Monday, April 22, 2019

Energy News Digest for April 22, 2019


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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS





HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bill Virgin: More People Means More Electricity Needs. Can We Get by without Hydropower? (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

Washington State House Approves Governor’s Rural Broadband Bill – Broadband Leaders DeBolt, Dye Support Measure (Washington State Republican Caucus)

Montana: Embattled Colstrip Bill Gets a Messaging Makeover – It’s All About Transmission, Now (Sidney Herald, MT)

West Coast Public Power Entities to Study Electric Vehicle Charging for Trucks (American Public Power Association)

Will Limits on Fishing Free Up Salmon for Starving Orcas? (Crosscut Seattle)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Bill Virgin: More People Means More Electricity Needs. Can We Get by without Hydropower?
2.      Montana: Embattled Colstrip Bill Gets a Messaging Makeover – It’s All About Transmission, Now
3.      U.S. & Canada Continue to Talk Columbia River Treaty
4.      Jessica Matlock Named new CEO at La Plata Electric Association
5.      Avista Builds on Commitment to Renewable Energy with Goal of 100 Percent Clean Electricity by 2045
6.      Chelan PUD Commissioner Randy Smith to Lead Washington PUDs Association
7.      Canada: Feds, BC Hydro Fund $289 Million Transmission Line Expansion in Peace Region
8.      Montana: Judge Delivers Major Setback to Trump Policy to Increase Coal Mining on Federal Land
9.      California Utilities Release Economic Study of Housing Electrification Costs, Benefits
10.   Florida: Underground Power Lines Bill Gets Support
11.   Energy Information Administration Expects 2019 Summer Average Residential Electricity Use to Be Lowest in Five Years
12.   Will Limits on Fishing Free Up Salmon for Starving Orcas?
13.   Inslee’s Orca Task Force Wants to Plan Now for the Potential Breaching of Four Snake River Dams – But There’s Pushback from Some Groups
14.   Feds Eye Protection for Northern California Trout
15.   Snohomish PUD Community Solar Sales Begin April 22
16.   Wind Turbine Firm Officially Makes Portland Its Home
17.   Transmission Line to Carry Wind Energy to California Clears Last Wyoming Hurdle
18.   Texas: Austin Energy to Buy Biomass Plant for $460 Million
19.   Researchers Suggest 100 Percent Renewable Energy Isn’t Very Green
20.   Washington State House Approves Governor’s Rural Broadband Bill – Broadband Leaders DeBolt, Dye Support Measure
21.   U.S. Senator Visits Yakima to Discuss Digital Divide & How to Fix It
22.   Why We Have Crappy Rural Broadband
23.   West Coast Public Power Entities to Study Electric Vehicle Charging for Trucks
24.   Aw Shucks! Can Oysters Clean Up New York’s Harbor?
25.   Rising Sea Level Threatens Waikiki Beach’s Existence
26.   The Dawn of the Cyborg Journalist
27.   Excavation of Materials Resumes at Hood Canal Site
28.   South Carolina: Claims of Shoddy Production Draw Scrutiny to a Second Boeing Jet
29.   Petition for Washington State Senator to Shadow Nurse’s 12-Hour Shift Goes Viral
30.   Washington Democrats Call for GOP State Rep. Matt Shea to be Expelled after Latest Allegations
31.   Douglas County Adopts Policy Referring to Projects as “Tax Payer Funded”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    Bill Virgin: More People Means More Electricity Needs. Can We Get by without Hydropower? (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

2.    Montana: Embattled Colstrip Bill Gets a Messaging Makeover – It’s All About Transmission, Now (Sidney Herald, MT)

3.    U.S. & Canada Continue to Talk Columbia River Treaty (Salmon Arm Observer, BC)

4.    Jessica Matlock Named new CEO at La Plata Electric Association (Pagosa Daily Post, CO)

5.    Avista Builds on Commitment to Renewable Energy with Goal of 100 Percent Clean Electricity by 2045 (Nasdaq)

6.    Chelan PUD Commissioner Randy Smith to Lead Washington PUDs Association (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

7.    Canada: Feds, BC Hydro Fund $289 Million Transmission Line Expansion in Peace Region (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

8.    Montana: Judge Delivers Major Setback to Trump Policy to Increase Coal Mining on Federal Land (NY Times)

9.    California Utilities Release Economic Study of Housing Electrification Costs, Benefits (Daily Energy Insider)

10. Florida: Underground Power Lines Bill Gets Support (Tampa Bay Business Journal, FL)

11. Energy Information Administration Expects 2019 Summer Average Residential Electricity Use to Be Lowest in Five Years (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

FISH & WILDLIFE

12. Will Limits on Fishing Free Up Salmon for Starving Orcas? (Crosscut Seattle)

13. Inslee’s Orca Task Force Wants to Plan Now for the Potential Breaching of Four Snake River Dams – But There’s Pushback from Some Groups (Inlander, Spokane, WA)

14. Feds Eye Protection for Northern California Trout (Courthouse News Service)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

15. Snohomish PUD Community Solar Sales Begin April 22 (Mountlake Terrace News, WA)

16. Wind Turbine Firm Officially Makes Portland Its Home (Portland Business Journal, OR)

17. Transmission Line to Carry Wind Energy to California Clears Last Wyoming Hurdle (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)

18. Texas: Austin Energy to Buy Biomass Plant for $460 Million (American Public Power Association)

19. Researchers Suggest 100 Percent Renewable Energy Isn’t Very Green (Engadget)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

20. Washington State House Approves Governor’s Rural Broadband Bill – Broadband Leaders DeBolt, Dye Support Measure (Washington State Republican Caucus)

21. U.S. Senator Visits Yakima to Discuss Digital Divide & How to Fix It (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

22. Why We Have Crappy Rural Broadband (Pots & Pans)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

23. West Coast Public Power Entities to Study Electric Vehicle Charging for Trucks (American Public Power Association)

“CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE” – WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

24. Aw Shucks! Can Oysters Clean Up New York’s Harbor? (Christian Science Monitor)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

25. Rising Sea Level Threatens Waikiki Beach’s Existence (Associated Press)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

26. The Dawn of the Cyborg Journalist (Medium)

GENERAL NEWS

27. Excavation of Materials Resumes at Hood Canal Site (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

28. South Carolina: Claims of Shoddy Production Draw Scrutiny to a Second Boeing Jet (NY Times)

29. Petition for Washington State Senator to Shadow Nurse’s 12-Hour Shift Goes Viral (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

30. Washington Democrats Call for GOP State Rep. Matt Shea to be Expelled after Latest Allegations (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

31. Douglas County Adopts Policy Referring to Projects as “Tax Payer Funded” (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Drunk on Smoke: Notre Dame’s Bees Survive Cathedral Blaze

Ambulance That Hit Pothole on Way to Hospital May Have Saved Patient’s Life, Doctors Say

Want to Get Paid to Drink Beer? This Belgium Brewery Has the Opportunity for You

Road Crew Misspells ‘School’ in School Crossing

SONG OF THE DAY

Rimsky-Korsakov – Flight of the Bumblebee

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.