LITHIUM: A federal judge rejects a bid by three tribal nations to halt preliminary excavation work at the proposed Thacker Pass lithium mine in northern Nevada. (Associated Press)
GRID:
• An agreement between the Navajo Nation and a tribal utility will extend power lines to 23 households that have gone without electricity for decades. (Associated Press)
• Conservationists and Indigenous groups draw issue with Los Alamos National Laboratory’s proposal to build 12.5-mile high-voltage transmission line across a culturally significant New Mexico plateau. (Albuquerque Journal)
• Nevada’s largest utility applies to build a 235-mile high-voltage transmission line across northern Nevada to facilitate new solar and wind development. (RTO Insider, subscription)
UTILITIES: A Montana judge allows an environmental group’s challenge to the state’s pre-approval of NorthWestern Energy’s proposed natural gas plant to proceed. (Montana Free Press)
COAL: Xcel Energy considers converting a northwestern Colorado coal plant into a molten salt energy storage facility to bolster renewable energy installations. (Colorado Public Radio)
OIL & GAS:
• Weld County, Colorado, officials consider a reduced economic role for fossil fuels after falling oil prices lead to a $45 million revenue decrease in 2020 compared to 2019. (Denver Post)
• New Mexico’s oil and gas regulators seek significant budget hikes to help them implement a clean fuel standard and achieve state climate change goals. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)
• New Mexico environmentalists and the oil and gas industry face off over proposed state ozone rules. (Albuquerque Journal)
SOLAR:
• More than 300 organizations, including labor unions and business and environmental groups, sign a letter urging California regulators to preserve net metering policies. (news release)
• Colorado Springs residents form a cooperative to buy rooftop solar panels in bulk and lower installation costs. (Gazette)
WIND: A northern Arizona county planning commission advances a proposed 50-turbine wind farm and solar array despite concerns about aesthetics and wildlife impacts. (Arizona Daily Sun)
HYDROPOWER: Utilities could pay up to 35% more for electricity purchased from the Western Area Power Administration thanks to drought-diminished hydropower output from Glen Canyon Dam. (Water Education Colorado)
TRANSPORTATION: A national trucking firm plans to add 50 electric rigs to its Southern California fleet, making it one of the largest battery-electric fleets in North America. (Utility Dive)
COMMENTARY:
• A former environmental journalist argues for expanding demand management programs to ease grid strain rather than building new natural gas plants. (New York Times)
• A former Salt Lake City mayor and Utah lawmaker says the state has misspent $110 million on fossil fuel projects rather than on water, sewer and other infrastructure. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• A California editorial board urges state lawmakers to pass a bill codifying a 2018 goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. (Los Angeles Times)