Articles written by Don C. Brunell

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Making Their Way to America

As we prepare for the upcoming holidays, we must be grateful for what we have and focus on our needs rather than fixate on what we want and crave. Being thankful starts with an appreciation of why...

 

Never Forget Our Vets

While the last veterans who survived the “surprise” Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor are dwindling rapidly, we cannot let their sacrifices and the memories of that horrific day which propelled...

 

Return of the Sockeye

In 1992, a single male sockeye salmon managed to swim 900 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River to Redfish Lake located deep in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains---the end of his migratory journey....

 

Hydrogen fuel investment good news

President Biden’s $65 billion infrastructure bill contains $8 billion for regional hubs to develop ways to produce and distribute hydrogen fuel. One is planned for the Pacific Northwest and should...

 

Gas attacks stress struggling Americans

Gov. Jay Inslee inappropriately used our state’s building codes to ban natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings. Now, the Biden Administration is going a step further issuing rules that...

 

Biden's lease cancelations hurt Washington

While media focus was on Joe Biden’s decree putting a tiny plot of land within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) off limits to oil and gas exploration, reporters ignored the bigger story....

 

Banning trucks running on diesel, natural gas is reckless

There is an axiom: Don’t let “the perfect” get in the way of the good! That is important to remember when it comes to improving our air quality. While climate activists want to banish all...

 

Focus on powerlines to avoid fires

Many fingers are again pointed at electric utilities because downed power lines are suspected of starting another horrific wildfire---the one that raced through Lahaina killing hundreds of...

 

Blame the beetles for forest health

Growing up in the 60s, our parents blamed everything on “The Beatles.” According to them, they were “the punks” from Liverpool who caused all the teenagers to go crazy. Lately, there is another group of “Beatles” giving people fits, only...

 

Kudos to Rio Tinto for Cleaning Up Holden Mine Site

Today, good works are often brushed aside or ignored---especially, if done by one of the world’s largest mining companies. However, Rio Tinto deserves kudos for its half-billion-dollar mine cleanup...

 

Bumper cherry crop sweetens farm economy

The good news is this state’s cherry crop looks good—a marked improvement over 2022. It is sweetening our farm economy especially for cherry growers who have struggled over the last five years....

 

Red tape shackling manufacturers

Until President Biden signed the Chips and Science Act (CSA) last year, companies, such as Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. looked elsewhere to build plants costing well over $20...

 

Mining Mine Wastes Key To Critical Minerals Supply

China’s growing dominance of critical metals production and stockpiles is setting off global alarms. It has American manufacturers in a bind as they ramp up domestic electric vehicle (EV) battery...

 
 By Don C. Brunell    Opinion    June 8, 2023

Cash for Empties Works in Oregon

When Oregon enacted the nation’s first bottle bill in 1971, it was intended to reduce litter on the state’s beaches, along roads, and in parks. It was a cleanup, not a recycling program. Today,...

 
 By Don C. Brunell    Opinion    May 25, 2023

Building Future Electrical Grid Around Hydropower

Although New Zealand and Washington are located a half-a-world apart, they have lots in common---beautiful seashores, majestic mountains, crystal clear streams and lakes, and vibrant salmon and trout...

 

Consequences Too Extreme To Just Ditch Carbon Fuels

President Biden is unwisely “throttling up” plans to ditch carbon fuels unilaterally despite the extreme consequences of doing so. He wants to accelerate replacement of gas/diesel vehicles with...

 

Employers Struggle to Find Work Balance

Today, employers continue to struggle finding enough workers while attempting to bring people back to the office (work sites). A key problem is there simply aren’t enough people to fill available...

 

School safety needs wider attention

My mom would be horrified by the rash of violence in our schools today. The most recent tragedy at Covenant School in Nashville where three students and three adults were shot to death is...

 

Skilled Worker Shortage Could Derail "Electrify Everything"

In the race to “Electrify Everything” there are glitches which may derail the plan over the next 20 years. One is a shortage of skilled electrical workers needed to rewire homes, make grid...

 

Sacrifices of Medal of Honor Recipients Should Refocus America

Earlier this month when President Biden fastened the Congressional Medal of Honor (Medal) around retired U.S. Army Col. Paris Davis’ neck, it was a welcome pause to the endless venomous rhetoric, po...

 

Busting the Maze of Phone Prompts is Good Customer Service

There is no substitute for person-to-person connections—people talking with, listening to, and understanding one another. It is called “customer service” and it is the best way to resolve...

 

People Depend More on Local Pharmacies for Medical Information

While the coronavirus clobbered many businesses, pharmacies were not among them. In fact, since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19, a pandemic, local pharmacists have become vital c...

 

America Needs Navy's Nuclear Expertise to Meet Electricity Demands

It’s past time for an energy reality check. If we are to meet our soaring demand for electricity and produce it without coal and natural gas, we must double down on nuclear power. Today, U.S....

 

Time to Stop Crooks From Scamming Jobless Benefits

Three years after crooks stole billions in unemployment insurance (UI) funds, federal and state officials are scrambling to retrieve the money which was directed to the jobless and plug leaks in...

 

European Data Centers Looking to Capture Heat

Coupled with the rapid growth of data centers we rely upon for internet service and information storage is an increased demand for electricity to power millions of computers and cool the mammoth build...

 

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