PIPELINES: Friday’s approval of the Keystone XL pipeline is expected to spark fierce opposition from activists and landowners, with environmental leaders saying it’s “going to be fought at every turn.” (The Hill, ThinkProgress)
ALSO:
• The Keystone XL pipeline will create 35 permanent jobs, according to a State Department report from 2014, while another report says it could actually destroy more jobs than it creates. (Quartz)
• The Keystone XL pipeline still hasn’t been approved in Nebraska, where the state’s Public Service Commission must agree on a proposed route in a process that could take months. (Associated Press)
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OIL & GAS: Over 50 percent of Americans oppose drilling for oil on federal lands, up from 34 percent five years ago, according to a recent Gallup poll. (NBC)
COAL: The Montana House endorses legislation that would allow the state to loan an energy company $10 million a year to keep two coal-fired units running at a troubled power plant. (Associated Press)
CLIMATE: President Trump is expected to sign a sweeping executive order aimed at reversing Obama-era climate policies on Tuesday, according to EPA chief Scott Pruitt. (Bloomberg)
POLITICS: A breakdown of President Trump’s new Energy Department recruits finds only 10 have discernible energy experience. (Greentech Media)
POLLUTION:
• A December oil spill in North Dakota is believed to be three times bigger than originally estimated, making it the second-largest crude spill in the state in over 15 years. (Reuters)
• Utility giant NRG Energy is seeking a permit to treat contaminated groundwater from a decades old diesel fuel spill in Pennsylvania. (Tribune-Review)
NUCLEAR:
• Sources say Toshiba expects to file for bankruptcy for U.S. nuclear unit Westinghouse Electric this week, with some $9 billion in charges. (Reuters)
• As nuclear plants shut down in small towns, local residents are facing higher property taxes, cuts in services and less school funding. (Associated Press)
• Despite setbacks in other states, a Virginia utility is moving forward with plans for a new nuclear reactor. (Southeast Energy News)
EMISSIONS: California regulators vote in favor of stricter vehicle emissions standards, contradicting President Trump’s agenda to loosen federal emissions regulations. (New York Times)
RENEWABLE ENERGY: State lawmakers have proposed hundreds of bills to promote clean energy this year, but some legislation also aims to hinder the adoption of renewables. (InsideClimate News)
SOLAR:
• Alaska’s largest electric utility says solar installations have roughly doubled over the past year, as federal tax incentives and falling costs boost the popularity of solar power in the state. (Alaska Dispatch News)
• Why New York is outpacing Florida on solar development. (The Guardian)
• CEO Elon Musk announces that Tesla will begin taking orders for its solar roof tiles next month. (Reuters)
GRID: Illinois regulators launch a statewide effort to educate policymakers on emerging grid technologies, which will include the assistance of an unnamed “expert, independent third-party facilitator.” (Midwest Energy News)
COMMENTARY:
• The Yucca Mountain repository for nuclear waste needs to be approved for the U.S. to effectively combat climate change and carbon emissions, according to an editorial in the Tyler Morning Telegraph.
• “The question has to be asked: Did coal voters get conned?” (Roanoke Times)