POLITICS: Senate Democrats reveal that a clean electricity standard and a mandate to halve carbon emissions by 2030 will be included in their budget reconciliation bill, among other party priorities missing from a bipartisan infrastructure package. (The Hill, Axios)

ALSO:
• U.S. Joe Manchin of West Virginia says he’s “very, very disturbed” by elements of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion plan, threatening the party-line majority they’ll need to pass it. (CNN)
• The Senate Energy Committee advances a separate bill containing funding for carbon capture, efficiency and grid resilience, and is expected to be included in the whole Senate infrastructure package. (The Hill)
• A Congress member will unveil a “Green New Deal for Public Schools” today that proposes $446 billion to efficiently retrofit schools. (Washington Post)

BATTERIES: The U.S. Energy Department announces an initiative to sharply reduce the costs of long-duration energy storage. (New York Times)

MINING: As the federal government seeks to expand mining for minerals needed for clean energy products, a lack of mineral processing plants and refineries also threatens the transition. (E&E News)

CLIMATE: The U.S. is among dozens of countries that have failed to identify how they’ll protect residents from climate change’s health effects, a study finds. (Inside Climate News)

SOLAR: A northern Virginia’s restaurant’s 44 kW rooftop solar system becomes the first in the state to deploy innovative financing designed for businesses and nonprofits to accelerate affordable green energy upgrades. (Energy News Network)

UTILITIES:
• Connecticut utility regulators authorize $28.6 million and $1.2 million civil penalties against Eversource and United Illuminating, respectively, for poor storm management in 2020, in addition to ordered profit reductions. (NBC Connecticut)
• North Carolina lawmakers advance a bill to reshape the state’s energy landscape by replacing Duke Energy’s coal-fired power plants largely with natural gas and making other regulatory changes Duke has sought for years, though Gov. Roy Cooper is likely to veto it. (Associated Press, WRAL)

OIL & GAS:
• Several suburban Boston towns are trying new strategies to ban new fossil fuel infrastructure after the state attorney general struck down one town’s attempt to do so. (Energy News Network)
• Line 3 pipeline opponents ask the Minnesota Supreme Court to overturn a lower court decision approving permits from state regulators that allowed construction to start late last year. (Associated Press)
• California regulators are still letting utilities invest in new ratepayer-funded natural gas infrastructure, even as the state works to decarbonize its energy mix. (Canary Media)
• Wyoming regulators require a bankrupt natural gas operator to forfeit $2.25 million in bonds so the state can plug and reclaim its abandoned wells. (Wyoming Tribune-Eagle) 

COAL: U.S. coal production fell last year to its lowest level since 1965, with Powder River Basin output declining 21% from 2019 and West Virginia output dropping 28%. (Reuters)

BIOFUELS: A bipartisan group of midwestern Congress members introduce a bill that would allow the year-round sale of the E15 gasoline blend containing 15% ethanol. (Reuters)

WIND: Although Maine whittled down the area of interest for a proposed offshore wind project after discussions with fishing groups, industry representatives still worry about unstudied impacts to fisheries. (Mainebiz)

Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.