Friday, February 21, 2020

The Energy News Digest for February 21, 2020


Programming Note:

The Energy News Digest will be haunting the halls of Congress next week with its public power cousins. If exciting news breaks, keep an eye on the News Digests Facebook and Twitter feeds. There may be a snap reaction to the Columbia River System Operators’ Environmental Impact Statement, expected next week. If so, The digest will try to rise from its jet lag stupor to provide news items of the falderal.

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The Energy News Digest is available online. 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

Washington State Agency Releases Climate-Change Plan, With Calls for More Renewable Projects (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Criticizes Governor Over Endorsement of Dam Removal (Baker City Herald, OR)

Spokane Tribe Celebrates Federal Compensation for Damage Caused by Grand Coulee Dam (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

State of California Sues Trump Administration Over New Federal Water Rules (Courthouse News Service)

Time Warner to Pay $18.8M to Settle Lawsuit Over Internet Speeds (Courthouse News Service)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.        Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Criticizes Governor Over Endorsement of Dam Removal
2.        Editorial: Oregon Governor Is Off Base. Breaching the Snake River Dams Is Not the Answer
3.        Spokane Tribe Celebrates Federal Compensation for Damage Caused by Grand Coulee Dam
4.        Montana Energy Panel Won’t Disclose Cost of NorthWest Energy’s Colstrip Coal Contract
5.        Grant PUD to Purchase Portable Transformer
6.        Alaska Lawmakers Take Another Look at the Susitna-Watana Hydro Project
7.        Tacoma Power Recognized by Arbor Day Foundation
8.        What’s Happening with Plans to Restructure Pacific Gas & Electric
9.        ‘It’s Not Even Close to Perfect’: Judge Blasts Pacific Gas & Electric Vegetation Management Work
10.     Trapped Paraglider Rescued from Power Lines in California
11.     FERC Deals Blow to New York Renewable, Storage Projects, Adding Hurdles to NYISO Capacity Market
12.     Canada: Newfoundland & Labrador Hydro Billing Error Sends Electric Bills Soaring on the Coast of Labrador
13.     Hourly Electricity Consumption Varies Throughout the Day & Across Seasons
14.     The Power Plant of the Future Could Run on Nuclear Waste
15.     Tribes Worry a Canadian Mine Could Poison Washington State Salmon
16.     Bald Eagles Flock to the Southern Oregon Border
17.     King County Wants to Shoot Fireworks to Keep Bald Eagles from Landfill
18.     State of California Sues Trump Administration Over New Federal Water Rules
19.     Colorado River: Climate Change Has Stolen More Than a Billion Tons of Water from the West’s Most Vital River
20.     Study Highlights Urban-Rural Divide Over the Environment
21.     Washington State Agency Releases Climate-Change Plan, With Calls for More Renewable Projects
22.     Solar Manufacturer Expanding on Bellingham’s Waterfront
23.     Editorial: Another Alternative Story Unfolds
24.     California Regulator OKs Solar Farm Alternative to Rooftop Panel Mandate
25.     As Solar Energy’s Price Has Dropped, More Companies Get Onboard
26.     Canada: BC Hydro Considers Replacing Thousands of Old Streetlights with Brighter, More Energy-Efficient LEDs
27.     Time Warner to Pay $18.8M to Settle Lawsuit Over Internet Speeds
28.     U.S. Rep. Newhouse: More Needs to Be Done Connecting Rural America
29.     Look How Far Cable TV Has Fallen – Cord-Cutting Story in 2019 Was Outright Defection from Pricey TV Packages
30.     Cyber Hackers Have New Target: Local Schools
31.     Why Rudy Giuliani’s Twitter Typos Are a Security Fail
32.     Hot Wheels Made a Mini Tesla Cybertruck Complete with Broken Window Stickers
33.     Oregon’s Cap & Trade Climate Bill: A Tax or Not? It Depends
34.     Computer Scientist Who Pioneered ‘Copy’ & ‘Paste’ Has Died
35.     Washington State Senate Releases Capital Budget
36.     Bill Could Ban Single-Family Zoning in Washington State
37.     Report Slams DOE Efforts to Prevent Catastrophic Failures at Hanford Nuclear Site
38.     False Alert Indicating Radiological Incident Went Out for Wave Customers in Jefferson County
39.     Potential Loss of Anacortes Ferry ‘Devastating to This Community,’ Mayor Says
40.     Another Sunny Day Before Clouds, Rain Return This Weekend
41.     When Does Daylight Saving Time Begin in 2020?
42.     Canada: Trudeau Convenes Meeting with Key Cabinet Ministers, Will Hold News Conference on Railroad Blockades

WORD OF THE DAY

Cartographer• \car-TAH-gruh-fer \ • Noun - One that makes maps

The 14th century artist backed away from his world map…pleased with the colors, shapes of the continents, & the symmetrical arrangement of the land masses. “It’s a good thing we won’t be using this for navigation,” mused the Genoan sailor to his first mate. “That big land mass painted by this ‘so-called’ cartographer between us & Indies would keep our hands off the spice trade for years.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Criticizes Governor Over Endorsement of Dam Removal (Baker City Herald, OR)

2.      Editorial: Oregon Governor Is Off Base. Breaching the Snake River Dams Is Not the Answer (Tri-City Herald, WA)

3.      Spokane Tribe Celebrates Federal Compensation for Damage Caused by Grand Coulee Dam (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

4.      Montana Energy Panel Won’t Disclose Cost of NorthWest Energy’s Colstrip Coal Contract (KYVH-TV, Helena, MT)

5.      Grant PUD to Purchase Portable Transformer (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

6.      Alaska Lawmakers Take Another Look at the Susitna-Watana Hydro Project (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

7.      Tacoma Power Recognized by Arbor Day Foundation (South Sound Business)

8.      What’s Happening with Plans to Restructure Pacific Gas & Electric (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

9.      ‘It’s Not Even Close to Perfect’: Judge Blasts Pacific Gas & Electric Vegetation Management Work (Utility Dive)

10.   Trapped Paraglider Rescued from Power Lines in California (Associated Press)

11.   FERC Deals Blow to New York Renewable, Storage Projects, Adding Hurdles to NYISO Capacity Market (Utility Dive)

12.   Canada: Newfoundland & Labrador Hydro Billing Error Sends Electric Bills Soaring on the Coast of Labrador (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

13.   Hourly Electricity Consumption Varies Throughout the Day & Across Seasons (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

14.   The Power Plant of the Future Could Run on Nuclear Waste (Grist Online)

FISH & WILDLIFE

15.   Tribes Worry a Canadian Mine Could Poison Washington State Salmon (Crosscut Seattle)

16.   Bald Eagles Flock to the Southern Oregon Border (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

17.   King County Wants to Shoot Fireworks to Keep Bald Eagles from Landfill (KING TV, Seattle, WA)

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

18.   State of California Sues Trump Administration Over New Federal Water Rules (Courthouse News Service)

19.   Colorado River: Climate Change Has Stolen More Than a Billion Tons of Water from the West’s Most Vital River (Washington Post)

20.   Study Highlights Urban-Rural Divide Over the Environment (Washington Ag Network)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

21.   Washington State Agency Releases Climate-Change Plan, With Calls for More Renewable Projects (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

22.   Solar Manufacturer Expanding on Bellingham’s Waterfront (KGMI Radio, Bellingham, WA)

23.   Editorial: Another Alternative Story Unfolds (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

24.   California Regulator OKs Solar Farm Alternative to Rooftop Panel Mandate (Courthouse News Service)

25.   As Solar Energy’s Price Has Dropped, More Companies Get Onboard (National Public Radio)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

26.   Canada: BC Hydro Considers Replacing Thousands of Old Streetlights with Brighter, More Energy-Efficient LEDs (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

27.   Time Warner to Pay $18.8M to Settle Lawsuit Over Internet Speeds (Courthouse News Service)

28.   U.S. Rep. Newhouse: More Needs to Be Done Connecting Rural America (Washington Ag Network)

29.   Look How Far Cable TV Has Fallen – Cord-Cutting Story in 2019 Was Outright Defection from Pricey TV Packages (Fast Company)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

30.   Cyber Hackers Have New Target: Local Schools (KOMO TV, Seattle, WA)

31.   Why Rudy Giuliani’s Twitter Typos Are a Security Fail (C|Net News)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

32.   Hot Wheels Made a Mini Tesla Cybertruck Complete with Broken Window Stickers (Gizmodo)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

33.   Oregon’s Cap & Trade Climate Bill: A Tax or Not? It Depends (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

34.   Computer Scientist Who Pioneered ‘Copy’ & ‘Paste’ Has Died (Associated Press)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

35.   Washington State Senate Releases Capital Budget (Washington State Wire)

36.   Bill Could Ban Single-Family Zoning in Washington State (KING TV, Seattle, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

37.   Report Slams DOE Efforts to Prevent Catastrophic Failures at Hanford Nuclear Site (Tri-City Herald, WA)

38.   False Alert Indicating Radiological Incident Went Out for Wave Customers in Jefferson County (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

39.   Potential Loss of Anacortes Ferry ‘Devastating to This Community,’ Mayor Says (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

40.   Another Sunny Day Before Clouds, Rain Return This Weekend (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

41.   When Does Daylight Saving Time Begin in 2020? (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

42.   Canada: Trudeau Convenes Meeting with Key Cabinet Ministers, Will Hold News Conference on Railroad Blockades (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

HORSE ON A PLANE – DIVERSIONS

Grays Harbor Seaport Retiring the Hawaiian Chieftain


This Cat Was Found Skinny & Scared in a Shipping Container from China. Now She’s Ready for Adoption

Jellyfish Hurl Venom ‘Grenades’ to Snare Prey

SONG OF THE DAY

Roger Whittaker – The Last Farewell

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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