Correction: Texas’ Austin Energy is the top U.S. municipal utility for solar power capacity per person. An item in Thursday’s email linked to a news report that incorrectly described the ranking.
OIL & GAS: A bill to cancel lawsuits by Louisiana parishes against oil and gas companies fails in the state House after lawmakers say they ran out of time; Republicans say they plan to pick it back up next year. (The Advocate)
PIPELINES: A federal appeals court rejects the Trump administration’s request to revive a water crossings permit program for new oil and gas pipelines, which could further delay projects. (Associated Press)
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WIND: American Electric Power’s major wind project in Oklahoma has received approval in enough states, including Louisiana and Arkansa, that it could move ahead even if Texas regulators reject it. (Greentech Media)
SOLAR:
• Houston doubled its solar capacity for the second year in a row, with enough now to power about 8,400 homes, according to the Environment Texas Research & Policy Center. (Houston Public Media)
• An Oklahoma pipeline operator will add solar power to its natural gas facilities in several states, including Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama. (Houston Chronicle)
COAL:
• West Virginia officials recommend 12 abandoned mine land projects for $27 million in federal funding. (WVPB)
• More than 6,000 coal miners lost their jobs in March and April, many of them in Appalachia. (The Guardian)
COMMENTARY:
• An oil and gas industry representative says the Gulf of Mexico’s energy companies need help from President Trump to weather the pandemic. (Houston Chronicle)
• The co-founder of Solar United Neighbors of Florida says that with the number of solar cooperatives growing rapidly in Florida, politicians should support expansion of solar. (News-Press)