POLITICS: Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has become a key roadblock to federal climate legislation, drawing consternation and confusion from advocates who say she’s out of step with her constituents. (Inside Climate News)

WIND: California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a bill that requires the state’s energy agency to develop a plan for offshore wind development in federal waters. (San Luis Obispo Tribune)

GRID:
• Weary of unexpected blackouts, some Northern California residents say PG&E may be relying too much on pre-emptive power outages aimed at preventing wildfires. (Press Democrat)
• Four natural gas peaker plants totaling 120 MW are now online in California, part of an emergency effort to increase summer capacity. (S&P Global)

TRANSITION: Wyoming lawmakers reject a proposal for a “technology-neutral” energy tax overhaul aimed at helping reduce dependence on petroleum and coal revenue. (Casper Star-Tribune)

COAL:
• The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration won’t require Covid-19 vaccinations for miners, saying existing worker protections are adequate. (E&E News)
• A researcher tells Hawaii lawmakers the state’s lone coal plant should consider a shift to biomass. (Hawaii Public Radio)
• The Navajo Transitional Energy Co. takes over operations of a New Mexico coal mine it has owned since 2013. (Associated Press)

OIL & GAS: A federal judge this week ruled that leases awarded by the Bureau of Land Management in 2018 failed to adequately consider environmental impacts. (Colorado Sun)

BIOENERGY: Shell begins operation at its first U.S. renewable natural gas facility, which sources cow manure and other farm waste in eastern Oregon. (Energy Live News) 

CLEAN ENERGY: A California startup plans to use excess renewable energy to provide heat for cement production. (Canary Media)

SOLAR: Environmental groups will offer a tour of solar installations in Laramie, Wyoming, this weekend. (Wyoming Public Media)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Alaska officials unveil the state’s first high-speed charging station at “the end of the road” in Homer, part of a project to install nine stations along the state’s main highway to Fairbanks. (Homer News)
• A major Colorado chain opens an electric and hybrid car dealership in Colorado Springs. (Fox 21 News)

TRANSPORTATION: SUVs now make up 86% of new vehicle registrations in Colorado, complicating the state’s efforts to reduce emissions. (Colorado Public Radio)

CLIMATE: Denver’s new “climate czar” discusses plans to spend $40 million a year in revenue approved by voters in November. (Colorado Sun)

OVERSIGHT: The chair of New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission accuses the state’s attorney general of “malpractice,” but declines to elaborate on what specifically he’s referring to. (Santa Fe New Mexican)

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.