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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Texas Grid Operator Warns of Potential for Rolling Blackouts
amid Scorching Heat (Reuters)
Sockeye Salmon Are Returning to the Columbia River for the
Highest Count in a Decade (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
Oregon Tribes Join Opposition to Offshore Wind Farm Process
(Newport News-Times, OR)
Switching to Efficient, Electric HVAC Appliances Could Save
Oregon $1.1 Billion Through 2050, Study Finds (Utility Dive)
Twitter Hires Law Firm Wachtell to Sue Musk after Pulling
Out of $44 Billion Deal (Reuters)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Texas Grid Operator Warns of Potential for
Rolling Blackouts amid Scorching Heat
2.
Texas Resident Has Nearly $17,000 Deducted from
Bank Account by Energy Company Following Winter Storm
3.
As Blackouts Loom, Pacific Gas & Electric
Changes Tune About Shutting California’s Last Nuclear Plan
4.
Is Burying Power Lines Fire-Prevention Magic, or
Magical Thinking?
5.
California State Auditor to Look at San Diego
Gas & Electric Rate Increases
6.
California: San Luis Obispo Goes All-Electric in
New Buildings
7.
WA Had States’ Fifth-Highest Number of Power
Outages Last Year. Here’s How to Prepare
8.
Portland Clean Energy Fund Recommends $111
Million in Grants
9.
In Chilly Waters, Oregon Co-op Lineworkers Save
Driver, Dog after Crash
10.
Infrastructure Rankings: Measuring States’
Energy, Transportation & Internet – Oregon, Washington Ranked 1 & 2 in
Energy
11.
Norway Scrambles to Avoid Empty Hydropower
Reservoirs This Winter
12.
Guest Essay: The Future of the Lower Snake River
Dams: Draft Report Makes a Poor Case, Economically, for Breaching
13.
Guest Essay: Guest Column: Breaching Dams Is Key
to Saving Salmon, Steelhead & Orcas
14.
Editorial: Time Is Running Out to Save the Snake
River Dams. Let WA Gov. Inslee Know Your Thoughts
15.
California Commentary: The LA Dept. of Water
& Power Is Charging Outdated Power Rates – There’s No Easy Fix
16.
Oregon Tribes Join Opposition to Offshore Wind
Farm Process
17.
Idaho: Commissioners Oppose Salmon Falls Wind
Project
18.
Idaho Power Kicks Off Process to Consider Net
Metering Study
19.
WA State: Old Batteries Get New Life as Everett
Transit Backup Energy
20.
Switching to Efficient, Electric HVAC Appliances
Could Save Oregon $1.1 Billion Through 2050, Study Finds
21.
California: Sacramento Municipal Utility
District Offers Advanced Thermostat Management Incentives to Small & Medium-Sized
Businesses
22.
Energy Efficiency Efforts Reduce WA State Oyster
Grower’s Energy Use by 75%
23.
Meet Net-Zero, The Building Technique That
Creates More Energy Than It Consumes without Skimping on Style.
24.
Sockeye Salmon Are Returning to the Columbia
River for the Highest Count in a Decade
25.
Chinook Salmon Habitat in Central Idaho Is in
Trouble, Scientists Say
26.
Montana: Northern Pike Threatening Two Popular
Fisheries
27.
Threatened Wild Bees Get Help from Washington
Researchers
28.
Orca Calf Spotted Off San Juan Islands, First in
K-Pod Since 2011
29.
California: Cannabis Company Sued Over Lack of
Air Permits for Generators
30.
Great Salt Lake Hits New Historic Low for 2nd
Time in a Year
31.
Supreme Court’s EPA Decision Will Have Little
Effect on Utility Move Away from Coal-Fired Plants: Analysts
32.
Pacific Northwest Carbon Markets Can’t Support
Longer Timber Harvest Rotations
33.
Kids Want to Put Montana on Trial for Unhealthy
Climate Policies
34.
Twitter Hires Law Firm Wachtell to Sue Musk
after Pulling Out of $44 Billion Deal
35.
Rogers Restores Service Following Canada-Wide
Internet Outage
36.
Crypto Plunge Is Cautionary Tale for Public
Pension Funds
37.
GeoBitmine Challenges Idaho Power’s
‘Discriminatory’ Rate for Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities
38.
Electric Vehicle Adoption Is Higher Where
Consumers See More Electric Vehicles, Studies Show
39.
Simulation Shows Tsunami Waves as High as 42
Feet Could Hit Seattle in Minutes Should a Major Earthquake Occur on the Seattle
Fault
40.
‘All That’s Needed Is a Spark’: Why the US May
Be Headed for a Summer of Mega-Fire
41. All the Buzz: Mosquitoes Take Over Wenatchee
WORD OF THE DAY – THE HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION
Twee \TWEE\ Adjective – Affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, cute, or quaint.
The twee bee’s low song
Summer’s heat, restful sunshine
Renews my tired soul
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Texas Grid Operator Warns of Potential for Rolling
Blackouts amid Scorching Heat (Reuters)
2.
Texas Resident Has Nearly $17,000 Deducted from
Bank Account by Energy Company Following Winter Storm (KSAZ–TV, Phoenix, AZ)
3.
As Blackouts Loom, Pacific Gas & Electric
Changes Tune About Shutting California’s Last Nuclear Plan (Sacramento Bee, CA
– Paywall Advisory)
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article263227278.html
4.
Is Burying Power Lines Fire-Prevention Magic, or
Magical Thinking? (Inside Climate News)
5.
California State Auditor to Look at San Diego Gas
& Electric Rate Increases (KNSD-TV, San Diego, CA)
6.
California: San Luis Obispo Goes All-Electric in
New Buildings (The New Times, San Luis Obispo, CA)
7.
WA Had States’ Fifth-Highest Number of Power
Outages Last Year. Here’s How to Prepare (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/living/article263077243.html
8.
Portland Clean Energy Fund Recommends $111
Million in Grants (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
9.
In Chilly Waters, Oregon Co-op Lineworkers Save
Driver, Dog after Crash (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)
https://www.electric.coop/in-chilly-waters-oregon-co-op-lineworkers-save-driver-dog-after-crash
10.
Infrastructure Rankings: Measuring States’
Energy, Transportation & Internet – Oregon, Washington Ranked 1 & 2 in
Energy (U.S. News & World Report)
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/infrastructure
11.
Norway Scrambles to Avoid Empty Hydropower
Reservoirs This Winter (Reuters)
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
12.
Guest Essay: The Future of the Lower Snake River
Dams: Draft Report Makes a Poor Case, Economically, for Breaching (Seattle
Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
13.
Guest Essay: Guest Column: Breaching Dams Is Key
to Saving Salmon, Steelhead & Orcas (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
14.
Editorial: Time Is Running Out to Save the Snake
River Dams. Let WA Gov. Inslee Know Your Thoughts (Tri-City Herald, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/editorials/article263216413.html
15.
California Commentary: The LA Dept. of Water
& Power Is Charging Outdated Power Rates – There’s No Easy Fix (Los Angeles
Times, CA)
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-07-10/dwp-rates-ballot-measures
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
16.
Oregon Tribes Join Opposition to Offshore Wind
Farm Process (Newport News-Times, OR)
17.
Idaho: Commissioners Oppose Salmon Falls Wind
Project (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)
18.
Idaho Power Kicks Off Process to Consider Net
Metering Study (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/idaho-power-solar-net-metering-study/626694/
19.
WA State: Old Batteries Get New Life as Everett
Transit Backup Energy (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/old-batteries-get-new-life-as-everett-transit-backup-energy/
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
20.
Switching to Efficient, Electric HVAC Appliances
Could Save Oregon $1.1 Billion Through 2050, Study Finds (Utility Dive)
21.
California: Sacramento Municipal Utility
District Offers Advanced Thermostat Management Incentives to Small &
Medium-Sized Businesses (Sacramento Business Journal, CA – Paywall Advisory)
22.
Energy Efficiency Efforts Reduce WA State Oyster
Grower’s Energy Use by 75% (Bonneville Power Administration)
23.
Meet Net-Zero, The Building Technique That
Creates More Energy Than It Consumes without Skimping on Style. (Business
Insider)
https://www.businessinsider.com/net-zero-energy-efficient-homes-luxury-real-estate-2022-7
FISH & WILDLIFE
24.
Sockeye Salmon Are Returning to the Columbia
River for the Highest Count in a Decade (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
25.
Chinook Salmon Habitat in Central Idaho Is in
Trouble, Scientists Say (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
26.
Montana: Northern Pike Threatening Two Popular
Fisheries (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/northern-pike-threatening-two-popular-021900093.html?guccounter=1
27.
Threatened Wild Bees Get Help from Washington
Researchers (Associated Press)
28.
Orca Calf Spotted Off San Juan Islands, First in
K-Pod Since 2011 (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
29.
California: Cannabis Company Sued Over Lack of
Air Permits for Generators (Bloomberg News)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
30.
Great Salt Lake Hits New Historic Low for 2nd
Time in a Year (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/great-salt-lake-hits-historic-210555733.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
31.
Supreme Court’s EPA Decision Will Have Little
Effect on Utility Move Away from Coal-Fired Plants: Analysts (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/supreme-court-epa-coal-utility-renewable-climate/626833/
32.
Pacific Northwest Carbon Markets Can’t Support
Longer Timber Harvest Rotations (Sightline Institute)
33.
Kids Want to Put Montana on Trial for Unhealthy
Climate Policies (CBS News)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-lawsuit-kids-montana/
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
34.
Twitter Hires Law Firm Wachtell to Sue Musk
after Pulling Out of $44 Billion Deal (Reuters)
35.
Rogers Restores Service Following Canada-Wide
Internet Outage (Engadget)
https://www.engadget.com/rogers-restores-service-following-canada-wide-outage-161623524.html
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
36.
Crypto Plunge Is Cautionary Tale for Public
Pension Funds (Associated Press)
37.
GeoBitmine Challenges Idaho Power’s ‘Discriminatory’
Rate for Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/geobitmine-idaho-power-cryptocurrency-mining-rate/626724/
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
38.
Electric Vehicle Adoption Is Higher Where
Consumers See More Electric Vehicles, Studies Show (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electric-vehicle-EV-influencer-buy/626929/
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY – THE IRWIN ALLEN EDITION
39.
Simulation Shows Tsunami Waves as High as 42
Feet Could Hit Seattle in Minutes Should a Major Earthquake Occur on the Seattle
Fault (Cable News Network)
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/08/us/seattle-earthquake-simulation-tsunami/index.html
40.
‘All That’s Needed Is a Spark’: Why the US May
Be Headed for a Summer of Mega-Fire (The Guardian, UK)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/06/us-west-wildfire-summer
41.
All the Buzz: Mosquitoes Take Over Wenatchee
(Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/jul/09/all-the-buzz-mosquitoes-take-over-wenatchee/
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Yes, That’s Really a Shark in the Sky. When & Where to
See the Unique Blimp in WA
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article263268933.html
Russian Politician Says Kremlin Should ‘Claim Back’ Alaska
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-alaska-putin-vyacheslav-volodin-b2118942.html
Ax Throwing Is a Growing Sport in WA. Will It Grow Even More
with Alcohol on Tap?
https://www.thenewstribune.com/entertainment/restaurants/tnt-diner/article262863838.html
Jurassic Park – Man Eaten by Dinosaur While on Toilet
Commemorated with Toy
https://gizmodo.com/jurassic-park-mattel-sdcc-2022-exclusive-trex-toilet-1849163825
SONG OF THE DAY
John Williams – Jurassic Park (Soundtrack Suite)
