OVERSIGHT: The EPA will rewrite a Trump administration rule that streamlined energy project permitting and give states and tribes more grounds to oppose projects that threaten water quality. (Washington Post)

POLITICS:
• President Biden will unveil his 2022 budget proposal today, which is expected to include $8 billion for clean energy research and development. (E&E News)
• A U.S. Senate committee deadlocks on a measure to create technology-neutral clean energy and fuel production tax credits, though the committee chair says he’ll put the bill up for a full Senate vote anyway. (The Hill, Utility Dive)

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CLIMATE:
• Black climate scientists discuss how they’ve brought often-ignored perspectives to the white-dominated field, and how they’re encouraging students of color to join them. (Bloomberg)
• A study predicts there’s a 40% chance global temperature rise will temporarily exceed the Paris Agreement target of 1.5°C within the next five years. (USA Today)

OIL & GAS:
• Environmentalists and Native Alaskans condemn the Interior Department’s decision to defend an oil and gas drilling project in Alaska. (Guardian)
• U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey plans to introduce a bill to prevent oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean, in part to safeguard tourism. (NJ Spotlight)

CLEAN ENERGY: A series of infographics map the U.S.’s current wind and solar footprint and what it needs to look like to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. (New York Times)

GRID: An analysis finds 700 people were killed in Texas during and immediately after February’s storm and outages — more than four times the state’s official count of 151. (BuzzFeed News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• The Biden administration says it will look to domestic sources for minerals used in electric vehicles, pushing back against news reports saying it would go overseas to appease U.S. environmentalists. (E&E News, subscription)
• An analysis paid for by Connecticut auto dealers says allowing direct sales of electric vehicles would threaten the dealership franchise model and lead to thousands of job losses, but critics believe increased competition is good for all. (Energy News Network)

HYDROPOWER: Hoover Dam’s capacity to generate electricity is waning due to the ongoing drought and decreasing flows in the Colorado River. (Arizona Republic)

SOLAR: Some cranberry farmers are mounting solar panels on poles over cranberry bogs, a dual-use agricultural practice that creates more space for solar development and boosts farmers’ revenues. (Energy News Network)

COAL: Federal lawmakers advance two bills to provide reclamation funding for abandoned mine lands in central Appalachia and throughout the country. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

MICROGRIDS: A California Army base broke ground this week on a $21.6 million microgrid project, the first of its kind for an Army installation. (KION)

COMMENTARY: Scandals involving state lawmakers’ ties to utilities display the need to regulate industry monopolies, leaders of a conservative clean-energy group write. (Utility Dive)

Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.