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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Pacific Northwest
Could Experience ‘Energy Droughts,’ Study Finds (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Massive Snowfall
Coming to the Washington Cascades and West Coast Mountains (Cliff Mass Weather
Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2024/01/massive-snowfall-coming-to-washington.html
Plan to Breach
Snake River Dams Was the Work of Tribes (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/jan/02/plan-to-breach-snake-river-dams-was-the-work-of-tribes/
Nuclear Fuel Plant
Seeks Tax Breaks for $39 Million Expansion with New Jobs in Richland (Tri-City
Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/business/article283655108.html
States &
Congress Wrestle with Cybersecurity After Iran Attacks Small Town Water
Utilities (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/water-utilities-hackers-cybersecurity-1c475f5d2ef3b5d52410c93bdeab3aad
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1. Pacific
Northwest Could Experience ‘Energy Droughts,’ Study Finds
2. Plan
to Breach Snake River Dams Was the Work of Tribes
3. Nuclear
Fuel Plant Seeks Tax Breaks for $39 Million Expansion with New Jobs in Richland
4. NorthWestern
Residential Bills to Drop This Month – Reconsideration Still Ahead for Montana
Public Service Commission
5. Idaho
Power Customers Will See Higher Electric Bills Beginning in the New Year.
6. A
Forecast of What This Winter’s Heating Bills Will Look Like
7. Oregon
Wineries Get the Go-Ahead to Pursue Wildfire Lawsuits Against Pacific Power
Parent Company
8. Legislation
Would Require WA Utilities to Line-Item Cap-And-Trade Costs in Bills
9. U.S.
Electricity Profile 2022 – Price Per State
10. Tokyo
Court Only Holds Utility Responsible to Compensate Fukushima Evacuees &
Reduces Damages
11. Wind
Farm Project Near Tri-Cities Could Be Cut in Half Under New Proposal
12. Survivors
of Idaho’s WWII Incarceration Camp Worry About a Proposed Wind Farm Near Site
13. Wind
Power Set to Overtake Coal Generation Capacity in Montana
14. Wind
Turbines Kill Too Many Birds & Bats. How Can We Make Them Safer?
15. Hundreds
Opposed Changes to Rooftop Solar Credits in Idaho. It Was Just Approved Anyway
16. Cleanest
Electricity States in America – 2024 Study
17. Ninth
Circuit Declines to Reconsider Decision Rejecting Berkeley, California, Natural
Gas Ban
18. Seattle
Is Electrifying New Buildings Despite Ruling Against Gas Bans
19. How
To Keep Your Costs Low as Seattle City Light Price Hikes Begin January
20. Energy
Department Finalizes Refrigerator & Freezer Efficiency Standards
21. Hunting
Orcas Are Flocking to Southern California Waters
22. It’s
Getting Quieter in Puget Sound & Easier for Orcas to Find Dinner
23. Record
Number of Eagles Counted at Lake Coeur d’Alene
24. 16
Washington Communities Identified as ‘Overburdened’ by Environmental Harms,
Health Impacts
25. Massive
Snowfall Coming to the Washington Cascades and West Coast Mountains
26. ‘Snow
Drought’ Grips California & Western United States, Despite Recent Storms
27. Cap-And-Trade,
Climate Change Return to the 2024 WA Legislature
28. California:
DOE Agrees to Fund Carbon Capture Project Tied to Sacramento Municipal Utility
District
29. WA
Lawmakers Propose Sending Drivers a Refund Check to Offset Carbon Tax
30. Kids’
Suit Against Feds Over Climate Change Marches Toward Trial
31. Grapes
Used in Champagne May Become Harder to Grow Because of Climate Change
32. Lumen
Settles Investigations, Agrees to Pay $825,000 for Unlawful Disconnection of
Washington Telephone Customers During Pandemic
33. States
& Congress Wrestle with Cybersecurity After Iran Attacks Small Town Water
Utilities
34. Buying
an Electric Vehicle Just Got More Affordable – The Federal Tax Credit Is Now
Available as an Upfront Rebate
35. Arizona:
Electric Scooter Believed to Be Cause of Garage Fire in Glendale, Officials Say
36. Eugene
Weekly Forced to Lay Off Entire Staff, Stop Printing After Alleged Embezzlement
37. Maybe
Don’t Send That Voice Note
38. Nikki
Haley: Snake River Dam Removal Is ‘Not the Right Move’
39. Executive
Sketch: Matheson Leads NRECA In Era of Big Change for Utilities
40. Investigation
Into Whistleblower Complaint Over WA Gas Price Predictions Moves Ahead Slowly
41. Editorial:
Dam Boondoggle & ‘Near-Term Stability’
42. Audio:
States, Tribes Reach Agreement with Federal Government on Columbia Basin,
Despite Power Industry Objections
43. Columnist: Lobbying Against Municipal Broadband
WORD OF THE DAY
Enervate /ENN-err-vayt/ Verb – 1: to reduce the mental or moral vigor of; 2: to lessen the vitality or strength of.
Using passive voice
Enervates your turgid prose
Use the active voice!
(You know, the little voice in your head.)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Pacific Northwest Could Experience ‘Energy
Droughts,’ Study Finds (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
2.
Plan to Breach Snake River Dams Was the Work of Tribes
(Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/jan/02/plan-to-breach-snake-river-dams-was-the-work-of-tribes/
3.
Nuclear Fuel Plant Seeks Tax Breaks for $39 Million
Expansion with New Jobs in Richland (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/business/article283655108.html
4.
NorthWestern Residential Bills to Drop This
Month – Reconsideration Still Ahead for Montana Public Service Commission (The
Daily Montanan)
https://dailymontanan.com/2024/01/02/northwestern-residential-bills-to-drop-this-month/
5.
Idaho Power Customers Will See Higher Electric
Bills Beginning in the New Year. (Elkhorn Media Group, LaGrande, OR)
6.
A Forecast of What This Winter’s Heating Bills
Will Look Like (National Public Radio)
7.
Oregon Wineries Get the Go-Ahead to Pursue
Wildfire Lawsuits Against Pacific Power Parent Company (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
8.
Legislation Would Require WA Utilities to Line-Item
Cap-And-Trade Costs in Bills (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/issues/energy/article_966f2d6a-a5b8-11ee-903e-8b482eb3d35c.html
9.
U.S. Electricity Profile 2022 – Price Per State (U.S.
Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/
10.
Tokyo Court Only Holds Utility Responsible to
Compensate Fukushima Evacuees & Reduces Damages (Associated Press)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
11.
Wind Farm Project Near Tri-Cities Could Be Cut in
Half Under New Proposal (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)
12.
Survivors of Idaho’s WWII Incarceration Camp
Worry About a Proposed Wind Farm Near Site (Associated Press)
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/survivors-idaho-wwii-incarceration-camp-110000902.html
13.
Wind Power Set to Overtake Coal Generation
Capacity in Montana (Montana Free Press)
14.
Wind Turbines Kill Too Many Birds & Bats. How
Can We Make Them Safer? (Canary Media)
15.
Hundreds Opposed Changes to Rooftop Solar
Credits in Idaho. It Was Just Approved Anyway (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
https://news.yahoo.com/hundreds-opposed-changes-rooftop-solar-013442089.html
16.
Cleanest Electricity States in America – 2024 Study
(Smart Asset – Business News)
https://biz.crast.net/cleanest-electricity-states-in-america-2024-study-smartasset/
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
17.
Ninth Circuit Declines to Reconsider Decision
Rejecting Berkeley, California, Natural Gas Ban (Utility Dive)
18.
Seattle Is Electrifying New Buildings Despite
Ruling Against Gas Bans (Crosscut Seattle)
19.
How To Keep Your Costs Low as Seattle City Light
Price Hikes Begin January (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
20.
Energy Department Finalizes Refrigerator &
Freezer Efficiency Standards (Environment America)
FISH & WILDLIFE
21.
Hunting Orcas Are Flocking to Southern
California Waters (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
22.
It’s Getting Quieter in Puget Sound & Easier
for Orcas to Find Dinner (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
https://www.kuow.org/stories/it-s-getting-quieter-in-puget-sound-and-easier-for-orcas-to-find-dinner
23.
Record Number of Eagles Counted at Lake Coeur d’Alene
(Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/dec/31/record-number-of-eagles-counted-at-lake-couer-dale/
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
24.
16 Washington Communities Identified as ‘Overburdened’
by Environmental Harms, Health Impacts (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
25.
Massive Snowfall Coming to the Washington
Cascades and West Coast Mountains (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2024/01/massive-snowfall-coming-to-washington.html
26.
‘Snow Drought’ Grips California & Western United
States, Despite Recent Storms (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
27.
Cap-And-Trade, Climate Change Return to the 2024
WA Legislature (Crosscut Seattle)
28.
California: DOE Agrees to Fund Carbon Capture
Project Tied to Sacramento Municipal Utility District (American Public Power
Association)
https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/doe-agrees-fund-carbon-capture-project-tied-smud
29.
WA Lawmakers Propose Sending Drivers a Refund
Check to Offset Carbon Tax (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_3a6e88fe-a4e5-11ee-8fd4-fbeea6e0afef.html
30.
Kids’ Suit Against Feds Over Climate Change
Marches Toward Trial (Courthouse News Service)
https://www.courthousenews.com/kids-suit-against-feds-over-climate-change-marches-toward-trial/
31.
Grapes Used in Champagne May Become Harder to Grow
Because of Climate Change (National Public Radio)
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
32.
Lumen Settles Investigations, Agrees to Pay
$825,000 for Unlawful Disconnection of Washington Telephone Customers During
Pandemic (Big Country News, Clarkston, WA)
BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF
TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY
33.
States & Congress Wrestle with Cybersecurity
After Iran Attacks Small Town Water Utilities (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/water-utilities-hackers-cybersecurity-1c475f5d2ef3b5d52410c93bdeab3aad
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
34.
Buying an Electric Vehicle Just Got More
Affordable – The Federal Tax Credit Is Now Available as an Upfront Rebate (Grist
Online)
https://grist.org/transportation/ev-tax-credit/
35.
Arizona: Electric Scooter Believed to Be Cause of
Garage Fire in Glendale, Officials Say (KPNX-TV, Phoenix, AZ)
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
36.
Eugene Weekly Forced to Lay Off Entire Staff,
Stop Printing After Alleged Embezzlement (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
37.
Maybe Don’t Send That Voice Note (The Atlantic)
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2024/01/against-voice-notes/676951/
MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE
38.
Nikki Haley: Snake River Dam Removal Is ‘Not the
Right Move’ (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/3943139/nikki-haley-snake-river-dam-removal-is-not-the-right-move/
39.
Executive Sketch: Matheson Leads NRECA In Era of
Big Change for Utilities (Forbes Magazine)
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
40.
Investigation Into Whistleblower Complaint Over WA
Gas Price Predictions Moves Ahead Slowly (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_626fa5e2-a9ac-11ee-a830-bf3d8df571e0.html
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
41.
Editorial: Dam Boondoggle & ‘Near-Term
Stability’ (Capital Press – Paywall Advisory)
42.
Audio: States, Tribes Reach Agreement with Federal
Government on Columbia Basin, Despite Power Industry Objections (Oregon Public
Broadcasting)
43.
Columnist: Lobbying Against Municipal Broadband
(Pots & Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2024/01/02/lobbying-against-municipal-broadband/
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
AP Photos: In
Romania, Hundreds Dance in Bear Skins for Festive ‘Dancing Bear Festival’
https://apnews.com/article/romania-bear-costumes-festival-34089e4caaefaeac67705d713e75cf55
Cursive Writing Was
So Yesterday in California, But in 2024 It’s Back in Class
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jan/02/cursive-writing-was-so-yesterday-in-california-but/
Brazilian YouTubers
Build World’s Tallest Popsicle Stick Structure
Oklahoma Family’s
Cat Rescues Small Dog from Two Coyotes
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/01/03/Edmond-Oklahoma-cat-dog-coyotes/4031704298501/
SONG OF THE DAY
Bread – Diary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO3Gk_d6tt4
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.
