Wednesday, March 30, 2022

The Energy News Digest for March 30, 2022

The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association. 

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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

Salmon Travel Deep into the Pacific Ocean. As It Warms, Many ‘Don’t Come Back.’ (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/03/28/salmon-alaska-climate-change/

How Comcast & Other Telecoms Scuttle Rural WA Broadband Efforts (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/news/2022/03/how-comcast-and-other-telecoms-scuttle-rural-wa-broadband-efforts

Drought Effects on Hydroelectricity Generation in Western U.S. Differed by Region in 2021 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=51839

U.S. Set to Hold Auction for Floating Wind Farms Off California Coast (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-29/california-coast-s-maiden-offshore-wind-auction-coming-this-year

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (OR-D) Worries Crypto Bros Are Abusing Opportunity Zones with Bogus Investments (Willamette Week)

https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/03/29/senator-ron-wyden-is-worried-that-crypto-bros-are-abusing-opportunity-zones-with-bogus-investments/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Drought Effects on Hydroelectricity Generation in Western U.S. Differed by Region in 2021

2.      Costs, Permitting Hurdles Dampen Potential for New Nuclear Capacity

3.      California: South San Joaquin Irrigation District Bid to Replace Pacific Gas & Electric as Power Provider Advances

4.      Montana: Laurel Residents’ Appeal Against NorthWestern Energy Pipeline Denied

5.      Alaska Utilities, Stakeholders Submit Long-Sought Plan for a Railbelt Grid Planning Group

6.      Colorado: United Power Should Be Able to Leave Tri-State for Less Than a Tenth of a Proposed $1.6B Exit Fee, Federal Report Says

7.      Lake Powell Continues to Disappear as Colorado Hits Pause on Plan to Prop Up Levels

8.      South Carolina: Santee Cooper Cuts Budget Since It Can’t Raise Power Rates

9.      Tribes Win Federal Funding as They Enhance Energy Security & Pursue Microgrids

10.   ‘I Think We Have a Wake-Up Call Right Now’ — FERC’s Phillips Touts Transmission’s Reliability Benefits

11.   American Public Power Association Names Reliable Public Power Provider Recipients

12.   American Public Power Association Safety Award Winners

13.   U.S. Set to Hold Auction for Floating Wind Farms Off California Coast

14.   WA Gov. Inslee Veto Kills Most of Windfarm ‘Slowdown’ Energy Bill

15.   WA State: REC Silicon Hopeful it Will Restart Moses Lake Plant by 2024

16.   Wind & Solar Generated a Record 10% of the World’s Power in 2021, Report Shows

17.   Tucson Can Use Landfill Waste as Climate-Friendly Bus Fuel – Officials Have Yet to Act

18.   EIA Data Show That by 2020, U.S. Households Had More Efficient Lighting, Larger TVs, & More Refrigerators

19.   Salmon Travel Deep into the Pacific Ocean. As It Warms, Many ‘Don’t Come Back.’

20.   Officials Seek Change of Course in Wild Salmon Recovery

21.   California Calls for More Local Water Conservation

22.   WA State: Bellingham Considers Tax Method for Funding Programs to Fight Climate Change

23.   Climate Change Is Making Pollen Season Worse Across the Country

24.   How Comcast & Other Telecoms Scuttle Rural WA Broadband Efforts

25.   Politicians Meet at Local, Federal Levels to Discuss Rural Broadband

26.   Regional Utility Districts Can Help Fill Gaps in Broadband Service

27.   Partnerships With Electric Utilities Can Help Expand Broadband Access

28.   U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (OR-D) Worries Crypto Bros Are Abusing Opportunity Zones with Bogus Investments

29.   White House Officials Open Crypto Climate Inquiry

30.   EarthTalk: As Millions of Electric Car Batteries Start to Reach the End of Their Useful Lives, How Can We Avoid an E-Waste Apocalypse?

31.   The Funniest Travel Account on Instagram Is Run by the TSA

32.   Accused Eco-Saboteur Joseph M. Dibee Expected to Enter a Plea to Settle Cases in Oregon, WA & CA

33.   Port Angeles Naturopathic Doctor Sentenced for Selling Misbranded Drugs, Including for COVID Treatments

34.   Spam Text Messages Flood Verizon Wireless Phones

35.   Ore-Ida to End Production at Its Ontario Plant. What’s That Mean for Iconic Tater Tots?

36.   A Super Jet Stream Will Cross the Pacific Ocean this Weekend.

WORD OF THE DAY

Cabal \kuh-BAHL\ Noun – The artifices and intrigues of a group of persons secretly united in a plot (as to overturn a government); also: a group engaged in such artifices and intrigues 2: club, group.

The “Lord of the Rings” fanboys were aghast. It wasn’t until it was too late that they discovered an anti-Gandalf cabal of Saruman clones in center of their role-playing community. “The White Wizard takes your game piece,” crowed the leader of the renegade group, as he reached forth his “Cheetos”-stained fingers to snatch the small, collector’s edition statue of the Gray Wizard off the game board.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Drought Effects on Hydroelectricity Generation in Western U.S. Differed by Region in 2021 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=51839

2.      Costs, Permitting Hurdles Dampen Potential for New Nuclear Capacity (S&P Global)

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/costs-permitting-hurdles-dampen-potential-for-new-nuclear-capacity-69550774

3.      California: South San Joaquin Irrigation District Bid to Replace Pacific Gas & Electric as Power Provider Advances (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/south-san-joaquin-irrigation-district-bid-replace-pge-power-provider-advances

4.      Montana: Laurel Residents’ Appeal Against NorthWestern Energy Pipeline Denied (KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT)

https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/laurel-residents-appeal-against-northwestern-energy-pipeline-denied

5.      Alaska Utilities, Stakeholders Submit Long-Sought Plan for a Railbelt Grid Planning Group (Alaska Journal of Commerce)

https://www.alaskajournal.com/2022-03-29/utilities-stakeholders-submit-long-sought-plan-railbelt-grid-planning-group

6.      Colorado: United Power Should Be Able to Leave Tri-State for Less Than a Tenth of a Proposed $1.6B Exit Fee, Federal Report Says (Colorado Sun, Denver, CO)

https://coloradosun.com/2022/03/30/tri-state-united-power-exit-fee-ferc/

7.      Lake Powell Continues to Disappear as Colorado Hits Pause on Plan to Prop Up Levels (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/03/28/lake-powell-keep-dropping/

8.      South Carolina: Santee Cooper Cuts Budget Since It Can’t Raise Power Rates (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-carolina/articles/2022-03-28/santee-cooper-cuts-budget-since-it-cant-raise-power-rates

9.      Tribes Win Federal Funding as They Enhance Energy Security & Pursue Microgrids (Microgrid Knowledge)

https://microgridknowledge.com/tribal-microgrid-receives-more-than-500000-in-doe-funding/

10.   ‘I Think We Have a Wake-Up Call Right Now’ — FERC’s Phillips Touts Transmission’s Reliability Benefits (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/i-think-we-have-a-wake-up-call-right-now-fercs-phillips-touts-transmis/621024/

11.   American Public Power Association Names Reliable Public Power Provider Recipients (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/rp3-designated-utilities

12.   American Public Power Association Safety Award Winners (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/about/members/safety/safety-award-winners

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

13.   U.S. Set to Hold Auction for Floating Wind Farms Off California Coast (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-29/california-coast-s-maiden-offshore-wind-auction-coming-this-year

14.   WA Gov. Inslee Veto Kills Most of Windfarm ‘Slowdown’ Energy Bill (KFLD Radio, Pasco, WA)

https://newstalk870.am/inslee-veto-kills-most-of-wind-farm-slowdown-energy-bill/

15.   WA State: REC Silicon Hopeful it Will Restart Moses Lake Plant by 2024 (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://www.kpq.com/rec-silicon-hopeful-it-will-restart-moses-lake-plant-by-2024/

16.   Wind & Solar Generated a Record 10% of the World’s Power in 2021, Report Shows (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/30/business/renewable-energy-wind-solar-electricity-climate-intl/index.html

17.   Tucson Can Use Landfill Waste as Climate-Friendly Bus Fuel – Officials Have Yet to Act (Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, CA)

https://tucson.com/news/local/tucson-can-use-landfill-waste-as-climate-friendly-bus-fuel-but-officials-have-yet-to/article_fc8df20e-aad6-11ec-a612-935568bbbce3.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

18.   EIA Data Show That by 2020, U.S. Households Had More Efficient Lighting, Larger TVs, & More Refrigerators (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/pressroom/releases/press499.php

FISH & WILDLIFE

19.   Salmon Travel Deep into the Pacific Ocean. As It Warms, Many ‘Don’t Come Back.’ (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/03/28/salmon-alaska-climate-change/

20.   Officials Seek Change of Course in Wild Salmon Recovery (Moscow-Pullman Daily News, ID/WA)

https://dnews.com/local/officials-seek-change-of-course-in-wild-salmon-recovery/article_159c80b2-d072-5c23-8ab3-c37d25677c7c.html

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

21.   California Calls for More Local Water Conservation (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-california-droughts-environment-5a336fdd0e625b0ee7e551759b2a6981

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

22.   WA State: Bellingham Considers Tax Method for Funding Programs to Fight Climate Change (Bellingham Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/politics-government/article259740335.html

23.   Climate Change Is Making Pollen Season Worse Across the Country (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/03/29/pollen-climate-change-worse-future/

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

24.   How Comcast & Other Telecoms Scuttle Rural WA Broadband Efforts (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/news/2022/03/how-comcast-and-other-telecoms-scuttle-rural-wa-broadband-efforts

25.   Politicians Meet at Local, Federal Levels to Discuss Rural Broadband (KMVU-TV, Medford, OR)

https://www.fox26medford.com/politicians-meet-at-local-federal-levels-to-discuss-rural-broadband/

26.   Regional Utility Districts Can Help Fill Gaps in Broadband Service (PEW Charitable Trust)

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2022/03/29/regional-utility-districts-can-help-fill-gaps-in-broadband-service

27.   Partnerships With Electric Utilities Can Help Expand Broadband Access (PEW Charitable Trust)

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2022/03/29/partnerships-with-electric-utilities-can-help-expand-broadband-access

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

28.   U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (OR-D) Worries Crypto Bros Are Abusing Opportunity Zones with Bogus Investments (Willamette Week)

https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/03/29/senator-ron-wyden-is-worried-that-crypto-bros-are-abusing-opportunity-zones-with-bogus-investments/

29.   White House Officials Open Crypto Climate Inquiry (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/white-house-officials-open-crypto-climate-inquiry-e8b20218-4cb5-448d-9ae6-d9c4bf0bc484.html

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

30.   EarthTalk: As Millions of Electric Car Batteries Start to Reach the End of Their Useful Lives, How Can We Avoid an E-Waste Apocalypse? (Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, AZ)

https://azdailysun.com/opinion/columnists/earthtalk-as-millions-and-millions-of-electric-car-batteries-start-to-reach-the-end-of/article_f9783f84-4e5a-500f-a663-313c6be55d82.html

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

31.   The Funniest Travel Account on Instagram Is Run by the TSA (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/the-funniest-travel-account-on-instagram-is-run-by-the-tsa-seriously/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

32.   Accused Eco-Saboteur Joseph M. Dibee Expected to Enter a Plea to Settle Cases in Oregon, WA & CA (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/03/accused-eco-saboteur-joseph-m-dibee-expected-to-enter-a-plea-to-settle-cases-in-oregon-wa-and-ca.html

33.   Port Angeles Naturopathic Doctor Sentenced for Selling Misbranded Drugs, Including for COVID Treatments (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2022-03-29/naturopathic-doctor-sentenced-for-selling-misbranded-drugs

34.   Spam Text Messages Flood Verizon Wireless Phones (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/article/spam-text-messages-verizon-wireless-own-number

35.   Ore-Ida to End Production at Its Ontario Plant. What’s That Mean for Iconic Tater Tots? (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/mar/29/ore-ida-to-end-production-at-its-ontario-plant-wha/

36.   A Super Jet Stream Will Cross the Pacific Ocean this Weekend. (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-super-jet-stream-will-cross-pacific.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Is Portland Home to America’s First All-Female Cooperative Winery Facility?

https://www.oregonlive.com/wine/2022/03/is-portland-home-to-americas-first-all-female-winery-facility.html

Oregon: Owner to Sell Historic ‘Terrible Tilly’ Lighthouse

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/03/29/historic-terrible-tilly-tillamook-lighthouse-for-sale/

Look Up! When to Watch For ‘Exquisite’ Celestial Sights & Cuddling Planets

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/look-up-check-out-the-predawn-sky-this-week-for-celestial-treats/

Metal Detectorist to the Rescue When Beach Proposal Goes Awry

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/03/28/engagement-ring-lost-beach-Lincolnshire-England/9701648496264/

SONG OF THE DAY

Edison Lighthouse – Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAfc5xnjb5U