OIL & GAS: The Obama administration announces a five-year offshore drilling plan that blocks new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean, but the move could ultimately be reversed under President-elect Donald Trump. (Associated Press)
ALSO:
• A group in Colorado is filing a lawsuit against the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, saying the agency failed to ensure that large oil and gas facilities only drill in neighborhoods as a last resort. (Denver Post)
• Oklahoma residents file a class-action lawsuit against at least 27 energy companies, accusing them of injecting wastewater from oil and gas production underground despite knowing the risk of earthquakes. (Associated Press)
PIPELINES:
• The CEO of the company building the Dakota Access Pipeline says he won’t consider rerouting the project away from Native American lands in North Dakota. (Associated Press)
• Dakota Access Pipeline protesters are doused with water and tear gassed by police while attempting to cross a blocked bridge on a state highway in North Dakota. (Associated Press)
COAL:
• President-elect Donald Trump calls West Virginia’s incoming governor to discuss how to help the state’s coal miners. (Associated Press)
• It’s unlikely that Donald Trump will live up to his promises to revive the U.S. coal industry. (New York Times)
• West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection sues coal-industry giant Alpha Natural Resources for making “false and misleading” financial projections in order to finalize its bankruptcy plan. (Mother Jones)
CARBON CAPTURE: Scientists in Washington state develop a method to solidify and store carbon dioxide by injecting it into lava flows underground, according to a recent study. (Climate Central)
NUCLEAR: Exelon introduces a state energy bill that could save two costly nuclear plants in Illinois. (Utility Dive)
REGULATION: Federal officials plan to block new mining claims on 30,000 acres outside Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. (Associated Press)
CLEAN POWER PLAN: Two environmental policies will prove the hardest for the Trump administration to undo: the Clean Power Plan and a rule defining government regulation of wetlands. (Scientific American)
EFFICIENCY: Despite utility cutbacks, a weatherization program has continued to help low-income Ohioans, but now its federal funding is uncertain. (Midwest Energy News)
CLIMATE:
• Diplomats say they will consider placing a carbon-pollution tax on imported U.S. goods if Donald Trump pulls the country out of the Paris climate treaty. (New York Times)
• State leaders say they will continue their progress on lowering emissions, regardless of a Donald Trump presidency. (Independent)
• Donald Trump’s first five staff picks are all climate change deniers. (ThinkProgress)
RENEWABLE ENERGY: What it will take for California to reach 50 percent renewable energy. (Greentech Media)
SOLAR:
• A new 75 megawatt solar project in Alabama will be the largest in the state, producing enough energy to power more than 15,000 homes. (Computerworld)
• A former Republican congressman in South Carolina is forming a coalition to expand the state’s solar industry. (Southeast Energy News)
ENERGY STORAGE: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proposes a rule that could dramatically expand the role of energy storage in wholesale markets. (Greentech Media)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Elon Musk thinks a Trump presidency could actually benefit Tesla, saying the elimination of electric-vehicle incentives may increase the company’s competitiveness. (Motley Fool)
• The future for electric vehicles under a Trump presidency remains unclear. (Detroit Free Press)
BIOENERGY: A new approach to bioenergy that combines initiatives to improve water quality and produce fuel from organic waste could enhance the processes and generate more revenue for farmers. (Midwest Energy News)
COMMENTARY: With much of the world still relying on coal for electricity, we should work to make it as clean as possible. (Forbes)