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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Victory for Municipal Broadband as Wash. State Lawmakers End
Restrictions (Ars Technica)
The Snake River in the Pacific Northwest Is the Nation’s
‘Most Endangered River’ of 2021 (USA Today)
More Idaho Republicans Vote to Censure Mike Simpson Over
Snake River Dam Proposal (KLIX Radio, Twin Falls, ID)
https://newsradio1310.com/more-idaho-republicans-vote-to-censure-mike-simpson/
Montana Lawmakers Back State Action on Colstrip Contract
(KPVI-TV, Pocatello, ID)
WA State: Douglas PUD Commissioners Sets Power Delivery Rate
for Large Customers (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://www.kpq.com/douglas-pud-commissioners-sets-power-delivery-rate-for-large-customers/
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Montana Lawmakers Back State Action on Colstrip
Contract
2.
Montana: Customer Risk Is Still Too High in
Colstrip Bill, Regulators Say
3.
WA State: Douglas PUD Commissioners Sets Power
Delivery Rate for Large Customers
4.
More Idaho Republicans Vote to Censure Mike
Simpson Over Snake River Dam Proposal
5.
Pacific Gas & Electric Bid to Securitize $7.5
Billion in Wildfire Costs Could Hit Ratepayers Hard, Consumer Advocates Warn
6.
ERCOT Emergency Warning Shocks Texans on Mild
April Day
7.
The Fight Over Tacoma’s Liquified-Natural Gas
Plant Continues. Will Permits Be Upheld?
8.
Arizona Utility Regulators Still Deciding How
Hot Is Too Hot for Shutoffs
9.
Public Power Utilities Begin Participating in
California ISO’s Western Energy Imbalance Market
10.
Japan to Start Releasing Fukushima Water into
Sea in Two Years
11.
Op/Ed: Congressman Simpson Should Put Idaho
First, Do No Harm
12.
Op/Ed: Data Doesn’t Support Washington State
Clean Fuel Standard Claims
13.
WA State: Violet Power Still Committed to Moses
Lake Solar Energy Production
14.
Humboldt Solar Project Tests ‘Agrovoltaic’
Concept
15.
Turning Cow Poop into Energy Sounds Like a Good Idea
— But Not Everyone Is on Board
16.
New York: Opponents Hail Withdrawal of Proposed
Ashokan Hydroelectric Project
17.
Celebrate Earth Day by Saving Energy: You Can
Start with These Seven Action Items Today
18.
Shade from Solar Panels Makes for More &
More Diverse Flowers
19.
Get the Buzz on Native Bumble Bees
20.
The Snake River in the Pacific Northwest Is the
Nation’s ‘Most Endangered River’ of 2021
21.
New Report Says Orcas, Salmon, Black Bears at
Grave Risk as America’s Rivers in Historically Bad Shape
22.
Tensions Rise in Water Battle Along
Oregon-California Line
23.
Oregon 100% Clean Electricity Bill Advances with
Utility, Activist Support
24.
Oregon Climate Program Draws Fire for Leaving
Out Natural Gas Power Plants
25.
Washington State Senate Passes Low-Carbon Fuel
Standard Bill; Returns to House
26.
Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Increased
Slightly in First Year of Carbon Tax: Report
27.
A Green Grid by 2035? New Report Says We’re
Halfway There
28.
Victory for Municipal Broadband as Wash. State
Lawmakers End Restrictions
29.
Coinbase’s Public Listing Is a Cryptocurrency
Coming-Out Party
30.
Salt River Project Offering $1,000 to Customers
Who Buy or Lease Electric Vehicle
31.
This EV Charger Turns Electric Cars into Back-Up
Power Sources
32.
Even NASA’s Helicopter on Mars Has to Wait for
Software Updates
33.
WA State: Marijuana Facility Destroyed in
Massive Fire at Port of Shelton
34. Washington State Legislature Approves Ban on Native American School Mascots
WORD OF THE DAY
Propitiate \pro-PISH-ee-yate\ Verb - To gain or regain the favor or goodwill of: appease, conciliate.
The famous “turkey drop” from ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ was no match for the “Ferret Drop” promotion of KFER radio one bleak, wintry day in December. The promotion, meant to propitiate listeners who had been stiffed by the limited edition “ball of sisal twine” give-away, went horribly wrong when the helicopter pilot misread his instructions and hovered 1,000 feet above the mall parking lot (instead of the ten feet as directed in the crumpled and smudged instruction sheet.) Fortunately for the apparently ill-fated weasels, their leader fashioned a makeshift parachute from a discarded mascot costume…which delivered the lucky ferrets into a briar patch from which the fabled “Ferret Foundation” grew.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Montana Lawmakers Back State Action on Colstrip Contract
(KPVI-TV, Pocatello, ID)
2.
Montana: Customer Risk Is Still Too High in Colstrip
Bill, Regulators Say (Billings Gazette, MT)
3.
WA State: Douglas PUD Commissioners Sets Power
Delivery Rate for Large Customers (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://www.kpq.com/douglas-pud-commissioners-sets-power-delivery-rate-for-large-customers/
4.
More Idaho Republicans Vote to Censure Mike
Simpson Over Snake River Dam Proposal (KLIX Radio, Twin Falls, ID)
https://newsradio1310.com/more-idaho-republicans-vote-to-censure-mike-simpson/
5.
Pacific Gas & Electric Bid to Securitize $7.5
Billion in Wildfire Costs Could Hit Ratepayers Hard, Consumer Advocates Warn (Utility
Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pge-securitize-75b-wildfire-costs-ratepayers/598178/
6.
ERCOT Emergency Warning Shocks Texans on Mild
April Day (Forbes Magazine)
7.
The Fight Over Tacoma’s Liquified-Natural Gas
Plant Continues. Will Permits Be Upheld? (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article250617169.html
8.
Arizona Utility Regulators Still Deciding How
Hot Is Too Hot for Shutoffs (KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ)
9.
Public Power Utilities Begin Participating in California
ISO’s Western Energy Imbalance Market (American Public Power Association)
10.
Japan to Start Releasing Fukushima Water into Sea
in Two Years (Associated Press)
SOAP BOX SERENADE - OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
11.
Op/Ed: Congressman Simpson Should Put Idaho First,
Do No Harm (Idaho Business Review)
https://idahobusinessreview.com/2021/04/14/congressman-simpson-should-put-idaho-first-do-no-harm/
12.
Op/Ed: Data Doesn’t Support Washington State
Clean Fuel Standard Claims (Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle, WA)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/04/oped-data-doesnt-support-washington.html
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
13.
WA State: Violet Power Still Committed to Moses
Lake Solar Energy Production (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2021/apr/13/violet-power-still-committed-moses-lake-production/
14.
Humboldt Solar Project Tests ‘Agrovoltaic’
Concept (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)
15.
Turning Cow Poop into Energy Sounds Like a Good
Idea — But Not Everyone Is on Board (Discover Magazine)
16.
New York: Opponents Hail Withdrawal of Proposed
Ashokan Hydroelectric Project (Northeast Public Radio)
https://www.wamc.org/post/opponents-hail-withdrawal-proposed-ashokan-hydroelectric-project
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
17.
Celebrate Earth Day by Saving Energy: You Can
Start with These Seven Action Items Today (WDIV-TV, Detroit, MI)
FISH & WILDLIFE
18.
Shade from Solar Panels Makes for More &
More Diverse Flowers (ZME Science)
https://www.zmescience.com/science/shade-solar-panel-flower-species-983473456/
19.
Get the Buzz on Native Bumble Bees (Bonneville
Power Administration)
https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Get-the-buzz-on-native-bumble-bees.aspx
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
20.
The Snake River in the Pacific Northwest Is the Nation’s
‘Most Endangered River’ of 2021 (USA Today)
21.
New Report Says Orcas, Salmon, Black Bears at Grave
Risk as America’s Rivers in Historically Bad Shape (The Hill, Washington, DC)
22.
Tensions Rise in Water Battle Along Oregon-California
Line (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/wildlife-fish-droughts-oregon-california-c202dd2986fb8b7fa2cf91695237c89c
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
23.
Oregon 100% Clean Electricity Bill Advances with
Utility, Activist Support (Portland Business Journal, OR)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/04/oregon-100-clean-electricity-bill.html
24.
Oregon Climate Program Draws Fire for Leaving
Out Natural Gas Power Plants (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
25.
Washington State Senate Passes Low-Carbon Fuel
Standard Bill; Returns to House (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2021/apr/13/senate-passes-low-carbon-fuel-standard-bill-return/
26.
Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Increased
Slightly in First Year of Carbon Tax: Report (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-greenhouse-gas-emissions-ticked-up-1.5984202?cmp=rss
27.
A Green Grid by 2035? New Report Says We’re
Halfway There (Bloomberg News)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
28.
Victory for Municipal Broadband as Wash. State
Lawmakers End Restrictions (Ars Technica)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
29.
Coinbase’s Public Listing Is a Cryptocurrency
Coming-Out Party (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/business/coinbase-ipo-stock.html
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
30.
Salt River Project Offering $1,000 to Customers
Who Buy or Lease Electric Vehicle (KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ)
https://www.abc15.com/news/state/srp-offering-1-000-to-customers-who-buy-or-lease-electric-vehicle
31.
This EV Charger Turns Electric Cars into Back-Up
Power Sources (Mashable)
https://mashable.com/article/dcbel-electric-vehicle-fast-charger-battery/
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
32.
Even NASA’s Helicopter on Mars Has to Wait for
Software Updates (Mashable)
https://mashable.com/article/ingenuity-mars-flight-update/
GOVERNANCE, BUSINESS, & MANAGEMENT
33.
WA State: Marijuana Facility Destroyed in
Massive Fire at Port of Shelton (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
34.
Washington State Legislature Approves Ban on
Native American School Mascots (Associated Press)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Americans Have Too Much Toilet Paper. Finally, Sales Slow.
Heinz Ketchup Shortage 2021: The Condiment Is in High Demand
at Restaurants, Fast-Food Chains
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2021/04/06/heinz-tomato-ketchup-shortage-2021/7105139002/
Restaurant Offers Year of Free Burgers to Customers Who Get
Tattoos
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/04/14/Farmer-Boys-tattoos-free-burgers-one-year/4901618422813/
Guinness Record Holder Gets First Haircut in 12 Years,
Donates Locks to Museum
SONG OF THE DAY
Carly Simon – Anticipation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BELWbkyOVPQ
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