SOLAR:
• A lack of renewable energy tax abatements and exemptions is hampering solar development on the Navajo Nation, developers say. (Navajo Times)
• Lightsource BP says it will build a second 300 MW solar facility near Pueblo, Colorado; the first, completed this month, powers a steel mill. (news release)

UTILITIES:
• Arizona regulators vote to axe Arizona Public Service’s solar access fees, allow the utility to provide $10 million to communities affected by coal plant closures, and let it recover a portion of Four Corners Power Plant’s pollution control costs. (Arizona Republic, subscription)   
• State regulators field comments from coal community leaders regarding Public Service Company of Colorado’s resource and clean energy plans. (Craig Daily Press) 

CLIMATE: San Diego updates its climate plan to set a binding target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions, cut its number of car commutes in half and transition most existing buildings to clean energy, all by 2035. (KPBS)

STORAGE: A California community planning commission approves a proposed 60 MW lithium ion energy storage facility that could render a nearby natural gas peaker plant obsolete. (Noozhawk) 

MICROGRIDS:
• Idaho National Laboratory launches a U.S. Department of Energy-funded program to research carbon-free microgrids. (news release)
• A California company is developing a 4.9 MW solar-powered microgrid with 6 MWh of battery storage to produce 100% of a cannabis growing facility’s electricity. (Microgrid Knowledge)  

GRID: New Mexico’s energy department funds construction of a data center providing real-time visibility of energy resources to increase grid resilience. (news release)

NUCLEAR: An energy consulting firm finds replacing retiring coal plants with small nuclear reactors could help fossil fuel-dependent economies weather the energy transition. (E&E News, subscription) 

TRANSPORTATION: A California county launches an effort to build nearly 12,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2030 to meet state goals. (Monterey Herald)

OIL & GAS:
• California labor unions and oil and gas industry workers join forces to block proposed refinery environmental and safety regulations. (Capital & Main) 
• A conservative environmental group calls for higher bonding minimums on federal oil and gas leases to ensure funds are available to clean up abandoned wells. (E&E News, subscription)
• California oil and gas regulators’ denial of drilling permits and endorsement of well setbacks from schools and homes draws cautious praise from environmentalists. (E&E News, subscription)
• Hawaii regulators fine the U.S. Navy $325,182 for environmental violations at a fuel storage facility where a May spill occurred that Navy officials say was  caused by human error, not faulty tanks. (Honolulu Civil Beat, Associated Press)

COAL: Republican lawmakers urge the Biden administration to refrain from reforming the federal coal lease program, claiming it could further raise energy prices. (E&E News, subscription)

COMMENTARY: Utah advocates urge state lawmakers to incentivize renewable energy, building electrification, electric vehicles and lithium and cobalt mining to create jobs and fight climate change. (Deseret News) 

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Jonathan P. Thompson

Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.