IN FOCUS: Rural communities to benefit from nearly $5 million in new state Clean Energy Fund investments.
Commerce awards $4.76 million to dairy digester bioenergy and other innovative clean energy projects in seven rural communities
OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced seven grants totaling $4.76 million from the state’s Clean Energy Fund to enhance dairy digesters and advance clean energy in rural communities. These investments will result in improved air and water quality or soil health, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and local economic benefits.
“The clean energy economy is rich with opportunities for every corner of Washington state, as evidenced by the innovative project proposals from these rural communities,” said Commerce Director Mike Fong. “These investments in diverse technologies contribute to our climate and clean energy goals and support cross-cutting priorities including sustainable climate-smart business models for the agriculture sector, community energy resilience, jobs and economic development, and tribal sovereignty.”
For example, in Whatcom County, FPE Renewables will install a new generator technology, which will improve efficiency, increase annual renewable electrical production, and result in decreased air emissions at the Vander Haak Dairy and surrounding community.
“Co-digestion projects involving dairy manure and pre-consumer food processing waste provide numerous environmental benefits to the community, state, and the nation,” said Steve Vander Haak, FPE Renewables owner and managing partner. “Key among those benefits are stabilization of waste organic streams for use as a renewable fertilizer, production of renewable electricity for charging EVs, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and reduction in odors incurred during processing, storage and application of the organic slurries wastes.”
Vander Haak noted that once installed and at full capacity, FPE Renewables should be able to supply enough renewable electricity to operate over 3,000 electric cars annually – all from waste manure and food residuals.
The Spokane Tribe will conduct a significant energy efficiency and decarbonization overhaul of the Tribal Administrative Building in Stevens County. The estimated reduction in utilities bill for the building as a result of these energy efficiency improvements is projected to be over $30,000 annually.
“This funding will not only address many of the utilities related problems which the Tribal Administrative Building is currently having; but also making the building more energy efficient and green,” said Maria Cullooyah, Spokane Tribe of Indians Director of Public Works and Utilities.
“This project will set an example for all other Spokane Tribal buildings and facilities going forward, as well as a new overall sustainable decarbonization approach toward any tribal projects in the future.”
The full list of Rural Clean Energy Innovation grants announced today:
$1 million to Colville Retail Marijuana Sales (Nespelem, Okanagan County) the K’Wusm project, which will fund a Solar-Generating Greenhouse for Cultivation and Community Services.
$412,588 to Farm Power Lynden LLC (Custer, Whatcom County) for a hydrogen sulfide scrubber and generator as part of the Low-Carbon Community Digester Restart project.
$1 million to FPE Renewables (Lynden, Whatcom County) for the Installation of Additional High-Efficiency Generating Capacity for Improved Electric Vehicle Fuel Sales.
$500,000 to Pacific Ag Renewables (Sunnyside, Yakima County) for the Sunnyside Renewable Natural Gas project.
$598,800 to Public Utility District No. 1 of Skagit (Mount Vernon, Skagit Count) for the Mount Vernon High School Energy Recovery Demonstration project.
$990,880 to Spokane Tribe of Indians (Wellpinit, Stevens County) for Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Overhaul for the Spokane Tribe Administrative Building.
$258,092 to the Town of Winthrop (Winthrop, Okanagan County) for the Winthrop Library solar project.
To support the state’s equity and climate goals, Commerce prioritized projects based on alignment with the 2021 State Energy Strategy, policy outcomes, and benefits to tribes, rural communities, and/or vulnerable groups. Projects that established partnerships or workforce development opportunities were also prioritized in the scoring criteria. Other criteria for dairy digester applicants included whether projects were replicable at other dairies or exceeded the minimum regulatory requirements to make environmental improvements.
All of these competitive grant awards are conditional upon the execution of final project agreements and performance-based contracts with Commerce. These selected projects were among 16 applicants, requesting a total of more than $8.6 million.
Funding for the program is from the Clean Energy Fund. Since it was created by the Washington Legislature in 2013, the Clean Energy Fund has invested $291 million to develop and deploy innovative clean energy technologies that benefit communities throughout the state. To date, Clean Energy Fund grants have been the catalyst for millions more in matching investments from numerous non-state sources including private companies, utilities, and research institutions. These public-private partnerships have accelerated innovation in energy storage, renewable energy generation, recycling, manufacturing, and grid modernization that have helped make advance the state’s clean energy goals.
Clean Energy Fund investments have helped incentivize public and private utilities and their partners to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technologies. For information on this and upcoming Clean Energy Fund grant opportunities, visit www.commerce.wa.gov/CEF.
IN FOCUS: The Boeing Company to Pay $8.1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/boeing-company-pay-81-million-resolve-false-claims-act-allegations
The Boeing Company, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, has agreed to pay $8,100,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims and making false statements in connection with contracts with the U.S. Navy to manufacture the V-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor military aircraft.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from approximately 2007 through 2018, Boeing failed to comply with certain contractual manufacturing specifications in fabricating composite components for the V-22 at its facility in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. Specifically, the government contends that Boeing failed to perform required monthly testing on autoclaves used in the composite cure process and was not in compliance with additional requirements related to the testing.
“The government expects contractors to adhere to contractual obligations to which they have agreed and for which they have been paid,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable contractors who violate such obligations and undermine the integrity of the government’s procurement process.”
“All government contractors have a responsibility to follow the obligations and protocols set forth by their contracts,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “This office is committed to accountability and protection from false claims as shown in cases such as this.”
“Maintaining the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The DoD expects its contractors to adhere to contract specifications and provide quality products to the U.S. military. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of contractors circumventing required testing protocols and submitting false claims during the DoD procurement process.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by former employees of Boeing who worked in composites fabrication and autoclave operations with the V-22 program. Under the qui tam provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Roath et al. v. The Boeing Company, No. 16-cv-6547 (E.D. Pa.). The Relators will receive $1,539,000 in connection with the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from the DCIS, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as well as subject matter experts from the Defense Contract Management Agency and the Naval Air Systems Command.
This matter was handled by Trial Attorney Amy Likoff of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Sweet and David Degnan for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
CLALLAM COUNTY MEETINGS:
Clallam County work session for 10/2/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10022023-953
Clallam County Commission meeting for 10/3/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10032023-954
Housing Solutions Committee meeting for 10/6/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10062023-950
Planing Commitee meeting for 10/4/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10042023-952
City of Port Angeles Council meeting for 10/3/23
https://www.cityofpa.us/DocumentCenter/View/13565/10032023-Agenda
OMC BOARD MEETING FOR 10/4/23
https://www.olympicmedical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AGENDA-October-4-2023-Work-Session.pdf
Port Angeles School District provides this annual notification to keep parents/guardians, students, staff and community members informed of any pesticide application.
The Port Angeles School District applies pesticides as needed throughout the year. Pesticides are only utilized when it is determined that no alternative treatment will be successful. As much as possible, the district relies on an environmentally sensitive, common-sense approach to pest control that focuses on custodial practices, landscaping, and other preventive measures. The district approach to pest control is devoted to removing the root causes of landscape and structural pest infestations and only calls for the use of pesticides as a last resort.
https://www.portangelesschools.org/news/public-notices
JEFFERSON COUNTY MEETING
Jefferson County Commission Meeting for 10/2/23
https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/860e0a45-572b-492c-814b-84fcf1454aaf
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA for 10/2/23
https://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=3543
Weekly devotional
BIBLE VERSE: Philippians 1:9-10 (New International Version)
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
Weekly Bible Lesson:
Elders in Every Church - Part 1
In order to function properly, an organization must have some form of government. The purpose of government is to oversee the organization and to carry out its rules and purpose. Without some kind of government, an organization cannot do the work it was designed to do.--tftw
https://truthfortheworld.org/elders-in-every-church-part-1
Free bible studies (WBS)
https://www.worldbibleschool.org/
Learn English using the bible as text (WEI)
http://www.worldenglishinstitute.org/
(Join us in worship every Sunday starting at 10:30AM Church of Christ)
1233 E Front St, Port Angeles, WA 98362
The Chosen: About the life of Christ
https://watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen
THIS WEEK'S VIDEOS
THESE are the parts of the government Glenn would LOVE to SHUT DOWN.
The United States is once again on the verge of a government shutdown, but should Congress cave and pass a continuing resolution to spend a lot more money and save us all ... or do we not need saving? Glenn reviews what would actually happen under a government shutdown and which agencies we should probably shut down anyways. Maybe we need "15 Days to Slow the Spending."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItE6OmIs1Ow
Sunday Worship - 09/24/2023--Four Lakes C of C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNRlu8a7N98
NIGHT OWL COMICS PRESENTS: THE ANICENTS
Orion
Chapter 6: Alliance
Jupiter asked Orion, “ Alright warrior explain your self.” Xor was standing listening in, while his family emerged from the cellar, his wife named Athena began cooking a meal for all to share. Orion answered Jupiter, “ It came to me suddenly when I picked up this hammer, I felt the presents somehow that what we were fighting wasn't just a bunch of giant cyclops, they seem to me of being organized, and manipulated by the Fifth some how, maybe by me just handling with weapon brought this to light, or maybe it was from another source that at work during the battle.”
Read the full story
https://pjrnightowlcomics.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-anicents.html
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