LITHIUM: A federal judge rules historical accounts tribes submitted to prove a proposed Nevada lithium mine is on the sacred site of an 1865 massacre are insufficient to halt excavation. (Associated Press)

HYDROGEN: New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s push to establish a hydrogen hub in the natural gas-rich San Juan Basin faces resistance from environmental and Indigenous groups. (Capital & Main) 

HYDROPOWER: A bitcoin mining firm purchases a 24 MW hydropower plant in Washington and plans to construct another 75 MW of generating capacity in the same area. (Hydro Review)

SOLAR:
• A Colorado county backs down from adopting strict regulations on utility-scale solar installations after landowners protest the potential loss of lease revenue. (Pueblo Chieftain)  
• Three Colorado counties find they have the potential to grow community-scale solar 25-fold and help replace lost oil and gas jobs. (Big Pivots)
• A California dispute over who can install residential battery systems is part of a long simmering conflict between the rooftop solar industry and organized labor. (Los Angeles Times) 

UTILITIES: Hawaiian Electric considers converting the state’s last coal plant to biomass rather than shutting it altogether to help it meet renewable portfolio standard goals a decade early. (RTO Insider, subscription)

WIND: A 200 MW eastern Colorado wind facility starts operations, and is expected to generate almost $50 million in tax revenue and lease payments over the next 30 years. (Big Pivots) 

GRID: Xcel Energy completes a major transmission line project in southeastern New Mexico. (news release)

MICROGRIDS: Colorado utility United Power seeks a partner to help it develop several solar-powered microgrids with battery storage. (Big Pivots)

OIL & GAS:
• Colorado environmental advocates say proposed bonding rules meant to ensure oil and gas companies plug inactive wells are inadequate and worse than existing regulations. (Colorado Newsline)
• Rising oil and gas prices bolster Wyoming revenues but also indicate an outsized reliance on volatile fossil fuels as more stable coal revenues decline, state revenue forecasters say. (WyoFile) 
• Alaska regulators solicit public comment on proposed amendments to streamline oil spill contingency plans for shippers and handlers. (Alaska Journal of Commerce)
• California joins an international alliance pushing to phase out fossil fuels, but is considered a second-tier member because it has yet to commit to banning oil and gas drilling. (E&E News, subscription) 

TRANSPORTATION:
• California signs a COP26 climate summit declaration to reach 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2035. (Bay City News Service)
• A national technical school adds hybrid and electric vehicle technician training to its curriculum at three California campuses. (news release)

COMMENTARY:
• A Colorado lawmaker urges regulators to tackle ozone pollution by limiting emissions from automobiles, oil and gas extraction and power generation. (Colorado Sun)
• A Utah snowsport industry leader calls on PacifiCorp to end fossil fuel power generation by 2035. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Replacing a retiring Colorado coal plant with a small modular reactor would provide a just transition by creating jobs while cutting emissions, a free market energy analyst says. (Complete Colorado)

Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.