SOLAR:
• Community-level, crowdsourced initiatives aim to bring solar power to 15,000 Hopi and Navajo families who lack electricity with a mix of distributed generation and utility-scale projects. (Arizona Republic)
• The first phase of a 450 MW solar installation near Palm Springs, California, is set to go online next month. (ENR California)
GRID:
• A federally funded study finds strengthening connections between the Eastern and Western grids would be cost effective, increase reliability, and facilitate generation sharing across regions. (news release)
• California regulators explore streamlining utility programs that aim to ease grid strain by paying large customers to reduce power use during high demand times. (Canary Media)
• Xcel Energy proposes building major solar and wind power installations in Eastern Colorado along with high-voltage transmission lines to carry it to the state’s population centers. (Big Pivots)
ELECTRIFICATION: Eugene, Oregon, moves toward becoming the state’s first city to ban natural gas hookups in all new construction. (DeSmog)
UTILITIES: California’s Public Utility Commission votes not to release emails between its members and Gov. Gavin Newsom relating to Pacific Gas & Electric’s liabilities for sparking the 2018 Camp Fire. (ABC10)
TRIBAL LANDS: Indigenous leaders urge federal lawmakers to respect tribal energy sovereignty and remove financial barriers to renewable energy development on tribal lands. (E&E News, subscription)
CLIMATE: Washington state regulators begin formulating rules for bills passed this spring, including a cap-and-trade law, a low-carbon fuel standard, and a law cutting refrigerant greenhouse gases. (RTO Insider, subscription)
HYDROPOWER: California energy officials consider seeding clouds to increase precipitation and boost hydropower production. (RTO Insider, subscription)
OIL & GAS:
• San Diego County officials call for an end to offshore oil and gas leasing in southern California. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• The Biden administration fights a court ruling ending its oil and gas leasing moratorium even as it moves forward on lease sales. (E&E News, subscription)
TRANSPORTATION:
• California regulators propose emissions-reduction rules for diesel powered sportfishing and whale-watching boats. (Los Angeles Times)
• Nevada is set to receive $38 million from the federal infrastructure act to build electric vehicle charging stations in rural and other underserved areas. (KTVN)
• New Mexico regulators look to expand recently implemented transportation electrification plans beyond the state’s three investor-owned utilities to speed electric vehicle deployment. (NM Political Report)
COAL: The recently signed federal infrastructure bill could double funding for cleaning up Colorado’s abandoned coal mines and extinguishing underground coal seam fires. (Colorado Public Radio)
COMMENTARY: Phasing out natural gas for power, heating and cooking and replacing it with wind- and solar-generated electricity will stabilize and lower utility bills, an energy affordability advocate says. (CalMatters)