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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
After Calls for Conservation & Generator Failures,
Texas’ Grid Survived the Weekend. It’s Still May. (Utility Dive)
With Spring Chinook Salmon Run Up 30% at Bonneville Dam,
More Fishing Days Added on Lower Columbia River (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
42 Million Americans Don’t Have High-Speed Internet. Local
Providers May Be the Key (National Public Radio)
Billionaire Eyes Washington’s Last Coal Plant (Centralia) for
Green Hydrogen (Bloomberg News)
La Nina is Not Going Away. What Does That Mean for This
Summer’s Weather? (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2022/05/la-nina-is-not-going-away-what-does.html
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
After Calls for Conservation & Generator
Failures, Texas’ Grid Survived the Weekend. It’s Still May.
2.
Gavin Newsom Seeks $5 Billion to Keep
California’s Lights on as Summer Blackouts Loom
3.
Power Sector Warns of Blackouts as Demand
Clashes with Traditional Plant Retirements
4.
Lake Powell’s Drought Is Part of a Growing
Threat to Hydropower Everywhere
5.
Public Power Credit Unaffected by Glen Canyon
Dam Drought Measures
6.
Grant PUD Chief Testifies Before U.S. House
Energy & Commerce Subcommittee
7.
Congress, Stakeholders Find Consensus Around
Hydropower License Reform
8.
As California Confronts the Future of Its
Natural Gas System, Who Could Get Left Behind?
9.
FERC’s Phillips on Gas, Emissions & Seeking
Consensus
10.
Salt River Project Crews Help Connect 56 Navajo
Homes to Electricity for the First Time
11.
Natural Gas Consumed by U.S. Electric Power
Sector Sets January Record in 2022
12.
Editorial: Electric Rate Hikes, Power Shortages
Must Be Part of Breaching Snake Dams Discussion
13.
Joy Ditto: The Public Power Option Should Be a
Community Decision
14.
Guest Essay: Even Studying Public Power Makes
Little Sense
15.
Billionaire Eyes Washington’s Last Coal Plant
(Centralia) for Green Hydrogen
16.
Offshore Wind Farming Gains Momentum on the West
Coast
17.
Ocean Wind Farm Rally
18.
Canada: An East Coast Project Is Harnessing the
Power of the World’s Largest Tides. Will It Succeed Where Others Have Failed?
19.
Incandescent Lightbulbs Are on the Way Out. So,
Which New Lightbulb Should You Choose?
20.
With Spring Chinook Salmon Run Up 30% at
Bonneville Dam, More Fishing Days Added on Lower Columbia River
21.
Researchers in British Columbia to Map
Landslides in Fraser River in Effort to Protect Salmon
22.
Endangered Fish & Waterfowl Find Refuge at
the Klamath Basin’s Lakeside Farms
23.
Balm Grove Dam Along Gales Creek to Be Removed
This Summer
24.
World Fish Migration Day 2022: Helping Fish
Migrate Helps the Economy
25.
For Sage Grouse, Lithium Mining at Oregon-Nevada
Border Would Be ‘A Death Knell,’ Conservationists Say
26.
‘Impressive’ Gains in Idaho Snowpack, But Low
Water Still an Issue for 2022, Experts Say
27.
‘It’s a Good Thing’: Climate Scientists Rejoice
at Western Washington’s Chilly, Snowy Spring
28.
Oregon: Detroit Lake Reaches ‘Full Pool’ for
First Time Since 2020, But It’s Lower Than in the Past
29.
California Regulator Rejects Desalination Plant
Despite Historic Drought
30.
In Alaska, Warmer Days Can Bring Catastrophic
Flooding as Frozen Rivers Break Up
31.
42 Million Americans Don’t Have High-Speed
Internet. Local Providers May Be the Key
32.
Federal Report Identifies Native Boarding
Schools Across Country; Includes Local Sites
33.
Media: John Oliver Explains Why Your Electric
Bill Is So Damn High
34.
From the Co-op to Kyiv
35.
La Nina is Not Going Away. What Does That Mean
for This Summer’s Weather?
36.
White House Says $110 Billion in Infrastructure
Funds Released in First 6 Months
37.
A Crosscut Guide to Finding Federal Dollars in
Your WA State Community
38. Federal Official Announces ‘Down Payment’ on Improving Columbia River Treaty Fishing Sites
WORD OF THE DAY
Roman à clef \ roe-MAWN-a-clay\ Noun – A novel in which real persons or actual events figure under disguise.
Norberto’s second novel was a thinly disguised narrative of seamy office politics in his workplace. So thinly disguised were the characters in the quickly penned roman à clef that their names were all one letter off from those of his co-workers. Don became Ron; Sarah became Barah, and so on. Regardless, Norberto was clueless as to the sudden cold shoulder he received from his colleagues at the book signing party.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
After Calls for Conservation & Generator
Failures, Texas’ Grid Survived the Weekend. It’s Still May. (Utility Dive)
2.
Gavin Newsom Seeks $5 Billion to Keep California’s
Lights on as Summer Blackouts Loom (Sacramento Bee, CA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article261421292.html
3.
Power Sector Warns of Blackouts as Demand
Clashes with Traditional Plant Retirements (Washington Examiner)
4.
Lake Powell’s Drought Is Part of a Growing
Threat to Hydropower Everywhere (Popular Science)
https://www.popsci.com/environment/hydropower-drought-climate-change/
5.
Public Power Credit Unaffected by Glen Canyon
Dam Drought Measures (Fitch Ratings)
6.
Grant PUD Chief Testifies Before U.S. House Energy
& Commerce Subcommittee (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2022/may/13/grant-pud-chief-testifies-house/
7.
Congress, Stakeholders Find Consensus Around
Hydropower License Reform (Utility Dive)
8.
As California Confronts the Future of Its
Natural Gas System, Who Could Get Left Behind? (Utility Dive)
9.
FERC’s Phillips on Gas, Emissions & Seeking
Consensus (E&E News)
https://www.eenews.net/articles/fercs-phillips-on-gas-emissions-and-seeking-consensus/
10.
Salt River Project Crews Help Connect 56 Navajo Homes
to Electricity for the First Time (KTAR Radio, Phoenix, AZ)
11.
Natural Gas Consumed by U.S. Electric Power
Sector Sets January Record in 2022 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=52379
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
12.
Editorial: Electric Rate Hikes, Power Shortages
Must Be Part of Breaching Snake Dams Discussion (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/editorials/article261417812.html
13.
Joy Ditto: The Public Power Option Should Be a
Community Decision (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/the-public-power-option-should-be-a-community-decision/623227/
14.
Guest Essay: Even Studying Public Power Makes
Little Sense (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/even-studying-public-power-makes-little-sense/623289/
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
15.
Billionaire Eyes Washington’s Last Coal Plant (Centralia)
for Green Hydrogen (Bloomberg News)
16.
Offshore Wind Farming Gains Momentum on the West
Coast (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/05/offshore-wind-farming-gains-momentum-west-coast
17.
Ocean Wind Farm Rally (Newport News-Times, OR)
18.
Canada: An East Coast Project Is Harnessing the
Power of the World’s Largest Tides. Will It Succeed Where Others Have Failed?
(The Toronto Star, Ontario, Canada)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
19.
Incandescent Lightbulbs Are on the Way Out. So, Which
New Lightbulb Should You Choose? (National Public Radio)
FISH & WILDLIFE
20.
With Spring Chinook Salmon Run Up 30% at Bonneville
Dam, More Fishing Days Added on Lower Columbia River (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
21.
Researchers in British Columbia to Map
Landslides in Fraser River in Effort to Protect Salmon (Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/landslides-salmon-impact-1.6452080?cmp=rss
22.
Endangered Fish & Waterfowl Find Refuge at
the Klamath Basin’s Lakeside Farms (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
23.
Balm Grove Dam Along Gales Creek to Be Removed
This Summer (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
24.
World Fish Migration Day 2022: Helping Fish
Migrate Helps the Economy (National Fisherman)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
25.
For Sage Grouse, Lithium Mining at Oregon-Nevada
Border Would Be ‘A Death Knell,’ Conservationists Say (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
26.
‘Impressive’ Gains in Idaho Snowpack, But Low
Water Still an Issue for 2022, Experts Say (KTVB-TV, Boise, ID)
27.
‘It’s a Good Thing’: Climate Scientists Rejoice at
Western Washington’s Chilly, Snowy Spring (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
28.
Oregon: Detroit Lake Reaches ‘Full Pool’ for First
Time Since 2020, But It’s Lower Than in the Past (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
29.
California Regulator Rejects Desalination Plant
Despite Historic Drought (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/california-regulator-rejects-plan-desalination-plant-2022-05-13/
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
30.
In Alaska, Warmer Days Can Bring Catastrophic
Flooding as Frozen Rivers Break Up (National Public Radio)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
31.
42 Million Americans Don’t Have High-Speed
Internet. Local Providers May Be the Key (National Public Radio)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
32.
Federal Report Identifies Native Boarding
Schools Across Country; Includes Local Sites (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
33.
Media: John Oliver Explains Why Your Electric
Bill Is So Damn High (Rolling Stone Magazine – PG Language)
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/john-oliver-last-week-tonight-utility-companies-1353786/
34.
From the Co-op to Kyiv (Oregon Electric
Cooperative Association)
https://www.oreca.org/from-the-co-op-to-kyiv/
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
35.
La Nina is Not Going Away. What Does That Mean for
This Summer’s Weather? (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2022/05/la-nina-is-not-going-away-what-does.html
36.
White House Says $110 Billion in Infrastructure
Funds Released in First 6 Months (Reuters)
37.
A Crosscut Guide to Finding Federal Dollars in Your
WA State Community (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/WA-Recovery-Watch/Follow-the-funds
38.
Federal Official Announces ‘Down Payment’ on Improving
Columbia River Treaty Fishing Sites (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
‘Holy Cow ... Are You Kidding Me?’ Scientists Stunned to See
Plants Grow in Soil from the Moon
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/moon-dirt-plant-scientists-nasa-1.6451351
Beer Here: Montana Ranks Second in U.S. for Beer Consumed
Per Capita
Indian Couple Longing for Grandchild Sues Son, His Wife
Teen Debuts Prom Dress Made Out of ‘Harry Potter’ Book
Pages: ‘Everyone’s Heads Just Turned’
https://www.intheknow.com/post/harry-potter-prom-dress/
SONG OF THE DAY
Jeff Beck - How High the Moon
