Tuesday, February 18, 2020

The Energy News Digest for February 18, 2020


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

Oregon Governor Calls for Tearing Out Snake River Dams. Washington State Reps Are Outraged (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Natural Gas-to-Electricity Mandates in California Start to Spread (Bloomberg News)

Chehalis River & Tributaries Closing Due to Projected Low Steelhead Returns (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Cliff Mass: Washington Not Likely to Have Drought Problems This Summer (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Search Underway in Mason County for Missing 10-Year-Old Boy (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.        Natural Gas-to-Electricity Mandates in California Start to Spread
2.        Trump Administration Appointees Weigh Plan to Build Pipeline in Oregon
3.        Seattle City Light Is Struggling to Keep Up with Repairs as Wire Thieves Knock Out Seattle Streetlights
4.        How the Next Generation of Nuclear Reactors Could Be Smaller, Greener & Safer
5.        Hugh Haffner, Longtime Clallam PUD Commissioner, Dies at 72
6.        Northwest Public Power Association Hires New Director of Learning & Workforce Development
7.        San Francisco Launches Campaign Tied to Public Power Effort
8.        Oregon Governor Calls for Tearing Out Snake River Dams. Washington State Reps Are Outraged
9.        Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Endorses Removal of 4 Snake River Dams
10.     Public Power Council Responds to Oregon Governor’s Stance on Removal of Snake River Dams
11.     Response from Northwest RiverPartners to Letter from Governor Brown on the Lower Snake River Dams
12.     Pacific Northwest Waterways Association Reacts to Oregon Governor’s Snake River Dams Letter
13.     Buehler Blasts Brown’s ‘Radical’ Call to Breach 4 Snake River Dams
14.     Op/Ed: Looming Power Shortage Is ‘Killer Argument’ Against Dam-Breaching
15.     Op/Ed: Blackouts Could Be in Our Future
16.     Chehalis River & Tributaries Closing Due to Projected Low Steelhead Returns
17.     Feds Say Willamette River Wake Surfing Could Harm Salmon
18.     Editorial: ‘Orcas Don’t Have That Much Time.’ Hatchery Bill Could Save Them
19.     Canada: New Aquaculture Vessel to Remove Sea Lice from Farmed Salmon at 22 Coastal Sites
20.     Florida: Finding Dolphins Shot & Stabbed, Authorities Offer $20,000 for Help
21.     Cliff Mass: Washington Not Likely to Have Drought Problems This Summer
22.     States – Including Washington – Look at Banning, Restricting Bottling Firms from Tapping Local Groundwater
23.     REC Silicon Looks at Restarting Moses Lake Production
24.     Portuguese Communities Lock Horns with Lithium Miners to Save Their Land
25.     Grant PUD to Expand Fiber Backbone Capacity
26.     Frontier, Nearing Bankruptcy, Faces Scrutiny Over Weeks-Long Phone Outages
27.     Washington State Legislators, Local Officials Consider Fuel Standard Proposals That Require Cleaner Gas, Diesel
28.     Oregon Democrats Will Slow Down Cap-&-Trade Bill, Seek More Republican Input
29.     City Leaders Say Yakima Is Proactive About the Environment; Group Wants City to Do More
30.     Jeff Bezos Commits $10 Billion to Address Climate Change
31.     Ballot-Initiative Effort to Move Eastern Oregon Counties to Idaho Gains Momentum; Leader Calls It ‘Peaceful Revolution’
32.     Judge Orders Public Records Training for Tacoma Department Heads. ‘A Breakdown Somewhere’
33.     Alaska Justices Clear Way for Signature-Gathering in Bid to Recall Governor
34.     Search Underway in Mason County for Missing 10-Year-Old Boy
35.     Mason Clinic Grand Opening Friday
36.     Six Local Wrestlers Advance to State

WORD OF THE DAY

Cachinnate • \KAH-kuh-nate • verb - To laugh loudly or immoderately

“Really guys, deregulation and selling off federal power assets will make energy too cheap to meter,” stressed the increasingly desperate bureaucrat to the skeptical public power officials. One florid-faced representative cachinnated so profusely that he nearly coughed up an internal organ.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Natural Gas-to-Electricity Mandates in California Start to Spread (Bloomberg News)

2.      Trump Administration Appointees Weigh Plan to Build Pipeline in Oregon (Associated Press)

3.      Seattle City Light Is Struggling to Keep Up with Repairs as Wire Thieves Knock Out Seattle Streetlights (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

4.      How the Next Generation of Nuclear Reactors Could Be Smaller, Greener & Safer (PBS NewsHour)


6.      Northwest Public Power Association Hires New Director of Learning & Workforce Development (Northwest Public Power Association)

7.      San Francisco Launches Campaign Tied to Public Power Effort (American Public Power Association)

HITTING THE DAM WALL

8.      Oregon Governor Calls for Tearing Out Snake River Dams. Washington State Reps Are Outraged (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

9.      Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Endorses Removal of 4 Snake River Dams (Associated Press)

10.   Public Power Council Responds to Oregon Governor’s Stance on Removal of Snake River Dams (Public Power Council)

11.   Response from Northwest RiverPartners to Letter from Governor Brown on the Lower Snake River Dams (Northwest RiverPartners)

12.   Pacific Northwest Waterways Association Reacts to Oregon Governor’s Snake River Dams Letter (Pacific Northwest Waterways Association)

13.   Buehler Blasts Brown’s ‘Radical’ Call to Breach 4 Snake River Dams (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

14.   Op/Ed: Looming Power Shortage Is ‘Killer Argument’ Against Dam-Breaching (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

15.   Op/Ed: Blackouts Could Be in Our Future (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

FISH & WILDLIFE

16.   Chehalis River & Tributaries Closing Due to Projected Low Steelhead Returns (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

17.   Feds Say Willamette River Wake Surfing Could Harm Salmon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

18.   Editorial: ‘Orcas Don’t Have That Much Time.’ Hatchery Bill Could Save Them (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

19.   Canada: New Aquaculture Vessel to Remove Sea Lice from Farmed Salmon at 22 Coastal Sites (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

20.   Florida: Finding Dolphins Shot & Stabbed, Authorities Offer $20,000 for Help (NY Times)

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

21.   Cliff Mass: Washington Not Likely to Have Drought Problems This Summer (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

22.   States – Including Washington – Look at Banning, Restricting Bottling Firms from Tapping Local Groundwater (Washington Post)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

23.   REC Silicon Looks at Restarting Moses Lake Production (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

24.   Portuguese Communities Lock Horns with Lithium Miners to Save Their Land (Reuters)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

25.   Grant PUD to Expand Fiber Backbone Capacity (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

26.   Frontier, Nearing Bankruptcy, Faces Scrutiny Over Weeks-Long Phone Outages (Ars Technica)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

27.   Washington State Legislators, Local Officials Consider Fuel Standard Proposals That Require Cleaner Gas, Diesel (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

28.   Oregon Democrats Will Slow Down Cap-&-Trade Bill, Seek More Republican Input (Oregonian, Portland)

29.   City Leaders Say Yakima Is Proactive About the Environment; Group Wants City to Do More (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

30.   Jeff Bezos Commits $10 Billion to Address Climate Change (NY Times)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

31.   Ballot-Initiative Effort to Move Eastern Oregon Counties to Idaho Gains Momentum; Leader Calls It ‘Peaceful Revolution’ (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

32.   Judge Orders Public Records Training for Tacoma Department Heads. ‘A Breakdown Somewhere’ (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

33.   Alaska Justices Clear Way for Signature-Gathering in Bid to Recall Governor (Courthouse News Service)

GENERAL NEWS

34.   Search Underway in Mason County for Missing 10-Year-Old Boy (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

35.   Mason Clinic Grand Opening Friday (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

36.   Six Local Wrestlers Advance to State (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

BEARS ON THE BOTTLE – DIVERSIONS

Armed Gang Steals Toilet Rolls in Panic-Buying Hong Kong

Takes A Village: Bear ‘Foster Mom’ Raises Cub Saved by Dog

Museum’s Rembrandt Knockoff Turns Out to Be the Real Thing

‘Ghost Ship’ Washes Ashore in Ireland After Storm Dennis

SONG OF THE DAY

Dave Mason – So High (Rock Me Baby & Roll Me Away)

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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