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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
World Hurtling to Climate Danger Zone, Brakes Half-Pulled
(Associated Press)
Tribes, Industry Groups Reach Deal to Boost U.S.
Hydroelectric Power (Wall Street Journal – Paywall Advisory)
‘Green’ Aluminum Inches Closer in Pacific Northwest, If Only
They Can Power the Last Remaining Smelter (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2022/04/03/green-aluminum-smelter-pacific-northwest-power-sources/
Biden Admin Seeks to Cut Home Energy Bills with $3.2 Billion
for Efficiency (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-residents-get-32-bln-lower-home-energy-costs-2022-03-30/
Empty Canals, Dead Cotton Fields: Arizona Farmers Are
Getting Slammed by Water Cuts in the West (CNBC)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Tribes, Industry Groups Reach Deal to Boost U.S.
Hydroelectric Power
2.
‘Green’ Aluminum Inches Closer in Pacific
Northwest, If Only They Can Power the Last Remaining Smelter
3.
British Columbia: Your Electricity Bills Are
About to Go Down, According to BC Hydro
4.
Bonneville Power Administration ‘Full Speed
Ahead’ on May Western Energy Imbalance Market Entry, but Issues Remain
5.
California: San Francisco’s Hydropower Supply Is
Under Threat
6.
British Columbia: Columbia River Treaty Talks on
Flood Control Will Impact Nelson Area
7.
City of Pasadena Would Soon Require New
Buildings to be All-Electric Instead of Natural Gas-Powered
8.
New Mexico: Socorro Electric Co-Op Fights State
Regulators & City
9.
California: San Ysidro Man Staying Positive
after Surviving Electricity Accident & Amputation
10.
Arizona: Salt River Project Sending Line Workers
to Provide Electricity to 300 Homes in Navajo Nation
11.
Oregon: ‘Hang Up & Call Us’ Columbia
River/Clatskanie PUDs Issue Phone Fraud Alert
12.
Bonneville Power Administration Selects Lizá
Rosa as New HR Director
13.
Jennifer Light Named Interim Director of the NW
Power & Conservation Council’s Power Planning Division
14.
The Case Against Closing Nuclear Power Plants
15.
U.S. Rep. Newhouse (WA-R) Denounces Biden
Administration for Backing Dam-Breaching Efforts
16.
Editorial: City of Portland Should Pause Plans
to Issue $100 Million in New Clean-Energy Grants
17.
Nevada: Hydroelectric Reservoir Proposed on Blue
Diamond Hill Near Red Rock, Government Seeks Public Input
18.
Montana: Lawyers for Massive Solar Project
Appeal Zoning Board’s Denial of Permit
19.
DOE Takes Stock of Offshore Wind Supply Chain,
Calls for 2,100 Turbines to Meet 30 GW Goal
20.
Biden Admin Seeks to Cut Home Energy Bills with
$3.2 Billion for Efficiency
21.
Energy Department Announces New Standards for
Federal Buildings
22.
UC Berkeley Team Digs Deep Beneath Campus in
Quest for Clean Geothermal Energy
23.
Nearly Half of U.S. Households Use LED Bulbs for
All or Most of Their Indoor Lighting
24.
WA State: ‘Big Victory’ for Salmon Habitat: Fish
Passage at Dam on Green River Gets $220 Million Boost
25.
Hope on the Horizon for Columbia River Spring
Chinook
26.
More Than 70 Bigg’s Killer Whales Seen in Salish
Sea Thursday
27.
Dismal British Columbia Herring Season Sparks
Renewed Calls for Moratorium
28.
Pacific Northwest’s Freshwater Mussels Now
‘Screaming’ for Help
29.
Empty Canals, Dead Cotton Fields: Arizona
Farmers Are Getting Slammed by Water Cuts in the West
30.
A Utah Town Is Running Dry. Its Solution Stoked
an Age-Old Water War
31.
Incredible Before & After Photos Show Just
How Much This Critical U.S. Reservoir Has Dried Up
32.
World Hurtling to Climate Danger Zone, Brakes
Half-Pulled
33.
Climate Change Could Cost U.S. Budget $2
Trillion a Year by the End of the Century, White House Says
34.
The Ocean Is Coming for Homes. That’s Not Priced
In.
35.
‘Green Steel’ Heating Up in Sweden’s Frozen
North
36.
NTIA Awards Four More Tribal Broadband Grants,
Including for Tribes in WA State, California
37.
FCC Chair: Broadband Maps Will Be ‘Absolutely’
Done in Fall
38.
New Report Says Electric Vehicles Could Prevent
Deaths, Improve Health
39.
Watch Where You Dig: Utilities Issue Reminders
During National Safe Digging Month
40.
Snohomish PUD Launches New ‘Reading Between the
Lines’ Program in Local Libraries
41.
Thousands without Power: Rain, Gusty Wind for
Western Washington Plus Heavy Mountain Snow
42.
Northern California Could Face Dire Wildfire
Danger in 2022. How High Is the Risk?
43.
WA Gov. Inslee Rankles Fellow Democrats by
Vetoing Part of Tax-Incentive Bill Geared Toward Rural WA
44.
Billions, & Growing, for Lawmakers’ Projects
in Big Bill
45. Idaho Is Seeing a Population Influx
WORDS OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION
Petrichor \PET-truh-core\ Noun – a distinctive, earthy, usually pleasant odor that is associated with rainfall, especially when following a warm, dry period and that arises from a combination of volatile plant oils and geosmin released from the soil into the air and by ozone carried by downdrafts.
Pluviophile \PLEW-vee-oh-file\ Noun – A lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.
Stomping in puddles
The sweet smell of petrichor
Pluviophile’s joy
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Tribes, Industry Groups Reach Deal to Boost U.S.
Hydroelectric Power (Wall Street Journal – Paywall Advisory)
2.
‘Green’ Aluminum Inches Closer in Pacific
Northwest, If Only They Can Power the Last Remaining Smelter (Oregon Public
Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2022/04/03/green-aluminum-smelter-pacific-northwest-power-sources/
3.
British Columbia: Your Electricity Bills Are
About to Go Down, According to BC Hydro (CTV News)
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/your-electricity-bills-are-about-to-go-down-according-to-bc-hydro-1.5842574
4.
Bonneville Power Administration ‘Full Speed
Ahead’ on May Western Energy Imbalance Market Entry, but Issues Remain (RTO Insider
– Subscription)
https://www.rtoinsider.com/articles/29874-bpa-full-speed-ahead-weim-entry-issues-remain
5.
California: San Francisco’s Hydropower Supply Is
Under Threat (San Francisco Examiner, CA)
https://www.sfexaminer.com/findings/the-drought-could-force-s-f-to-rely-on-dirty-energy-sources/
6.
British Columbia: Columbia River Treaty Talks on
Flood Control Will Impact Nelson Area (Nelson Star, BC)
7.
City of Pasadena Would Soon Require New
Buildings to be All-Electric Instead of Natural Gas-Powered (Pasadena Now, CA)
8.
New Mexico: Socorro Electric Co-Op Fights State
Regulators & City (Albuquerque Journal, NM)
9.
California: San Ysidro Man Staying Positive after
Surviving Electricity Accident & Amputation (KGTV-TV, San Diego, CA)
10.
Arizona: Salt River Project Sending Line Workers
to Provide Electricity to 300 Homes in Navajo Nation (KTAR Radio, Phoenix, AZ)
11.
Oregon: ‘Hang Up & Call Us’ Columbia River/Clatskanie
PUDs Issue Phone Fraud Alert (The Chief, Clatskanie, OR)
12.
Bonneville Power Administration Selects Lizá
Rosa as New HR Director (Bonneville Power Administration)
https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20220401-bpa-selects-liza-rosa-as-new-hr-director
13.
Jennifer Light Named Interim Director of the NW
Power & Conservation Council’s Power Planning Division (NW Power &
Conservation Council)
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
14.
The Case Against Closing Nuclear Power Plants
(The Nation)
https://www.thenation.com/article/environment/nuclear-power-climate-crisis/
15.
U.S. Rep. Newhouse (WA-R) Denounces Biden
Administration for Backing Dam-Breaching Efforts (U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, WA)
16.
Editorial: City of Portland Should Pause Plans to
Issue $100 Million in New Clean-Energy Grants (Oregonian Newspaper, Portland,
OR)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
17.
Nevada: Hydroelectric Reservoir Proposed on Blue
Diamond Hill Near Red Rock, Government Seeks Public Input (KLAS-TV, Las Vegas,
NV)
18.
Montana: Lawyers for Massive Solar Project
Appeal Zoning Board’s Denial of Permit (Montana Standard, Butte, MT)
19.
DOE Takes Stock of Offshore Wind Supply Chain,
Calls for 2,100 Turbines to Meet 30 GW Goal (Utility Dive)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
20.
Biden Admin Seeks to Cut Home Energy Bills with $3.2
Billion for Efficiency (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-residents-get-32-bln-lower-home-energy-costs-2022-03-30/
21.
Energy Department Announces New Standards for
Federal Buildings (The Hill, Washington, DC)
22.
UC Berkeley Team Digs Deep Beneath Campus in
Quest for Clean Geothermal Energy (KPIX-TV, San Francisco, CA)
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2022/03/30/uc-berkeley-geothermal-energy-heating-cooling-dig-deep/
23.
Nearly Half of U.S. Households Use LED Bulbs for
All or Most of Their Indoor Lighting (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=51858
FISH & WILDLIFE
24.
WA State: ‘Big Victory’ for Salmon Habitat: Fish
Passage at Dam on Green River Gets $220 Million Boost (Seattle Times, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
25.
Hope on the Horizon for Columbia River Spring
Chinook (Lewiston Tribune, ID)
26.
More Than 70 Bigg’s Killer Whales Seen in Salish
Sea Thursday (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
27.
Dismal British Columbia Herring Season Sparks
Renewed Calls for Moratorium (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pacific-herring-stocks-bc-1.6403117?cmp=rss
28.
Pacific Northwest’s Freshwater Mussels Now ‘Screaming’
for Help (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2022/04/03/pacific-northwest-freshwater-mussels-population-decline/
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
29.
Empty Canals, Dead Cotton Fields: Arizona Farmers
Are Getting Slammed by Water Cuts in the West (CNBC)
30.
A Utah Town Is Running Dry. Its Solution Stoked an
Age-Old Water War (The Guardian, UK)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/03/cedar-city-utah-drought-pine-valley
31.
Incredible Before & After Photos Show Just
How Much This Critical U.S. Reservoir Has Dried Up (CTV News)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
32.
World Hurtling to Climate Danger Zone, Brakes
Half-Pulled (Associated Press)
33.
Climate Change Could Cost U.S. Budget $2
Trillion a Year by the End of the Century, White House Says (Reuters)
34.
The Ocean Is Coming for Homes. That’s Not Priced
In. (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)
35.
‘Green Steel’ Heating Up in Sweden’s Frozen
North (Associated Press)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
36.
NTIA Awards Four More Tribal Broadband Grants, Including
for Tribes in WA State, California (Telecompetitor)
https://www.telecompetitor.com/ntia-awards-four-more-tribal-broadband-grants/
37.
FCC Chair: Broadband Maps Will Be ‘Absolutely’
Done in Fall (Government Technology)
https://www.govtech.com/network/fcc-chair-broadband-maps-will-be-absolutely-done-in-fall
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
38.
New Report Says Electric Vehicles Could Prevent
Deaths, Improve Health (KSL Radio, Salt Lake City, UT)
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
39.
Watch Where You Dig: Utilities Issue Reminders
During National Safe Digging Month (Daily Energy Insider)
40.
Snohomish PUD Launches New ‘Reading Between the Lines’
Program in Local Libraries (My Edmonds News, WA)
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
41.
Thousands without Power: Rain, Gusty Wind for Western
Washington Plus Heavy Mountain Snow (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
42.
Northern California Could Face Dire Wildfire
Danger in 2022. How High Is the Risk? (Sacramento Bee, CA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article259906985.html
43.
WA Gov. Inslee Rankles Fellow Democrats by Vetoing
Part of Tax-Incentive Bill Geared Toward Rural WA (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
44.
Billions, & Growing, for Lawmakers’ Projects
in Big Bill (Associated Press)
https://wtop.com/news/2022/04/billions-and-growing-for-lawmakers-projects-in-big-bill/
45.
Idaho Is Seeing a Population Influx (Lewiston
Tribune, ID)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Pet Cloning Is Getting More Popular Despite the Cost
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60924936
Westward Ho! Maine Potatoes Travel Far after Western Drought
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Westward-Ho-Maine-potatoes-travel-far-after-17052937.php
Robot Dog Patrolling the Ruins of Ancient Italian City Pompeii
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/04/01/italy-Spot-robot-Boston-Dynamics-Pompeii/5251648842479/
U.S. National Park Service’s Oldest Active Ranger Retires at
Age 100
SONG OF THE DAY
Henry Gross – Shannon
