CLIMATE: King County, Washington has dropped a lawsuit against five major oil companies for their contributions to climate change, but the court filing does not explain why. (Reuters)

ALSO: Portland officials are soliciting proposals for $60 million in climate and clean energy grants funded by a city tax on large retailers, with another $35 million to $40 million expected to be available next year. (Oregonian, subscription) 

COAL:
• Documents show Colorado’s coal mine operators received millions of dollars in breaks on royalties owed to the state and federal government last year, with no objection from Gov. Jared Polis’s office. (Colorado Sun)
• A California lawmaker introduces a bill to block state funding for rail line improvements intended to help facilitate shipments of coal for export. (Del Norte Triplicate)

OIL & GAS:
• A New Mexico agency says the state has seen a dramatic increase in earthquake activity since 2018, with Permian Basin injection wells likely to blame. (Capital and Main)
• Developers of a 1,700 mile natural gas pipeline enter an agreement with Denver-based Project Canary to monitor methane emissions, believed to be the first agreement of its kind for an interstate pipeline. (Denver Business Journal, subscription)
• A New Mexico Republican and oil industry groups criticize the Biden administration’s decision to move the Bureau of Land Management headquarters from Colorado back to Washington D.C., despite only a handful of agency employees making the move West. (Carlsbad Current Argus) 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Lucid Motors has begun producing cars at its Arizona manufacturing plant, and projects it will hit its 2022 and 2023 production targets. (Reuters)
• Arizona-based startup Atlis unveils a prototype for its electric truck, which it is claiming will have 500 miles of range. (CNET)
• Utah transportation officials explain how a voluntary mileage tax project does not pose a security risk to participants. (KSL)
• Officials in Las Cruces, New Mexico approve a contract for five electric buses. (Las Cruces Bulletin)

SOLAR:
• New Mexico’s largest utility says supply chain disruptions could delay construction of major solar projects intended to replace power from a retiring coal plant. (New Mexico Political Report)
• The Navajo Nation begins discussions on a 400 MW solar and storage project proposed on 4,000 acres of tribal land in Arizona. (Lake Powell Chronicle)
• Denver-based SunShare says it has secured $30 million in funding to develop community solar projects. (Greeley Tribune)

COMMENTARY:
• A retired admiral says Nevada should move aggressively on electric car adoption, citing the security risks of oil dependence. (Nevada Independent)
• A columnist criticizes Republican officials in Fresno County for compelling a health official to apologize for speaking out on climate change. (Fresno Bee)

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Ken Paulman

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.