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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Oregon: 2024 Winter
Storm ‘Ranks Up There’ in Damage; Up to Nine Dead, Thousands Remain without
Power (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
The Cold Truth
About Renewable Energy in the Pacific Northwest (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-cold-truth-about-renewable-energy.html
Klamath River: The
Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History Begins (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
2024 Spring Chinook
Projections Should Allow for Similar Season as Last Year (Vancouver Columbian,
WA – Paywall Advisory)
The Incredible
Shrinking Podcast Industry (Semafor)
https://www.semafor.com/article/01/14/2024/the-incredible-shrinking-podcast-industry
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1. Oregon:
2024 Winter Storm ‘Ranks Up There’ in Damage; Up to Nine Dead, Thousands Remain
without Power
2. Oregon:
As Power Outages Drag Into 4th Day, Portland Area Residents Angry with Portland
General Electric’s Communication Glitches
3. Puget
Sound Energy Says Region Set New Record for Electrical Demand
4. NorthWestern
Energy Endures Spike, Imports Electricity During Montana Arctic Blast
5. Customers
Help Avista Avert Natural Gas Crisis Over Weekend Cold Snap
6. Chelan
PUD Sets Record for Energy Use During Sub-Zero Snap
7. Power
Grid Operators Continue to Grapple with Extreme Weather Conditions
8. Klamath
River: The Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History Begins
9. WA
U.S. Rep. Newhouse Fights to Withhold Congressional Support for Breaching Four
Snake Dams
10. Washington
Lawmakers May Revive Puget Sound Energy Natural Gas Bill – Prohibit New Hookups
11. California
Public Utilities Commission Rejects Electrification Plan, Draws Criticism
12. President
Biden Urged to Use Obscure Law to Thwart Pacific Northwest Pipeline Expansion
13. The
Cold Truth About Renewable Energy in the Pacific Northwest
14. U.S.
Unveils Solar Energy Plan for Western Public Lands
15. States
With Big Climate Goals Strip Local Power to Block Green Projects
16. Tax-Credit
Rules Leave Key ’Blue Hydrogen’ Issues Unanswered
17. 2024
Spring Chinook Projections Should Allow for Similar Season as Last Year
18. The
Fish Wars – A Timeline of the Origins & Effects of the Boldt Decision
19. Snake
River Toxic Algal Bloom Warnings Lifted
20. Weather
Will Matter to Public Power
21. U.S.
in Deep Freeze While Much of the World Is Extra Toasty? Yet Again, It’s Climate
Change
22. Renewables
Growth Puts COP28 Goals within Reach, But Acceleration Is Needed: IEA
23. Washington
Bill Would Enact California’s Gas Leaf Blower, Lawn Mower Ban
24. Greenhushing:
Companies Are Hiding Their Climate Progress. A New Report Explains Why.
25. More
Broadband Grants Going to Rural Counties, Cornell Researchers Found
26. Washington
Legislature Aims to Regulate Artificial Intelligence — But Treads Cautiously
27. Cold
Snap Challenges Electric Vehicles, Leaving Some Tesla Owners Stranded
28. The
Incredible Shrinking Podcast Industry
29. YouTube
Making Money Off New Breed of Climate Denial, Monitoring Group Says
30. Effectively
Managing Your Social Media as an Executive
31. New
Legislation Would Pave Way to Merge Washington Carbon Market with California’s
32. WA
Secretary of State Certifies Initiative to Repeal Carbon Tax
33. WA
State: Tri-Cities Lawmakers Eye Nuclear Facilities Tax Break, Wind Farm Fire
Concerns
34. New
Washington Bill Would Permanently Switch State to Pacific Standard Time
35. WA
State: The Largest Inland Northwest Snowstorm of the Season So Far Is Arriving
36. Columnist:
Cold Weather Reveals Wind’s Vulnerabilities & the Need to Empower Energy
Consumers
37. Guest
Essay: Column: Yes, Wind Turbines Kill Birds – Fracking Is Much Worse
38.
Editorial: Senators Hear Testimony That AI Is
Worsening News Industry’s Troubles
WORD OF THE DAY
Behemoth • \bi-HEE-muth\ • noun – 1: often capitalized: a mighty animal described in Job 40:15–24 as an example of the power of God 2: something of monstrous size, power, or appearance.
Alfred was proud of his sand sculpture on the Washington Coast. He had created a life-size replica of an orca using black and white dyed sand. He put a lot of effort and care into its creation. However, when whale watchers arrived at the spot and tried to push the behemoth sculpture back into the ocean, it was utterly destroyed.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Oregon: 2024 Winter Storm ‘Ranks Up There’ in Damage;
Up to Nine Dead, Thousands Remain without Power (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
2.
Oregon: As Power Outages Drag Into 4th Day, Portland
Area Residents Angry with Portland General Electric’s Communication Glitches
(Oregonian, Portland, OR)
3.
Puget Sound Energy Says Region Set New Record for
Electrical Demand (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
4.
NorthWestern Energy Endures Spike, Imports
Electricity During Montana Arctic Blast (KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT)
5.
Customers Help Avista Avert Natural Gas Crisis
Over Weekend Cold Snap (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jan/17/customers-help-avista-avert-natural-gas-crisis-ove/
6.
Chelan PUD Sets Record for Energy Use During
Sub-Zero Snap (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/chelan-pud-sets-record-for-energy-use-during-sub-zero-snap/
7.
Power Grid Operators Continue to Grapple with
Extreme Weather Conditions (American Public Power Association)
8.
Klamath River: The Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History
Begins (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
9.
WA U.S. Rep. Newhouse Fights to Withhold
Congressional Support for Breaching Four Snake Dams (Tri-City Herald, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article284136853.html
10.
Washington Lawmakers May Revive Puget Sound
Energy Natural Gas Bill – Prohibit New Hookups (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_c927188e-b4af-11ee-9d08-6ba89fcb41d3.html
11.
California Public Utilities Commission Rejects
Electrification Plan, Draws Criticism (Kiowa County Press, Eads, CO)
12.
President Biden Urged to Use Obscure Law to Thwart
Pacific Northwest Pipeline Expansion (Bloomberg News)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
13.
The Cold Truth About Renewable Energy in the
Pacific Northwest (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-cold-truth-about-renewable-energy.html
14.
U.S. Unveils Solar Energy Plan for Western
Public Lands (U.S. News & World Report)
15.
States With Big Climate Goals Strip Local Power to
Block Green Projects (Associated Press)
16.
Tax-Credit Rules Leave Key ’Blue
Hydrogen’ Issues Unanswered (Canary Media)
FISH & WILDLIFE
17.
2024 Spring Chinook Projections Should Allow for
Similar Season as Last Year (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
18.
The Fish Wars – A Timeline of the Origins &
Effects of the Boldt Decision (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
19.
Snake River Toxic Algal Bloom Warnings Lifted (Northwest
Public Broadcasting)
https://www.nwpb.org/2024/01/12/snake-river-toxic-algal-bloom-warnings-lifted/
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
20.
Weather Will Matter to Public Power (American
Public Power Association)
https://www.publicpower.org/blog/weather-will-matter-public-power
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
21.
U.S. in Deep Freeze While Much of the World Is
Extra Toasty? Yet Again, It’s Climate Change (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/polar-vortex-cold-climate-change-hot-cc1b0d7a04e7ef6d59c4882a211046ce
22.
Renewables Growth Puts COP28 Goals within Reach,
But Acceleration Is Needed: IEA (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/renewable-energy-cop28-growth-economics-global/704446/
23.
Washington Bill Would Enact California’s Gas
Leaf Blower, Lawn Mower Ban (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_286ed5a6-b18c-11ee-9f03-ab11abfe9f95.html
24.
Greenhushing: Companies Are Hiding Their Climate
Progress. A New Report Explains Why. (Grist Online)
https://grist.org/regulation/greenhushing-report-companies-hiding-climate-progress/
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
25.
More Broadband Grants Going to Rural Counties, Cornell
Researchers Found (Statescoop)
https://statescoop.com/broadband-grants-rural-counties-digital-divide-cornell-report/
BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF
TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY
26.
Washington Legislature Aims to Regulate Artificial
Intelligence — But Treads Cautiously (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/politics/2024/01/washington-legislature-aims-regulate-ai-treads-cautiously
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
27.
Cold Snap Challenges Electric Vehicles, Leaving
Some Tesla Owners Stranded (Alaskalink)
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
28.
The Incredible Shrinking Podcast Industry (Semafor)
https://www.semafor.com/article/01/14/2024/the-incredible-shrinking-podcast-industry
29.
YouTube Making Money Off New Breed of Climate
Denial, Monitoring Group Says (Reuters)
30.
Effectively Managing Your Social Media as an Executive
(Forbes Magazine)
MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE
31.
New Legislation Would Pave Way to Merge Washington
Carbon Market with California’s (Washington State Standard)
32.
WA Secretary of State Certifies Initiative to Repeal
Carbon Tax (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/secretary-of-state-certifies-initiative-to-repeal-hidden-gas-tax
33.
WA State: Tri-Cities Lawmakers Eye Nuclear
Facilities Tax Break, Wind Farm Fire Concerns (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_ebd7f824-b182-11ee-97f3-3f080b13cf66.html
34.
New Washington Bill Would Permanently Switch
State to Pacific Standard Time (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
35.
WA State: The Largest Inland Northwest Snowstorm
of the Season So Far Is Arriving (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
36.
Columnist: Cold Weather Reveals Wind’s
Vulnerabilities & the Need to Empower Energy Consumers (Washington Policy
Center)
37.
Guest Essay: Column: Yes, Wind Turbines Kill
Birds – Fracking Is Much Worse (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)
38.
Editorial: Senators Hear Testimony That AI Is
Worsening News Industry’s Troubles (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
No Joke: Feds Are
Banning Humorous Electronic Messages on Highways
Monumental Ancient
Map Re-Emerges in New Rome Museum
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/monumental-ancient-map-re-emerges-new-rome-museum-2024-01-11/
Stranger Crochets
Hat for Baby on Her First Flight
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/stranger-crochets-hat-baby-flight/story?id=106225192
‘Amazing Spider-Man’
No. 1 Auctioned for $1.38 Million
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/01/16/Amazing-Spider-Man-auction-record/3001705428814/
SONG OF THE DAY
Five Man Electrical
Band – Signs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxrsVV5N06I
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.
