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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Investor Teams with Chinese Tech Company to Convert
Northeast Washington Town into Crypto Capital (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/mar/13/investor-teams-with-chinese-tech-company-to-conver/
WA State: Funding to Improve Intalco Finalized, But Can It
Get a Power Agreement & Reopen? (Bellingham Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/business/article259269314.html
Frustrated with Utilities, Some Californians Are Leaving the
Grid (NY Times – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/13/business/energy-environment/california-off-grid.html
Salmon Forecasts Show Promise Along with Challenges (Yakima
Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)
U.S. Mask Mandates Are Going Away … What’s Next? (MSN News)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
WA State: Funding to Improve Intalco Finalized,
But Can It Get a Power Agreement & Reopen?
2.
Chief of U.S. Energy Regulator Gives Climate
Endorsement to Natural Gas
3.
EPA Plan Would Limit Downwind Pollution from
Power Plants
4.
What Is Causing U.S. Utility Bills to Rise –
Will It Persist in Warmer Months?
5.
Alabama: 19-Year-Olds Died after Electrocution
on the Job – Feds Say Pike Electric Is to Blame
6.
Hawaii Residents Face Another Financial Setback
as Electric Bills Set to Rise
7.
Power Generation Faces Challenge of Transition
& Climate Change
8.
Map of Power Generation in the Pacific Northwest
9.
Guest Essay: Bonneville Power Administration
Stands in Way of Green-Aluminum Jobs in Whatcom County
10.
Should You Pay Trade Association Dues for
Utility Companies?
11.
Frustrated with Utilities, Some Californians Are
Leaving the Grid
12.
California: Port of Humboldt Bay Getting Ready
for Offshore Wind
13.
New Mexico: Wind Project Creating the ‘Route 66
of Renewable Energy’
14.
California: Sierra Club Files Motion to Halt
Rebates on Natural Gas Water Heaters
15.
Chelan County PUD to Begin Installing Smart
Meters in May
16.
Heat Pumps Can Counter Putin & Climate
Change, Advocates Say. The White House Is Listening.
17.
Salmon Forecasts Show Promise Along with
Challenges
18.
WA State Restaurants Are Worried About Salmon.
Is Breaching Snake River Dams the Solution?
19.
The Pacheedaht People Finally Started Making
Money from Vancouver Island Timber – Then the Protesters Arrived
20.
Every Day Without New Snow in the Cascades Means
Snowpack Is ‘Falling Behind’
21.
Oregon: Portland’s Massive Clean Energy Program
Not Accountable for Climate or Equity Results, Audit Finds
22.
Decarbonizing the Columbia River Gorge: How
Communities Are Adapting
23.
Investor Teams with Chinese Tech Company to
Convert Northeast Washington Town into Crypto Capital
24.
Microsoft’s Wenatchee Valley Data Center Begins
to Take Shape
25.
Rural WA State Agencies Seek Federal Support to
Fortify Against Cyberattacks
26.
Electric Vehicles Out of Reach for Some as
Mechanics, Builders Expect Higher Costs
27.
$7,500 Electric Vehicle Rebates Fail in WA
Legislature as Climate Proposals See Mixed Results
28.
U.S. Mask Mandates Are Going Away … What’s Next?
29.
U.S. Extends Mask Rule for Travel While Weighing
New Approach
30.
Fourth COVID Shot Will Be ‘Necessary,’ Says
Pfizer CEO
31.
An Inch of Seattle-Area Lowland Rain Expected
through Wednesday Morning
32. WA State Senator Tim Sheldon & Rep. Jesse Johnson Won’t Return to the Legislature
WORD OF THE DAY
Lugubrious \luh-GOO-bree-us\ Adjective – 1: mournful; especially: exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful 2: dismal.
The sad hobo clowns were at a loss. The circus had unwittingly hired a team of spotlight operators with attention deficit disorder. The grand finale of their lugubrious memorial to famed clown Emmett Kelly was a disaster, as clowns with brooms rushed frantically about the circus tent in a futile attempt to sweep the diminishing pools of light into nothingness. “It was a clown calamity,” intoned the distraught Clown Colonel.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
WA State: Funding to Improve Intalco Finalized,
But Can It Get a Power Agreement & Reopen? (Bellingham Herald, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/business/article259269314.html
2.
Chief of U.S. Energy Regulator Gives Climate
Endorsement to Natural Gas (Wall Street Journal)
3.
EPA Plan Would Limit Downwind Pollution from
Power Plants (Associated Press)
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/EPA-plan-would-limit-downwind-pollution-from-16995344.php
4.
What Is Causing U.S. Utility Bills to Rise – Will
It Persist in Warmer Months? (The Guardian, UK)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/13/us-utility-bills-energy-prices-increase
5.
Alabama: 19-Year-Olds Died after Electrocution on
the Job – Feds Say Pike Electric Is to Blame (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/nation-world/national/article259302444.html
6.
Hawaii Residents Face Another Financial Setback as
Electric Bills Set to Rise (KITV-TV, Honolulu, HI)
7.
Power Generation Faces Challenge of Transition &
Climate Change (Reuters)
8.
Map of Power Generation in the Pacific Northwest
(NW Power & Conservation Council)
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
9.
Guest Essay: Bonneville Power Administration Stands
in Way of Green-Aluminum Jobs in Whatcom County (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/bpa-stands-in-way-of-green-aluminum-jobs-in-whatcom-county/
10.
Should You Pay Trade Association Dues for
Utility Companies? (Clean Technica)
https://cleantechnica.com/2022/03/13/should-you-pay-trade-association-dues-for-utility-companies/
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
11.
Frustrated with Utilities, Some Californians Are
Leaving the Grid (NY Times – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/13/business/energy-environment/california-off-grid.html
12.
California: Port of Humboldt Bay Getting Ready
for Offshore Wind (North American Wind Power)
13.
New Mexico: Wind Project Creating the ‘Route 66 of
Renewable Energy’ (The Albuquerque Journal, NM)
https://www.abqjournal.com/2478737/nms-emerging-wind-mecca.html
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
14.
California: Sierra Club Files Motion to Halt
Rebates on Natural Gas Water Heaters (KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA)
15.
Chelan County PUD to Begin Installing Smart
Meters in May (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)
16.
Heat Pumps Can Counter Putin & Climate
Change, Advocates Say. The White House Is Listening. (Washington Post – Paywall
Advisory)
FISH & WILDLIFE
17.
Salmon Forecasts Show Promise Along with
Challenges (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)
18.
WA State Restaurants Are Worried About Salmon.
Is Breaching Snake River Dams the Solution? (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article259281679.html
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
19.
The Pacheedaht People Finally Started Making
Money from Vancouver Island Timber – Then the Protesters Arrived (Seattle Times,
WA – Paywall Advisory)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
20.
Every Day Without New Snow in the Cascades Means
Snowpack Is ‘Falling Behind’ (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
21.
Oregon: Portland’s Massive Clean Energy Program
Not Accountable for Climate or Equity Results, Audit Finds (Oregonian, Portland,
OR)
22.
Decarbonizing the Columbia River Gorge: How Communities
Are Adapting (Columbia Insight)
https://columbiainsight.org/decarbonizing-the-gorge/
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
23.
Investor Teams with Chinese Tech Company to Convert
Northeast Washington Town into Crypto Capital (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/mar/13/investor-teams-with-chinese-tech-company-to-conver/
24.
Microsoft’s Wenatchee Valley Data Center Begins to
Take Shape (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)
25.
Rural WA State Agencies Seek Federal Support to
Fortify Against Cyberattacks (Crosscut Seattle)
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
26.
Electric Vehicles Out of Reach for Some as Mechanics,
Builders Expect Higher Costs (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)
27.
$7,500 Electric Vehicle Rebates Fail in WA
Legislature as Climate Proposals See Mixed Results (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
28.
U.S. Mask Mandates Are Going Away … What’s Next?
(MSN News)
29.
U.S. Extends Mask Rule for Travel While Weighing
New Approach (Associated Press)
30.
Fourth COVID Shot Will Be ‘Necessary,’ Says Pfizer
CEO (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/4th-covid-shot-will-be-necessary-says-pfizer-ceo/
31.
An Inch of Seattle-Area Lowland Rain Expected through
Wednesday Morning (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/3391669/inch-rain-seattle-through-wednesday/
32.
WA State Senator Tim Sheldon & Rep. Jesse
Johnson Won’t Return to the Legislature (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Garbage Truck Driver Finds Couple Buried in Trash After
Hearing Banging, Utah Cops Say
https://www.theolympian.com/news/nation-world/national/article259362284.html
March Madness Brings Back Feel of the Good Ol’ Days
Russians Try to Sell Big Macs for Around $36 Each - A McDonald’s
Paper Bag For More Than $300
https://news.yahoo.com/russians-trying-sell-big-macs-122120599.html
Math Is More Than Just Numbers; Celebrate Pi Day a Different
Way
SONG OF THE DAY
James Taylor - Your Smiling Face (From the Album “JT”)
