Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Energy News Digest for November 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

Reporter’s Notebook: 106 MPH Winds at Cape Blanco – Covering the 2019 Bomb Cyclone Snowstorm in Oregon (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Crews Responding to Thousands of Power Outages around Inland Northwest during High-Wind Warning (KHQ TV, Spokane, WA)

Columbia River Operators Increase Flows to Welcome Returning Chum Salmon (Bonneville Power Administration)

Columbia River Treaty Open House Scheduled for Mid-December (Washington Ag Network)

What’s in a Dam? National Report Cites High Hazards near Spokane – None Are Threatening Life, Property (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.        Crews Responding to Thousands of Power Outages around Inland Northwest during High-Wind Warning
2.        Columbia River Treaty Open House Scheduled for Mid-December
3.        Grant PUD Commissioners Approve 2020 Budget
4.        Jefferson PUD Operations Center Project Breaks Ground
5.        Fitch Raises Grays Harbor PUD Financial Outlook to Stable, Awards A-Rating
6.        Douglas County PUD Donates to North Central Educational Service District
7.        Copper Thieves Hammer Seattle Parks
8.        The Closure of the West’s Largest Coal Plant Could Be a Test for the Green New Deal
9.        Coal-Fired Electricity on Track for Its Biggest Annual Decline Ever
10.     Boulder Makes $94 Million ‘Final Offer’ for Xcel Energy Assets, in Bid to Avoid Condemnation
11.     U.S. Grid Reliability Threatened by Warming Rivers — Study
12.     Columbia River Operators Increase Flows to Welcome Returning Chum Salmon
13.     What’s in a Dam? National Report Cites High Hazards near Spokane – None Are Threatening Life, Property
14.     Montana Rejects NorthWestern’s Bid to End Net Metering, Add Separate Rate Class for Solar
15.     Cranberry Farmers Want to Build Solar Panels over Their Bogs
16.     Vancouver Begins Replacing Streetlights with Energy-Efficient LEDs
17.     Energy Adviser: Get a Pro to Inspect Heating System
18.     Bitcoin Is Hard to Understand. So Is Its Carbon Footprint.
19.     Electric Cars Too Quiet? Automakers Add Real or Fake Sound to Their Cabins
20.     Canada; Carbon Tax Must Hit $210 Per Ton by 2030 to Meet Paris Targets, Report Concludes
21.     With Climate Change, Washington, DC May Have Entered Era of More Blockbuster Snowstorms But Less Snow Overall
22.     Africa: A Crisis in the Water Is Decimating This Once-Booming Fishing Town
23.     The Port Townsend Leader Celebrates 130 Years, Thanks to Its Readers & Founders
24.     Apple Changes Crimea Map to Meet Russian Demands
25.     Baby Yoda GIFs Are Back after ‘Confusion’ Led to Removal
26.     King County Judge Pauses $30 Car Tabs While I-976 Goes to Court
27.     Judge Finds Obama Expansion of Oregon Monument Invalid
28.     Washington Public Ports Association Appoints Victoria Lincoln As Deputy Director
29.     Vietnam Era Veterans Honored at Belfair Ceremony
30.     President Trump Order Creates Task Force on Missing Native Americans, Alaska Natives
31.     737 Max Scandal Cuts Boeing’s Once Rock-Solid Image
32.     Reward Offered after Arson-Caused Haystack Fires in Grant County
33.     Crystal Mountain Resort Opens Friday; Other Ski Areas Could Soon Follow
34.     Reporter’s Notebook: 106 MPH Winds at Cape Blanco – Covering the 2019 Bomb Cyclone Snowstorm in Oregon
35.     Very Cold, North Puget Sound Very Windy in Western Washington through Thanksgiving
36.     Wind Advisory Issued for Wednesday across Central, Eastern Washington
37.     Blewett Pass Closed; Wind Advisory in Effect
38.     Tuesday Snow Squall Leads to Dozens of Crashes on I-90 near Spokane

WORD OF THE DAY

Beaucoup • \BOE-koo\ • adjective - Great in quantity or amount: many, much

Barty and Mildred were enjoying their holiday in France. Barty, however, sowed a crop of bad will with his “jocularity” at each small, snooty street café he visited. “Mercy Buckets,” he would shout at the retreating waiters & waitresses, chortling into his after-dinner espresso. His mangling of “thanks much” resulted in beaucoup trouble at the last night’s dinner, as a “clumsy” busboy “tripped” and cascaded dirty dishes and soapy rinse water over Barty’s finest evening wear.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Crews Responding to Thousands of Power Outages around Inland Northwest during High-Wind Warning (KHQ TV, Spokane, WA)

2.      Columbia River Treaty Open House Scheduled for Mid-December (Washington Ag Network)

3.      Grant PUD Commissioners Approve 2020 Budget (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

4.      Jefferson PUD Operations Center Project Breaks Ground (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

5.      Fitch Raises Grays Harbor PUD Financial Outlook to Stable, Awards A-Rating (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

6.      Douglas County PUD Donates to North Central Educational Service District (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

7.      Copper Thieves Hammer Seattle Parks (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

8.      The Closure of the West’s Largest Coal Plant Could Be a Test for the Green New Deal (Gizmodo)

9.      Coal-Fired Electricity on Track for Its Biggest Annual Decline Ever (Energy News Network)

10.   Boulder Makes $94 Million ‘Final Offer’ for Xcel Energy Assets, in Bid to Avoid Condemnation (Utility Dive)

11.   U.S. Grid Reliability Threatened by Warming Rivers — Study (E&E News)

FISH & WILDLIFE

12.   Columbia River Operators Increase Flows to Welcome Returning Chum Salmon (Bonneville Power Administration)

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

13.   What’s in a Dam? National Report Cites High Hazards near Spokane – None Are Threatening Life, Property (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

14.   Montana Rejects NorthWestern’s Bid to End Net Metering, Add Separate Rate Class for Solar (Utility Dive)

15.   Cranberry Farmers Want to Build Solar Panels over Their Bogs (Associated Press)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

16.   Vancouver Begins Replacing Streetlights with Energy-Efficient LEDs (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

17.   Energy Adviser: Get a Pro to Inspect Heating System (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

18.   Bitcoin Is Hard to Understand. So Is Its Carbon Footprint. (Grist Online)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

19.   Electric Cars Too Quiet? Automakers Add Real or Fake Sound to Their Cabins (USA Today)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

20.   Canada; Carbon Tax Must Hit $210 Per Ton by 2030 to Meet Paris Targets, Report Concludes (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

21.   With Climate Change, Washington, DC May Have Entered Era of More Blockbuster Snowstorms But Less Snow Overall (Washington Post)

22.   Africa: A Crisis in the Water Is Decimating This Once-Booming Fishing Town (Washington Post)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

23.   The Port Townsend Leader Celebrates 130 Years, Thanks to Its Readers & Founders (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

24.   Apple Changes Crimea Map to Meet Russian Demands (British Broadcasting Corporation)

25.   Baby Yoda GIFs Are Back after ‘Confusion’ Led to Removal (Associated Press)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

26.   King County Judge Pauses $30 Car Tabs While I-976 Goes to Court (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

27.   Judge Finds Obama Expansion of Oregon Monument Invalid (Courthouse News Service)

28.   Washington Public Ports Association Appoints Victoria Lincoln As Deputy Director (Washington Public Ports Association – Links to PDF File)

GENERAL NEWS

29.   Vietnam Era Veterans Honored at Belfair Ceremony (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

30.   President Trump Order Creates Task Force on Missing Native Americans, Alaska Natives (Associated Press)

31.   737 Max Scandal Cuts Boeing’s Once Rock-Solid Image (National Public Radio)

32.   Reward Offered after Arson-Caused Haystack Fires in Grant County (NCW Life News, East Wenatchee, WA)

33.   Crystal Mountain Resort Opens Friday; Other Ski Areas Could Soon Follow (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

WEATHER NEWS – A THANKSGIVING CONVERSATION STARTER

34.   Reporter’s Notebook: 106 MPH Winds at Cape Blanco – Covering the 2019 Bomb Cyclone Snowstorm in Oregon (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

35.   Very Cold, North Puget Sound Very Windy in Western Washington through Thanksgiving (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

36.   Wind Advisory Issued for Wednesday across Central, Eastern Washington (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

37.   Blewett Pass Closed; Wind Advisory in Effect (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

38.   Tuesday Snow Squall Leads to Dozens of Crashes on I-90 near Spokane (Associated Press)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Act of Kindness Softens Police Sorrow over Spilled Doughnuts

Study Shows ‘Secret Santa’ Causes Too Much Anxiety for Some Working Millennials

Hikers Answer Plea to Find Wedding Ring Lost on Mountaintop

Seahawk Bobby Wagner Buys Groceries for West Seattle Safeway Customers

SONG OF THE DAY

Natalie Merchant – Kind & Generous

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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