Friday, August 16, 2019

Energy News Digest for August 16, 2019


Programming Note: The energy news digest will be communing with sea, sky, cats, and family August 19 – 30. If something REALLY cool or interesting pops up, keep an eye on the Twitter and Facebook feed. Otherwise, y’all have a great couple of weeks.

The Hot Shots edition 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

Salmon at ‘Scary’ Low Levels in Area Rivers as Fishing Season Opens on the Puyallup River (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Cryptocurrency Miners Allowed in Moses Lake Under Certain Conditions (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Solar Project Pays Off for Clark Public Utilities Investors (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

New Mexico State Senator Moves to Impeach Utility Commissioners as Tensions Rise over San Juan Coal Plant Closure (Utility Dive)

Photos Show the World’s First Solar Road Turned Out to be a Colossal Failure – It’s Falling Apart & Doesn’t Generate Enough Energy (Business Insider)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      New Mexico State Senator Moves to Impeach Utility Commissioners as Tensions Rise over San Juan Coal Plant Closure
2.      Grant PUD Commissioners Extend Irrigation Rate Agreement
3.      United Kingdom: National Grid Blackout Report Expected to Blame Avoidable Faults
4.      ComEd Tasks Goats with Vegetation Management
5.      Salmon at ‘Scary’ Low Levels in Area Rivers as Fishing Season Opens on the Puyallup River
6.      Steelhead Numbers Keep Falling, But There Is Optimism for a Local Fishery
7.      British Columbia: No End Date in Sight for Crews Working Fraser River Landslide
8.      Washington Wheat Farmers Could Be Toast If Dams Are Removed to Help Hungry Orcas
9.      Endangered Resident Orcas Return to Inland Waters after Long Absence
10.   Idaho Agency Looks into Local Impacts of ESA Changes
11.   Gillnetters: EPA’s ‘Particularly Bad’ Political Decision Endangers Alaskan Salmon Runs
12.   Solar Project Pays Off for Clark Public Utilities Investors
13.   Eugene Water & Electric Board Sells Stake in Wyoming Wind Farm for About $1.7 Million
14.   Montana: County Commissioners Pause Tax Break Vote on $500 Million Wind Farm
15.   An Ambitious Energy Policy Could Bring Maryland Acres of Solar Farms. Where Should They Go?
16.   Op/Ed: Why 100% Renewables Isn’t Feasible by 2050
17.   Cryptocurrency Miners Allowed in Moses Lake Under Certain Conditions
18.   Photos Show the World’s First Solar Road Turned Out to be a Colossal Failure
19.   Emails Show Washington Lawmaker Tied to Group Training for Holy War
20.   Stabbing at Downtown Shelton’s Brewer Park
21.   Magnitude 5.4 Quake Strikes Off Oregon Coast
22.   Has Seattle Already Seen Its Hottest Weather of the Year?
23.   VIDEO: Teen Called a Hero After Putting Out Fire in Mason County

WORD OF THE DAY

Vanguard • \VAN-gard\ • Noun - 1: the troops moving at the head of an army 2: the forefront of an action or movement

“Mr. Spicoli,” grunted the dog-faced sergeant, “I want you in the vanguard as we attack the hill.” “But, dude, I left my van back in the states,” slurred the bleary-eyed private.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    New Mexico State Senator Moves to Impeach Utility Commissioners as Tensions Rise over San Juan Coal Plant Closure (Utility Dive)

2.    Grant PUD Commissioners Extend Irrigation Rate Agreement (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

3.    United Kingdom: National Grid Blackout Report Expected to Blame Avoidable Faults (The Guardian, UK)

4.    ComEd Tasks Goats with Vegetation Management (Electric Light & Power)

FISH & WILDLIFE

5.    Salmon at ‘Scary’ Low Levels in Area Rivers as Fishing Season Opens on the Puyallup River (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

6.    Steelhead Numbers Keep Falling, But There Is Optimism for a Local Fishery (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

7.    British Columbia: No End Date in Sight for Crews Working Fraser River Landslide – Federal officials consider building road so fish can be transported by truck (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

8.    Washington Wheat Farmers Could Be Toast If Dams Are Removed to Help Hungry Orcas (National Public Radio)

9.    Endangered Resident Orcas Return to Inland Waters after Long Absence (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

10. Idaho Agency Looks into Local Impacts of ESA Changes (Rexburg Standard Journal, ID)

11. Gillnetters: EPA’s ‘Particularly Bad’ Political Decision Endangers Alaskan Salmon Runs (Longview Daily News, WA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

12. Solar Project Pays Off for Clark Public Utilities Investors (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

13. Eugene Water & Electric Board Sells Stake in Wyoming Wind Farm for About $1.7 Million (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

14. Montana: County Commissioners Pause Tax Break Vote on $500 Million Wind Farm (Billings Gazette, MT)

15. An Ambitious Energy Policy Could Bring Maryland Acres of Solar Farms. Where Should They Go? (Washington Post)

16. Op/Ed: Why 100% Renewables Isn’t Feasible by 2050 (Utility Dive)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

17. Cryptocurrency Miners Allowed in Moses Lake Under Certain Conditions (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE


GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

19. Emails Show Washington Lawmaker Tied to Group Training for Holy War (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton – Paywall Advisory)

GENERAL NEWS

20. Stabbing at Downtown Shelton’s Brewer Park (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

21. Magnitude 5.4 Quake Strikes Off Oregon Coast (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

22. Has Seattle Already Seen Its Hottest Weather of the Year? (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

23. VIDEO: Teen Called a Hero After Putting Out Fire in Mason County (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Pumpkin Spice Spam Is Becoming a Reality

45% of Americans Wear Underwear for Two Days or Longer, Survey Finds

Residents Purr-Turbed Over Cat’s Ouster from Police Force

Raccoon Freed After Being Trapped in Florida Vending Machine

SONG OF THE DAY

Pablo Cruise – A Place in the Sun

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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