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February 15, 2024, via webinar
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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
U.S. Rep. McMorris
Rodgers (WA-05) Brings Snake River Dam Debate to the Capitol, While Yakama
Nation Warns of ‘Misinformation’ (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jan/30/mcmorris-rodgers-brings-snake-river-dam-debate-to-/
Notice of Intent
Given to Sue Over Columbia River Hatchery Programs (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
https://www.kxro.com/notice-of-intent-given-to-sue-over-columbia-river-hatchery-programs/
California
Lawmakers Backpedal on New Electricity Rates Rule Based on Customer Income
(KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)
https://www.kcra.com/article/california-backpedal-new-electricity-rates-income-based/4658691
What’s Happened
Since California Cut Home Solar Payments? Demand Has Plunged 80% (Bakersfield
Californian, CA)
A Wet Wednesday as
an Atmospheric River Is Aimed at the Pacific Northwest (KNDO/KNDU – Tri-Cities,
Yakima, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1. U.S.
Rep. McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) Brings Snake River Dam Debate to the Capitol,
While Yakama Nation Warns of ‘Misinformation’
2. Allegations
of ‘Secret’ Deal to Remove Four Snake River Dams Aired by U.S. House GOP at
Hearing
3. Matheson
to Congress: Snake River Dams Are Vital to Power Supply in Northwest
4. APPA
Underscores Key Role that Lower Snake River Dams Play in Maintaining Grid
Reliability
5. California
Lawmakers Backpedal on New Electricity Rates Rule Based on Customer Income
6. Montana:
PSC to Investigate NorthWestern Energy’s Decisions During January Cold Spell
7. Bonneville
Power Administration Details How Hydro, Nuclear Generation Maintained
Reliability During Cold Snap
8. Oregon:
Multnomah County Joins Wine Industry Lawsuits Against PacifiCorp
9. Bonneville
Power Administration Issues Final Record of Decision in the TC-25 Tariff
Proceeding
10. U.S.
Sen. Kennedy (LA) Vows to Block Energy, State Nominees Over Biden LNG Pause
11. What’s
Happened Since California Cut Home Solar Payments? Demand Has Plunged 80%
12. WA
State: ‘Arbitrary, Drastic’ Restrictions Could Kill Huge Wind Farm Near
Tri-Cities, Says Developer
13. Mill
Creek Senator’s Bill Would Expand Solar Power in WA Neighborhoods
14. Water
Batteries: Pumped Storage Hydropower Plants Can Bank Energy for Times When Wind
& Solar Power Fall Short
15. The
Gas Stove Fight Finally Flames Out
16. Notice
of Intent Given to Sue Over Columbia River Hatchery Programs
17. California
Gov. Newsom Backs Dam Removal Projects to Boost Salmon. Critics Say That’s Not
Enough
18. Youngest
Member of J Pod Assumed Dead After Orca Disappears
19. City
of Seattle Bans Throwing Batteries in the Garbage, Recycling Bin
20. The
West’s Scorching Heat & Festering Water Crisis Are Part of New Problem,
Study Says
21. Business
& Agricultural Groups Sue California Over New Climate Disclosure Laws
22. Duke,
NextEra, Other Utilities Are Uneven Advocates for Climate Policy, Says
Nonprofit
23. WA
State: East Wenatchee Landfill to Become Renewable Natural Gas Facility
24. Summary
Judgment Motion Filed in Lawsuit Against Washington’s 2030 Gas Car Ban
25. A
Wet Wednesday as an Atmospheric River Is Aimed at the Pacific Northwest
26. ‘Pandemic
of Snow’ in Anchorage Sets a Record for the Earliest Arrival of 100 Inches of
Snow
27.
El Nino is Dying and the Pacific Northwest Will
Get Drenched
WORD OF THE DAY
Frigorific \frig-uh-RIFF-ik\ Adjective - Causing cold: chilling.
“This frigorific weather is unbearable,” grunted the all-electric home customer during a short outage. “Let’s turn up the heat to full blast so the house warms up quickly when the lights come back on,” the bright-bulbed visitor from warmer climates exclaimed.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
U.S. Rep. McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) Brings Snake
River Dam Debate to the Capitol, While Yakama Nation Warns of ‘Misinformation’ (Spokesman-Review,
Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jan/30/mcmorris-rodgers-brings-snake-river-dam-debate-to-/
2.
Allegations of ‘Secret’ Deal to Remove Four Snake
River Dams Aired by U.S. House GOP at Hearing (Idaho Capital Sun)
3.
Matheson to Congress: Snake River Dams Are Vital
to Power Supply in Northwest (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)
4.
APPA Underscores Key Role that Lower Snake River
Dams Play in Maintaining Grid Reliability (American Public Power Association)
5.
California Lawmakers Backpedal on New
Electricity Rates Rule Based on Customer Income (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)
https://www.kcra.com/article/california-backpedal-new-electricity-rates-income-based/46586910
6.
Montana: PSC to Investigate NorthWestern Energy’s
Decisions During January Cold Spell (The Daily Montanan)
7.
Bonneville Power Administration Details How
Hydro, Nuclear Generation Maintained Reliability During Cold Snap (American
Public Power Association)
8.
Oregon: Multnomah County Joins Wine Industry
Lawsuits Against PacifiCorp (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)
https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/multnomah-county-joins-wine-industry-lawsuits-against-pacificorp/
9.
Bonneville Power Administration Issues Final
Record of Decision in the TC-25 Tariff Proceeding (Bonneville Power
Administration)
10.
U.S. Sen. Kennedy (LA) Vows to Block Energy, State
Nominees Over Biden LNG Pause (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jan/30/sen-kennedy-vows-to-block-energy-state-nominees-ov/
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
11.
What’s Happened Since California Cut Home Solar
Payments? Demand Has Plunged 80% (Bakersfield Californian, CA)
12.
WA State: ‘Arbitrary, Drastic’ Restrictions
Could Kill Huge Wind Farm Near Tri-Cities, Says Developer (Tri-City Herald, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article284868871.html
13.
Mill Creek Senator’s Bill Would Expand Solar
Power in WA Neighborhoods (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
14.
Water Batteries: Pumped Storage Hydropower
Plants Can Bank Energy for Times When Wind & Solar Power Fall Short
(Science Magazine)
https://www.science.org/content/article/how-giant-water-batteries-could-make-green-power-reliable
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
15.
The Gas Stove Fight Finally Flames Out (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/29/gas-stove-fight-00138423
FISH & WILDLIFE
16.
Notice of Intent Given to Sue Over Columbia
River Hatchery Programs (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
https://www.kxro.com/notice-of-intent-given-to-sue-over-columbia-river-hatchery-programs/
17.
California Gov. Newsom Backs Dam Removal
Projects to Boost Salmon. Critics Say That’s Not Enough (Associated Press)
18.
Youngest Member of J Pod Assumed Dead After Orca
Disappears (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
19.
City of Seattle Bans Throwing Batteries in the Garbage,
Recycling Bin (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
20.
The West’s Scorching Heat & Festering Water
Crisis Are Part of New Problem, Study Says (USA Today)
21.
Business & Agricultural Groups Sue California
Over New Climate Disclosure Laws (Associated Press)
22.
Duke, NextEra, Other Utilities Are Uneven
Advocates for Climate Policy, Says Nonprofit (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-climate-policy-paris-agreement-misalignment/705983/
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
23.
WA State: East Wenatchee Landfill to Become
Renewable Natural Gas Facility (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/renewable-natural-gas-facility-east-wenatchee/
MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE
24.
Summary Judgment Motion Filed in Lawsuit Against
Washington’s 2030 Gas Car Ban (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_8f471ae6-bf9b-11ee-9860-47bdb5b7d95b.html
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
25.
A Wet Wednesday as an Atmospheric River Is Aimed
at the Pacific Northwest (KNDO/KNDU – Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA)
26.
‘Pandemic of Snow’ in Anchorage Sets a Record for
the Earliest Arrival of 100 Inches of Snow (Associated Press)
27.
El Nino is Dying and the Pacific Northwest Will
Get Drenched (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2024/01/el-nino-is-dying-and-nw-will-get.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
‘Love Stinks’: Rhode
Island Shelter Will Have Cats Poop on Your Ex’s Name
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/01/23/Rhode-Island-SPCA-Love-Stinks-Valentines-Day/8171706033249/
Crime &
Poo-Nishment: Flags Planted in Dog Feces Spark Los Angeles Mystery
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/30/los-angeles-dog-poop-flag-venice-mystery
Paris’ ‘Ratatouille
Restaurant’ Loses £1.3m-Worth of Wine
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68130127
285-Year-Old Lemon
Auctioned for $1,780
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/01/31/old-lemon-auctioned-Brettells/6001706723000/
SONG OF THE DAY
Peter, Paul, and
Mary – Lemon Tree
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pwzuzYjmwY
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.
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stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual
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