PUBLIC LANDS: Interior Secretary Deb Haaland revokes Trump-era orders promoting fossil fuel development on public lands and waters, saying they are “inconsistent with the department’s commitment to protect public health; conserve land, water, and wildlife; and elevate science.″ (Associated Press)

ALSO:
• Interior Secretary Haaland also says her focus is on environmental justice and climate change. (Grist)
• Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says the state will “likely” sue the Biden administration if the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase national monuments are enlarged without congressional approval. (Salt Lake Tribune)

OIL & GAS:
• BP is expected to announce a plan today to stop routine flaring in the Permian Basin by 2025 using a $1.3 billion network of pipes and other infrastructure to collect and capture natural gas from oil wells. (Bloomberg)
• New Mexico U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján says plugging orphaned oil and gas wells is vital in protecting communities and generating employment opportunities. (New Mexico Political Report)
• Critics of Suncor’s problem-plagued suburban Denver oil refinery say it needs to close instead of pushing to renew its operating permits. (Denver Post)
• Oregon conservation groups say the developer behind a proposed 415 MW gas-fired power plant and state regulators acted unlawfully to expedite the project. (The Oregonian)

CLIMATE: Some researchers say California may actually be more than two decades into an emerging megadrought, driven by human-caused climate change. (Los Angeles Times)

OVERSIGHT: New Mexico regulators and activists are welcoming a $2.8 million funding increase that will improve the state’s environmental oversight. (Santa Fe New Mexican) 

RENEWABLE ENERGY:
• Nevada U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford says developing “resilient infrastructure” in the state is “the right thing to do for the environment” and would increase clean energy jobs. (Las Vegas Sun)
• New Mexico’s State Land Commissioner says the office has more than doubled renewable energy development on state lands over the past two years. (New Mexico Political Report)

WIND: Documents reveal the co-owner and operator of the Colstrip power plant is pursuing lease agreements for a wind farm in southeast Montana. (Billings Gazette)

UTILITIES: Critics of a proposed merger of New Mexico’s largest power company with Avangrid say it is of little benefit to the utility’s ratepayers. (Santa Fe New Mexican)

COMMENTARY:
• The extreme drought in the Southwest is a sign that climate change must be addressed before adverse impacts become more acute, a Nevada editorial board says. (Las Vegas Sun)
• An environmental advocate says the efforts towards a renewable energy future are being undermined by Wyoming lawsuits aiming to force Colorado to keep buying its coal. (Durango Herald)
• A California columnist says California’s climate fight has had benefits beyond cutting emissions, while a Democratic party leader says she is “alienated” by a party that “prefers jobs on a dying planet.” (East Bay Times, CalMatters)
• Two Colorado energy experts say the next few years will be critical for the state if it is to transition to a pollution-fee, sustainable economy. (Colorado Springs Gazette)

Lisa is a Lenape and Nanticoke Native American freelance journalist, editor and writer currently based in the U.K. She has more than two decades’ experience working in corporate communications and print and digital media. She compiles the Western Energy News daily email digest. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University; her specializations include data journalism and visualization. She is a member of the Native American Journalists Association, Investigative Reporters & Editors, Society of Professional Journalists, and the National Union of Journalists (U.K.).