PUBLIC LANDS: Some Republican Senators say President Biden’s Interior Secretary-designate Deb Haaland, whose confirmation hearing begins tomorrow, is unlikely to secure their support due to her opposition to fracking and stance on other issues. (Bloomberg)

ALSO: Indigenous leaders hope that Haaland, who would be the first Native American cabinet secretary, will give tribal governments a stronger voice in energy siting decisions. (Associated Press)

GRID:
• Oregon is among states with more power outages than Texas as of yesterday morning, and nearly 39,000 of the state’s electricity ratepayers remain without power, with service restoration expected to take up to seven days. (KTRK, Associated Press)
• Oregon regulators have warned that weaknesses in PacifiCorp’s vegetation management program have left the utility vulnerable to outages. (Oregonian)
• Colorado’s grid isn’t immune to some of the extreme weather difficulties facing Texas, but has access to backup power supplied by a regional grid. (Colorado Sun)

CLIMATE:
• Through efficiency and density provisions, Washington lawmakers are hoping to address the climate change and housing affordability crises simultaneously. (Investigate West)
• Organizers hoping to get the attention of Utah Sen. Mitt Romney arrange 600 snowmen at the state’s capital, calling for a price on carbon as “the fastest and most effective way to curb climate change.” (KSL)

COAL: An Australian coal operator raises $15 million to refurbish a Colorado mine and its equipment. (Mining Weekly)

NUCLEAR: Documents show the Trump administration’s creation of a federal uranium reserve in December followed years of lobbying and campaign contributions from mining companies. (Salt Lake Tribune)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Tesla recently filed for permits for new construction at its Fremont, California plant, in contrast to CEO Elon Musk’s threats to leave the state for Texas. (Los Angeles Times)

OFFSHORE WIND: A UC Davis wind energy and aerodynamics professor says it is possible for California to get 100% of its energy from offshore wind by 2050. (Capital Public Radio News)

UTILITIES: A Utah county could soon decide on whether or not to take a leadership role in Rocky Mountain Power’s Community Renewable Energy program. (KPCW)

TRANSPORTATION: Colorado continues to fall behind other states in funding its transportation issues, including those related to addressing climate change. (Brush-News-Tribune)

HYDROGEN: A New Mexico startup is preparing to launch its first commercial fleet of mobile hydrogen generators. (Albuquerque Journal)

COMMENTARY:
• A New Mexico editorial board supports Interior Secretary-designate Deb Haaland, and is looking forward to her addressing the oil and gas industry’s concerns during her confirmation hearing this week. (Santa Fe New Mexican)
• A New Mexico-based Navajo Nation energy advocate says a Climate Solutions Act and community solar projects would help Native communities build resilient economies and the state’s clean energy future. (KRWG)

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.).