PIPELINES: A federal court vacates the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of a Missouri gas pipeline, accusing FERC of taking an “ostrich-like approach” and ignoring its own standards by OK’ing the line. (S&P Global)
ALSO:
• President Biden frustrates environmental advocates as he is yet to take a public stance in opposition of the Line 3 pipeline like he did with Keystone XL. (Audubon)
• A federal judge dismisses the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s case against the Dakota Access pipeline developer but outlines a path for future legal challenges. (Bismarck Tribune)
• A North Carolina gas station operator files a class-action suit against the Colonial Pipeline over the May cyberattack that led to panic buying and fuel shortages. (E&E News, subscription)
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ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• High costs and an uncertain return on investment are causing many U.S. gas station owners to avoid installing electric vehicle charging stations. (CBS News)
• Tesla’s Model 3 tops a list of “most American-made” vehicles for 2021, marking the first time an electric vehicle led the ranking. (MarketWatch)
• Research details why drivers of pickup trucks and SUVs may be the hardest to convert to electric vehicles. (Axios)
• New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission votes to stop issuing new for-hire licenses to electric vehicles. (MarketWatch)
POLITICS:
• U.S. House Republicans launch a caucus aimed at educating party members about the climate crisis and convincing them to take action to fight it. (The Hill)
• Republican lawmakers around the country pass laws preempting the ability of city leaders to enforce their own regulations, including the ability to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and shift to renewables. (Politico, WFLA)
SOLAR:
• A medical device manufacturer plans to install Massachusetts’ largest rooftop solar array — 16,000 panels totaling 6.7 MW — on its distribution center. (MassLive)
• An Illinois solar job training program is among three in the state that aim to boost clean energy employment within disadvantaged communities. (Energy News Network)
STORAGE: Florida Power & Light announces the installation of the first components at what is planned to be the largest solar-powered battery storage facility in the world. (WWSB)
TRANSMISSION: Developers of the SOO Green line to connect Iowa wind energy to Chicago file a complaint with federal regulators, arguing PJM’s unwieldy approval process will delay the project for at least two years. (E&E News, subscription)
OIL & GAS:
• The Gulf of Mexico’s offshore oil industry banks on the dubious idea that it is more environmentally responsible and can reduce emissions better than other parts of the industry. (Vox)
• A new study finds plugging New Mexico’s oil and gas wells could create more than 65,000 jobs and billions of dollars in wages, but says federal funds are needed to make the transition. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)
COAL: Striking Alabama mine workers protest in front of the Manhattan offices of several hedge funds they blame for stalled negotiations on a contract. (AL.com)
OVERSIGHT: A federal judge throws out a lawsuit challenging a Trump-era policy that softened environmental review requirements ahead of pipeline, drilling, and other projects. (The Hill)
COMMENTARY: West Virginia’s influential U.S. senators both should back legislation to support coal miners and coal-fired power plant workers affected by the clean-energy transition, writes a climate activist. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)