Thursday, June 27, 2019

Energy News Digest for June 27, 2019


The Hot Shots edition of the Energy News Digest is available on Facebook, and on Twitter.

To subscribe to the Energy News Digest, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS





HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Pole Attachment Lawsuit Brings $3.4 Million to Pacific PUD (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA)

CalFire: Pacific Gas & Electric Power Lines Sparked Tuesday Blaze in California (Utility Dive)

Skagit PUD, Anacortes Ask Residents to Cut Water Usage as Drought Worsens (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Oregon Approval of Aggressive Electric Vehicle Goals Overshadowed by Climate Bill Drama (Utility Dive)

California Sets Record for Solar, Renewable Curtailments (American Public Power Association)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      CalFire: Pacific Gas & Electric Power Lines Sparked Tuesday Blaze in California
2.      First of Four FERC Hearings Held in Coos County on Jordan Cove Liquefied Natural Gas Project
3.      California: Oroville Dam – Despite Water Levels, Spillway Release ‘Unlikely’
4.      U.S. Tribes Are Being Left Out of Talks Over the Columbia River’s Fate. Why?
5.      Michael Catsi Named Tacoma Public Utilities Economic
6.      Op/Ed: Letter – Support for Pacific PUD Commissioners
7.      Massachusetts: Canadian Hydropower Contracts Approved by Utility Regulators
8.      U.S. Electricity Is Shifting, But Not Exactly Going Green
9.      Weaning U.S. Power Sector Off Fossil Fuels Would Cost $4.7 Trillion: Study
10.   Louisiana: Utility Worker Survives 14,000-Volt Shock in Catahoula Parish
11.   Frackers Go Electric as Low Natural Gas Prices Spur Fuel Switch
12.   Two More Gray Whales Found Dead in Alaska; Total Reaches 12
13.   Canoe Journey Parallels Tribal Efforts to Return Salmon to Upper Columbia River
14.   Fish & Wildlife Plant Hood Canal Oysters to Compensate for Lost Shellfish from 2012 Oil Spill
15.   As the Oceans Acidify, These Oyster Farmers Are Fighting Back
16.   Orcas Visit Dyes Inlet
17.   Skagit PUD, Anacortes Ask Residents to Cut Water Usage as Drought Worsens
18.   Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest & Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Moderate to Severe Drought; Above Normal Potential for Wildfire
19.   EPA Breathes New Life into Controversial Alaska Mining Project
20.   California Sets Record for Solar, Renewable Curtailments
21.   Largest Wind Turbine Blade Shipment Unloads in Vancouver
22.   Oregon House Backs $5,000 Home Solar Rebates
23.   After Two Years, Program to Install Brighter, Cheaper Streetlights Resumes in Yakima
24.   Heat Pump Water Heaters Can be Demand Response Assets
25.   Pole Attachment Lawsuit Brings $3.4 Million to Pacific PUD
26.   Anacortes Sets Internet Fees for City Network
27.   Broadband & Unemployment
28.   An Increasingly Popular Authoritarian Tool: Shutting Down the Internet
29.   Oregon Approval of Aggressive Electric Vehicle Goals Overshadowed by Climate Bill Drama
30.   Electric Cars Still Face a Major Roadblock
31.   Record-Breaking Heat Wave Cooks Europe
32.   A Record-Challenging Greenland Climate Pattern Is Boosting Extreme Weather in North America & Europe
33.   Americans Demand Climate Action – As Long as It Doesn’t Cost Much: Reuters Poll
34.   Most States Legalizing Marijuana Have Yet to Grapple with Energy Demand
35.   Twitter Adds Labels for Tweets That Break Its Rules
36.   Global Warming Is Only Going to Get Worse. One Reason: Those Cloud Trails Airplanes Leave Behind in the Sky
37.   Here’s What Jay Inslee Said in His Six Answers in the Democratic Presidential Debate
38.   How Oregon Senate Republicans Could Pay Walkout Expenses & Fines: Campaign Cash
39.   Washington State Gun Law Restrictions Effective July 1 Despite Controversy
40.   U.S. Regulator Cites New Flaw on Grounded Boeing 737 MAX
41.   41 Washington State Patrol Troopers Sworn in at State Capitol
42.   In Pacific Northwest, Only Portland Has Worse Drivers Than Seattle, New Report Says

WORD OF THE DAY

Scuttlebutt • \SKUTT-ul-butt\ • noun - Rumor, gossip

WORD ORIGIN, FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER - Nowadays, office workers catch up on the latest scuttlebutt around the water cooler, and when they do, they are continuing a long-standing (although not necessarily honorable) tradition. That kind of gossip sharing probably also occurred on the sailing ships of yore. Back in the early 1800s, the cask containing a ship’s daily supply of freshwater was called a “scuttlebutt”; that name was later applied to a drinking fountain on a ship or at a naval installation. By the early 20th century, the term for the water source was also applied to the gossip and rumors generated around it, and the latest chatter has been called “scuttlebutt” ever since.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    CalFire: Pacific Gas & Electric Power Lines Sparked Tuesday Blaze in California (Utility Dive)

2.    First of Four FERC Hearings Held in Coos County on Jordan Cove Liquefied Natural Gas Project (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

3.    California: Oroville Dam – Despite Water Levels, Spillway Release ‘Unlikely’ (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

4.    U.S. Tribes Are Being Left Out of Talks Over the Columbia River’s Fate. Why? (Crosscut Seattle)

5.    Michael Catsi Named Tacoma Public Utilities Economic Development Manager (South Sound Business)

6.    Op/Ed: Letter – Support for Pacific PUD Commissioners (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA)

7.    Massachusetts: Canadian Hydropower Contracts Approved by Utility Regulators (New England Public Radio)

8.    U.S. Electricity Is Shifting, But Not Exactly Going Green (Bloomberg News)

9.    Weaning U.S. Power Sector Off Fossil Fuels Would Cost $4.7 Trillion: Study (Reuters)

10. Louisiana: Utility Worker Survives 14,000-Volt Shock in Catahoula Parish (KALB-TV, Alexandria, LA)

11. Frackers Go Electric as Low Natural Gas Prices Spur Fuel Switch (Bloomberg News)

FISH & WILDLIFE

12. Two More Gray Whales Found Dead in Alaska; Total Reaches 12 (Associated Press)

13. Canoe Journey Parallels Tribal Efforts to Return Salmon to Upper Columbia River (Courthouse News Service)

14. Fish & Wildlife Plant Hood Canal Oysters to Compensate for Lost Shellfish from 2012 Oil Spill (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

15. As the Oceans Acidify, These Oyster Farmers Are Fighting Back (Christian Science Monitor)

16. Orcas Visit Dyes Inlet (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

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

17. Skagit PUD, Anacortes Ask Residents to Cut Water Usage as Drought Worsens (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

18. Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest & Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Moderate to Severe Drought; Above Normal Potential for Wildfire (Thurston Talk, Olympia, WA)

19. EPA Breathes New Life into Controversial Alaska Mining Project (Reuters)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

20. California Sets Record for Solar, Renewable Curtailments (American Public Power Association)

21. Largest Wind Turbine Blade Shipment Unloads in Vancouver (Oregonian, Portland)

22. Oregon House Backs $5,000 Home Solar Rebates (Portland Business Journal, OR)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

23. After Two Years, Program to Install Brighter, Cheaper Streetlights Resumes in Yakima (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

24. Heat Pump Water Heaters Can be Demand Response Assets (Greentech Media)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

25. Pole Attachment Lawsuit Brings $3.4 Million to Pacific PUD (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA)

26. Anacortes Sets Internet Fees for City Network (Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, WA)

27. Broadband & Unemployment (Pots & Pans)

28. An Increasingly Popular Authoritarian Tool: Shutting Down the Internet (Los Angeles Times, CA)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

29. Oregon Approval of Aggressive Electric Vehicle Goals Overshadowed by Climate Bill Drama (Utility Dive)

30. Electric Cars Still Face a Major Roadblock (Atlantic Magazine)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

31. Record-Breaking Heat Wave Cooks Europe (British Broadcasting Corporation)

32. A Record-Challenging Greenland Climate Pattern Is Boosting Extreme Weather in North America & Europe (Washington Post)

33. Americans Demand Climate Action – As Long as It Doesn’t Cost Much: Reuters Poll (Reuters)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

34. Most States Legalizing Marijuana Have Yet to Grapple with Energy Demand (Energy News Network)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

35. Twitter Adds Labels for Tweets That Break Its Rules (Washington Post)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

36. Global Warming Is Only Going to Get Worse. One Reason: Those Cloud Trails Airplanes Leave Behind in the Sky (USA Today)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

37. Here’s What Jay Inslee Said in His Six Answers in the Democratic Presidential Debate (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

38. How Oregon Senate Republicans Could Pay Walkout Expenses & Fines: Campaign Cash (Oregonian, Portland)

GENERAL NEWS

39. Washington State Gun Law Restrictions Effective July 1 Despite Controversy (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

40. U.S. Regulator Cites New Flaw on Grounded Boeing 737 MAX (Reuters)

41. 41 Washington State Patrol Troopers Sworn in at State Capitol (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

42. In Pacific Northwest, Only Portland Has Worse Drivers Than Seattle, New Report Says (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

‘Hero’ 17-Year-Old Catches Falling Toddler

How Historians Can Now See Invisible Text on Ancient Manuscripts

Killer Whale Eats Fisherman’s Trophy Catch as He’s Reeling It In, Video Shows

Washington Court Upholds $40,000 Award Against Truck Owner in Neighbor Piano Lesson Dispute

SONG OF THE DAY

Billy Joel - Piano Man

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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