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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Record Number of Orca, Humpback Whales Spotted in Salish Sea
(Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/record-whale-sightings-2021-1.6311282?cmp=rss
Round 12 – U.S., Canada Columbia River Treaty Negotiations
Conclusion (STL News)
https://www.stl.news/columbia-river-treaty-negotiations-conclusion/488560/
Hackers Can Cut the Lights with Rogue Code, Researchers Show
(Bloomberg News)
Criminal Charges Filed in Puyallup River Pollution Case. Dam
Operator Faces Jail Time, Fines (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article257199732.html
Plant Owner Says Construction Ban Could Sink Nevada
Geothermal Project (Reuters)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Round 12 – U.S., Canada Columbia River Treaty
Negotiations Conclusion
2.
Bill Would Build Power Plant on Montana’s Gibson
Reservoir
3.
NW Public Power Association Executive Director
Testifies About Hydropower Before U.S. Senate Panel
4.
Hydropower Draws Bipartisan Support as Renewable
Energy Source
5.
Chart: U.S. Utilities Are Spending Less on
Making Electricity & More on Getting It to Customers
6.
Idaho Confronts Climate Change with Money to
Protect Forests
7.
Save the Nukes?
8.
Virginia Advocates Seek Legislation to Push
Rural Electric Co-Ops on Transparency
9.
Smart Meters Were Supposed to Free Your Energy
Data. Arcadia Wants to Finish the Job
10.
Germany Faces ‘Gigantic’ Task Meeting Energy,
Climate Goals
11.
Power Pole’s Incredible Downriver Journey a
Sobering Reminder of British Columbia’s Devastating Floods
12.
Editorial: Clamp Down on Fire Risks from Power
Lines
13.
Guest Essay: Competitive Advantage in
Carbon-Free, Renewable Hydropower – Kirk Hudson, Chelan County PUD General
Manager
14.
Guest Essay: Arizona Needs a Truly Regional
Power Market to Keep the Lights On - And Affordable
15.
Guest Essay: Unused & Useless - States Must
Act to End Flawed Natural Gas Power Plant Buildouts
16.
Plant Owner Says Construction Ban Could Sink
Nevada Geothermal Project
17.
Nation’s Largest Wind Energy Project Nears
Completion in Western Oklahoma
18.
Gov. Newsom: ‘More Work to Be Done’ on
California Net Metering Solar Energy Proposal
19.
Idaho Falls Power Conducting Clean Energy Survey
20.
Bronx Apartment Fire Disaster Shows Why Energy
Efficiency Isn’t Just a Climate Issue
21.
WA State: Window & Insulation Rebates
Doubled in Clark County
22.
Record Number of Orca, Humpback Whales Spotted
in Salish Sea
23.
Criminal Charges Filed in Puyallup River
Pollution Case. Dam Operator Faces Jail Time, Fines
24.
Scientists See Silver Lining in Fed’s Latest
Efforts to Avoid ‘Dead Pool’ at Lake Powell
25.
Does the Massive Cascade Snowpack Mean We Don’t
Have to Worry About Global Warming?
26.
U.S. Had Its Second-Highest Total of
Billion-Dollar Climate Disasters in 2021
27.
Hottest Ocean Temperatures in History Recorded
Last Year
28.
The City of Cheney & Avista Announce
Electric Utility Retail Broadband Pilot
29.
Hackers Can Cut the Lights with Rogue Code,
Researchers Show
30.
Five U.S. Senators (Including Cantwell, D-WA)
Talk Broadband, STEM, and Women in Tech at CES
31.
‘Something’s Not Right in Southern Oregon’:
Alarm at Rise of Illegal Marijuana Farms
32.
WA State: Chelan PUD Considers Rate Increase for
DC Fast-Charging Stations
33.
‘Emergency Service Is Definitely Going to Be an
Issue’ with Early Electric Vehicles
34. Yakutat Declares Disaster as Hazardous Winter Weather Hits Southeast Alaska
WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION
Loo \loo\ Noun – Bathroom.
Gardex l’eau she cried.
“Too late” groused the soused old man.
Chamber pot emptied
From Oxford Living Dictionary and Kottkey: When people flung their potty waste out of the window, they would shout “Gardez l’eau” [gar-day low]. That’s French for “watch out for the water”. We probably get the word “loo” from this expression. Some people think it comes from “Room 100” which is what European people used to call the bathroom. A third theory refers to the trade name ‘Waterloo’, which appeared prominently displayed on the iron cisterns in many British outhouses during the early 20th century.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Round 12 – U.S., Canada Columbia River Treaty
Negotiations Conclusion (STL News)
https://www.stl.news/columbia-river-treaty-negotiations-conclusion/488560/
2.
Bill Would Build Power Plant on Montana’s Gibson
Reservoir (Billings Gazette, MT)
3.
NW Public Power Association Executive Director
Testifies About Hydropower Before U.S. Senate Panel (Northwest Public Power
Association)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2022/01/nw-public-power-association-executive.html
4.
Hydropower Draws Bipartisan Support as Renewable
Energy Source (Bloomberg News)
https://about.bgov.com/news/hydropower-draws-bipartisan-support-as-renewable-energy-source/
5.
Chart: U.S. Utilities Are Spending Less on
Making Electricity & More on Getting It to Customers (Canary Media)
6.
Idaho Confronts Climate Change with Money to Protect
Forests (Associated Press)
7.
Save the Nukes? (Grist Online)
8.
Virginia Advocates Seek Legislation to Push
Rural Electric Co-Ops on Transparency (Energy News Network)
9.
Smart Meters Were Supposed to Free Your Energy
Data. Arcadia Wants to Finish the Job (Canary Media)
10.
Germany Faces ‘Gigantic’ Task Meeting Energy,
Climate Goals (Associated Press)
11.
Power Pole’s Incredible Downriver Journey a Sobering
Reminder of British Columbia’s Devastating Floods (Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation)
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
12.
Editorial: Clamp Down on Fire Risks from Power
Lines (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/clamp-down-on-fire-risks-from-power-lines/
13.
Guest Essay: Competitive Advantage in
Carbon-Free, Renewable Hydropower – Kirk Hudson, Chelan County PUD General
Manager (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)
14.
Guest Essay: Arizona Needs a Truly Regional
Power Market to Keep the Lights On - And Affordable (Arizona Republic, Phoenix,
AZ)
15.
Guest Essay: Unused & Useless - States Must Act
to End Flawed Natural Gas Power Plant Buildouts (Utility Dive)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
16.
Plant Owner Says Construction Ban Could Sink Nevada
Geothermal Project (Reuters)
17.
Nation’s Largest Wind Energy Project Nears
Completion in Western Oklahoma (KGOU Radio, Norman, OK)
18.
Gov. Newsom: ‘More Work to Be Done’ on California
Net Metering Solar Energy Proposal (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)
19.
Idaho Falls Power Conducting Clean Energy Survey
(Idaho Falls Magazine, ID)
https://www.idahofallsmagazine.com/2022/01/idaho-falls-power-conducting-clean
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
20.
Bronx Apartment Fire Disaster Shows Why Energy
Efficiency Isn’t Just a Climate Issue (Gizmodo)
https://gizmodo.com/bronx-apartment-fire-disaster-shows-why-energy-efficien-1848332122
21.
WA State: Window & Insulation Rebates
Doubled in Clark County (The Battleground Reflector, WA)
https://www.thereflector.com/stories/window-and-insulation-rebates-doubled-in-clark-county,282319
FISH & WILDLIFE
22.
Record Number of Orca, Humpback Whales Spotted in
Salish Sea (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/record-whale-sightings-2021-1.6311282?cmp=rss
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
23.
Criminal Charges Filed in Puyallup River Pollution
Case. Dam Operator Faces Jail Time, Fines (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article257199732.html
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
24.
Scientists See Silver Lining in Fed’s Latest
Efforts to Avoid ‘Dead Pool’ at Lake Powell (St. George Spectrum & Daily
News, UT)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
25.
Does the Massive Cascade Snowpack Mean We Don’t
Have to Worry About Global Warming? (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2022/01/does-massive-cascade-snowpack-mean-we.html
26.
U.S. Had Its Second-Highest Total of
Billion-Dollar Climate Disasters in 2021 (Axios)
27.
Hottest Ocean Temperatures in History Recorded
Last Year (The Guardian, UK)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
28.
The City of Cheney & Avista Announce
Electric Utility Retail Broadband Pilot (Market Screener)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
29.
Hackers Can Cut the Lights with Rogue Code,
Researchers Show (Bloomberg News)
30.
Five U.S. Senators (Including Cantwell, D-WA) Talk
Broadband, STEM, and Women in Tech at CES (Dealer Scope)
https://dealerscope.com/2022/01/five-women-senators-talk-broadband-stem-tech-policy-ces-2022/
KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS
31.
‘Something’s Not Right in Southern Oregon’:
Alarm at Rise of Illegal Marijuana Farms (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/something-not-southern-oregon-alarm-110045802.html
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
32.
WA State: Chelan PUD Considers Rate Increase for
DC Fast-Charging Stations (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)
33.
‘Emergency Service Is Definitely Going to Be an Issue’
with Early Electric Vehicles (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/3306715/electric-vehicle-emergency-stranded-gilbert/
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
34.
Yakutat Declares Disaster as Hazardous Winter
Weather Hits Southeast Alaska (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/yakutat-declares-disaster-hazardous-winter-144700356.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
United Kingdom: Ancient Roman Statues Discovered During HS2 High-Speed
Railway Dig
British Utility Apologizes After Telling Customers to Cuddle
Pets to Keep Warm (The Hill, Washington, DC)
U.S. Man Recovering After ‘Breakthrough’ Pig-Heart
Transplant
Judge Pokes Holes in Swiss Cheesemakers’ Legal Arguments
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/swiss-cheese-gruyere-cheese-legal-squabble_l_61dcb023e4b061afe3b69b50
SONG OF THE DAY
Ella Fitzgerald - I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm