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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Power Cuts Begin in California as Winds Threaten to Spark
Fires (Bloomberg News)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/12/power-cuts-begin-in-california-as-winds.html
Bonneville Power Administration Proposes Flat Rates Ahead
(KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)
https://localnews8.com/news/local-news/2020/12/01/bonneville-power-proposes-flat-rates-ahead/
California: San Jose Adopts Historic Natural Gas Ban, with a
Controversial Exemption – Joins San Francisco, Berkeley & Now Oakland With
Similar Bans (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/12/california-san-jose-adopts-historic.html
Skookumchuck Wind Facility in Washington is Operational
(Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA)
New Energy Northwest Solar Project Planned for 300 Acres
Near Richland (Wenatchee World, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Power Cuts Begin in California as Winds Threaten
to Spark Fires
2.
Bonneville Power Administration Proposes Flat
Rates Ahead
3.
WA State: Malden Residents Await Federal Aid 3
Months After Wildfire
4.
Wyden-Merkley Bill Aims to Ensure More
Wildfire-Resistant Power Grid
5.
Scientists Say Washington State Wildfire
Management Must Go Beyond Forests
6.
Cowlitz PUD Warns Customers of Scam
7.
Okanogan PUD Proposes Alternative Rate Structure
8.
British Columbia: BC Hydro Makes Further Rate
Cut for 2020-21, Customers Get Credit on Bill Next Year
9.
Canada: Peace River Dam Budget Sure to Soar
10.
San Francisco Public Utilities Chief Charged
with Corruption
11.
Thomas D. Elias: Time to Think Seriously About
Breaking Up California Utilities
12.
High-Voltage Power Lines Are Ugly, and the U.S.
Needs More
13.
Canadian Hydropower: Marblehead Among 19
Massachusetts Utilities to Sign Hydroelectric Power Deal
14.
Issue Brief: Protecting 6 GHz Spectrum Usage by
Public Power from Interference
15.
Department of Energy Announces 2020 U.S. Clean
Energy Education & Empowerment Awardees – Bozeman, MT Gets Recognition
16.
New Zealand: Shockingly Stupid Thefts Risk Life,
Endanger Public, for Pittance Powerline Payoff
17.
Skookumchuck Wind Facility in Washington is
Operational
18.
New Energy Northwest Solar Project Planned for
300 Acres Near Richland
19.
Wind Power off the Oregon Coast Could Provide
More than Electricity
20.
Livermore Development Fight Isn’t Over Suburban
Sprawl, But Rather a Big Solar Farm
21.
Biggest U.S. Solar Manufacturer Wants to Keep
Trump’s Tariffs
22.
Tualatin Firm Powin Powers Up in the Energy
Storage Race
23.
Report: Illinois Utility Fails to Deliver on
Smart Meter Benefits
24.
Study Looks at Impact of Ocean & Dams on
Salmon Runs
25.
New Model Predicts That Larger Fish Suffer
Respiratory Distress Sooner
26.
When Orcas Attacked Sailboats Off Coast of
Spain, They May Have Been Reacting to Harpoon Attacks
27.
Feds List Key Subalpine Whitebark Pine Species
as Threatened
28.
California: San Jose Adopts Historic Natural Gas
Ban, with a Controversial Exemption – Joins San Francisco, Berkeley & Now
Oakland With Similar Bans
29.
Oregon: Local Youth Advocate Against Natural Gas
Usage Locally, Abroad
30.
Many U.S. Electric Utilities Plan Slow
Decarbonization Over Next Decade, Out of Sync with Biden Plan
31.
Op/Ed: A Strategic Natural-Carbon Reserve to
Fight Climate Change
32.
Idaho Invests Big in Broadband During Pandemic
33.
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction Ends,
Results Expected Soon
34.
States Prioritized Broadband as COVID-19 Took
Hold
35.
How Much Broadband Speed Do Americans Need?
36.
Slack Sold to Business Software Giant for $27.7
Billion
37.
Portland General Electric, Daimler Team Up to
Build Charging Hub for Electric Trucks in Portland
38. U.S. Senate Approves Two Energy Regulators, Completing Panel
WORD OF THE DAY
Estoppel • \ess-TOP-pull\ • Noun – A legal bar to alleging or denying a fact because of one’s own previous actions or words to the contrary
The oily-mannered politician’s estoppel was admirable and maddening to citizens at his town hall meeting. “While I’d love to change my position on that topic,” he oozed, “I must hold true to my previous statements for now.”
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Power Cuts Begin in California as Winds Threaten
to Spark Fires (Bloomberg News)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/12/power-cuts-begin-in-california-as-winds.html
2.
Bonneville Power Administration Proposes Flat
Rates Ahead (KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)
https://localnews8.com/news/local-news/2020/12/01/bonneville-power-proposes-flat-rates-ahead/
3.
WA State: Malden Residents Await Federal Aid 3
Months After Wildfire (Associated Press)
4.
Wyden-Merkley Bill Aims to Ensure More
Wildfire-Resistant Power Grid (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)
5.
Scientists Say Washington State Wildfire
Management Must Go Beyond Forests (Crosscut Seattle, WA)
6.
Cowlitz PUD Warns Customers of Scam (Longview
Daily News, WA)
7.
Okanogan PUD Proposes Alternative Rate Structure
(Quad City Herald, Brewster, WA)
https://www.qcherald.com/public-utility-dist/okanogan-pud-proposes-alternative-rate-structure
8.
British Columbia: BC Hydro Makes Further Rate
Cut for 2020-21, Customers Get Credit on Bill Next Year (Victoria
Times-Colonist, BC)
9.
Canada: Peace River Dam Budget Sure to Soar (Alaska
Highway News)
https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/site-c/site-c-budget-sure-to-soar-1.24247674
10.
San Francisco Public Utilities Chief Charged with
Corruption (Associated Press)
11.
Thomas D. Elias: Time to Think Seriously About
Breaking Up California Utilities (Napa Valley Register, CA)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/12/thomas-d-elias-time-to-think-seriously.html
12.
High-Voltage Power Lines Are Ugly, and the U.S.
Needs More (Bloomberg News)
13.
Canadian Hydropower: Marblehead Among 19 Massachusetts
Utilities to Sign Hydroelectric Power Deal (Salem News, MA)
14.
Issue Brief: Protecting 6 GHz Spectrum Usage by
Public Power from Interference (American Public Power Association)
https://www.publicpower.org/policy/protecting-6-ghz-spectrum-usage-public-power-interference
15.
Department of Energy Announces 2020 U.S. Clean
Energy Education & Empowerment Awardees – Bozeman, MT Gets Recognition (U.S.
Department of Energy)
16.
New Zealand: Shockingly Stupid Thefts Risk Life,
Endanger Public, for Pittance Powerline Payoff (Stuff – NZ)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
17.
Skookumchuck Wind Facility in Washington is
Operational (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA)
18.
New Energy Northwest Solar Project Planned for
300 Acres Near Richland (Wenatchee World, WA)
19.
Wind Power off the Oregon Coast Could Provide
More than Electricity (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/wind-power-oregon-coast-could-provide-more-electricity
20.
Livermore Development Fight Isn’t Over Suburban
Sprawl, But Rather a Big Solar Farm (San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/12/j.html
21.
Biggest U.S. Solar Manufacturer Wants to Keep
Trump’s Tariffs (Bloomberg News)
22.
Tualatin Firm Powin Powers Up in the Energy
Storage Race (Portland Business Journal, OR)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/12/tualatin-firm-powin-powers-up-in-energy.html
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
23.
Report: Illinois Utility Fails to Deliver on
Smart Meter Benefits (Energy News Network)
FISH & WILDLIFE
24.
Study Looks at Impact of Ocean & Dams on
Salmon Runs (Associated Press)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/dec/01/study-looks-at-impact-of-ocean-and-dams-on-salmon-/
25.
New Model Predicts That Larger Fish Suffer
Respiratory Distress Sooner (Phys.Org)
https://phys.org/news/2020-12-larger-fish-respiratory-distress-sooner.html
26.
When Orcas Attacked Sailboats Off Coast of Spain,
They May Have Been Reacting to Harpoon Attacks (Daily Kos)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
27.
Feds List Key Subalpine Whitebark Pine Species
as Threatened (Courthouse News Service)
https://www.courthousenews.com/feds-list-key-subalpine-pine-species-as-threatened/
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
28.
California: San Jose Adopts Historic Natural Gas
Ban, with a Controversial Exemption – Joins San Francisco, Berkeley & Now Oakland
With Similar Bans (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/12/california-san-jose-adopts-historic.html
29.
Oregon: Local Youth Advocate Against Natural Gas
Usage Locally, Abroad (KLCC Radio, Eugene, OR)
https://www.klcc.org/post/local-youth-advocate-against-natural-gas-usage-locally-abroad
30.
Many U.S. Electric Utilities Plan Slow
Decarbonization Over Next Decade, Out of Sync with Biden Plan (Energy & Policy
Institute)
https://www.energyandpolicy.org/utilities-carbon-goal-biden-climate-plan/
31.
Op/Ed: A Strategic Natural-Carbon Reserve to
Fight Climate Change (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-strategic-natural-carbon-reserve-to-fight-climate-change/
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
32.
Idaho Invests Big in Broadband During Pandemic
(Boise State Public Radio)
https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/idaho-invests-big-broadband-during-pandemic#stream/0
33.
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction Ends,
Results Expected Soon (Telecompetitor)
https://www.telecompetitor.com/rdof-auction-ends-results-expected-soon/
34.
States Prioritized Broadband as COVID-19 Took
Hold (Government Technology)
https://www.govtech.com/network/States-Prioritized-Broadband-as-COVID-19-Took-Hold.html
35.
How Much Broadband Speed Do Americans Need? (The
PEW Charitable Trusts)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
36.
Slack Sold to Business Software Giant for $27.7
Billion (British Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55154326
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
37.
Portland General Electric, Daimler Team Up to
Build Charging Hub for Electric Trucks in Portland (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2020/12/01/portland-oregon-electric-truck-charging-stations-daimler/
GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
38.
U.S. Senate Approves Two Energy Regulators,
Completing Panel (The Hill, Washington, DC)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
This Guitar Sat in a B.C. Family’s Closet for Years. It’s Now
Worth as Much as $26,000
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/kamloops-guitar-1.5823288?cmp=rss
Arrest Made in Real Life Christmas Tree Grinch Theft Case
How a Mysterious Utah Monolith Vanished Overnight (It Wasn’t
Aliens)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/01/arts/design/utah-monolith-removed-instagram.html
‘Sovereign Citizens’ Claiming Waterfront Homes in Woodway, Edmonds
SONG OF THE DAY
Bread – Guitar Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fYUpVAb34I
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media
organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.
Possible Paywall restrictions are noted in the media attribution.
