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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms Special Grant PUD Power
Rate for Cryptocurrency Miners (Lexology)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/ninth-circuit-court-of-appeals-affirms.html
Seattle City Light Told Public Their Dam Operations
Increased Salmon Runs as Fish Numbers Declined (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Coal Cuts: Aging Power Plants, Cheap Natural Gas Shutting
Off Montana Coal (Billings Gazette, MT)
Pacific Northwest Power Experts Talk Texas Outages,
Washington State’s Electric Future (Star Local Media, Plano, TX)
WA State: Local Lawmakers Oppose Tri-Cities Area Wind Farm
Project; Say Decision-Making Needs to Be Made Locally (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Coal Cuts: Aging Power Plants, Cheap Natural Gas
Shutting Off Montana Coal
2.
Nuclear, Gas-Generated Electricity Surpassed
Coal for First Time in 2020
3.
Pacific Northwest Power Experts Talk Texas
Outages, Washington State’s Electric Future
4.
Idaho’s Speaker of the House, Scott Bedke
Remains Opposed to Removal of Dams
5.
Editorial: Snake River Dams Plan Warrants
Consideration
6.
Clark Public Utilities to Return $20 Million to
Customers
7.
Pacific Gas & Electric Is Changing How Your
Electricity Bill Works - Here’s Everything You Need to Know
8.
Bipartisan House Lawmakers to Reintroduce Grid
Security Bill after Texas Outages, SolarWinds Attack
9.
Montana: Local Engineer Climbs to Top of
Male-Dominated Field
10.
Electric Generators at Grand Coulee Dam Go
Online for the First Time on March 22, 1941
11.
California Opens Rulemaking on Provider of Last
Resort, as Customers Move Away from Utilities (
12.
Oregon: Umatilla Electric Coop Granted
Certificate for Boardman Transmission Line
13.
WA State: Local Lawmakers Oppose Tri-Cities Area
Wind Farm Project; Say Decision-Making Needs to Be Made Locally
14.
Editorial: Will WA Governor Inslee Sacrifice
Tri-Cities Skyline for Clean Energy? Wind Project Will Tell
15.
Oregon Legislator Introduces Bill for 3 GW of
Floating Wind
16.
Why Covering Canals with Solar Panels Is a Power
Move
17.
County Planners Face Permit Backlog After
Developers Rush to Beat New WA State Energy Code Deadline
18.
Microsoft’s New Redmond Utility Plant to Use
Earth’s Heat to Slash Energy Use
19.
Rolling Blackouts, Angry Customers, &
$17,000 Bills: Why Real-Time Energy Management Is About to Have Its Moment
20.
When One Fridge Is Not Enough
21.
Seattle City Light Told Public Their Dam
Operations Increased Salmon Runs as Fish Numbers Declined
22.
Op/Ed: A Way to End Litigation Around Salmon
& Dams
23.
Fish Factor: 2021 Alaska Salmon Season Projected
to Be a Big Haul
24.
The Pacific Northwest Snowpack Trend of the Past
Fifty Years: The Truth May Surprise You
25.
NOAA Warns of Water Use Cutbacks, Fires &
Low Levels in Reservoirs Amid Significant Drought
26.
WA State: After Recommendations Delayed,
Decisions Around Proposed Chehalis River Dam Are ‘A Ways Away’
27.
Amid Climate Crisis, A Proposal to Save
Washington State Forests for Carbon Storage, Not Logging
28.
Some WA State Stakeholders Mixed on Senate
Broadband Bill
29.
Stimulus Money Could Fuel Massive Montana
Broadband Effort
30.
Op/Ed: Senator Ron Wyden – Spanning the Digital
Divide
31.
‘There Has to Be an Accounting’: Former AT&T
Lawyer Says Company Systemically Overcharged Neediest Schools
32.
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms Special
Grant PUD Power Rate for Cryptocurrency Miners
33.
Oregon: Facebook Will Add Two More Data Centers
at $2 Billion Prineville Complex
34.
How Facebook Says Oregon Is Jeopardizing Its
Goal of 100% Green Energy
35.
Eyeing Electric Vehicle Future, Snohomish PUD
Offers Incentives
36.
Douglas Adams’ Note to Self Reveals Author Found
Writing Torture
37.
What Testing 17 Butter Brands Told Us About the
Science Behind ‘Buttergate’
38.
Congressional Op/Ed: Securing Cleaner American
Energy
39. Environmental Group Asks Energy Regulators to Block Use of Utility Customers’ Money for Lobbying
WORD OF THE DAY
Funner \FUNN-err \ Noun – 1: providing more entertainment, amusement, or enjoyment 2: full of fun: more pleasant
The scraping of sharpening stone against metal, the twanging of new strings being tested on yew-wood bows, the barking of captains and generals drifted over the field of battle at Lexicographer’s Pass. The battle would be joined under dark, looming clouds over whether the armed forces would have more fun in their fierce vocation…or if the coming clash would be funner for them all. Let the carnage begin.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Coal Cuts: Aging Power Plants, Cheap Natural Gas
Shutting Off Montana Coal (Billings Gazette, MT)
2.
Nuclear, Gas-Generated Electricity Surpassed
Coal for First Time in 2020 (The Hill, Washington, DC)
3.
Pacific Northwest Power Experts Talk Texas Outages,
Washington State’s Electric Future (Star Local Media, Plano, TX)
4.
Idaho’s Speaker of the House, Scott Bedke
Remains Opposed to Removal of Dams (KLIX Radio, Twin Falls, ID)
https://newsradio1310.com/idahos-scott-bedke-remains-opposed-to-removal-of-dams/
5.
Editorial: Snake River Dams Plan Warrants Consideration
(Vancouver Columbian, WA)
https://www.columbian.com/news/2021/mar/21/in-our-view-snake-river-dams-plan-warrants-consideration/
6.
Clark Public Utilities to Return $20 Million to Customers
(Vancouver Columbian, WA)
https://www.columbian.com/news/2021/mar/17/clark-public-utilities-to-return-20m-to-customers/
7.
Pacific Gas & Electric Is Changing How Your
Electricity Bill Works - Here’s Everything You Need to Know (San Francisco
Chronicle, CA – Paywall Advisory)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/pacific-gas-electric-is-changing-how.html
8.
Bipartisan House Lawmakers to Reintroduce Grid
Security Bill after Texas Outages, SolarWinds Attack (Utility Dive)
9.
Montana: Local Engineer Climbs to Top of Male-Dominated
Field (The Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)
https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2021/mar/22/local-engineer-climbs-top-male-dominated-field/
10.
Electric Generators at Grand Coulee Dam Go
Online for the First Time on March 22, 1941 (History Link)
https://www.historylink.org/File/9798
11.
California Opens Rulemaking on Provider of Last
Resort, as Customers Move Away from Utilities (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/california-rulemaking-provider-of-last-resort/597012/
12.
Oregon: Umatilla Electric Coop Granted
Certificate for Boardman Transmission Line (The Hermiston Herald, OR)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
13.
WA State: Local Lawmakers Oppose Tri-Cities Area
Wind Farm Project; Say Decision-Making Needs to Be Made Locally (KEPR-TV,
Tri-Cities, WA)
14.
Editorial: Will WA Governor Inslee Sacrifice Tri-Cities
Skyline for Clean Energy? Wind Project Will Tell (Tri-City Herald, WA)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/editorials/article250063544.html
15.
Oregon Legislator Introduces Bill for 3 GW of Floating
Wind (Rivera)
16.
Why Covering Canals with Solar Panels Is a Power
Move (Wired Magazine)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/why-covering-canals-with-solar-panels.html
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
17.
County Planners Face Permit Backlog After
Developers Rush to Beat New WA State Energy Code Deadline (Kitsap Sun,
Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)
18.
Microsoft’s New Redmond Utility Plant to Use
Earth’s Heat to Slash Energy Use (Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle, WA)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/microsofts-new-redmond-utility-plant-to.html
19.
Rolling Blackouts, Angry Customers, &
$17,000 Bills: Why Real-Time Energy Management Is About to Have Its Moment (Utility
Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/spons/rolling-blackouts-angry-customers-and-17000-bills/597011/
20.
When One Fridge Is Not Enough (NY Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/dining/two-refrigerators.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
21.
Seattle City Light Told Public Their Dam
Operations Increased Salmon Runs as Fish Numbers Declined (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
22.
Op/Ed: A Way to End Litigation Around Salmon
& Dams (Portland Business Journal, OR)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/oped-way-to-end-litigation-around.html
23.
Fish Factor: 2021 Alaska Salmon Season Projected
to Be a Big Haul (The Cordoba Times, AJ)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
24.
The Pacific Northwest Snowpack Trend of the Past
Fifty Years: The Truth May Surprise You (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-northwest-snowpack-trend-of-past.html
25.
NOAA Warns of Water Use Cutbacks, Fires & Low
Levels in Reservoirs Amid Significant Drought (The Hill, Washington, DC)
26.
WA State: After Recommendations Delayed,
Decisions Around Proposed Chehalis River Dam Are ‘A Ways Away’ (The Chronicle,
Centralia, WA)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
27.
Amid Climate Crisis, A Proposal to Save Washington
State Forests for Carbon Storage, Not Logging (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
28.
Some WA State Stakeholders Mixed on Senate Broadband
Bill (Business Institute of Washington)
https://thelens.news/2021/03/18/some-stakeholders-mixed-on-senate-broadband-bill/
29.
Stimulus Money Could Fuel Massive Montana Broadband
Effort (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MT)
30.
Op/Ed: Senator Ron Wyden – Spanning the Digital
Divide (The Daily Astorian, OR)
31.
‘There Has to Be an Accounting’: Former AT&T
Lawyer Says Company Systemically Overcharged Neediest Schools (Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/03/18/att-school-internet-pricing/
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
32.
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms Special
Grant PUD Power Rate for Cryptocurrency Miners (Lexology)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/ninth-circuit-court-of-appeals-affirms.htm
33.
Oregon: Facebook Will Add Two More Data Centers Billion Prineville Complex (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
34.
How Facebook Says Oregon Is Jeopardizing Its
Goal of 100% Green Energy (Portland Business Journal, OR)
https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/how-facebook-says-oregon-is.html
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
35.
Eyeing Electric Vehicle Future, Snohomish PUD Offers
Incentives (Everett Herald – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/eyeing-electric-vehicle-future-county-pud-offers-incentives/
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
36.
Douglas Adams’ Note to Self Reveals Author Found
Writing Torture (The Guardian, UK)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
37.
What Testing 17 Butter Brands Told Us About the Science
Behind ‘Buttergate’ (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/butter-tests-marketplace-1.5954569?cmp=rss
GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
38.
Congressional Op/Ed: Securing Cleaner American
Energy (Utility Dive)
https://morningconsult.com/opinions/securing-cleaner-american-energy/
39.
Environmental Group Asks Energy Regulators to Block
Use of Utility Customers’ Money for Lobbying (The Hill, Washington, DC)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Taiwan Official Urges People to Stop
Changing Their Name to ‘Salmon’
15th Century Bowl Found at Yard Sale Sells for $722,000
Scottish Island for Sale with Opening Bid of $111,700
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/03/19/scotland-Deer-Island-Scotland-auction/7221616180104/
24-Year-Old Photos Found in Antique Camera Returned to Family
SONG OF THE DAY
Jim Croce: I Got a Name
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG6ZlCpfVvU
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
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