Wednesday, December 13, 2023

The Energy News Digest for December 13, 2023

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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Leaked Documents on Snake River Dams Leads to Congressional Hearing (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/environment-and-planning/2023-12-12/leaked-documents-on-snake-river-dams-leads-to-congressional-hearing

In a First, Nations at Climate Summit Agree to Move Away from Fossil Fuels (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/first-nations-climate-summit-agree-131106111.html

WA Raises Estimated $1.8 Billion in First Year of Carbon Market (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/wa-raises-estimated-1-8-billion-in-first-year-of-carbon-market/

Tesla Recalls Over Two Million Vehicles to Fix Defective System that Monitors Drivers (ABC News)

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tesla-recalls-2-million-vehicles-fix-defective-system-105615988

December 14 – Anniversary of 2006 Puget Sound Storm That Brought 100 MPH Wind Gusts (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3942929/anniversary-of-puget-sound-storm-that-brought-100-mph-wind-gusts/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Leaked Documents on Snake River Dams Leads to Congressional Hearing

2.      Pacific NW Republicans Rail Against Details in Leaked Snake River Dams Salmon Settlement

3.      News Release: McMorris Rodgers Continues Push for Answers About Biden’s Plans to Breach Lower Snake River Dams

4.      Montana Congressmen Rail Against Snake River Dam Removal

5.      YouTube Video: U.S. House Oversight Hearing on Lower Snake River Dams

6.      Stanford Negotiator Discusses Compromise on Environmental Conflicts Like Klamath Dams

7.      No, Portland General Electric’s Upcoming 17% Rate Hike Is Not Due to Electric Vehicle Costs

8.      U.S. Electricity Load Growth Forecast Jumps 81%, Led by Data Centers, Industry: Grid Strategies

9.      Transmission: Farmer Fury in Australia Signals Tough Road to Renewable Energy

10.   EIA Expects Combined U.S. Solar & Wind Electricity Generation to Surpass Coal-Fired Generation in 2024

11.   Non-Powered Dams in U.S. Offer Opportunity for Clean Energy

12.   California: East Bay Municipal Utilities District Project to Generate Power Via Drinking Water Delivery System

13.   Washington State Tries New Approach to Phase Out Fossil Fuels in New Construction

14.   Study Shows How Heat Pumps Can Help the Grid & Reduce Energy Costs

15.   Spring-Run Chinook Could Become Threatened or Endangered Following Petition

16.   NOAA Report Links Climate Change to Massive Bump in Alaska Sockeye Salmon, Drop in Chum

17.   Two Men Indicted for Illegal Killing, Trafficking of Eagles from Montana

18.   Invasive English Holly Not So Jolly for Pacific Northwest Forests

19.   Military Testing Reveals Hundreds of Drinking Water Wells Contaminated with PFAS in WA

20.   California Water Districts Agree to Save 643,000 Acre-Feet of Lake Mead Water Through 2025

21.   ‘The Crisis Has Arrived’: An Elder Statesman Unpacks the Battle Over the West’s Water

22.   In a First, Nations at Climate Summit Agree to Move Away from Fossil Fuels

23.   WA Raises Estimated $1.8 Billion in First Year of Carbon Market

24.   WA Gov. Inslee Unveils $941 Million Supplemental Budget Plan to Fight Climate Change

25.   The Future of ‘Cap-And-Trade’ Carbon Markets Could Hinge on Washington State

26.   Alarm at Plan to Stash Planet-Heating Carbon Dioxide Beneath U.S. National Forests

27.   FCC Gives Pole Attachment Reform the Greenlight

28.   Government-Only Fiber Networks

29.   Chelan, Douglas County PUDs Flex Security Measures in a Hacker Era

30.   Meta’s Arizona Data Center to Be Powered by Solar + Storage Project

31.   Tesla Recalls Over Two Million Vehicles to Fix Defective System that Monitors Drivers

32.   Ford Cuts Planned 2024 Production of Electric F-150 Lightning in Half

33.   How NASA Learned to Love 4 Squirmy Letters

34.   House Democrats Formally Unveil Vision for Energy Policy Reforms

35.   December 14 – Anniversary of 2006 Puget Sound Storm That Brought 100 MPH Wind Gusts

36.   Columnist: On Gas Prices, Governor Inslee Says He Was Misled by Ecology Staff

37.   Guest Essay: Take Out Dams & Keep the Snake River Salmon’s Last, Best Place

38.   Editorial: Remove Culverts for Washington’s Climate Resiliency

39.   Guest Essay: Climate Justice in WA Is Not Served by Rejecting Natural Gas

WORD OF THE DAY

Ingénue \AN-juh-noo\ Noun – 1: a naïve girl or young woman *2: the stage role of an ingénue; also: an actress playing such a role

Whenever I see the word ingénue, I always think of the actress Theresa Wright. When you look up the word ingénue in the dictionary, her picture should be right there. Not that I’m obsessed with Theresa Wright, you see. I just think she was neat. Doesn’t hurt that she was an Oscar winner too. But I digress…

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Leaked Documents on Snake River Dams Leads to Congressional Hearing (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/environment-and-planning/2023-12-12/leaked-documents-on-snake-river-dams-leads-to-congressional-hearing

2.      Pacific NW Republicans Rail Against Details in Leaked Snake River Dams Salmon Settlement (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article282990348.html

3.      News Release: McMorris Rodgers Continues Push for Answers About Biden’s Plans to Breach Lower Snake River Dams (U.S. Rep Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, WA)

https://mcmorris.house.gov/posts/mcmorris-rodgers-continues-push-for-answers-about-bidens-plans-to-breach-lower-snake-river-dams

4.      Montana Congressmen Rail Against Snake River Dam Removal (Billings Gazette, MT – Paywall Advisory)

https://billingsgazette.com/news/zinke-rosendale-bonneville-power-dams-salmon-native-american-tribes/article_dbbf0084-9965-11ee-8cd8-9f68349f058a.html

5.      YouTube Video: U.S. House Oversight Hearing on Lower Snake River Dams (U.S. House Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=hK7xGZ94O5o

6.      Stanford Negotiator Discusses Compromise on Environmental Conflicts Like Klamath Dams (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)

https://www.ijpr.org/environment-energy-and-transportation/2023-12-12/stanford-negotiator-discusses-compromise-on-environmental-conflicts-like-klamath-dams

7.      No, Portland General Electric’s Upcoming 17% Rate Hike Is Not Due to Electric Vehicle Costs (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/verify/pge-rate-hike-not-caused-electric-vehicles/283-1d0ccb3e-f536-4b33-b78e-f980c7d6604a

8.      U.S. Electricity Load Growth Forecast Jumps 81%, Led by Data Centers, Industry: Grid Strategies (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electricity-load-growing-twice-as-fast-as-expected-Grid-Strategies-report/702366/

9.      Transmission: Farmer Fury in Australia Signals Tough Road to Renewable Energy (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/farmer-fury-australia-signals-tough-road-renewable-energy-2023-12-12/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

10.   EIA Expects Combined U.S. Solar & Wind Electricity Generation to Surpass Coal-Fired Generation in 2024 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/pressroom/releases/press547.php

11.   Non-Powered Dams in U.S. Offer Opportunity for Clean Energy (Hydro Review)

https://www.hydroreview.com/hydro-industry-news/new-development/non-powered-dams-in-u-s-offer-opportunity-for-clean-energy/

12.   California: East Bay Municipal Utilities District Project to Generate Power Via Drinking Water Delivery System (KPIX-TV, San Francisco, CA)

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/ebmud-project-generate-power-drinking-water-delivery-system/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

13.   Washington State Tries New Approach to Phase Out Fossil Fuels in New Construction (Building & Design Construction)

https://www.bdcnetwork.com/washington-state-tries-new-approach-phase-out-fossil-fuels-new-construction

14.   Study Shows How Heat Pumps Can Help the Grid & Reduce Energy Costs (C|Net News)

https://www.cnet.com/home/energy-and-utilities/study-shows-how-heat-pumps-can-help-the-grid-and-reduce-energy-costs/

FISH & WILDLIFE

15.   Spring-Run Chinook Could Become Threatened or Endangered Following Petition (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

https://www.kxro.com/spring-run-chinook-could-become-threatened-or-endangered-following-petition/

16.   NOAA Report Links Climate Change to Massive Bump in Alaska Sockeye Salmon, Drop in Chum (Intrafish)

https://www.intrafish.com/fisheries/noaa-report-links-climate-change-to-massive-bump-in-alaska-sockeye-salmon-drop-in-chums/2-1-1570963

17.   Two Men Indicted for Illegal Killing, Trafficking of Eagles from Montana (KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT)

https://www.ktvq.com/news/crime-watch/two-men-indicted-for-illegal-killing-trafficking-of-eagles-from-montana

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

18.   Invasive English Holly Not So Jolly for Pacific Northwest Forests (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/12/11/invasive-english-holly-not-so-jolly-for-pacific-northwest-forests/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

19.   Military Testing Reveals Hundreds of Drinking Water Wells Contaminated with PFAS in WA (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/military-testing-reveals-hundreds-of-drinking-water-wells-contaminated-with-pfas-in-wa/

20.   California Water Districts Agree to Save 643,000 Acre-Feet of Lake Mead Water Through 2025 (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/california-water-districts-agree-to-save-643000-acre-feet-of-lake-mead-water-through-2025/

21.   ‘The Crisis Has Arrived’: An Elder Statesman Unpacks the Battle Over the West’s Water (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/13/bruce-babbitt-colorado-river-q-a-00131576

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

22.   In a First, Nations at Climate Summit Agree to Move Away from Fossil Fuels (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/first-nations-climate-summit-agree-131106111.html

23.   WA Raises Estimated $1.8 Billion in First Year of Carbon Market (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/wa-raises-estimated-1-8-billion-in-first-year-of-carbon-market/

24.   WA Gov. Inslee Unveils $941 Million Supplemental Budget Plan to Fight Climate Change (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_7a9bf0b6-988c-11ee-9d01-8381b01ef9e2.html

25.   The Future of ‘Cap-And-Trade’ Carbon Markets Could Hinge on Washington State (Stateline)

https://stateline.org/2023/12/13/the-future-of-cap-and-trade-carbon-markets-could-hinge-on-washington-state/

26.   Alarm at Plan to Stash Planet-Heating Carbon Dioxide Beneath U.S. National Forests (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/07/co2-us-forest-service

LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS

27.   FCC Gives Pole Attachment Reform the Greenlight (Fierce Telecom)

https://www.fiercetelecom.com/broadband/fcc-greenlights-pole-attachment-reform

28.   Government-Only Fiber Networks (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2023/12/12/government-only-fiber-networks/

BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY

29.   Chelan, Douglas County PUDs Flex Security Measures in a Hacker Era (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/chelan-douglas-county-puds-flex-security-measures-in-a-hacker-era/article_08e222d2-97c5-11ee-a66d-7b6b0cebeb5f.html

30.   Meta’s Arizona Data Center to Be Powered by Solar + Storage Project (Power Engineering)

https://www.power-eng.com/energy-storage/batteries/metas-arizona-data-center-to-be-powered-by-solar-storage-project/

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

31.   Tesla Recalls Over Two Million Vehicles to Fix Defective System that Monitors Drivers (ABC News)

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tesla-recalls-2-million-vehicles-fix-defective-system-105615988

32.   Ford Cuts Planned 2024 Production of Electric F-150 Lightning in Half (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/11/f-150-lightning-ford-cuts-2024-production-plans-in-half.html

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

33.   How NASA Learned to Love 4 Squirmy Letters (New York Times – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/science/nasa-logo-worm.html

MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE

34.   House Democrats Formally Unveil Vision for Energy Policy Reforms (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4356799-house-democrats-energy-policy-reforms/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

35.   December 14 – Anniversary of 2006 Puget Sound Storm That Brought 100 MPH Wind Gusts (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3942929/anniversary-of-puget-sound-storm-that-brought-100-mph-wind-gusts/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

36.   Columnist: On Gas Prices, Governor Inslee Says He Was Misled by Ecology Staff (Washington Policy Center)

https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/on-gas-prices-governor-inslee-says-he-was-misled-by-ecology-staff

37.   Guest Essay: Take Out Dams & Keep the Snake River Salmon’s Last, Best Place (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/take-out-dams-and-keep-the-snake-river-salmons-last-best-place/

38.   Editorial: Remove Culverts for Washington’s Climate Resiliency (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/remove-culverts-for-was-climate-resiliency/

39.   Guest Essay: Climate Justice in WA Is Not Served by Rejecting Natural Gas (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/climate-justice-in-wa-is-not-served-by-rejecting-natural-gas/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Doritos Unveils Nacho Cheese-Flavored Booze, On Sale This Week for $65 a Bottle

https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/12/12/doritos-nacho-cheese-liquor-empirical-booze/

Bundle Up & Look to the Sky: It’s Time for One of the Best Meteor Showers of the Year

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/2023-geminids-1.7050916?cmp=rss

Record-Breaking Christmas Tree Maze in Small Northwest Town

https://www.king5.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/evening/shelton-record-breaking-christmas-tree-maze-northwest-town-holiday-attraction/281-f13d9f01-d563-414a-a920-897497e9a4cf#lq3b16o918k38isl39f

Air Jordans Worth Over $10,000 Found in Shelter Donation Bin

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/12/13/Air-Jordan-3-Spike-Lee-Portland-Rescue-Shelter-auction/2721702483791/

SONG OF THE DAY

The Champs – Tequila

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hswHOEQfj8

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.

Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regular clearing of your browser’s history and cookie files may help access some paywall sites.