UTILITIES: A memo from a court-appointed monitor says PG&E’s wildfire prevention efforts prioritized work on the easiest stretches of power lines instead of those in the highest risk areas. (Courthouse News Service)

ALSO:
• A lawsuit faults PG&E for last month’s deadly and destructive Zogg Fire, alleging the utility failed to maintain power lines. (KRCR)
• Two Southern California cities could join forces in a community choice energy program that would allow member municipalities to purchase and sell electricity. (Los Angeles Times)

CARBON: California has an opportunity to lead the development of carbon capture technologies if it takes the right policy actions, according to a new report. (S&P Global)

COAL:
• A recently uncovered federal report from 2018 concluded that adding carbon sequestration technology to Montana’s Colstrip Power Plant “may not be financially attractive” at a cost of $1.33 billion. (Billings Gazette)
• Wyoming is among the states operating coal-fired power plants in areas projected to face rising water stress due to climate change. (S&P Global)
• The second largest national coal producer in the U.S. is looking for an “appropriate buyer” as it cuts production in the Powder River Basin by 50% over the next two to three years. (Wyoming Public Media)

NUCLEAR: New Mexico lawmakers in a hearing discuss the future of a nuclear waste facility with federal and state officials. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)

OIL & GAS:
• California’s attorney general wants a federal appeals court to reverse “hastily compiled rulemaking” that rolled back an Obama-era rule on fracking on public and tribal lands. (E&E News Daily, subscription)
• New Mexico regulatory agencies are developing what could be the strictest methane regulations in the U.S. for oil and gas operators. (Forbes)

RENEWABLE ENERGY: The University of California is building a solar array and biomethane plant to advance its goal of carbon neutrality by 2025. (Daily Californian)

SOLAR: A technology firm is set to transform the University of Wyoming into a major center for solar generation research and innovation. (Casper Star-Tribune)

GRID: A new study by two Colorado utilities finds that enabling more efficient and transparent transmission coordination across the state can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money, and create jobs. (news release)

Lisa is a Lenape and Nanticoke Native American freelance journalist, editor and writer currently based in the U.K. She has more than two decades’ experience working in corporate communications and print and digital media. She compiles the Western Energy News daily email digest. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University; her specializations include data journalism and visualization. She is a member of the Native American Journalists Association, Investigative Reporters & Editors, Society of Professional Journalists, and the National Union of Journalists (U.K.).