EPA: In addition to backing from fossil fuel industries, President-elect Trump’s nominee to lead the EPA, Scott Pruitt, now has support of a nonprofit that doesn’t have to disclose its donors. (Politico)

ALSO:
• Campaign finance rules would allow Pruitt’s PAC to continue raising money from industries he would oversee as EPA administrator. (EnergyWire)
• Many of Trump’s cabinet nominees have not completed background checks or ethical disclosures. (Washington Post)

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NUCLEAR:
• The Indian Point nuclear plant in New York will shut down by 2021 in a new agreement with the state. (New York Times)
• A nuclear plant in Washington state set a record for generating electricity last year. (Forbes)
• The prospect of long-term waste storage at a closed nuclear plant site dims economic hopes for an Illinois town. (Chicago Sun-Times)

OIL AND GAS:
• The White House denies six permits to companies seeking to use seismic testing to search for oil off the Atlantic coast. (Washington Post)
• Plans to open up public lands to more drilling could include Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Seattle Times)
• A report finds that Maine ratepayers would not benefit from a large proposed natural gas storage facility. (Maine Public Radio)

SOLAR:
• The country’s top solar lobbying organization names a new leader known for her “pragmatic approaches to energy policy.” (Reuters)
• A new report puts Massachusetts at the top of its list of most solar-friendly states. (Greentech Media)
• A Montana lawmaker says earlier solar bills in the state showed “a lack of consideration for stability and security of the electric grid.” (Ravalli Republic)

WIND: Wyoming lawmakers say the state should receive a share of federal fees for developing wind farms on public land. (Casper Star Tribune)

GRID:
• Oregon regulators release guidelines for the state’s energy storage requirement. (Utility Dive / Energy Storage News)
• San Diego’s water authority explores using a reservoir for 500 MW of pumped hydro storage. (WaterWorld)

HYDRO: Rules that don’t count hydropower as renewable energy complicate development in Alaska, where advocates say it is key to replacing diesel generation. (KTOO)

COAL: The Navajo Generating Station in Arizona could close as early as this year. (Arizona Daily Republic)

POLICY: Advocates call on Vermont’s new governor to “oppose any retreat” from clean energy efforts. (VTDigger)

CLIMATE: A new study says addressing climate change will require a massive acceleration in cleantech development. (BusinessGreen)

COMMENTARY:
• Why investors should still pursue clean energy regardless of Donald Trump’s politics. (New York Times)
• “When I talk about Climate Change, I don’t talk about science.” (SouthernFriedScience)

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.

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