COAL: In a recent letter to West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, the Mine Safety and Health Administration declined to issue an emergency temporary standard that could protect coal miners vulnerable to the coronavirus. (Ohio Valley Resource)
ALSO: Leading up to the 2020 election, advocacy groups urge political leaders to continue the dialogue with Appalachians in order to deliver on promises about the energy transition. (Ohio Valley Resource)
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COAL ASH: A virtual public hearing will take place this week where Kentucky residents can speak to state officials about their handling of the remedial action against Kentucky Utilities over coal ash seeping into a lake. (Advocate-Messenger)
PIPELINES:
• As the Mountain Valley Pipeline prepares to deploy 4,000 workers, a Virginia lawmaker proposes a bill that would require any employer hiring a crew of 50 or more workers during the pandemic to get state approval. (Virginia Mercury)
• The Coast Guard calls off the search for two remaining crew members who went missing after a pipeline explosion. (Corpus Christi Caller Times)
OIL & GAS:
• Gulf of Mexico oil and gas producers shut down production and evacuate crews ahead of two storms headed toward the Louisiana coast. (S&P Global)
• West Virginia University researchers receive a $1.5 million federal grant to develop technology to reduce emissions from natural gas. (news release)
• The fossil fuel industry lost about 118,000 jobs from March to July — a 15.5% drop in employment for the sector. (Houston Chronicle)
UTILITIES: Before JEA lost a lawsuit to void its contract for purchasing electricity from Plant Vogtle, the utility wanted to settle by buying an ownership stake for $1.9 billion. (Florida Times-Union)
OVERSIGHT: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis names real estate agent and Republican legislator Michael La Rosa to the Public Service Commission. (Tampa Bay Times)
CLIMATE: Knoxville is the virtual host city for a 10-state climate change conference this week. (Knoxville News Sentinel)
COMMENTARY: A reporter says Entergy Arkansas is growing its solar footprint in the state, but its investment is relatively overlooked. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette)