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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
‘It Makes Me Sick’;
Avista Customers Left in the Dark Left Frustrated, Angry Over Continual Outages
(KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)
Heat Wave Sets Up
‘Grim’ Migration for Salmon on Columbia, Snake Rivers (Aberdeen Daily World,
WA)
Klamath Basin: Drought
Has Pitted Farmers Against Native Tribes Protecting Endangered Fish (National
Public Radio)
McMorris Rodgers,
Murray Lead Bipartisan Group Calling on President Biden to Prioritize New
Columbia River Treaty (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jun/29/mcmorris-rodgers-murray-lead-bipartisan-group-call/
Shawn Vestal: Avista’s
Eastern Washington State Heat-Wave Blackouts Came Packaged in a Communications
Breakdown (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jun/29/shawn-vestal-the-heat-wave-blackouts-came-packaged/
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1. Scorching
Heat Wave to Continue in East Idaho, Could Last Through July 4 Weekend
2. Extreme
Heat Builds Over Montana for the Rest of the Week
3. President
Biden Meets with Western Governors to Discuss Record Heat Wave, Drought
4. ‘It
Makes Me Sick’; Avista Customers Left in the Dark Left Frustrated, Angry Over
Continual Outages
5. Kootenai
Electric ‘Not Planning’ Any Rolling Blackouts
6. Why
Spokane’s ‘Rolling Blackouts’ Aren’t Like the Ones in Texas or California
7. Oregon
Heat Wave Tests Power Equipment
8. Bonneville
Power Administration Says ‘Don’t Panic’ as TC Hits Record High for Amount of
Energy Transferred
9. McMorris
Rodgers, Murray Lead Bipartisan Group Calling on President Biden to Prioritize
New Columbia River Treaty
10. White
Paper: Dollars & Sense – Addressing False Assumptions About the Energy
& Economics of the Lower Snake Dams
11. Justices
Deny Wyoming, Montana Coal Suit Against Washington State
12. Biden
Administration, House Dems Talk Up Need for Interconnection Reform
13. The
Electricity Grid’s Big Looming Problem: Getting Power to Where It’s Needed
14. NERC
Report Outlines Potential Electricity Disruptions in the United States This
Summer
15. NuScale
Power Secures Investment & Support for Small Modular Reactor Deployment
from GS Energy
16. California:
Pacific Gas & Electric Crews Start Digging in Rincon Valley to Bury Lines
Underground in Effort to Reduce Power Shut-Offs
17. EIA:
Energy Use Will Grow by 2.3% in 2021, After Falling 3.9% Last Year
18. FERC
Just Established an Office of Public Participation. Why Did It Take 40 Years?
19. China
Turns On World’s Second-Biggest Hydropower Dam
20. News
Release: McMorris Rodgers: Extreme Heatwave Highlights Importance of Reliable
Power
21. Guest
Essay: The Power of Our Interconnected Grid with Ample Supply
22. Guest
Essay: Seattle’s Heat Wave Makes Our Climate Change Catch-22 Obvious
23. The
Infrastructure Guessing Game
24. APPA
Podcast: Executive Director of Northwest River Partners Details Key Current
Hydropower Issues
25. Net
Zero Goals Need Revival of ‘Forgotten Giant’ Hydropower, International Energy
Agency Says
26. California
Tests Off-The-Grid Solutions to Power Outages
27. PacifiCorp
Submits 19 Shortlisted Projects for Renewables Solicitation in Oregon
28. Treasury,
IRS Extend Safe Harbor for Renewable Energy Projects
29. Pacific
NW Tribes Want to Be at the Table for Green Energy Planning
30. WA
State: Skagit PUD’s New Energy Recovery System Produces Carbon-Free Electricity
31. U.S.
Natural Gas Producers Hope Customers Will Pay More for ‘Green Gas’
32. Pacific
Northwest Heat Wave Makes the Case for Incentivizing Heat Pumps
33. Should
Energy Bills Be Reimbursed for Remote Workers?
34. Washington
State Issues Excise Tax Information on BPA Credits Used for Low-Income
Assistance, Weatherization
35. United
Kingdom: Bee Behaviour to Influence Energy Efficiency Communication to Homes
36. Heat
Wave Sets Up ‘Grim’ Migration for Salmon on Columbia, Snake Rivers
37. Off
California, Sea Otters Feast & Play a Part in Climate Change Battle
38. Washington
State Board to Uphold Temperature Limits in Columbia, Snake Rivers
39. Klamath
Basin: Drought Has Pitted Farmers Against Native Tribes Protecting Endangered
Fish
40. Water
Futures Market Fails to Make a Splash with California Farmers
41. Why
Some of the World’s Biggest Companies Are Increasingly Worried About Water
Scarcity
42. Pacific
Northwest Heat Wave ‘Tip of the Melting Iceberg’ of Climate Change, WA State
Gov. Inslee Says
43. Pacific
Northwest Heat Wave Wilts New GOP Climate Resolve
44. AccuWeather
Meteorologist: Heatwaves Not Climate Change Related
45. How
Climate Change ‘Loads the Dice’ for Heat Waves
46. President
Biden Compares Broadband Push to Early 20th Century Rural Electrification
47. Without
Broadband, Rural Economies May Miss Out on the Post-Pandemic Recovery
48. Starlink
Broadband Service Will Be Here in August, Elon Musk Says
49. Ohio
GOP Ends Attempt to Ban Municipal Broadband After Protest from Residents
50. The
Internet Is Rotting
51. Shawn
Vestal: Avista’s Eastern Washington State Heat-Wave Blackouts Came Packaged in
a Communications Breakdown
52. Oregon
Ends Mask & Social-Distancing Mandates
53. Washington
State Fully Reopens, But Don’t Ditch the Mask Just Yet
54. Bipartisan Senate Infrastructure Plan Is a Stalking Horse for Privatization
WORD OF THE DAY
Euphuism • \YOOF-you-wiz-um\ • noun – 1: an elegant Elizabethan literary style marked by excessive use of balance, antithesis, and alliteration and by frequent use of similes drawn from mythology and nature *2: artificial elegance of language.
Here’s an example of euphuism from William Blake, and its mellow speak interpretation, courtesy of Doonesbury – circa May 16, 1979:
Rick Redfern: “The moon, like a flower – In heaven’s high bower – With silent delight – Sits and smiles on the night” The mellow speak interpretation: “Oh wow, look at the moon!”
SOUL ON FIRE – FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT
1.
Scorching Heat Wave to Continue in East Idaho,
Could Last Through July 4 Weekend (Idaho State Journal)
2.
Extreme Heat Builds Over Montana for the Rest of
the Week (KBZK-TV, Bozeman, MT)
https://www.kbzk.com/weather/extreme-heat-builds-over-montana-for-the-rest-of-the-week
3.
President Biden Meets with Western Governors to Discuss
Record Heat Wave, Drought (CNBC News)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
5.
Kootenai Electric ‘Not Planning’ Any Rolling
Blackouts (KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA)
https://www.kxly.com/kootenai-electric-not-planning-any-rolling-blackouts/
6.
Why Spokane’s ‘Rolling Blackouts’ Aren’t Like the
Ones in Texas or California (KREM-TV, Spokane, WA)
7.
Oregon Heat Wave Tests Power Equipment (KGW-TV, Portland,
OR)
8.
Bonneville Power Administration Says ‘Don’t
Panic’ as TC Hits Record High for Amount of Energy Transferred (KVEW/KAPP-TV, Tri-Cities/Yakima,
WA)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jun/29/mcmorris-rodgers-murray-lead-bipartisan-group-call/
10.
White Paper: Dollars & Sense – Addressing
False Assumptions About the Energy & Economics of the Lower Snake Dams
(Northwest River Partners)
11.
Justices Deny Wyoming, Montana Coal Suit Against
Washington State (Associated Press)
12.
Biden Administration, House Dems Talk Up Need for
Interconnection Reform (Utility Dive)
13.
The Electricity Grid’s Big Looming Problem: Getting
Power to Where It’s Needed (Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/06/29/power-grid-problems/
14.
NERC Report Outlines Potential Electricity
Disruptions in the United States This Summer (U.S. Energy Information
Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=48536
15.
NuScale Power Secures Investment & Support
for Small Modular Reactor Deployment from GS Energy (The Argus Press)
https://www.argus-press.com/news/national/article_8cbab116-0285-5826-b200-635bb21933ab.html
16.
California: Pacific Gas & Electric Crews
Start Digging in Rincon Valley to Bury Lines Underground in Effort to Reduce
Power Shut-Offs (Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, CA)
17.
EIA: Energy Use Will Grow by 2.3% in 2021, After
Falling 3.9% Last Year (NRECA)
https://www.cooperative.com/news/Pages/EIA-Short-Term-Outlook-June-2021.aspx
18.
FERC Just Established an Office of Public
Participation. Why Did It Take 40 Years? (Utility Dive)
19.
China Turns On World’s Second-Biggest Hydropower
Dam (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/china-dams-business-49bd453ecd314b3b1292aaa429c91be6
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
20.
News Release: McMorris Rodgers: Extreme Heatwave
Highlights Importance of Reliable Power (U.S. Rep McMorris Rodgers, WA)
21.
Guest Essay: The Power of Our Interconnected
Grid with Ample Supply (The Grand Coulee Star, WA)
22.
Guest Essay: Seattle’s Heat Wave Makes Our
Climate Change Catch-22 Obvious (MSNBC)
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/seattle-s-heatwave-makes-our-climate-change-catch-22-obvious-n1272680
23.
The Infrastructure Guessing Game (Pots &
Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2021/06/30/the-infrastructure-guess-game/
24.
APPA Podcast: Executive Director of Northwest
River Partners Details Key Current Hydropower Issues (American Public Power
Association)
https://www.publicpower.org/podcasts
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
25.
Net Zero Goals Need Revival of ‘Forgotten Giant’
Hydropower, International Energy Agency Says (Reuters)
26.
California Tests Off-The-Grid Solutions to Power
Outages (Associated Press)
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/california-tests-off-grid-solutions-power-outages-78579351
27.
PacifiCorp Submits 19 Shortlisted Projects for Renewables
Solicitation in Oregon (Daily Energy Insider)
28.
Treasury, IRS Extend Safe Harbor for Renewable
Energy Projects (KVOA-TV, Tucson, AZ)
29.
Pacific NW Tribes Want to Be at the Table for Green
Energy Planning (Crosscut Seattle, WA)
https://crosscut.com/news/2021/06/nw-tribes-want-be-table-green-energy-planning
30.
WA State: Skagit PUD’s New Energy Recovery
System Produces Carbon-Free Electricity (Skagit PUD, Mt Vernon, WA)
https://www.skagitpud.org/news/new-energy-recovery-system-produces-carbon-free-electricity/
31.
U.S. Natural Gas Producers Hope Customers Will
Pay More for ‘Green Gas’ (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-naturalgas-transition-focus-idUSKCN2E60F3
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
32.
Pacific Northwest Heat Wave Makes the Case for Incentivizing
Heat Pumps (Canary Media)
33.
Should Energy Bills Be Reimbursed for Remote
Workers? (KRYV Radio, Sacramento, CA)
35.
United Kingdom: Bee Behaviour to Influence
Energy Efficiency Communication to Homes (Bristol University, UK)
http://bristol.ac.uk/news/2021/june/glow.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
37.
Off California, Sea Otters Feast & Play a Part
in Climate Change Battle (Reuters)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
38.
Washington State Board to Uphold Temperature
Limits in Columbia, Snake Rivers (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
40.
Water Futures Market Fails to Make a Splash with
California Farmers (Reuters)
41.
Why Some of the World’s Biggest Companies Are
Increasingly Worried About Water Scarcity (CNBC News)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
42.
Pacific Northwest Heat Wave ‘Tip of the Melting
Iceberg’ of Climate Change, WA State Gov. Inslee Says (Seattle Times, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
43.
Pacific Northwest Heat Wave Wilts New GOP Climate
Resolve (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/29/northwest-heat-wave-republicans-497062
44.
AccuWeather Meteorologist: Heatwaves Not Climate
Change Related (WKOK Radio, Sunbury, PA)
45.
How Climate Change ‘Loads the Dice’ for Heat
Waves (NBC News)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
46.
President Biden Compares Broadband Push to Early
20th Century Rural Electrification (Voice of America)
https://www.voanews.com/usa/biden-compares-broadband-push-early-20th-century-rural-electrification
47.
Without Broadband, Rural Economies May Miss Out on
the Post-Pandemic Recovery (The Hill, Washington, DC)
48.
Starlink Broadband Service Will Be Here in
August, Elon Musk Says (Gizmodo)
https://gizmodo.com/starlink-will-be-here-in-august-elon-musk-says-1847198888
49.
Ohio GOP Ends Attempt to Ban Municipal Broadband
After Protest from Residents (Ars Technica)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
50.
The Internet Is Rotting (Atlantic Magazine)
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jun/29/shawn-vestal-the-heat-wave-blackouts-came-packaged/
GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
52.
Oregon Ends Mask & Social-Distancing
Mandates (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2021/06/30/oregon-ends-mask-social-distancing-mandate/
53.
Washington State Fully Reopens, But Don’t Ditch the
Mask Just Yet (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
54.
Bipartisan Senate Infrastructure Plan Is a
Stalking Horse for Privatization (The American Prospect)
https://prospect.org/politics/bipartisan-senate-infrastructure-plan-privatization-asset-recycling/
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Tour de France Spectator
Arrested Over Sign Crash
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57668657
Bonney Lake Man Drives to
California to Bring Back A/C Units for His Neighbors
From a Galaxy Far, Far
Away, a Star Wars Jet Goes to Smithsonian
https://hyperallergic.com/658479/x-wing-starfighter-star-wars-jet-goes-to-smithsonian/
AirCar: Convertible ‘Flying
Car’ Takes to the Sky
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-57660603
SONG OF THE DAY
John Williams – Star
Wars Suite