EPA: The EPA finalizes a rule to impose more stringent cost-benefit analysis on Clean Air Act regulations, which could limit the Biden administration’s ability to incorporate public health benefits in future climate and pollution regulations. (E&E News)

ALSO: Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the rule change at a virtual event hosted by the Heritage Foundation, a group that has been instrumental in sowing doubt about climate science. (The Hill, The Guardian archive)

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CLIMATE:
• A new report finds banks have financed $1.6 trillion in fossil fuel projects since the Paris Agreement, with Citigroup, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase alone contributing $295 billion. (Bloomberg)
• John Kerry, tapped to serve as the first presidential climate envoy, says he will approach the job with “humility.” (NPR)
• A bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate would provide $10 million to support tree planting and carbon offsets for landowners. (The Hill)

COAL: The closure of a Kentucky coal plant may mark a turning point in retirements as remaining facilities across the country tend to be newer, cleaner and less expensive to run. (E&E News)

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Amazon says it is now the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy through its investment in 26 new wind and solar utility projects with the capacity to produce 3.4 GWs of electricity. (Bloomberg)

SOLAR:
• Advocates say confusion about the taxable status of solar developments caused by an outdated state law threatens industry growth in Massachusetts. (CommonWealth Magazine)
• Evergy abandons plans for a community solar project at the Kansas City airport and considers a new site after an engineering study found the design would cause glare problems for air traffic controllers. (Energy News Network

UTILITIES:
• A Colorado utility says neighborhood-level energy production and storage, stepped-up energy efficiency, and a “smarter” grid are likely to be its final steps toward carbon-free power by 2030. (Energy News Network)
• Exelon plans to sell its solar power business to Brookfield Renewable Partners for $810 million as the utility weighs spinning off its entire power generation business. (Crain’s Chicago Business)

POWER PLANTS: Documents obtained by power plant opponents in Rhode island indicate a town and the plant owner attempted to keep communications about it out of public view. (UpriseRI)

OHIO: The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association asks the Ohio Supreme Court to block charges to subsidize two nuclear plants that are scheduled to begin next month. (Dayton Daily News)

NATURAL GAS: Opponents of a liquified natural gas terminal in New Jersey vow to fight on after the Delaware River Basin Commission votes to approve it. (NJ Spotlight)

NUCLEAR: Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle receives its first shipment of nuclear fuel for one of two new units currently under construction. (Augusta Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION: A poll sponsored by clean transportation advocates says 70% of respondents support a Northeastern initiative to cut tailpipe emissions. (Energy News Network)

COMMENTARY: Outgoing California Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols discusses how she would lead the EPA under the Biden-Harris administration, making climate change a top priority. (E&E News) 

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.