CALIFORNIA: EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler says Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to require all new cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions by 2035 may require federal approval, in a letter that ridicules the state’s grid capacity issues over the summer. (Reuters, Associated Press)

ALSO:
• PG&E cut power to 87,500 customers in 16 Northern California counties to avoid causing wildfires, but a number of rural customers were forced to contend with unplanned outages. (Los Angeles Times, Plumas News)
• An exploration of California’s history with demand response in addressing power shortages finds that state regulators could reconsider it in the wake of the state’s recent blackouts. (Utility Dive) 

PUBLIC LANDS: Friday’s court ruling that William Perry Pendley is illegally serving as director of the Bureau of Land Management could upend years of policy decisions, including an expansion of oil and gas drilling. (The Hill)

ECONOMY: A new report finds Wyoming’s fossil fuel industries shed thousands of jobs during the economic downturn, but some counties saw a boost from wind and transmission projects. (Casper Star-Tribune)

OIL & GAS: Colorado oil and gas regulators preliminarily finalize the state’s 2,000-foot oil well setback standards and a more open public hearing process for drilling permits, but industry critics continue to worry about its economic impact. (Denver Business Journal, Denver Post)

COAL:
• Enchant Energy’s CEO says tax credits are an integral part of the firm’s financial plan for New Mexico’s San Juan Generating Station. (Farmington Daily Times)
• Tucson Electric Power dismantles the coal barn at its largest power plant as it transitions to a cleaner, more diverse energy portfolio. (Tuscon.com)

NATURAL GAS: Two New Mexico cities and environmentalists oppose plans for a new $163 million natural gas-fired generating unit at a far Northeast El Paso power plant. (El Paso Times, subscription)

NUCLEAR: Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso introduces a bill to limit the import of uranium from Russia, aiming to support the state’s struggling uranium industry. (Casper Star-Tribune)

STORAGE:
• A 100 MW Southern California solar project will be coupled with a 200 MWh battery storage system under a new power purchase agreement. (Solar Power World)
• A Northern California community choice energy provider signs battery storage contracts totalling 260 MWh. (Energy Storage News)

SOLAR: Utah regulators begin a two-week hearing today that solar advocates say could “make or break” the industry in the state. (Salt Lake Tribune)

COMMENTARY:
• A public policy expert explores how rooftop solar could reduce transmission and distribution costs for the grid. (Energy Institute at Haas)
• An academic explains how California continues to lead on climate change in its responses to the urgent nature of the crisis. (State of the Planet)
• A policy analyst says California won’t be able to reach its electric vehicle goal without addressing charging obstacles for people who live in multi-unit buildings. (Forbes)

Lisa Ellwood

Lisa is a Lenape and Nanticoke Native American freelance journalist, editor and writer currently based in the U.K. She has more than two decades’ experience working in corporate communications and print and digital media. She compiles the Western Energy News daily email digest. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University; her specializations include data journalism and visualization. She is a member of the Native American Journalists Association, Investigative Reporters & Editors, Society of Professional Journalists, and the National Union of Journalists (U.K.).