COAL: Persistent belief in coal’s longevity has led to fiscal policies that have made it harder to diversify economies in Wyoming and other states. (Energy News Network)

OVERSIGHT: The Trump administration will release details this week on a proposal to roll back Obama-era methane restrictions, part of a series of actions that could be undone after the election. (New York Times)

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NATURAL GAS:
• A deadly explosion in Baltimore revives questions about the safety of natural gas infrastructure, though it may take months to determine the exact cause. (Baltimore Sun)
• A coalition of utilities launches a $100 million effort to seek alternatives to natural gas. (E&E News)

PIPELINES: Duke Energy takes a $1.6-billion after-tax charge for the cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and lays out how renewable energy and grid modernization plans will fill financial holes. (Reuters, Greentech Media)

GRID:
• In a letter to Congress, federal regulatory staff say new high-voltage transmission lines will be key to meeting clean energy goals. (Utility Dive)
• Nearly 90,000 customers, mostly in New York and Connecticut, are still without power a week after Tropical Storm Isaias. (New York Times)
• A startup that will build a 150-hour duration battery plant says its technology can replace dirty and expensive peaker plants that are often an environmental hazard in disadvantaged and environmental justice communities. (Greentech Media)

EFFICIENCY:
• A coalition of environmental groups threatens to sue the Department of Energy for failing to update appliance efficiency standards. (The Hill)
• A retired utility engineer is helping Nebraska nonprofits reduce their electric bills by shaving peak electricity usage. (Energy News Network)

WIND: Offshore wind farms in the Carolinas could bring $45 billion in investment, but North Carolina’s renewable energy policies lag other states, according to a new report. (Triad Business Journal)

TRANSPORTATION: Delta Air Lines’ experiment in owning an oil refinery doesn’t appear to be working out. (New York Times)

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PUBLIC LANDS: The BLM finalizes its move to Grand Junction, Colorado despite congressional objections and the loss of almost 70% of the agency’s Washington, D.C. employees. (The Hill)

COMMENTARY:
• Willie Nelson and Paul Simon write that the Permian Highway Pipeline through Texas Hill Country should be stopped. (Houston Chronicle)
• The Climate Reality Project says New Jersey can be a national model for clean energy and efficiency by adopting a zero-carbon energy strategy and the necessary investment to enable it. (NJ.com)
• Climate advocates Tom Steyer and Bill McKibben say BP’s proposal to cut oil production represents a “seismic” change in the energy sector. (Greentech Media)

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy, and has led the project from its inception as Midwest Energy News in 2009. 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 held a variety of editing, production, and leadership roles, and played a key role in the newspaper's transition to digital-first publishing. 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.