heat-climate-change-summer-el-nino-ffd31dd358a894667c63f4c0a21cd677

Politics, Governance, and Management

20.   Court Rules Against Trump EPA’s Freeze of $20 Billion in ​’Green Bank’ Funds (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/climatetech-finance/court-rules-against-trump-epas-freeze-of-20b-in-green-bank-funds

Other Things to Know About Today

21.   Man Charged with Arson in One of Three Wildfires Torching Washington’s Spokane Area (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/man-arrested-arson-charge-crews-094642181.html

22.   Private Drones Continue to Hamper Firefighting Efforts in Spokane (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/pacific-northwest-weather/drones-spokane/4263067

23.   Smoke in the West Means Relief in the East. The Big Threat Comes Later this Week (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/08/smoke-in-west-means-relief-in-east-big.html

24.   As Oregon Burns & Gamblers Bet, Lawmakers Push Back Against Wildfire Betting Markets Drawing Millions (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2026/08/as-oregon-burns-and-gamblers-bet-lawmakers-push-back-against-wildfire-betting-markets-drawing-millions.html

Mining for Data

25.   Columbia River System Operations and the Future of the Lower Snake River Dams (Every CRS Report)

https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R49059.html

26.   Associated Press Wildfire Tracker (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/wildfire-tracker

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

A 14-Year-Old Real Cowboy Used His Lasso to Save a Drowning Man

https://www.msn.com/en-us/society-culture-and-history/social-issues/a-14-year-old-real-cowboy-used-his-lasso-to-save-a-drowning-man/ar-AA28Hnrz

Zac Brown Band Gives Away Free Cruise to Boston Concertgoers

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/zac-brown-band-gives-away-free-cruise-boston-concertgoers/IOBVWZGOM5DPFJOC4RB4RBINTY/

Piece of SpaceX Rocket Believed to Have Crashed into the Moon

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/piece-spacex-rocket-crash-moon-195357791.html

97-Year-Old Wing Walker Breaks Her Own World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/08/05/Guinness-World-Records-oldest-wing-walker-female/1651785946981/

Song of the Day

Riders in the Sky – Tumbling Tumbleweeds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBJhBQ6HPB8

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 3, 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.

The NIC Early-Bird Deadline is This Week

Early-bird savings for NWPPA’s Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference ends this Friday, Aug. 7. Register today to join public power communicators and energy service professionals at this award-winning conference Sept. 21-24 in Walla Walla, Washington. This year’s conference features University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication professor and researcher Damian Radcliffe and leadership expert Dave Mitchell as keynote speakers. Topics covered will include artificial intelligence, energy literacy, customer engagement, and more.

The early-bird rate for the Sept. 24 post-conference course, Humanizing Your Website: Writing, Accessibility, and the STAR Standard, ends Monday, Aug. 10.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Wildfire Leaves Northwest Spokane in a ‘War Zone’ (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/wildfire-leaves-northwest-spokane-war-035900062.html

Controversial Central WA Gas Power Plant for Data Centers Canceled Amid Activist Backlash (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/climate/2026-07-30/controversial-central-wa-gas-power-plant-for-data-centers-canceled-amid-activist-backlash

Rising Tension in Central WA as Farmland Is Eyed for Energy & Data Center Projects (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/08/03/rising-tension-in-central-wa-as-farmland-is-eyed-for-energy-and-data-center-projects/

Record-Breaking El Niño Could Gut California's Crab & Salmon Fleets (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/record-breaking-el-ni-o-100000576.html

What a Federal Plan to Reallocate the Colorado River's Water Means for Western States (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/01/nx-s1-5912144/what-a-federal-plan-to-reallocate-the-colorado-rivers-water-means-for-western-states

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Controversial Central WA Gas Power Plant for Data Centers Canceled Amid Activist Backlash

2.      Washington's Only Coal Power Plant Switching to Natural Gas

3.      Coal’s Share of Electricity Production in Wyoming at All-Time Low Despite Peak Demand

4.      Washington Attorney General Challenges Puget Sound Energy Rate Hike Amid Rising Utility Bills

5.      Portland General Electric Proposes More Rate Increases

6.      Pacific Gas & Electric Asking California Regulators to Raise Gas Rates, Approve $26 Million Shareholder Payment

7.      Avista Seeks Idaho Rate Changes That Would Raise Electric Bills, Lower Natural Gas Costs

8.      Edison CEO: California Utilities Face Credit Downgrades without Wildfire Reforms

9.      Residents Blast Planned Power Shutoffs as Heat Wave Pushes Homes to 90 Degrees

10.   Electric Shutoffs Are Higher in Nevada Than Elsewhere in the West, New Data Shows

11.   2024 U.S. Residential Utility Disconnections Report

12.   Cuba Plunges into Darkness as Electric Grid Collapses

13.   Record Low Danube River Levels Push Some Countries in Eastern Europe to the Brink of Energy Emergency

14.   Rising Tension in Central WA as Farmland Is Eyed for Energy & Data Center Projects

15.   WA State: A Nez Perce Group Is Giving Its Support to a Wind Project on the Palouse. Harvest Hills Wind Wants Washington Leaders to Approve Its Plans

16.   Snohomish County Is Building the State's Largest Battery Plant

17.   Poll Suggests Utahns Ready to Pay More for Clean Energy Sources

18.   Record-Breaking El Niño Could Gut California's Crab & Salmon Fleets

19.   Fishing Closures Are Becoming Routine as Record Heat Warms Rivers in the U.S. West

20.   Washington State Shellfish Growers Worry for Future After Hood Canal Closure

21.   An Oregon Hydroelectric Plant Hit ‘Pause’ Until the End of the Year & Opened a Waterway So Thousands of Salmon & Trout Could Finally Pass Through

22.   Thick Wildfire Smoke Causes Dangerous Air Quality in the Pacific Northwest

23.   With 2030 Deadline to Cut Emissions Approaching, WA Has a Long Way to Go

24.   California’s Carbon-Pricing Program Generated $36.2 Billion for Climate Initiatives: Report

25.   Spokane Proposes $2.75 Monthly Climate Fee atop Two Solid Waste Rate Hikes

26.   What a Federal Plan to Reallocate the Colorado River's Water Means for Western States

27.   British Columbia: Shuswap Ranchers Brace for Major Crop Losses After Province Halts Irrigation to Protect Endangered River Fish

28.   ‘The Juice Isn’t Worth the Squeeze’: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Jim Matheson on Pole Attachments & BEAD

29.   Alaska Librarians Worry Broadband Costs Will Skyrocket After Federal Review

30.   Hackers Targeted Municipal Water Systems in Seven States This Week, FBI Says

31.   Evergreen Rural Water of Washington Warns of Cyber-Attacks on Water Systems

32.   Washington Group Calls for Data Center Moratorium. Here’s What to Know

33.   Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Teams with Amazon to Test Artificial Intelligence for Power Grid

34.   Oregon’s Popular Electric Vehicle Rebate Program to Reopen Next Month

35.   Walmart Leapfrogs Electric Vehicle Charging Competitors with Rapid Buildout

36.   British Columbia: Metal Thieves Target BC Hydro Charging Stations & It’s Not the First Time

37.   Pacific Northwest’s Yanked Ocean Observatories Start to Return to Sea

38.   A Discarded SpaceX Rocket Is on a High-Speed Collision Course with the Moon

39.   U.S. FCC Approves Giant Space Mirror to Deliver 'Sunlight on Demand,' But What Are the Legal Implications?

40.   U.S. Senators Send Wildfire Risk Reduction Letter to Key Federal Agencies

41.   Wildfire Leaves Northwest Spokane in a ‘War Zone’

42.   Strong Winds Cause Major Expansion of Eastern Washington Wildfires

43.   Where Are Wildfires Burning in Washington State? Use These Maps to Find Blazes

44.   Guest Essay: Amending Marine Mammal Protection Act Is Essential to Protect Salmon from Pinniped Predators

Word of the Day – Horrible Haiku Edition

Lalochezia /lah-low-KEEzee-yah/ Noun – The use of vulgar or foul language to relieve stress or pain.

     The hammer comes down

     Misses the nail, hits the thumb

     Lalochezia

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Controversial Central WA Gas Power Plant for Data Centers Canceled Amid Activist Backlash (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/climate/2026-07-30/controversial-central-wa-gas-power-plant-for-data-centers-canceled-amid-activist-backlash

2.      Washington's Only Coal Power Plant Switching to Natural Gas (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/washingtons-only-coal-power-plant-switching-to-natural-gas/article_31f29b9e-e476-4c32-aa53-1ed1ea67cca8.html

3.      Coal’s Share of Electricity Production in Wyoming at All-Time Low Despite Peak Demand (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/coals-share-of-electricity-production-in-wyoming-at-all-time-low-despite-peak-demand/

4.      Washington Attorney General Challenges Puget Sound Energy Rate Hike Amid Rising Utility Bills (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/washington-ag-challenges-puget-sound-energy-rate-hike-amid-rising-utility-bills-bills-electricity-gas-economy-taxes-taxpayer-homeowner-insurance-cost-of-living-inflation-customer-washington

5.      Portland General Electric Proposes More Rate Increases (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/portland-general-electric-proposes-more-rate-increases-across-customer-classes/

6.      Pacific Gas & Electric Asking California Regulators to Raise Gas Rates, Approve $26 Million Shareholder Payment (KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA)

https://abc7news.com/post/pge-asking-state-regulators-raise-gas-rates-approve-26-million-shareholder-payment/19596844/

7.      Avista Seeks Idaho Rate Changes That Would Raise Electric Bills, Lower Natural Gas Costs (DailyFly)

https://www.dailyfly.com/2026/07/31/avista-seeks-idaho-rate-changes-that-would-raise-electric-bills-lower-natural-gas-costs/

8.      Edison CEO: California Utilities Face Credit Downgrades without Wildfire Reforms (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/california-utilities-credit-downgrades-wildfire-liability-edison/826678/

9.      Residents Blast Planned Power Shutoffs as Heat Wave Pushes Homes to 90 Degrees (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/california-residents-blast-planned-power-051400574.html

10.   Electric Shutoffs Are Higher in Nevada Than Elsewhere in the West, New Data Shows (Nevada Independent)

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/electric-shutoffs-are-higher-in-nevada-than-elsewhere-in-the-west-new-data-shows

11.   2024 U.S. Residential Utility Disconnections Report (U.S. Energy Information Administration – Links to PDF File)

https://www.eia.gov/analysis/requests/residential/utility/pdf/Residential%20Utility%20Disconnections%20Report%20-%20April%202026.pdf

12.   Cuba Plunges into Darkness as Electric Grid Collapses (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/cubas-national-electricity-grid-collapses-sunday-2026-08-03/

13.   Record Low Danube River Levels Push Some Countries in Eastern Europe to the Brink of Energy Emergency (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/record-low-danube-levels-push-some-countries-in-eastern-europe-to-the-brink-of-energy-emergency/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

14.   Rising Tension in Central WA as Farmland Is Eyed for Energy & Data Center Projects (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/08/03/rising-tension-in-central-wa-as-farmland-is-eyed-for-energy-and-data-center-projects/

15.   WA State: A Nez Perce Group Is Giving Its Support to a Wind Project on the Palouse. Harvest Hills Wind Wants Washington Leaders to Approve Its Plans (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-07-29/a-nez-perce-group-is-giving-its-support-to-a-wind-project-on-the-palouse-harvest-hills-wind-wants-washington-leaders-to-approve-its-plans

16.   Snohomish County Is Building the State's Largest Battery Plant (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)

https://www.knkx.org/environment/2026-08-02/snohomish-county-is-building-the-states-largest-battery-plant

17.   Poll Suggests Utahns Ready to Pay More for Clean Energy Sources (KSL Radio, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.ksl.com/article/51603769/poll-suggests-utahns-ready-to-pay-more-for-clean-energy-sources

Fish & Wildlife

18.   Record-Breaking El Niño Could Gut California's Crab & Salmon Fleets (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/record-breaking-el-ni-o-100000576.html

19.   Fishing Closures Are Becoming Routine as Record Heat Warms Rivers in the U.S. West (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/drought-heat-fishing-closures-climate-d3c8999b0bd39381b00ca3d7ed415c90

20.   Washington State Shellfish Growers Worry for Future After Hood Canal Closure (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-state-shellfish-growers-worry-for-future-after-hood-canal-closure,406061

21.   An Oregon Hydroelectric Plant Hit ‘Pause’ Until the End of the Year & Opened a Waterway So Thousands of Salmon & Trout Could Finally Pass Through (Ecoportal)

https://www.ecoportal.net/en/trout-migration-hydroelectric-plant/30430/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

22.   Thick Wildfire Smoke Causes Dangerous Air Quality in the Pacific Northwest (AccuWeather)

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/thick-wildfire-smoke-causes-dangerous-air-quality-in-the-northwest/1918388

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

23.   With 2030 Deadline to Cut Emissions Approaching, WA Has a Long Way to Go (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/2030-deadline-cut-emissions-approaching-wa-has-long-way-go

24.   California’s Carbon-Pricing Program Generated $36.2 Billion for Climate Initiatives: Report (Utility Dive)

https://www.esgdive.com/news/california-carbon-pricing-program-generated-362b-for-climate-initiatives-carb/826163/

25.   Spokane Proposes $2.75 Monthly Climate Fee atop Two Solid Waste Rate Hikes (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_f4b992a9-3794-4e34-a660-c147c1233386.html

Water, Water Anywhere?

26.   What a Federal Plan to Reallocate the Colorado River's Water Means for Western States (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/01/nx-s1-5912144/what-a-federal-plan-to-reallocate-the-colorado-rivers-water-means-for-western-states

27.   British Columbia: Shuswap Ranchers Brace for Major Crop Losses After Province Halts Irrigation to Protect Endangered River Fish (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/shuswap-ranchers-salmon-river-water-restrictions-chinook-9.7291456

London Calling –Telecommunications

28.   ‘The Juice Isn’t Worth the Squeeze’: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Jim Matheson on Pole Attachments & BEAD (Telecompetitor)

https://www.telecompetitor.com/the-juice-isnt-worth-the-squeeze-nrecas-jim-matheson-on-pole-attachments-and-bead/

29.   Alaska Librarians Worry Broadband Costs Will Skyrocket After Federal Review (Alaska Public Media)

https://alaskapublic.org/programs/alaska-economic-report/2026-07-30/alaska-librarians-worry-broadband-costs-will-skyrocket-after-federal-review

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

30.   Hackers Targeted Municipal Water Systems in Seven States This Week, FBI Says (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/hackers-targeted-municipal-water-systems-7-states-week-fbi-says-rcna590210

31.   Evergreen Rural Water of Washington Warns of Cyber-Attacks on Water Systems (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/evergreen-warns-cyber-attacks-water-systems/LPNIBDNSVRAP7NZQGZ7GSOK3NM/

HAL’s Internet Café

32.   Washington Group Calls for Data Center Moratorium. Here’s What to Know (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/news/washington/washington-group-calls-for-data-center-moratorium-heres-what-to-know/

33.   Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Teams with Amazon to Test Artificial Intelligence for Power Grid (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/pnnl-teams-with-amazon-to-test-ai-for-power-grid/article_bf79c0be-cf7b-48df-98be-b6d1d22cd70b.html

I Sing the Car Electric

34.   Oregon’s Popular Electric Vehicle Rebate Program to Reopen Next Month (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/29/oregon-ev-electric-vehicle-rebate-reopens/

35.   Walmart Leapfrogs Electric Vehicle Charging Competitors with Rapid Buildout (Chicago Tribune, IL)

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/30/walmart-ev-charging/

36.   British Columbia: Metal Thieves Target BC Hydro Charging Stations & It’s Not the First Time (Global News, Canada)

https://globalnews.ca/news/12002079/metal-thieves-target-bc-hydro-charging-stations/

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

37.   Pacific Northwest’s Yanked Ocean Observatories Start to Return to Sea (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/31/northwest-scientists-ocean-observatories-return-to-sea/

38.   A Discarded SpaceX Rocket Is on a High-Speed Collision Course with the Moon (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/spacex-rocket-moon-crash-512c4dd708b4cda1160d30b764f9fdb5

39.   U.S. FCC Approves Giant Space Mirror to Deliver 'Sunlight on Demand,' But What Are the Legal Implications? (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/reflect-orbital-approval-fcc-9.7287535

Politics, Governance, and Management

40.   U.S. Senators Send Wildfire Risk Reduction Letter to Key Federal Agencies (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/senators-send-wildfire-risk-reduction-letter-key-federal-agencies

Other Things to Know About Today

41.   Wildfire Leaves Northwest Spokane in a ‘War Zone’ (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/wildfire-leaves-northwest-spokane-war-035900062.html

42.   Strong Winds Cause Major Expansion of Eastern Washington Wildfires (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/08/strong-winds-cause-major-expansion-of.html

43.   Where Are Wildfires Burning in Washington State? Use These Maps to Find Blazes (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/where-wildfires-burning-washington-state-120000548.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

44.   Guest Essay: Amending Marine Mammal Protection Act Is Essential to Protect Salmon from Pinniped Predators (Bellingham Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/amending-mmpa-essential-protect-salmon-120000551.html

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Wienermobile Marks 90 Years with a Limited-Time Treat Available for One Weekend in Los Angeles

https://ktla.com/news/wienermobile-marks-90-years-with-a-limited-time-treat/

‘Nature’s Pretty Cool’: Local Farm Winds Down Walla Walla Sweet Onion Field as Harvest Ends

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-07-31/natures-pretty-cool-local-farm-winds-down-walla-walla-sweet-onion-field-as-harvest-ends

Mammoth Remains Revealed in Bulgaria After Danube Water Levels Hit Record Low

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/mammoth-remains-revealed-bulgaria-after-danube-water-levels-hit-record-low-2026-07-29/

Small Bookstores Are Popping Up Across the Country. What's Behind the Boom

https://www.npr.org/2026/07/30/nx-s1-5909575/small-bookstores-are-popping-up-across-the-country-whats-behind-the-boom

Song of the Day

Roy Orbison – Crying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_L_GZLa5ow

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