Wednesday, August 10, 2022

The Energy News Digest for August 10, 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

U.S. Power Use to Reach Record High in 2022 as Economy Grows, EIA Says (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-power-use-reach-record-high-2022-economy-grows-eia-says-2022-08-09/

U.S. Inflation Eases as the Cost of Gasoline Plunges (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-consumer-price-growth-expected-slow-due-lower-gasoline-costs-2022-08-10/

Commercial Fishers & Wild Salmon Advocates Celebrate Large Returns to British Columbia Waters (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pinkeye-sockeye-salmon-run-bc-2022-1.6546874?cmp=rss

Idaho Drought Likely to Linger into New Water Year (Capital Press)

https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/water/idaho-drought-likely-to-linger-in-new-water-year/article_fa1e654a-178b-11ed-8f71-f31e05ceafc3.html

Electric Cars Too Costly for Many, Even with Aid in Climate Bill (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/electric-cars-too-costly-for-many-even-with-aid-in-climate-bill/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      U.S. Power Use to Reach Record High in 2022 as Economy Grows, EIA Says

2.      Thunderstorms Rack the Puget Sound Region, Leaving Thousands without Power

3.      Intense Thunderstorms Rake Central Oregon with Over 1,000 Lightning Strikes; Crews Scramble to Stop 100-Plus Fires

4.      Montana: NorthWestern Energy Proposes Rate Hike for Electricity & Natural Gas

5.      Washington Tribes Call on Governor to Reject Goldendale-Area Clean Energy Project Proposal

6.      Columbia River Grain Shipments Return to Normal after Repairs at John Day Dam

7.      WA State: Okanogan PUD Evaluates Removal of Enloe Dam

8.      WA State: Citing Supply Chain Issues, Snohomish PUD Delays Installation of Smart Meters in Homes, Businesses

9.      U.S. Senate Approves Bill That Makes Energy Tax Credits Available to Public Power

10.   Members of Congress Push for Emergency Funding to Help Meet Home Heating Costs

11.   U.S. Secretary of Energy Visits Oregon to Discuss Clean Energy Innovation

12.   Solar Power: 17 Square Miles of Benton County Agricultural Land May Be Home to This New Kind of Farm

13.   California Power Plan Lays Bare the Cost of Renewables Delays

14.   America’s Heat-Pump Market Has a Sugar-Crash Problem

15.   British Columbia: Air Conditioning Is a Necessity as Extreme Heat Events Become More Common

16.   Commercial Fishers & Wild Salmon Advocates Celebrate Large Returns to British Columbia Waters

17.   ‘Who Are We without Salmon?’ Tribes Gather Along Dammed Snake River to Call for Action

18.   California: Salmon, Steelhead Conservation Groups Plan to Sue Pacific Gas & Electric, Allege

19.   Fisheries Official Denies Coverup Allegations Over Research into Endangered British Columbia Steelhead

20.   El Niño-Southern Oscillation & the Effects on Salmon

21.   News Release: Oregon, Washington, & Others Ask President Biden to Increase Funding for Hanford Nuclear Site Cleanup

22.   Idaho Drought Likely to Linger into New Water Year

23.   What Do Climate Provisions in the U.S. Senate Bill Mean for Washington State?

24.   U.S. Senate Bill Seen as Big Win for Oregon

25.   ‘We’re Back, Baby’: New Bill Boosts U.S. Climate Credibility

26.   Mt Rainier’s Largest Glacier Is Melting. Here’s What That Means Downstream

27.   States are Making Their Own Broadband Maps to Challenge the FCC’s Data

28.   Montana Weighs Applications for $200M+ in Broadband Grants

29.   State Officials Eye ‘New Era’ for Oregon Broadband

30.   Boot Camp Helps Native Tribes Expand Broadband Access

31.   Is Your Internet Service Unreliable? There May Be Fiber in Your Future.

32.   Flanked By Cantwell & Boise Mayor, Biden Signs Bipartisan Science & Semiconductor Bill to Boost U.S. Competition with China

33.   Electric Cars Too Costly for Many, Even with Aid in Climate Bill

34.   Most Electric Vehicles Won’t Qualify for Federal Tax Credit

35.   U.S. Inflation Eases as the Cost of Gasoline Plunges

36.   The Forest Service Is Overstating Its Wildfire Prevention Progress to Congress Despite Decades of Warnings Not To

37.   Oregon’s Wildfire Risk Map Emerges as New Climate Flashpoint

38.   As Temperatures Rise, Industries Fight Heat Safeguards for Workers

WORD OF THE DAY

Insouciance \in SUE-see-unts\ Noun – lighthearted unconcern: nonchalance.

The horror unseen: Abercrombie’s insouciance was bound to be his undoing. Gaily walking through a bear-infested forest, his light coating of clover honey was intended to add freshness to his daily routine (and cover his chronic trouble with body odor). Unfortunately, his apparent unconcern about his surroundings and fragrance turned him into a tasty snack that afternoon.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      U.S. Power Use to Reach Record High in 2022 as Economy Grows, EIA Says (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-power-use-reach-record-high-2022-economy-grows-eia-says-2022-08-09/

2.      Thunderstorms Rack the Puget Sound Region, Leaving Thousands without Power (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3592016/puget-sound-region-racked-power-outages-amid-thunderstorms/

3.      Intense Thunderstorms Rake Central Oregon with Over 1,000 Lightning Strikes; Crews Scramble to Stop 100-Plus Fires (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

https://ktvz.com/news/fire-alert/2022/08/09/intense-thunderstorms-rake-central-oregon-with-over-1000-lightning-strikes-crews-scramble-to-stop-100-plus-fires/

4.      Montana: NorthWestern Energy Proposes Rate Hike for Electricity & Natural Gas (Yahoo! News)

https://sports.yahoo.com/northwestern-energy-proposes-rate-hike-235520573.html

5.      Washington Tribes Call on Governor to Reject Goldendale-Area Clean Energy Project Proposal (Underscore News)

https://www.underscore.news/reporting/washington-tribes-call-on-governor-to-reject-clean-energy-project-proposal

6.      Columbia River Grain Shipments Return to Normal after Repairs at John Day Dam (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/local/business/columbia-river-grain-shipments-return-to-normal-after-repairs-at-john-day-dam/article_f57b4a2e-175b-11ed-9571-f7a8b0df8489.html

7.      WA State: Okanogan PUD Evaluates Removal of Enloe Dam (Quad City Herald, Brewster, WA)

https://www.qcherald.com/public-utility-dist/okanogan-pud-evaluates-removal-enloe-dam-0

8.      WA State: Citing Supply Chain Issues, Snohomish PUD Delays Installation of Smart Meters in Homes, Businesses (My Edmonds News, WA)

https://myedmondsnews.com/2022/08/citing-supply-chain-issues-pud-delays-installation-of-smart-meters-in-homes-businesses/

9.      U.S. Senate Approves Bill That Makes Energy Tax Credits Available to Public Power (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/senate-approves-bill-makes-energy-tax-credits-available-public-power

10.   Members of Congress Push for Emergency Funding to Help Meet Home Heating Costs (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/policy/federal/36192-congressmen-push-for-emergency-funding-to-help-meet-home-heating-costs/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   U.S. Secretary of Energy Visits Oregon to Discuss Clean Energy Innovation (KVAL-TV, Eugene, OR)

https://kval.com/news/local/us-secretary-of-energy-jennifer-granholm-visits-oregon-to-discuss-clean-energy-innovation-governor-kate-brown-net-zero-carbon-goals-combat-climate-change

12.   Solar Power: 17 Square Miles of Benton County Agricultural Land May Be Home to This New Kind of Farm (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.theolympian.com/news/state/washington/article264228816.html

13.   California Power Plan Lays Bare the Cost of Renewables Delays (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/california-power-plan-lays-bare-cost-renewables-delays-2022-08-09/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

14.   America’s Heat-Pump Market Has a Sugar-Crash Problem (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/americas-heat-pump-market-has-a-sugar-crash-problem

15.   British Columbia: Air Conditioning Is a Necessity as Extreme Heat Events Become More Common (CTV, Vancouver, BC)

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/air-conditioning-is-a-necessity-as-extreme-heat-events-become-more-common-b-c-advocates-1.6019373

FISH & WILDLIFE

16.   Commercial Fishers & Wild Salmon Advocates Celebrate Large Returns to British Columbia Waters (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pinkeye-sockeye-salmon-run-bc-2022-1.6546874?cmp=rss

17.   ‘Who Are We without Salmon?’ Tribes Gather Along Dammed Snake River to Call for Action (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://amp.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article264345956.html

18.   California: Salmon, Steelhead Conservation Groups Plan to Sue Pacific Gas & Electric, Allege ESA Violations (Mendocino Voice, CA)

https://mendovoice.com/2022/08/salmon-steelhead-conservation-groups-plan-to-sue-pge-allege-esa-violations/

19.   Fisheries Official Denies Coverup Allegations Over Research into Endangered British Columbia Steelhead (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-interior-steelhead-trout-population-research-coverup-allegations-dfo-1.6533959

20.   El Niño-Southern Oscillation & the Effects on Salmon (Sierra Sun Times, Mariposa, CA)

https://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/40056-el-nino-southern-oscillation-and-the-effects-on-salmon

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

21.   News Release: Oregon, Washington, & Others Ask President Biden to Increase Funding for Hanford Nuclear Site Cleanup (Oregon Dept. of Energy)

https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/blog/2022/8/9/washington-oregon-and-others-ask-president-biden-to-increase-funding-for-hanford-cleanup

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

22.   Idaho Drought Likely to Linger into New Water Year (Capital Press)

https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/water/idaho-drought-likely-to-linger-in-new-water-year/article_fa1e654a-178b-11ed-8f71-f31e05ceafc3.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

23.   What Do Climate Provisions in the U.S. Senate Bill Mean for Washington State? (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/what-do-climate-provisions-of-the-u-s-senate-bill-mean-for-washington-state/

24.   U.S. Senate Bill Seen as Big Win for Oregon (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2022/08/09/oregon-renewable-energy-projects-farmers-loggers-could-get-millions-from-inflation-act/

25.   ‘We’re Back, Baby’: New Bill Boosts U.S. Climate Credibility (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/technology-united-states-trending-news-climate-and-environment-385328acb81f3bd07f225b73db748cab

26.   Mt Rainier’s Largest Glacier Is Melting. Here’s What That Means Downstream (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/08/rainiers-largest-glacier-melting-heres-what-means-downstream

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

27.   States are Making Their Own Broadband Maps to Challenge the FCC’s Data (Broadband Breakfast)

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/08/states-are-making-their-own-broadband-maps-to-challenge-the-fccs-data/

28.   Montana Weighs Applications for $200M+ in Broadband Grants (KTVH-TV, Helena, MT)

https://www.ktvh.com/news/montana-weighs-applications-for-200m-in-broadband-grants

29.   State Officials Eye ‘New Era’ for Oregon Broadband (State Scoop)

https://statescoop.com/oregon-broadband-2022-grant-funding/

30.   Boot Camp Helps Native Tribes Expand Broadband Access (University Of Oregon)

https://around.uoregon.edu/content/boot-camp-helps-native-tribes-expand-broadband-access

31.   Is Your Internet Service Unreliable? There May Be Fiber in Your Future. (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/08/04/what-is-fiber-internet-explained-infrastructure/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

32.   Flanked By Cantwell & Boise Mayor, Biden Signs Bipartisan Science & Semiconductor Bill to Boost U.S. Competition with China (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/aug/09/flanked-by-cantwell-and-boise-mayor-biden-signs-bi/

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

33.   Electric Cars Too Costly for Many, Even with Aid in Climate Bill (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/electric-cars-too-costly-for-many-even-with-aid-in-climate-bill/

34.   Most Electric Vehicles Won’t Qualify for Federal Tax Credit (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/electric-vehicles-tax-credit-cfd3d9322230446f65d629b05c2ae551

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

35.   U.S. Inflation Eases as the Cost of Gasoline Plunges (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-consumer-price-growth-expected-slow-due-lower-gasoline-costs-2022-08-10/

36.   The Forest Service Is Overstating Its Wildfire Prevention Progress to Congress Despite Decades of Warnings Not To (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/forest-service-overstating-wildfire-prevention-progress-congress-decad-rcna41576

37.   Oregon’s Wildfire Risk Map Emerges as New Climate Flashpoint (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-science-fires-oregon-evangelism-8342f786db7850a2aca3163acb6d5574

38.   As Temperatures Rise, Industries Fight Heat Safeguards for Workers (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/08/09/climate-change-heat-workers/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

It’s Once Again Time for the Perseids, One of the Best Meteor Showers of the Year

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/2022-perseid-meteor-shower-1.6540186?cmp=rss

Artist Recreates Old Ceremonial Portraits by Replacing Their Subjects with Cats

https://designyoutrust.com/2022/08/artist-recreates-old-ceremonial-portraits-by-replacing-their-subjects-with-cats/

Potato Problems for Dick’s Drive-In with End of Harvest ‘Not Producing Fries Up to Standards’

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/potato-problems-dicks-drive-in-with-end-harvest-not-producing-fries-up-standards/RD2AGJOMWZDK5JRZE6VH7R2GVQ/

California Hospital Tech Brightens Kids’ Casts with Amazing Artwork

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/california-hospital-tech-brightens-kids-130000823.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Boy Meets Girl – Waiting for a Star to Fall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ESI48uA3U