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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Columbia River System Study Ready to Be Released (Whitman County Gazette, Colfax, WA)
Bellevue, Olympia Residents Petition to Break Away from Puget Sound Energy (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
Bill to Add Federal Protections to Puget Sound Passes in U.S. House of Representatives (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
Cyber Thieves Steal $740,000 from Benton County. Employee Fell for a Common Scam (Tri-City Herald, WA)
Research Shows Twice as Many People Lack Broadband Access as FCC Thinks (State Scoop)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1. Columbia River System Study Ready to Be Released
2. Bellevue, Olympia Residents Petition to Break Away from Puget Sound Energy
3. Power to the People – Is It Time for Public Power in Bellingham?
4. Chelan PUD Pitches 10-Year Plan to Remove Large Quantities of Oil from Dam Turbines
5. Grant PUD Profit Beats 2019 Projection
6. Jefferson PUD Keeping School Rates the Same
7. Bonneville Power Administration Deconstructs the Wildfire Equation
8. Pacific Power Matching Oregon Energy Fund Donations 2-to-1
9. California Regulators Proposed Decision Avoids New Fixed Charges Due to Concerns Over Customer Backlash
10. President Trump Tweets Reversal of Push for Nevada Nuclear Waste Dump
11. How Utility Planning Is Building a Clean Energy Future in the Pacific Northwest
12. Affordability: It’s the Bill, Not the Rates
13. Alaska: Conservationists Ask Feds to Protect Rare Freshwater Seals
14. Climate Change: It’s a Buzzkill for Bumblebees, Study Finds
15. 2 Idaho-Based Trout Farms Combine in Acquisition Deal
16. Bill to Add Federal Protections to Puget Sound Passes in U.S. House of Representatives
17. Governor Newsom Seeks Peace with President Trump in California Water Wars. Enviros Are Ready to Fight
18. Kotzebue Electric Association: Alaska’s Largest Rural Solar Project Set to Break Ground in Kotzebue
19. California: Supervisors Deny Appeals, Move Lompoc Area Wind Project Forward
20. Sacramento Municipal Utility District Unveils Unique Energy StorageShares Program
21. How Renewable Energy Will Make All the Cheap Hydrogen We Need
22. Research Shows Twice as Many People Lack Broadband Access as FCC Thinks
23. 2 FCC Commissioners Slam FCC Broadband Maps as Basis for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
24. Forecast: 84% of U.S. Households to Subscribe to Broadband by Year End
25. U.S. Appeals Court Will Not Reconsider Net Neutrality Repeal Ruling
26. Cyber Thieves Steal $740,000 from Benton County. Employee Fell for a Common Scam
27. Oregon: Timber Unity Members Protest Cap-&-Trade Climate Bill with Convoy, Rally in Salem
28. Washington Lawmakers Add Fuel to Climate Change Fire
29. Judge Hearing Arguments in Challenge to Tim Eyman’s $30 Car Tab Measure Could Decide Next Week
30. Report: Ex-State Rep. Morris Likely Violated House Policies; Jinkins ‘Unhappy’ with Disclosure Rules
31. Hanford’s Tricky & Long-Shuttered Plutonium Finishing Plant Is Now Officially Demolished
32. Feds Fight $1 Million Hanford Fine. It Increases $30,000 Every Week the Fight Continues
33. From Drizzle to Downpours, ‘Atmospheric Rivers’ Are Wreaking Havoc on Western Washington State
34. Amazing Murk, Very Wet on the Cascade Slopes, & an Unusual Atmospheric River
35. Nisqually River Flooding Forces Evacuations in Parts of Thurston County
36. Army Corps Regulates Flows from Wynoochee Dam for Flood Control
37. Gov. Inslee Issues Emergency Declaration for 19 Counties
WORD OF THE DAY
Rapprochement • \rah-prōsh-MAW\ • Noun - Establishment of or state of having cordial relations
The rapprochement between the new copier repairman and the company’s “queen of the copy room” did not start well. After his “hi little lady” greeting, the two circled each other in the workroom like two prize-fighters, intent on finding the others’ weakness. This would not end well.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1. Columbia River System Study Ready to Be Released (Whitman County Gazette, Colfax, WA)
2. Bellevue, Olympia Residents Petition to Break Away from Puget Sound Energy (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
3. Power to the People – Is It Time for Public Power in Bellingham? (Cascadia Weekly)
4. Chelan PUD Pitches 10-Year Plan to Remove Large Quantities of Oil from Dam Turbines (Wenatchee World, WA)
5. Grant PUD Profit Beats 2019 Projection (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
6. Jefferson PUD Keeping School Rates the Same (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
7. Bonneville Power Administration Deconstructs the Wildfire Equation (Transmission & Distribution World)
8. Pacific Power Matching Oregon Energy Fund Donations 2-To-1 (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)
9. California Regulators Proposed Decision Avoids New Fixed Charges Due to Concerns Over Customer Backlash (Utility Dive)
10. President Trump Tweets Reversal of Push for Nevada Nuclear Waste Dump (Associated Press)
11. How Utility Planning Is Building a Clean Energy Future in the Pacific Northwest (Sightline Institute)
12. Affordability: It’s the Bill, Not the Rates (American Public Power Association)
FISH & WILDLIFE
13. Alaska: Conservationists Ask Feds to Protect Rare Freshwater Seals (Courthouse News Service)
14. Climate Change: It’s a Buzzkill for Bumblebees, Study Finds (NY Times)
15. 2 Idaho-Based Trout Farms Combine in Acquisition Deal (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
“CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE” – WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
16. Bill to Add Federal Protections to Puget Sound Passes in U.S. House of Representatives (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
17. Governor Newsom Seeks Peace with President Trump in California Water Wars. Enviros Are Ready to Fight (Sacramento Bee, CA)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
18. Kotzebue Electric Association: Alaska’s Largest Rural Solar Project Set to Break Ground in Kotzebue (KTOO Radio, Juneau, AK)
https://www.ktoo.org/2020/02/06/alaskas-largest-rural-solar-project-set-to-break-ground-in-kotzebue/
19. California: Supervisors Deny Appeals, Move Lompoc Area Wind Project Forward (Santa Maria Sun, CA)
20. Sacramento Municipal Utility District Unveils Unique Energy StorageShares Program (American Public Power Association)
21. How Renewable Energy Will Make All the Cheap Hydrogen We Need (Forbes Magazine)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
22. Research Shows Twice as Many People Lack Broadband Access as FCC Thinks (State Scoop)
23. 2 FCC Commissioners Slam FCC Broadband Maps as Basis for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (Fierce Wireless)
24. Forecast: 84% of U.S. Households to Subscribe to Broadband by Year End (Telecompetitor)
25. U.S. Appeals Court Will Not Reconsider Net Neutrality Repeal Ruling (Reuters)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
27. Oregon: Timber Unity Members Protest Cap-&-Trade Climate Bill with Convoy, Rally in Salem (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
28. Washington Lawmakers Add Fuel to Climate Change Fire (Capital Press)
GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
29. Judge Hearing Arguments in Challenge to Tim Eyman’s $30 Car Tab Measure Could Decide Next Week (Associated Press)
30. Report: Ex-State Rep. Morris Likely Violated House Policies; Jinkins ‘Unhappy’ with Disclosure Rules (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
GENERAL NEWS
31. Hanford’s Tricky & Long-Shuttered Plutonium Finishing Plant Is Now Officially Demolished (Northwest News Network)
32. Feds Fight $1 Million Hanford Fine. It Increases $30,000 Every Week the Fight Continues (Tri-City Herald, WA)
WHITHER THE WEATHER
33. From Drizzle to Downpours, ‘Atmospheric Rivers’ Are Wreaking Havoc on Western Washington State (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
34. Amazing Murk, Very Wet on the Cascade Slopes, & an Unusual Atmospheric River (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
35. Nisqually River Flooding Forces Evacuations in Parts of Thurston County (KING TV, Seattle, WA)
36. Army Corps Regulates Flows from Wynoochee Dam for Flood Control (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)
37. Gov. Inslee Issues Emergency Declaration for 19 Counties (Associated Press)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Perfect Visual Effects Replace an Ugly Car with an Even Uglier Tesla Cybertruck in ‘Back to the Future’
‘Puppies’ Found in Box on North Carolina Lawn Turn Out to Be Bear Cubs
Cape Town Restaurant Wins Guinness World Milkshake Record
World's Most Expensive Whiskies Go Up for Sale
SONG OF THE DAY
Bill Withers – Lovely Day
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.
