RENEWABLES: Federal regulators finalize a rule overhauling how renewable energy companies lease public land, giving incentives to wind and solar developers who build in areas that don’t disturb wildlife. (The Hill)
CLEAN POWER PLAN: A former EPA official says “it’s virtually certain that the Clean Power Plan will be revoked” after Donald Trump takes office. (Greentech Media)
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CLIMATE:
• California’s governor promises to continue the state’s work on climate change regardless of Donald Trump’s presidential win, calling it “the existential threat of our time.” (Los Angeles Times)
• The top U.S. architect of the Paris climate agreement says it “would anger countries all over the world” if Donald Trump scraps the deal, but there’s no guarantee that Trump will live up to his campaign promises. (ClimateWire)
• Scientists say the country’s emissions could stay flat until 2030 under a Donald Trump presidency. (Reuters)
• A lawsuit spearheaded by a group of young Americans alleging the federal government knowingly failed to curb dangerous greenhouse gas emissions will be allowed to proceed, following a ruling by a U.S. District Judge in Oregon. (Time)
SOLAR: A settlement between Colorado’s public utilities commission and Xcel Energy will bring more solar power and fewer grid fees to the state. (PV-Tech)
WIND: A 17,000-acre wind farm in eastern North Carolina could soon gain permit approval. (Triangle Business Journal)
EFFICIENCY: Federal agencies are tapping into new funding streams by linking a building’s energy consumption to the health of its occupants. (Midwest Energy News)
BIOFUEL: The EPA plans to reject a request by fuel refiners to shift responsibility for ethanol mandate compliance onto fuel wholesalers. (The Hill)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The city of Denver plans to replace its out-of-service cars with 200 plug-in electric vehicles starting in 2018. (Denver Post)
TRANSPORTATION: Automakers send a letter asking Donald Trump to roll back fuel efficiency standards when he takes office. (The Hill)
PIPELINES:
• The company behind the Dakota Access pipeline says it expects “imminent” approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin drilling under the Missouri River in North Dakota. (FuelFix)
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has again asked the developer of the Dakota Access pipeline to voluntarily stop construction in North Dakota, saying “their absence will help reduce these tensions.” (Associated Press)
OIL & GAS:
• The nation’s top oil and gas lobby says the incoming Trump administration should approve pipeline projects like Keystone XL and expand drilling rights. (The Hill)
• Advocates are urging President Obama to use his authority to put a permanent ban on new ocean oil and gas leases along the Eastern Seaboard before he leaves office. (Southeast Energy News)
FRACKING: Fracking is unlikely to be the cause of foul-smelling well water in Wyoming, according to a state report. (Associated Press)
COAL: Coal production and generation will rise slightly in 2017 as natural gas costs increase, according to a government report. (Utility Dive)
NUCLEAR: A coalition of Native Americans and community activists are using prayer and meditation in a battle to convince California utility regulators to reverse a plan to bury tons of nuclear waste near San Diego. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
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UTILITIES: Donald Trump’s presidential win is likely an unwelcome development for the power sector. (Utility Dive)
COMMENTARY: Without a significant increase in gas prices, President-elect Donald Trump probably cannot save the U.S. coal mining industry. (Reuters)