Monday, July 18, 2022

The Energy News Digest for July 18, 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

Pacific Northwest Tribes Rally at Capitol as Fight Over Snake River Dams Reaches D.C. (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/jul/14/northwest-tribes-rally-at-capitol-as-fight-over-sn/

Should the Snake River Dams Stay or Go? (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/video/news/local/the-story/should-the-snake-river-dams-stay-or-go/283-f3a1784f-b16b-42a5-83ce-2c2fcfe79408

Richland Nuclear Plant Could Be First in U.S. to Produce Power This Way Under New Deal (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article263260913.html

Homeowners, Developers & Farmers Compete for Groundwater in Central Oregon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/07/18/tol-central-oregon-groundwater-drought/

Idaho: Magic Valley Commissioners Say Residents Are Opposed to Proposed Wind Farms (Boise State Public Radio)

https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2022-07-11/magic-valley-commissioners-opposed-lava-ride-salmon-falls-wind-farms

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Pacific Northwest Tribes Rally at Capitol as Fight Over Snake River Dams Reaches D.C.

2.      Should the Snake River Dams Stay or Go?

3.      Feds' Snake River Dams Reports Do Not Endorse Removal Plan

4.      Removing These Dams Could Raise Montanans Electricity Prices

5.      Richland Nuclear Plant Could Be First in U.S. to Produce Power This Way Under New Deal

6.      Montana: Bankruptcy Judge Orders Talen Energy to Produce Plan for Colstrip

7.      Texas’ Power Grid Is Straining — And It’s Not Even August

8.      Texas Grid Is Under Threat as Record Temperatures Sear Central U.S.

9.      Portland, After Losing $11 Million Generating Hydropower, Forges New Dam Deal That Could Lose Millions More

10.   Eugene Water & Electric Board, Lane Electric Approve Wildfire Mitigation Plans, Now Required by Law

11.   Bipartisan Bill Would Streamline Hydroelectric Permitting

12.   BLM Approves Construction of Arizona-to-California Power Line

13.   Bonneville Power Administration Inches Closer to Provider of Choice Contracts for Post-2028

14.   Copper Thieves Hit Three Electric Substations in Southern Illinois

15.   Diesel Lacking for Cuba Drivers as Fuel Used for Electricity

16.   Guest Essay: California Is Struggling with the Twin Threats of Extreme Heat & Power Outages

17.   Editorial: Extending the Life of Pacific Gas & Electric’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant Is the Problem, Not Nuclear Energy

18.   Column: Don't Blame the Weather for Texas Power Shortages

19.   Idaho: Magic Valley Commissioners Say Residents Are Opposed to Proposed Wind Farms

20.   Wind Energy Expansion Faces Strong Headwinds Across U.S., Industry Report Shows

21.   BLM OKs Construction of Massive California Solar Project

22.   California Went Big on Rooftop Solar. Now That's a Problem for Landfills

23.   Biden Administration Unveils New Funding for Domestic Solar Manufacturing

24.   Smart Thermostats Could Complicate Transition from Fossil Fuels, Study Finds

25.   Ways To Save Energy During the Hot Summer

26.   A Key U.S. Energy Efficiency Program Has a Major Flaw — Pennsylvania Is Trying to Fix It

27.   Spring Chinook Salmon Adult Returns Surging This Summer

28.   New Study Details Mining’s Impacts on Salmon Habitat, Even Hundreds of Miles Downstream

29.   WA State: Lake Chelan Plagued by Growing Aquatic Invasive Species Population

30.   House Republicans Press EPA Chief About Alleged Grid Reliability Threats from Power Plant Regulations

31.   Homeowners, Developers & Farmers Compete for Groundwater in Central Oregon

32.   AP Photos: Extremely Low Levels at Lake Mead amid Drought

33.   NOAA Will Spend $3 Billion to Fight Climate Change Along the Coast

34.   Microsoft Tries to Fill Big Gaps in Broadband Maps

35.   A Street-by-Street View of Digital Inequity in the United States

36.   WA State Public Works Board Awards $1.8 Million Broadband Construction Loan to Jefferson County PUD

37.   FCC Chair Seeks to Raise National Broadband Standard

38.   Cryptomining Uses a ‘Disturbing’ Amount of Energy, Lawmakers Find

39.   These Ten States Are Leading America in Creating a Crypto Economy – Idaho, Washington on the List

40.   Quarter of Americans Say They're Likely to Buy an Electric Vehicles Next as Sales Jump

41.   Pantone’s Webb Telescope-Inspired Colors Prove to Be Out of This World

42.   Stamp Prices Just Went Up Again. Here’s What the U.S. Postal Service Will Charge Customers

WORD OF THE DAY

Orb \ORB\ Noun – 1: Any of the concentric spheres in old astronomy surrounding the earth and carrying the celestial bodies in their revolutions 2: archaic: something circular: circle, orbit 3: a spherical body; especially: a spherical celestial object 4: eye 5: a sphere surmounted by a cross symbolizing kingly power and justice.

Woody Allen’s “Sleeper” caused orb sales (or any other spherical object) to skyrocket in the tiny burgh of Anytown USA. Unfortunately, without the futuristic technology foretold in the movie, no one got high…they just all got annoyed.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Pacific Northwest Tribes Rally at Capitol as Fight Over Snake River Dams Reaches D.C. (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/jul/14/northwest-tribes-rally-at-capitol-as-fight-over-sn/

2.      Should the Snake River Dams Stay or Go? (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/video/news/local/the-story/should-the-snake-river-dams-stay-or-go/283-f3a1784f-b16b-42a5-83ce-2c2fcfe79408

3.      Feds' Snake River Dams Reports Do Not Endorse Removal Plan (ENR)

https://www.enr.com/articles/54429-feds-snake-river-dams-reports-do-not-endorse-removal-plan

4.      Removing These Dams Could Raise Montanans Electricity Prices (KMMS Radio, Bozeman, MT)

https://kmmsam.com/removing-these-dams-could-raise-montanans-electricity-prices/

5.      Richland Nuclear Plant Could Be First in U.S. to Produce Power This Way Under New Deal (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article263260913.html

6.      Montana: Bankruptcy Judge Orders Talen Energy to Produce Plan for Colstrip (Montana Standard, Butte, MT)

https://mtstandard.com/news/judge-orders-talen-to-produce-plan-for-colstrip/article_0455582d-105b-5d2f-adc9-465b7c59e8f6.html

7.      Texas’ Power Grid Is Straining — And It’s Not Even August (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/texas-power-grid-is-straining--and-its-not-even-august/2022/07/15/e709a5f2-0429-11ed-8beb-2b4e481b1500_story.html

8.      Texas Grid Is Under Threat as Record Temperatures Sear Central U.S. (Yahoo! News)

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/texas-grid-under-threat-record-142154283.html

9.      Portland, after losing $11 million generating hydropower, forges new dam deal that could lose millions more (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2022/07/portland-after-losing-11-million-generating-hydropower-forges-new-dam-deal-that-could-lose-millions-more.html

10.   Eugene Water & Electric Board, Lane Electric Approve Wildfire Mitigation Plans, Now Required by Law (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/2022/07/18/eweb-lane-electric-approve-wildfire-mitigation-plans-labor-day-fires-2020-sb-762/65373137007/

11.   Bipartisan Bill Would Streamline Hydroelectric Permitting (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3559868-bipartisan-bill-would-streamline-hydroelectric-permitting/

12.   BLM Approves Construction of Arizona-to-California Power Line (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/blm-approves-construction-of-ariz-to-calif-power-line/

13.   Bonneville Power Administration Inches Closer to Provider of Choice Contracts for Post-2028 (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20220714-bpa-inches-closer-to-provider-of-choice-contracts-for-post-2028

14.   Copper Thieves Hit Three Electric Substations in Southern Illinois (WSIL-TV, Carterville, IL)

https://www.wsiltv.com/news/top-stories/copper-thieves-hit-three-electric-substations-in-southern-illinois/article_84e7372a-03e0-11ed-9500-dbb428acf5a6.html

15.   Diesel Lacking for Cuba Drivers as Fuel Used for Electricity (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-caribbean-c31412e1ec428c184fd0c6f413399c05

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

16.   Guest Essay: California Is Struggling with the Twin Threats of Extreme Heat & Power Outages (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-07-16/heat-climate-change-power-outages-california

17.   Editorial: Extending the Life of Pacific Gas & Electric’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant Is the Problem, Not Nuclear Energy (Fresno Bee, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/article263487698.html

18.   Column: Don't Blame the Weather for Texas Power Shortages (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/dont-blame-weather-texas-power-shortages-kemp-2022-07-13/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

19.   Idaho: Magic Valley Commissioners Say Residents Are Opposed to Proposed Wind Farms (Boise State Public Radio)

https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2022-07-11/magic-valley-commissioners-opposed-lava-ride-salmon-falls-wind-farms

20.   Wind Energy Expansion Faces Strong Headwinds Across U.S., Industry Report Shows (National Wind Watch)

https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2022/07/17/wind-energy-expansion-faces-strong-headwinds-across-us-industry-report-shows/

21.   BLM OKs Construction of Massive California Solar Project (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/blm-oks-construction-of-massive-calif-solar-project/

22.   California Went Big on Rooftop Solar. Now That's a Problem for Landfills (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/california-went-big-rooftop-solar-120043034.html

23.   Biden Administration Unveils New Funding for Domestic Solar Manufacturing (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/biden-administration-unveils-new-funding-domestic-solar-manufacturing-2022-07-14/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

24.   Smart Thermostats Could Complicate Transition from Fossil Fuels, Study Finds (SP Global)

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/smart-thermostats-could-complicate-transition-from-fossil-fuels-study-finds-71164433

25.   Ways To Save Energy During the Hot Summer (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Yakima & Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/ways-to-save-energy-during-the-hot-summer/article_55d72ff0-0393-11ed-8724-2ba96ee7d5ee.html

26.   A Key U.S. Energy Efficiency Program Has a Major Flaw — Pennsylvania Is Trying to Fix It (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/energy/a-key-u-s-energy-efficiency-program-has-a-major-flaw-and-pennsylvania-is-trying-to-fix-it/

FISH & WILDLIFE

27.   Spring Chinook Salmon Adult Returns Surging This Summer (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

https://www.fws.gov/story/2022-07/spring-chinook-salmon-adult-returns-surging-summer

28.   New Study Details Mining’s Impacts on Salmon Habitat, Even Hundreds of Miles Downstream (Alaska Public Media)

https://alaskapublic.org/2022/07/15/new-study-details-minings-impacts-on-salmon-habitat-even-hundreds-of-miles-downstream/

29.   WA State: Lake Chelan Plagued by Growing Aquatic Invasive Species Population (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://kpq.com/lake-chelan-plagued-by-growing-aquatic-invasive-species-population/

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

30.   House Republicans Press EPA Chief About Alleged Grid Reliability Threats from Power Plant Regulations (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/house-republicans-epa-regulations-reliability-power-plants/627164/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

31.   Homeowners, Developers & Farmers Compete for Groundwater in Central Oregon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/07/18/tol-central-oregon-groundwater-drought/

32.   AP Photos: Extremely Low Levels at Lake Mead amid Drought (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/lake-mead-drought-photo-gallery-abab298019a44aef0181ad79aad12ab9

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

33.   NOAA Will Spend $3 Billion to Fight Climate Change Along the Coast (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)

https://www.kpbs.org/news/environment/2022/07/18/noaa-will-spend-3-billion-dollars-to-fight-climate-change-along-the-coast

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

34.   Microsoft Tries to Fill Big Gaps in Broadband Maps (Light Reading)

https://www.lightreading.com/digital-divide/microsoft-tries-to-fill-big-gaps-in-broadband-maps-/d/d-id/779042

35.   A Street-by-Street View of Digital Inequity in the United States (Microsoft)

https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2022/07/14/digital-inequity-dashboard-broadband-access/

36.   WA State Public Works Board Awards $1.8 Million Broadband Construction Loan to Jefferson County PUD (NewsWires)

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/581329511/public-works-board-awards-1-8-million-broadband-construction-loan-to-jefferson-county-pud

37.   FCC Chair Seeks to Raise National Broadband Standard (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/2022/07/18/broadband-standard-fcc-chair-rosenworcel

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

38.   Cryptomining Uses a ‘Disturbing’ Amount of Energy, Lawmakers Find (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/climate-energy/congress-crypto-mining-electricity-use-houston/

39.   These Ten States Are Leading America in Creating a Crypto Economy – Idaho, Washington on the List (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/18/these-are-the-10-states-leading-americas-crypto-industry.html

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

40.   Quarter of Americans Say They're Likely to Buy an Electric Vehicles Next as Sales Jump (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/14-of-americans-say-theyre-likely-buy-an-ev-next-as-sales-jump-174337621.html

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

41.   Pantone’s Webb Telescope-Inspired Colors Prove to Be Out of This World (Designers Today)

https://www.designerstoday.com/photo-galleries/pantones-telescope-inspired-colors-prove-to-be-out-of-this-world/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

42.   Stamp Prices Just Went Up Again. Here’s What the U.S. Postal Service Will Charge Customers (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article263437778.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Timbers from 17th-Century Shipwreck Recovered Off Oregon Coast

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/timbers-from-17th-century-shipwreck-recovered-off-oregon-coast/

Dog Runs Away from Home & Comes Back Later That Day with Award from Rescue Dog Contest

https://www.ladbible.com/news/latest-dog-runs-away-from-home-returns-award-from-rescue-dog-contest-20220714

Global Mustard Shortage Looms Ahead of Summer Barbecues

https://www.axios.com/2022/06/28/mustard-shortage-hot-dog-toppings

Cinema Chain Offers Redheads Free Tickets Amid British Heatwave

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/07/18/Showcase-Cinemas-free-tickets-redheads/4011658171528/

SONG OF THE DAY

Jimmy Buffett - A Pirate Looks at Forty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT-m3Xz-QkQ