CLIMATE: Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s latest budget includes a new climate change package which includes a low-carbon fuel standard, equity requirements, and other provisions. (Seattle Times)

ALSO:
• California takes the lead in an annual project examining state energy efficiency policies and programs adopted through July 2020. (U.S. News & World Report)
• A new report finds wealthy, white areas are more likely to get support in mitigating wildfire risk, highlighting the unequal impacts of climate change. (New York Times)

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OIL & GAS:
• A coalition of environmental and Indigenous groups petition a federal court to stop the Trump administration’s “headlong rush” to issue drilling leases in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. (E&E News)
• Wyoming officials release a report claiming a drilling ban on federal lands would cost eight Western states $8.1 billion in tax revenue over the next five years. (Reuters)
• Officials in Flagstaff, Arizona will hold a hearing today about a drilling project on leased state land that opponents say could threaten a future water source. (KNAU)
• New Mexico’s Legislative Finance Committee says the state’s oil and gas industry is projected to make up more than 40% of the $7 billion or so in total state revenue. (Albuquerque Journal)

PUBLIC LANDS:
• A bipartisan bill advancing through Congress would make it easier to develop renewable energy on federal lands. (E&E News)
• New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland is emerging as a top pick for Secretary of the Interior, and would be the first Native American to lead the agency. (Reuters)

SOLAR:
• An Alaska Native company is set to begin construction on a solar battery project in two Northwest Arctic communities next spring. (KTOO)
• The University of Denver completes the installation of solar panels expected to reduce carbon emissions by 3% to 4%. (Colorado Politics)
• Moapa Valley, Nevada residents continue to oppose a proposed utility-scale solar generating plant. (mvProgress)

WIND: A 160 MW wind farm in eastern Washington begins commercial operations. (Spokesman-Review) 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Spokane, Washington’s city council president is pushing the city’s police department to adopt electric vehicles, but is facing resistance despite an analysis showing the change would save thousands of dollars. (Spokesman-Review)

GRID: A California provider of distributed energy storage systems aims to develop four distributed solar-plus-storage virtual power plants and needs $450 million in capital investment. (Energy Storage News)

TRANSMISSION: A Northern California city is finally able to move forward with putting power lines underground after years of trying thanks to county funding. (Union of Grass Valley)

TECHNOLOGY: An Amazon subsidiary unveils its first autonomous electric “robotaxi” that can drive day and night on a single charge, after six years in development. (Bloomberg)

COMMENTARY: A former Arizona regulator praises the state’s efforts to lead on the clean energy transition. (Capitol Times)

Lisa Ellwood

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.).