Pacific Northwest Waterways Association Weighs in on Snake River Stakeholder Process (Pacific Northwest Waterways Association)

(PORTLAND, OR) – The Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA) is weighing in on the Lower Snake River Dams Stakeholder Process draft report commissioned by the Washington State Governor’s Office, funded by the State Legislature, and made available today for public review and comment. This dam breaching report was one of the more controversial recommendations from the Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force and did not have unanimous support from the group.

“This draft report on the Lower Snake River Dams Stakeholder Process was produced with Washington taxpayer funding, which could have gone toward activities that directly benefit salmon and orcas. While we appreciate the diligence of the consultants leading this process in reaching out to PNWA members and other stakeholders, the product that was commissioned by the State is essentially a status report of river operations followed by a survey of opinions – not science-based salmon recovery,” said Kristin Meira, executive director for PNWA.

“Federal agencies are already studying salmon and the river system and will have a draft report for the region to review in February. This Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement is based in science, complies with National Environmental Policy Act, and includes opportunities for citizen review as well as significant collaboration with cooperating agencies like Northwest tribes and states – including the State of Washington,” said Meira. “The CRSO EIS will include an evaluation of the Snake River dams, including an economic impact analysis with stakeholder input.”

As conversations continue in the region and the federal study process moves forward, PNWA's members will continue to support clean renewable hydropower, efficient barge transportation, and science-based salmon recovery.

Did you know?

Each Snake River dam has a navigation lock that allows cargo to move by water. The Snake River has had remarkably stable tonnage levels in the past 10 years. In 2017 alone, over 3.5 million tons of cargo were barged on the Snake River. It would have taken over 35,140 rail cars to carry this cargo, or over 135,000 semi-trucks. The Snake River is particularly important to our Northwest wheat farmers. The Snake River dams make it possible for nearly 10% of all U.S. wheat exports to move in the safest, lowest emission type of cargo transportation – barging.

Hydropower is a reliable, renewable domestic power source that produces no greenhouse gas emissions and provides nearly 60% of our region's electricity. The Snake River dams are key contributors to the Northwest energy profile and make it possible for intermittent renewables like wind and solar to integrate into our system. The lower Snake River dams are some of the most reliable and lowest-cost electricity sources of the 31 federal dams from which the Bonneville Power Administration markets power.

Salmon recovery in the Pacific Northwest is a collaborative effort by federal and state agencies, tribes, utilities, and countless other entities. Together we all work to address the many ways a salmon's life cycle can be affected by humans: Hydropower, hatcheries, habitat, and harvest. Ocean conditions also play a major role in salmon health, in addition to significant impact from predators like birds, sea lions, and other fish. Major improvements have been made in fish ladders, dam design, optimized river flow and habitat restoration, resulting in steady improvements to salmon runs. Juvenile fish survival rates past each of the eight federal dams are now between 95 and 98 percent.

The Pacific Northwest Waterways Association is a non-profit trade association of ports, businesses, public agencies and individuals who support navigation, energy, trade and economic development throughout the Pacific Northwest.

U.S. Senator Gillibrand Urges Dam Safety Initiative (Politico Morning Energy)

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, NY (D)

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wants Congress to address aging dams across the country following a report last month from the Associated Press that found more than 1,500 U.S. dams classified as high-hazard. Gillibrand, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, wrote to committee leaders John Barrasso and Tom Carper to urge them to "proactively address dam safety" in the Water Resources Development Act for 2020.

Columbia River Operators Increase Flows to Welcome Returning Chum Salmon (Bonneville Power Administration)

(PORTLAND, OR) -- Sometimes being underwater is a good thing, especially for Columbia River salmon nests, called redds. This fall, federal agencies have increased Columbia River flows below Bonneville Lock and Dam to ensure the redds of spawning chum salmon stay covered with water. The agencies have conducted these chum operations every fall since 2000.

Beginning in November, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers holds the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam to between 11.5 and 13 feet above sea level to ensure chum can spawn at the mouth of Hamilton Creek in the Columbia River Gorge. For chum operations to occur, water is released from reservoirs as far away as Hungry Horse and Libby dams in Montana, more than 850 river-miles upriver from Bonneville Dam. The water is then captured and released as needed to keep the redds underwater.

“Chum are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act and they’re an important part of the ecosystem,” says Scott Armentrout, BPA vice president of Environment Fish and Wildlife.  “This operation is just one of the things we do with our federal partners to support this critical species.”

The annual run of Columbia River chum salmon historically numbered more than 1 million. However, habitat loss, harvest, and other factors caused their numbers to plummet during the last century to a low of just a few thousand fish returning to the river each year. An important ecological species and food for mammals such as whales, the federal government listed Columbia River chum as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1999.

Called “dog” salmon because of their canine-like teeth, chum are the last salmon of the year to return to the Columbia to spawn, and their young are the first to leave for the ocean in the spring. Chum salmon generally spawn in the lower part of the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam in areas where warm groundwater pushes up through gravel. The warm water then quickly incubates their eggs.

The Bonneville Power Administration has funded two hatchery programs and constructed new spawning habitat for chum in several areas of the lower Columbia River. These efforts appear to be showing signs of success: More than 45,000 chum returned to the Columbia in 2016 and scientists say 2019 shows signs of a good return as well.

Pacific Northwest Utilities Tap the Feds on Vegetation Management Within and Along Powerline Rights-of-Way (Northwest Public Power Association)

November 25, 2019

Daniel James Jiron

Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment

USDA Forest Service

201 14^th Street SW, Mailstop 1124                                                                             

Washington, DC  20250-1125

Re: Docket Number FS-2019-0019; Procedures for Operating Plans and Agreements for Vegetation Management Within and Along Powerline Rights-of-Way

Dear Mr. Jiron:

Pursuant to the Federal Register notice published at 84 FR 50698, the western electric utility organizations[1] respectfully provide joint comments on the U.S. Forest Service’s proposed rule to update its vegetation management regulations in section 512 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (the Act). 

We are trade associations and joint action agencies representing over 155 electric utilities in the Western United States and Canada.  In the United States, our members include electric utilities in Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington.

In order to provide retail electric service to their communities, our utility members operate electric facilities on or near U.S. Forest Service lands.  In all cases, these utilities are responsible for ensuring that rights-of-way (ROW) are clear of vegetation that could potentially encounter electric transmission and distribution lines for the safe and reliable operation of electric systems.  Challenges arise when approval of special use authorizations to implement integrated vegetation management on or near ROW are delayed, when application of standards for approving such work are inconsistently applied, or when requests to cut hazard trees that are in danger of falling onto ROW are held up or denied.  In addition to the serious impacts for human safety when wildfires occur, utilities are routinely held liable for fire suppression costs and damages resulting from vegetation encountering electric lines. 

We appreciate the U.S. Forest Service’s efforts to propose vegetation management regulations per the deadline set by Congress in the Act.  As you are aware, wildfires in western states pose a significant risk to the reliability of our members’ electric systems and to the safety of their employees and the communities they serve.  In fact, liability for catastrophic wildfires represents the largest financial risk for many of our electric utility members. As a result, we were outspoken advocates of congressional efforts to improve the federal process for approving special use authorizations for management of hazardous trees and vegetation on or near ROW, and the limitation on liability for fire suppression costs contained in the Act.  Our members have highly anticipated these proposed regulations and believe, if implemented as intended by Congress, these rules will play a significant role in protecting electric systems and our nation’s forests and grasslands from wildfires.  

With that in mind, it is imperative that the U.S. Forest Service implement its new authority in the following manner.

1.  Regulations and Guidelines must closely align with the primary intent of the underlying law.  House Report 115-165 filed by the House Natural Resources Committee contains clear objectives for this vegetation management law.  The report states that the legislation “seeks to reduce such wildfires, in part, by promoting federal consistency, accountability, and timely decision-making as it relates to protecting electricity transmission and distribution lines on some federal lands from hazard trees.”  Therefore, in implementing this law, it is imperative that the U.S. Forest Service establish procedures with robust timelines and milestones that promote efficiency, accountability, and consistency in approving special use authorizations to manage vegetation on ROW, facilitate coordination between federal land managers and ROW owner/operators, and promote responsible management of USFS lands that are immediately adjacent to ROWs to enable operators to address hazard trees and fuel loads on federal lands that are a threat to infrastructure within and adjacent to the ROW. 

2. Prioritize establishment of joint guidelines with the Bureau of Land Management as mandated under the Act.  In section 512(b) of the Act, Congress mandated “the Secretary[s] . . . shall issue and periodically update guidance to ensure that provisions are appropriately developed and implemented for utility vegetation management, facility inspections, and operation and maintenance of rights-of-way . . .”  These guidelines must eliminate or minimize the need for case-by-case approvals for routine operations and for utility vegetation management activities that are necessary to control hazard trees.  Delays in development of these guidelines will delay development and approvals of vegetation management plans, threatening the safe operation of electric systems and the prevention of wildfires. 

3. Establish a culture at the U.S. Forest Service that prioritizes review of utility vegetation management plans and collaboration with ROW operators.  Often, our members find various inconsistencies working with federal agency personnel, as outcomes vary based on individual federal employees’ decisions and timelines.  For example, a single utility that provides service in an area overseen by two separate district offices may receive differing guidance and cooperation in approving special use authorizations for utility management of vegetation on or near the utility’s ROW.  In other instances, decision making is delayed while in other locations, decisions are made in a more reasonable and timely manner. Establishing a culture within the U.S. Forest Service that prioritizes review of vegetation management plans and collaboration with ROW operators will aid in the timely review and approval of those plans and the safe operation of electric systems.

4. Implement tools provided by Congress including use of categorial exclusions to NEPA and a training program for agency staff.  We also urge full implementation of the tools Congress provided to the U.S. Forest Service in the Act including use of categorical exclusions for routine and regular work on or near ROW, and development of a training program for agency staff involved in vegetation management decisions.

The U.S. Congress provided the U.S. Forest Service with discretion to identify categories of actions for exclusion from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in section 512(c)(5) of the Act.  We support implementation of the agency’s discretion to categorically exclude actions in development of vegetation management plans and in implementation of those plans from NEPA.  Actions such as routine vegetation management, hazard tree removal, and operations and maintenance of electrical equipment on ROW should fall within the agency’s discretion to categorically exclude from NEPA. 

Training agency staff is another tool encouraged by the U.S. Congress in section 512(i) of the Act.  Delays in approval of special use authorizations for vegetation management on or near ROW often occur due to frequent agency staff turnover.  Frequent turnover results in loss of experience and expertise on the issue. Use of this important training tool in consultation with electric utilities and sharing of utility employees with federal agencies to help educate agency staff on reliability standards and requirements in maintaining and operating distribution and transmission lines in ROW can help meet the goals of the Act for a more efficient, consistent and timely approval of integrated utility vegetation management plans.

Finally, the Act, if implemented as intended, will authorize two important provisions: efficient removal of trees identified as hazards (Section 512(c)); and, limitations on liability for ROW owners/operators (Section 512(g)).   A key provision of the Act was a process by which ROW owners/operators can identify hazard trees – trees that are dead or likely to fail and cause substantial damage or disruption of electrical systems and take action to remove that tree while notifying the U.S. Forest Service.  This provision is vital to quick and decisive action to protect electric systems, prevent wildfires and ensure public safety.  The Act also provides reasonable liability limits for damages that may result from activities conducted in accordance with the operation and maintenance plans established and submitted pursuant to this Act.  Utilities, and ultimately their customers, bear the cost of maintaining ROWs as well as the cost of liability for damages.  Limiting strict liability for utilities is a key to success as it empowers ROW owners/operators to remove hazardous trees and quickly address other urgent threats to power lines in order to avert potential crises.

Our members are environmental stewards who support responsible forest management because they are led by people who live in the communities served.  Many are in areas that have seen devastating wildfires in recent years and are actively engaged in ROW management to reduce this threat.  We support the various elements of this rulemaking that will provide more uniform guidelines for operating and maintaining utility ROWs on federal land, that will establish a process to enable our members to address emergency hazards quickly and effectively, and that will fully implement the limitations on strict liability established in the Act. 

We look forward to working with the U.S. Forest Service towards a more efficient and consistent vegetation management program that ensures the safe and reliable operation of the electric utility system and prevents wildfires on our nation’s lands. 

Sincerely,

Scott Corwin

Executive Director

Northwest Public Power Association

on behalf of NWPPA and

Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems

Northern California Power Agency

Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities Association

Wyoming Rural Electric Association

Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association

Golden State Power Cooperative

Nevada Rural Electric Association

Alaska Power Association

Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association

Oregon People’s Utility District Association

California Municipal Utilities Association

Washington Public Utility Districts Association

---

x

[1] Northwest Public Power Association, Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, Northern California Power Agency, Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities Association, Wyoming Rural Electric Association, Montana Electric Cooperative Association, Golden State Power Cooperative, Nevada Rural Electric Association, Alaska Power Association, Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association, California Municipal Utility Association, Oregon People’s Utility District Association, Washington Public Utility District Association.

Energy Debate Overlooks Profound Threat to Vulnerable Northwest Communities (Northwest RiverPartners, Vancouver, WA)

Loss of Carbon-free Hydropower Would Create a Two-Class Social Equity System

(VANCOUVER, WA) -- Northwest RiverPartners, a not-for-profit, member-driven organization that advocates for carbon-free hydropower, today issued a warning about the dire impact that dam removal and the associated threat to hydroelectricity would have on the most vulnerable communities in the Northwest. 

“On an annual basis, fifty percent of the Northwest region’s electricity generation comes from carbon-free hydropower,” said Kurt Miller, executive director of Northwest RiverPartners. “Loss of this critical resource would lead to blackouts and capacity shortages, disproportionately burdening susceptible communities.”

Northwest RiverPartners isn’t alone in their concern about the future of electricity in the region. In an unprecedented move, hundreds of Northwest energy leaders convened this October to address the real threat to future power resources and supply, in part due to increased efforts to diminish the hydroelectric system. These efforts come at a time when thousands of megawatts of carbon-emitting resources are already being removed without an immediate replacement.

Yet many involved in the debate have overlooked the critical sociological and economic aspect that would adversely impact low income communities and communities of color.

“There is a very important social justice component of our work that embraces environmental equity issues and prioritizes a renewable energy future that doesn’t leave people behind,” said Miller. “We advocate for hydroelectricity because it is clean, affordable, and accessible for all communities - it is a critical part of the Northwest’s clean energy future.”

Many Northwest communities with the highest percentage of low-income and disadvantaged populations and communities of color, rely on hydroelectricity as a cost-effective carbon-free energy resource. Many also rely on dams, and the benefits they provide, for jobs.

For example, the Tri-Cities region in Washington state has a growing population of almost 300,000 of which over one third are communities of color according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A high proportion of workers within this community are employed by or tied to the agricultural industry, which in turn relies on the irrigation made possible by area dams.

As evidenced by the current California power outages, which have shown a disturbing economic divide, the price of installing alternative energy systems is still cost-prohibitive to more vulnerable segments of the population.

“While it's important that we focus on a clean energy future, our current trajectory is leading to a two-class system for electricity where only the well-to-do can afford new energy sources such as solar panels, inverters, batteries and backup generation,” continued Miller.

A threat to carbon-free hydropower would also affect small businesses in the region. Solar and wind power, which are balanced by the stability and reliability of hydropower, are becoming more affordable. Still, the least expensive way to participate in the clean energy future and maintain the cheapest power bills in the country is through the use of hydroelectricity.

“At our meetings, we’ve often said that you cannot have sustainability without equity,” said Sam Brooks, founder and board chairman, Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs. “Our minority, women-owned, and emerging small businesses need continued access to clean and affordable energy resources like hydroelectricity.”

The debate over the value and role of hydropower and the prospect of dam removal in the Northwest has been gaining traction and will reach a pivotal point next February with the release of the Draft Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement by federal action agencies. The report will analyze the societal, environmental, and economic costs and benefits of breaching the four lower Snake River dams. 

About Northwest RiverPartners

Northwest RiverPartners is a not-for-profit, member-driven organization. Members include community-owned utilities, ports, and businesses from across the northwestern United States. The organization is focused on raising awareness about how the Northwest’s hydropower system betters communities and the natural environment and encourages science-based solutions that help hydropower and salmon coexist and thrive. www.nwriverpartners.org

Lewis County Public Works to Build Emergency Water Stations (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

(CHEHALIS, WA) -- Lewis County Public Works Department will be moving ahead with the construction of three water stations for emergency use around the county.

Public Works Director Josh Metcalf says Lewis County received $72,000 in funding from the Washington State Department of Ecology to build the stations for use during emergency events.

Metcalf says the emergency water stations will be at the county’s area 5 road maintenance shop in Ethel, area 7 shop in Randle, and area 2 shop in Adna.

Brouillette Breezing to U.S. Energy Secretary Confirmation (Washington Examiner, Daily on Energy)

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- President Trump officially nominated Dan Brouillette Thursday to replace Rick Perry atop the Energy Department, and Senate Republicans want to move quickly on confirming him.

Energy Committee Republicans moved quickly to schedule a confirmation hearing for Brouillette on Thursday, Nov. 14 — before Perry’s last day on Dec. 1.

Brouillette, 57, is currently the deputy energy secretary, working as Perry's second in command on behalf of the Trump administration’s “energy dominance” agenda, which focuses mostly on exporting coal and natural gas. The Senate easily confirmed him to his deputy role by a 79-17 vote.

“If confirmed, I will further Secretary Perry’s legacy of promoting energy independence, innovation, and security for the American people,” Brouillette said in a statement Thursday.

Mason PUD 3 Gets National Recognition as a Smart Energy Provider (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

One of 67 utilities across the nation to receive the inaugural designation from the American Public Power Association

(SHELTON, WA) -- Mason PUD 3 has been named to the inaugural class of the “Smart Energy Provider” program by American Public Power Association.

PUD 3 received the designation along with 67 utilities across the nation for its commitment and expertise in energy efficiency, encouragement of distributed energy generation, customer education and communications, and environmental programs that support the goal of providing low-cost, quality, safe, and reliable electric service.

“I’m pleased to see that Mason PUD 3’s mission, vision, and core values dovetail so perfectly with the Smart Energy Provider program,” said Koral Miller, PUD 3 conservation manager. “Our employees strive every day to follow our core values of being solutions-oriented, communicating with our customers, striving for reliable and economical service, and being socially responsible,”

“Competing with other utilities allows the PUD 3 to benchmark its efforts against hundreds of other organizations,” said Annette Creekpaum, PUD 3 manger. “Recognition of our efforts affirms our work to provide the best service possible to our customers and community.’

“This designation highlights utilities that are stepping up to deliver top-notch programs and services to their customers,” said Chris Van Dokkumburg, planning analyst at ‎Holland Board of Public Works (Michigan) and Chair of APPA’s Energy Services Committee. “These utilities are going beyond ‘keeping the lights on,’ and their communities should be proud.”

Other Washington state utilities receiving the Smart Energy Provider designation are Clark Public Utilities, Snohomish PUD, and Tacoma Power.

Mason PUD 3 has won 14 consecutive Government Finance Officer awards for excellence in financial reporting; the PUD received the Northwest Public Power Association’s Paul Hougan award for overall excellence in communications; the utility has a Diamond Level designation from the American Public Power Association as one of the nation’s Reliable Public Power Providers; PUD 3 placed first in its category in the Northwest Public Power Association’s 2018 Safety Contest; the PUD received the 2018 American Public Power Association’s Safety Award of Excellence.

Mason PUD 3 provides electricity to nearly 34,000 customers in most of Mason County and small portions of Kitsap and Grays Harbor Counties. The PUD also operates a wholesale fiber optic telecommunications network, which supports the operation of its electric distribution services.

The American Public Power Association is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide.

Here is the full list of the 2019 Smart Energy Provider honorees.

Online Bill Pay for Chehalis Utility Customers to Start Early Next Year (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

(CHEHALIS, WA) -- Beginning early next year Chehalis utility customers will be able to pay their bills online. 

The Chehalis City Council this week approved implementing the online payment program. City finance director Chun Saul says it will enhance the customer’s experience by utilizing modern technology. She says the new online bill pay program should also simplify staff workload and improve efficiency.

The new online bill pay program approved by the City Council is “Civic Pay” by Springbrook. The program’s estimated annual cost to the city is $27,380. The city decided to pay all transaction fees and not to charge the customers a convenience fee. City staff estimates it will be available for customers in January or February of 2020.

Flipping the Bird on the Sage Grouse (Washington Examiner, Daily on Energy)

(BOISE, ID) -- Judge B. Lynn Winmill of the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho granted a preliminary injunction ruling that the administration failed to analyze how sage grouse would be harmed under a plan issued in March that would allow for drilling and mining activities amongst the bird’s habitat.

“It is likely that these actions will cause further declines of the sage grouse under the weakened protections,” Winmill wrote in his decision.

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management sought to revise a previous sage grouse plan issued in 2015 by the Obama administration with the support of western states. The Obama administration decided not to list the bird as endangered — a more significant step — but protected large chunks of habitat from oil and gas drilling. The range of the grouse extends across 270,000 square miles in parts of 11 states in the western United States. The bird's population once numbered in the millions but fell to a few hundred thousand in recent decades.

Rick Perry to Tout Small Nuclear Reactors in Europe (Washington Examiner, Daily on Energy)

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- Energy Secretary Rick Perry is traveling to Europe this weekend to tout the Trump administration’s work to encourage the development of small modular nuclear reactors.

Perry will visit Brussels for the first-ever U.S.-E.U. High Level Forum on SMRs to boost cooperation on the emerging but still in-development technology, which the energy secretary told reporters on a press call Wednesday is “key to ensure clean, reliable, secure baseload power for years to come.”

Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania are among European countries that have signed memos with various private companies in the U.S. on developing advanced reactor technologies, said Sam Buchan, DOE’s assistant secretary for international affairs.

The agency is optimistic that other countries, including in Europe will look to import a technology being developed by Oregon-based NuScale that is on track to be the first company to obtain a license to operate a small reactor design in the U.S. for commercial use, with deployment planned for 2026.

State of Oregon Finds Wind Farm Abused Workers (Willamette Week, Portland, OR)

(SALEM, OR) -- Oregon Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle's agency has lowered the boom on Colorado-based RES Construction, a subcontractor on the $590 million Montague wind farm in Eastern Oregon's Gilliam County.

Investigators for the Bureau of Labor and Industries determined RES deprived workers of hundreds of meal and rest breaks earlier this year. BOLI now proposes to fine RES $209,800, the biggest penalty imposed by the agency since it fined legislative leaders $1.1 million in a sexual harassment case.

The Montague project qualified for more than $10 million in tax benefits for the project's developer, Avangrid. RES may now fight the fine in a contested case hearing. "Our wage and hour division found evidence of wrongdoing," Hoyle said. "Workers are entitled to meal periods and rest periods under Oregon law." RES declined to comment.

Lewis County: Progress is continuing on the Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

(CENTRALIA, WA) -- Progress is continuing on the Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project in Lewis and Thurston counties. Sean Bell with RES America, the company building the project, was at this week’s Lewis County Commissioner’s meeting to thank county staff and the commissioners for their support of the project. In updating the commissioners on the project, Bell said the blades for the wind turbines will start being delivered to the site later this month. Each of the turbine blades is 233 feet long. The 38-turbine Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project, which will produce 137 megawatts of electricity, is located near the TransAlta coal plant in Centralia.

President Trump Nominates Republican James Danly for FERC (Washington Examiner)

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- President Trump on Monday night nominated Republican James Danly to be a commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The move confirms speculation that Trump would choose to fill only one of two vacancies at FERC by first nominating a Republican without also putting forth a Democrat, as is customary.

Danly has been FERC’s general counsel since 2017. Before that, he was an associate in the energy practice at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army.

If confirmed, Danly would further tilt the makeup of FERC to the GOP, giving it three Republican commissioners and one Democrat as it considers a docket that includes updating market rules in grid operator PJM, pipeline approvals, and grid resilience.

The sitting commissioners are Democrat Rich Glick and two Republicans, Chairman Neil Chatterjee and Bernard McNamee. Former Republican Chairman Kevin McIntyre died of cancer in January, while Democrat Cheryl LaFleur retired this summer after Senate Democrats indicated they would not support her for a third term.

Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the top Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, had urged Trump to simultaneously nominate one Republican and one Democrat.

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has also warned that he would block legislation passed by the energy committee unless the White House paired the nominations.

But committee chairwoman Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, was eager to see the White House boost FERC’s number, and has indicated she is not likely to hold up confirmation votes without the White House nominating a Democrat.

NWPPA Honors NEEA’s Eugene Rosolie with 2019 Jim Brands Award (Northwest Public Power Association)

(VANCOUVER, WA) -- The Northwest Public Power Association’s 2019 Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference (NIC) Planning Committee has selected Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s Eugene Rosolie as this year’s recipient of the Jim Brands Award for his lifetime commitment to the public power industry and remarkable work in the area of energy efficiency. The award was presented to Rosolie on Tuesday, September 17, at the NIC awards banquet at the Tulalip Resort in Washington.

2019 Jim Brands Award recipient Eugene Rosolie

(center) with ESG’s Mark Gosvener and Clatskanie

PUD’s Sarah Johnson.

Rosolie has over 20 years in energy efficiency and the utility industry, having started his career at PNGC Power. He has been a passionate advocate for energy efficiency and environmental awareness throughout his career.

“He was very helpful, and taught me a lot about how to run programs and to speak up for ourselves at BPA meetings,” said Clatskanie PUD Customer Relations & Services Manager Sarah Johnson. “I know he and Jim Brands had a great mutual respect for each other. I witnessed many in depth energy efficiency conversations between Eugene and Jim. I feel that Jim would be proud to have Eugene as a recipient of this special award we have named in his honor.”

Rosolie worked for PNGC Power as the senior economist/conservation manager for 10 years. During his time there, he represented the PNGC utilities at regional meetings, and championed the conservation committee’s ideas and feedback. After his time at PNGC, Rosolie served four years at Cowlitz PUD as the energy efficiency services manager where he was able to run programs and have direct influence on a local utility’s conservation goals. He was also responsible for conceptualizing the process of the online EE “project tracker” application and getting management approval to proceed with the development for Cowlitz PUD.

In July 2014, Rosolie became the stakeholder relations manager for NEEA. He currently represents NEEA and provides support to utilities in the Northwest. Rosolie takes an active role in the Efficiency Exchange each year and is a regular presenter for the Northwest Regional Group.

This annual award honors Jim Brands and his 35-year career in the electric utility and energy efficiency industries. Brands, a previous employee of NWPPA and longtime friend to the public power industry, created Efficiency Services Group with Mark Gosvener and Ted Haskell in 2005. He passed away in 2014 from cancer at the age of 61.

Current or former employees of NWPPA member utilities are eligible to receive this award. The NIC Planning Committee selects recipients based on accomplishments through at least 10 years of energy efficiency experience, at least 20 years of service to the industry, and promotion of public power through efforts such as community service.

Idaho Falls Power’s Van Ashton, Ravalli Electric Cooperative’s Jim Maunder, and Clearwater Power Company’s Bob Pierce were the first recipients of the award in 2016, 2017, and 2018 respectively.

NWPPA Honors Debbie Bone-Harris with 2019 Lacy Peoples Award (Northwest Public Power Association)

(VANCOUVER, WA) -- The Northwest Public Power Association’s 2019 Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference (NIC) Planning Committee has selected Franklin County PUD’s Debbie Bone-Harris as this year’s winner of the Lacy Peoples Award for her lifetime commitment to the public power industry and communication and public involvement. The award was presented to Bone-Harris on Tuesday, September 17, at the NIC awards banquet at the Tulalip Resort in Washington.

2019 NIC Chair Jeff Marshall and Lacy

Peoples Award recipient Debbie

Bone-Harris.

Bone-Harris has over 35 years in the utility industry, having started her career at Hanford for 20 years. Now she is the public affairs manager for Franklin County PUD, where she has worked since 2003. During this time, she has held various roles throughout the utility with responsibility for community events, communications, legislative affairs, and public involvement. She has dedicated endless hours to preserving and educating customers and the public about the value of the federal Columbia and Snake River dam system, and working with state and federal legislators in Olympia and Washington, D.C.

She also holds a number of leadership roles, including sitting on the Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Visit Tri-Cities, and Tri-Cities Legislative Council Board of Directors as well as previously sitting on the TRIDEC Board of Directors. In the electric industry, she sits on boards for the Washington Public Utility District Association and the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. She has held community leadership positions throughout her career, including serving as chair of the Small Business Awards Banquet that ran for 20 years.

“My memory of Deb and her skills has been as a mentor and helping a new crop of communicators come into their own,” said Grays Harbor PUD’s Ian Cope. “As a new member of the utility communications family, I knew little about the industry. Deb was one of the communicators who helped me learn about how to communicate the facts and stories of our industry to customers.”

First given to Lacy Peoples of Cowlitz PUD at the Consumer Services/Communications Conference in 1978, the award is now presented to recipients at the annual NIC. Current or former employees of NWPPA member utilities are eligible to receive this award. The NIC Planning Committee selects recipients based on accomplishments through at least 10 years of marketing and communication experience; at least 20 years of service to the industry; and promotion of public power through efforts such as community service.

Recent Lacy Peoples Award winners include Joel Myer of Mason 3 PUD (2018), Curtis Condon of Ruralite Services (2017), and Barbara Johnson of Tillamook PUD (2016).

Northwest Public Power Association Announces 26th Annual Excellence in Communication Winners

(VANCOUVER, WA) -- The Excellence in Communication contest, which recognizes the top communication efforts from Northwest Public Power Association member utilities and associations, turned 26 years old this year and celebrated another record-breaking year at the Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference (NIC) awards banquet at the Tulalip Resort in Tulalip, Wash., on Tuesday, September 17.

The 2019 Excellence in Communication winners at Tuesday evening's banquet

“We asked members to crush last year’s score with a record number of entries, and they came through––in fact they topped the old record of 229 with 257 entries this year. That’s more than a 10% increase in entries,” said 2019 NIC Chair Jeff Marshall of Clearwater Power. “And the entries this year were top notch with 13 receiving perfect scores of 50 out of 50. Congratulations to everyone!”

Categories are broken up into four groups: Group A utilities having the smallest number of customers and Group D having the largest. Eight local marketing and communication professionals volunteered their time to judge the entries. A complete list of the first-, second-, and third-place winners can be found at the end of this release.

(L-R) Mason PUD 3’s Justin Holzgrove,
Joel Myer, and Lynn Eaton
celebrate their Tom Hougan Award win.

In addition to the Excellence in Communication awards, NWPPA presented the 2019 Tom Hougan Award for the best overall communication effort to Mason PUD No. 3 of Shelton, Wash. With an average score of 45.8 out of 50 points, which included four first-place awards, three second-place awards, one third-place award, and one perfect score, this is Mason 3’s first time winning the contest. Public Information and Government Relations Manager Joel Myer was on hand to accept the award along with coworkers Lynn Eaton and Justin Holzgrove.

Winners of the People’s Choice Awards in photography were also announced at the banquet. Attendees viewed all of the nearly 50 photography submissions at Monday night’s opening reception and voted on their favorite photo in each of three categories:

Roseville Electric Utility (Calif.) won Best Photo of a Child.

Silicon Valley Power (Calif.) won Best Photo of an Employee.

Ravalli Electric Cooperative (Mont.) won Best Photo in the Miscellaneous Category.

The annual Excellence in Communication awards will next be presented in September 2020.

About NWPPA: NWPPA is an international not-for-profit trade association representing and serving over 150 customer-owned, locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. The Association also serves approximately 300 associate members across the U.S. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry. Visit www.nwppa.org, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook for more information.

Anita Decker, Electric Industry Leader Named to Western Energy Imbalance Market Governing Body (Western Energy Imbalance Market, Folsom, CA)

(FOLSOM, CA) – The Western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) Governing Body today unanimously appointed Anita Decker to serve on the EIM Governing Body. Decker, former executive director of the Northwest Public Power Association will begin on Sept. 1, filling a vacant seat with a term that ends in June 2020.

The EIM Governing Body oversees the Western EIM, a real-time bulk power trading market and the first of its kind in the western United States. Since its launch in 2014, the Western EIM has enhanced grid reliability while generating $736 million in benefits to its nine participating entities, and reducing 403,546 metric tons of carbon emissions in the western states.

“Anita Decker’s experience in nearly all aspects of the electric power industry makes her a valuable addition to the EIM Governing Body,” said Jennifer Gardner, the EIM Governing Body Nominating Committee Chair. “Her perspective will be particularly important as the Western EIM continues to experience rapid growth and offers additional services to meet customer needs and address regulatory and legislative mandates as the power industry evolves.”

Decker brings 39 years of electric utility experience, most recently as executive director of the Northwest Public Power Association from 2014 to 2019, overseeing an organization that provides legislative and regulatory support and training to more than 150 community-owned electric utilities and electric cooperatives in nine western states and British Columbia.

Between 2007 and 2014, Decker served as the chief operating officer for the Bonneville Power Administration, including a stint as acting administrator for the Western Area Power Administration. She was responsible for Bonneville Power Administration’s power services, transmission services, internal business services and environment, fish and wildlife.

Decker’s career also includes a 27-year stint with PacificCorp, where she held positions in Oregon, Wyoming, and Utah, rising to the role of business unit vice president. The EIM Governing Body oversees the Western EIM as its membership grows with the ISO and eight other Balancing Authorities. Future participants of the Western EIM include the Salt River Project, and Seattle City Light in 2020; Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, NorthWestern Energy, Turlock Irrigation District, and the Public Service Company of New Mexico in 2021; and Tucson Electric Power, Avista, and Tacoma Power in 2022.

Going with the Flow – The Clean Water Act & Hydropower Relicensing (Politico, Morning Edition)

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- Long before President Donald Trump targeted Section 401 of the Clean

Water Act to rein in states' ability to block pipeline and coal export projects, the hydropower industry was already working to do the same, Pro's Annie Snider reports this morning.

The hydropower angle is a key reason why the bipartisan Western Governors Association has raised concerns about the proposal. The Trump administration's proposal runs head-long into a long-running fight over who gets to decide how much water a dam operator must let spill over the top of a dam or divert around the electricity-generating turbines — an action usually taken to benefit fish and wildlife.

States began looking to the Clean Water Act provision after a 1990 Supreme Court decision rejected an argument by California that the Federal Power Act gave it the right to set "minimum flow rates" for dams. The Supreme Court has agreed that states have broad latitude to set requirements like minimum flows under the water law in an opinion that poses a major legal hurdle for the administration's legal defense of the new rule.

About 325 hydropower projects representing 16 gigawatts of renewable power over the next 13 years are due for relicensing, according to the National Hydropower Association — and states have used the process in the past to leverage to impose strict new requirements on decades' old dams. But legal experts say there are major questions about whether the be able to continue to do so if the proposed rule is finalized.

Two-Year Study of Water levels at Lake Mead, Lake Powell to be Released (Politico, Morning Energy)

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- The Bureau of Reclamation is expected to release today a 24-month study of water elevations at Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the key reservoirs on the Colorado River. The study will offer a glimpse into the Colorado River's health following long-running drought — the first such look since the president signed the seven-state Drought Contingency Plan, H.R. 2030 (116), into law.

A wet winter season this year and enacted conservation programs have made it unlikely there will be a shortage declaration predicted for 2020, but the projected levels will provide direction on water releases and deliveries under the drought plan. "The question will be projecting the elevations, [and] what level of conservation will be triggered pursuant to that Drought Contingency Plan agreement," said Kevin Moran, senior director of Environmental Defense Fund's Colorado River Program. He was also a member of the steering committee that helped craft the Arizona DCP.

But while the study will likely give a relative sigh of relief after prolonged drought, Moran said future shortages remain likely. "The work we need to do in the region remains clear," he told ME, adding "the projections of climate scientists are disconcerting and really call on everyone in the region to think ahead and plan for a drier future."

James Eklund, former Colorado River representative for Colorado and current of counsel at Squire Patton Boggs, echoed that concern to ME. Given the run-off, he said, "the worst thing that could happen ... would be if people take a look at that 24-month study and they see a zero percent chance of a shortage declaration for the coming year, they will take their foot off the accelerator."

Franklin PUD’s Senior Public Affairs Manager Announces Retirement (Franklin PUD, Pasco, WA)

(PASCO, WA) -- Debbie Bone-Harris, Franklin PUD’s Sr. Public Affairs Manager will be retiring at the end of November 2019. 

“Bone-Harris has been a uniquely qualified leader who brings deep industry experience and shares our commitment to customers, clean energy, and to being a key part of the community," said Scott Rhees, Franklin PUD General Manager. Stacey Azure, Communications Specialist stated, “Debbie has been a strong leader at Franklin PUD and is an amazing co-worker and manager. She brings fresh ideas and energy to our organization and inspires others to do their best work every day – and she has a little fun while doing it.”

Bone-Harris began her career at Franklin PUD in 2003 and has held various roles throughout the utility with responsibility for community events, communications, legislative affairs, and public involvement. She has dedicated endless hours to preserving and educating customers and the public about the value of the federal Columbia and Snake River dam system, and working with state and federal legislators in Olympia and Washington D.C.  Prior to joining Franklin PUD, she spent 20 years working at Hanford in various positions.

She holds a number of leadership roles including sitting on the Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Visit Tri-Cities and Tri-Cities Legislative Council Board of Directors as well as previously sitting on the Board of Directors for TRIDEC. In the electric industry she sits on boards for the Washington Public Utility District Association, Northwest Public Power Association, and the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.  She has held community leadership positions throughout her career but was always well known for serving as Chair of the Small Business Awards Banquet which ran for 20 years.

What most of the community doesn’t know about Bone-Harris is that she is also a Clothing and Textile Advisor through WSU Extension and is an experienced instructor at national sewing and design conferences, holding both national and international awards for her work.

Bone-Harris received her Bachelor of Arts degree from WSU-Tri-Cities, as well as her Master’s Degree cum laude from Washington State University.

 

"I’m leaving the PUD just as change continues to inundate the electric industry. There are many great employees that will keep an eye out for Franklin PUD customers.  We have a great team to lead the efforts as our region continues to foster a clean energy future. I go into retirement with loads of activities ahead me and can’t wait to catch up with all my sewing buddies, go on some great hot rod adventures with my husband, play on the Oregon coast, and of course, play with my grandchildren much more”, stated Bone-Harris.