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)

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.