The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association.
The News Digest on Facebook and Twitter will bring you breaking news throughout the week.
Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions.
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Historic Summit of Pacific Northwest Tribes Presses Snake
River Dam Removal on Inslee, Biden, Congress (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)
Oregon Wildfire Robs California of Critical Electricity
Supply from Pacific Northwest During Heat Wave (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Idaho Power Set Record High 3,745 MW Electricity Usage in
June (Daily Energy Insider)
Bill Aims to Spend Billions to Fix Nation’s Aging Dams (ABC
News)
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/bill-aims-spend-billions-fix-nations-aging-dams-78756529
Pandemic Garbage Boom Ignites Debate Over Waste as Energy
(Associated Press)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Oregon Wildfire Robs California of Critical
Electricity Supply from Pacific Northwest During Heat Wave
2.
British Columbia’s Wildfire Service Battles 77
New Fires Over Weekend, Local State of Emergency Declared
3.
U.S. West Scorches Under Heat Wave, Death Valley
Reaches 130 Degrees
4.
Residents of Gates, Oregon, Aim Their Ire at
Pacific Power Nearly a Year After Their Town Burned
5.
Pacific Northwest Heat Wave ‘Virtually
Impossible’ without Climate Change - Research
6.
Idaho Power Set Record High 3,745 MW Electricity
Usage in June
7.
Bill Aims to Spend Billions to Fix Nation’s
Aging Dams
8.
In The Pacific Northwest, Hydroelectric Dams Are
Being Removed – This may be good news for salmon. It is less good for
carbon-dioxide emissions
9.
Western States Have the Lowest Energy Costs
10.
Propane Prices in Washington State Will Continue
to Soar Through Summer. Here’s Why
11.
Cities Want to Ban Natural Gas in New
Construction. State Lawmakers Are Blocking Them
12.
As Momentum Builds for a Clean Energy Standard,
Utility Trade Group Gets on Board — With Push for Partial Gas Credits
13.
River Nile Dam: Why Ethiopia Can’t Stop It Being
Filled
14.
Guest Essay: Pacific Northwest Hydropower System
Provides Hope in Climate Fight
15.
California: Guest Essay – Sacramento Municipal
Utility District’s Zero-Carbon Plan Is a Transformative Initiative for Clean
Air & Sustainable Future
16.
Guest Essay: Columbia Basin Collaborative
Anything But Collaborative
17.
Guest Essay: Electricity Transmission Deserves
Bipartisan Focus
18.
Pandemic Garbage Boom Ignites Debate Over Waste as
Energy
19.
Burning Garbage Helps Generate Power at
30-Year-Old Plant
20.
California PUC Opens ‘Mother of All Proceedings’
to Prepare the Grid for New Wave of Distributed Energy Resources
21.
California: Bat Death Toll Near Turbines Raises
Concerns
22.
How Marginalized Communities in the South Are
Paying the Price for ‘Green Energy’ in Europe
23.
New Energy Facility in Arizona Will Convert Cow
Manure to Renewable Fuel for Cars, Heating Homes
24.
Heat Pumps are the Most Climate Friendly Way to
Heat Homes, But Still Emit a Climate Super Pollutant, Despite the Availability
of a Cleaner Chemical
25.
Historic Summit of Pacific Northwest Tribes
Presses Snake River Dam Removal on Inslee, Biden, Congress
26.
With Snake River Spring, Summer Chinook on a
‘Quasi-Extinction Threshold,’ Pacific Northwest Tribes Call for Dam Removals
27.
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe’s Billboard Accuses
Seattle Leaders of ‘Environmental & Social Injustice’
28.
Science Shows Dams & Salmon Can Coexist,
Newhouse Says
29.
Thousands of Fish Dropped from Plane to Restock
Utah Lakes
30.
‘Unrecognizable.’ Lake Mead, A Lifeline for
Water in Los Angeles & the West, Tips Toward Crisis
31.
Key Players in California Water Confront
Drought, Fish & More at Modesto Summit
32.
Hottest June On Record in the U.S., Second
Hottest for Washington State
33.
Marbled Murrelet Gets Endangered Status in
Oregon as Climate Change Threatens Its Survival
34.
The Ugly Side of 5G: New Cell Towers Spoil the
Scenery & Crowd People’s Homes
35.
WA State: Pierce County Council Puts $15 Million
Toward Broadband Infrastructure
36.
Broadband: FCC Should Analyze Small Business
Speed Needs
37.
Bitcoin Miners Break New Ground in Texas, A
State Hailed as the New Cryptocurrency Capital
38.
Critics: Postal Service Plans Imperil Community
Newspapers
39.
Packing Tips for the Broadband Customer Journey
40.
Texas: Saharan Dust Brings Hazy Brazos Valley
Skies This Week
41.
Meth Addiction in Fish Poses Threat to Ecosystem
Balance, Study Says
42.
As Chatterjee’s Tenure Ends, FERC Could Be
‘Single Most Impactful Agency’ on Climate
43.
Records Retention Rage: Handling of Seattle
Mayor’s Texts Brings $5 Million Claims Against Seattle
44. Misunderstanding Public Rights-of-Way
WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION
Dibble • \DIB-bull\ • Noun - A small hand implement used to make holes in the ground for plants, seeds, or bulbs.
Dibble makes the hole
Gardener nurtures the seed
In time, nature blooms
WESTERN HEAT – THE DEVIL’S FRYING PAN
1.
Oregon Wildfire Robs California of Critical
Electricity Supply from Pacific Northwest During Heat Wave (Oregonian,
Portland, OR)
2.
British Columbia’s Wildfire Service Battles 77
New Fires Over Weekend, Local State of Emergency Declared (Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-wildfires-weekend-1.6098451
3.
U.S. West Scorches Under Heat Wave, Death Valley
Reaches 130 Degrees (Reuters)
4.
Residents of Gates, Oregon, Aim Their Ire at Pacific
Power Nearly a Year After Their Town Burned (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
5.
Pacific Northwest Heat Wave ‘Virtually
Impossible’ without Climate Change - Research (Reuters)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
6.
Idaho Power Set Record High 3,745 MW Electricity
Usage in June (Daily Energy Insider)
7.
Bill Aims to Spend Billions to Fix Nation’s
Aging Dams (ABC News)
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/bill-aims-spend-billions-fix-nations-aging-dams-78756529
8.
In The Pacific Northwest, Hydroelectric Dams Are
Being Removed – This may be good news for salmon. It is less good for
carbon-dioxide emissions (The Economist Magazine)
9.
Western States Have the Lowest Energy Costs (U.S.
News & World Report)
10.
Propane Prices in Washington State Will Continue
to Soar Through Summer. Here’s Why (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article252678553.html
11.
Cities Want to Ban Natural Gas in New
Construction. State Lawmakers Are Blocking Them (Canary Media)
12.
As Momentum Builds for a Clean Energy Standard,
Utility Trade Group Gets on Board — With Push for Partial Gas Credits (Morning Consult)
https://morningconsult.com/2021/07/08/clean-energy-standard-utilities/
13.
River Nile Dam: Why Ethiopia Can’t Stop It Being
Filled (Yahoo News)
https://news.yahoo.com/river-nile-dam-why-ethiopia-050935577.html
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
14.
Guest Essay: Pacific Northwest Hydropower System
Provides Hope in Climate Fight (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)
15.
California: Guest Essay – Sacramento Municipal
Utility District’s Zero-Carbon Plan Is a Transformative Initiative for Clean
Air & Sustainable Future (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2021/07/12/smud-zero-carbon-plan.html
16.
Guest Essay: Columbia Basin Collaborative Anything
But Collaborative (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
17.
Guest Essay: Electricity Transmission Deserves
Bipartisan Focus (The Hill, Washington, DC)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
18.
Pandemic Garbage Boom Ignites Debate Over Waste as
Energy (Associated Press)
19.
Burning Garbage Helps Generate Power at 30-Year-Old
Plant (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article252598758.html
20.
California PUC Opens ‘Mother of All Proceedings’
to Prepare the Grid for New Wave of Distributed Energy Resources (Utility Dive)
21.
California: Bat Death Toll Near Turbines Raises
Concerns (The Independent, Livermore, CA)
22.
How Marginalized Communities in the South Are
Paying the Price for ‘Green Energy’ in Europe (Cable News Network)
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2021/07/us/american-south-biomass-energy-invs/
23.
New Energy Facility in Arizona Will Convert Cow
Manure to Renewable Fuel for Cars, Heating Homes (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
24.
Heat Pumps are the Most Climate Friendly Way to
Heat Homes, But Still Emit a Climate Super Pollutant, Despite the Availability
of a Cleaner Chemical (Bloomberg News)
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/12072021/heat-pumps-climate-efficiency-hfcs/
FISH & WILDLIFE
25.
Historic Summit of Pacific Northwest Tribes
Presses Snake River Dam Removal on Inslee, Biden, Congress (Aberdeen Daily
World, WA)
26.
With Snake River Spring, Summer Chinook on a ‘Quasi-Extinction
Threshold,’ Pacific Northwest Tribes Call for Dam Removals (Oregon Public
Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2021/07/12/northwest-tribes-snake-river-dams-chinook/
27.
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe’s Billboard Accuses Seattle
Leaders of ‘Environmental & Social Injustice’ (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
28.
Science Shows Dams & Salmon Can Coexist,
Newhouse Says (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
https://www.pnwag.net/2021/07/06/science-shows-dams-and-salmon-can-coexist-newhouse-says/
29.
Thousands of Fish Dropped from Plane to Restock Utah
Lakes (British Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-57793082
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
30.
‘Unrecognizable.’ Lake Mead, A Lifeline for Water
in Los Angeles & the West, Tips Toward Crisis (Los Angeles Times, CA)
31.
Key Players in California Water Confront Drought,
Fish & More at Modesto Summit (Modesto Bee, CA)
https://www.modbee.com/news/business/agriculture/article252666658.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
32.
Hottest June On Record in the U.S., Second
Hottest for Washington State (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/3029338/hottest-june-on-record-us/
33.
Marbled Murrelet Gets Endangered Status in Oregon
as Climate Change Threatens Its Survival (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
34.
The Ugly Side of 5G: New Cell Towers Spoil the Scenery
& Crowd People’s Homes (Washington Post)
35.
WA State: Pierce County Council Puts $15 Million
Toward Broadband Infrastructure (South Sound Business)
https://southsoundbiz.com/pierce-county-council-puts-15-million-toward-broadband-infrastructure/
36.
Broadband: FCC Should Analyze Small Business
Speed Needs (Government Accounting Office)
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-494
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
37.
Bitcoin Miners Break New Ground in Texas, A
State Hailed as the New Cryptocurrency Capital (Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/08/bitcoin-mining-texas-electricity/
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
38.
Critics: Postal Service Plans Imperil Community
Newspapers (Associated Press)
39.
Packing Tips for the Broadband Customer Journey
(Pioneer Utility Resources)
https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/journey/
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
40.
Texas: Saharan Dust Brings Hazy Brazos Valley Skies
This Week (KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX)
https://www.kbtx.com/2021/07/12/saharan-dust-brings-hazy-brazos-valley-skies-this-week/
41.
Meth Addiction in Fish Poses Threat to Ecosystem
Balance, Study Says (WAGA-TV, Atlanta, GA)
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/meth-addiction-in-fish-poses-threat-to-ecosystem-balance-study-says
BUSINESS, GOVERNANCE, & MANAGEMENT
42.
As Chatterjee’s Tenure Ends, FERC Could Be ‘Single
Most Impactful Agency’ on Climate (Utility Dive)
43.
Records Retention Rage: Handling of Seattle Mayor’s
Texts Brings $5 Million Claims Against Seattle (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, W)
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Handling-of-mayor-s-texts-brings-5M-claims-16302616.php
44.
Misunderstanding Public Rights-of-Way (Pots
& Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2021/07/07/misunderstanding-public-rights-of-way/
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Super Mario 64 Game Sells for Record-Breaking $1.5 Million
at Auction
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57804089
Richard Branson Beats Jeff Bezos in Billionaire Space Race
https://news.yahoo.com/richard-branson-beats-jeff-bezos-111543167.html
‘There’s Definitely More’: Michigan Man Unearths More Than
150 Bowling Balls During Home Renovation
Multnomah Falls Visitors Must Make Advance Reservations
Starting July 20
SONG OF THE DAY
David Bowie – Space Oddity
