TRANSPORTATION: In a move that caught supporters off guard, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee yesterday vetoed a bill that would phase out sales of new gasoline cars in the state by 2030, objecting to a road usage fee tied to the measure. (Electrek)
POLICY: Nevada lawmakers unveil a long-awaited energy bill that focuses on transmission upgrades and expanding electric vehicle infrastructure. (Nevada Independent)
CLIMATE: A federal judge orders the plaintiffs in a youth-led Oregon climate lawsuit to meet with the Biden administration to discuss a settlement. (KLCC)
UTILITIES:
• Xcel Energy CEO Ben Fowke, who drove the utility’s clean energy transition in Colorado and other states, announces he will retire in August. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• San Diego Gas & Electric says it will stop collecting more than $100 million in surcharges that benefit the city if a franchise agreement, currently being negotiated, is not reached by June 1. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• A judge rejects PacifiCorp’s efforts to stop a class action lawsuit over damages from an Oregon wildfire last year. (Oregonian)
• Oregon lawmakers pass a bill that would give state regulators authority to approve discounted rates for low-income utility customers. (Portland Tribune)
GRID: A southern California utility expects to complete a grid-hardening project to reduce public safety shutoffs three months early. (Kern Valley Sun)
OIL & GAS:
• A Bay Area suburb unexpectedly rejects a lease renewal for a natural gas pipeline that runs through the city, citing safety and maintenance concerns. (East Bay Times)
• A Colorado court rejects Boulder County’s effort to stop a fracking operation. (Daily Camera)
• The company that will provide natural gas to Xcel Energy in Colorado outlines steps it takes to continuously monitor pollution from its facilities. (Denver Post)
BIOENERGY: An Arizona natural gas utility is building out connections to dairy farms and wastewater facilities to bring renewable natural gas into its system. (Arizona Daily Star)
COAL: A new Montana law requires owners of the Colstrip power plant to study ways to continue providing water for nearby residents after the facility shuts down. (Yellowstone Public Radio)
HYDROPOWER:
• Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson challenges critics of his plan to breach four Snake River dams to come up with alternative solutions. (Lewiston Tribune)
• A new study finds that reservoirs behind dams release significantly more carbon than they sequester. (Popular Science)
COMMENTARY:
• A clean-energy advocate outlines steps to help generation and transmission co-ops accelerate coal retirements and clean energy adoption. (Utility Dive)
• A Utah public lands official says oil and gas exploration should not be slowed “until viable energy alternatives are in place.” (Daily Herald)
• The chair of the Suquamish Tribe says the Biden administration’s infrastructure plan is a “bold, yet practical” initiative that helps address energy, climate and transportation issues facing Indigenous communities. (Crosscut)