COAL: A coalition of mountain towns in the West is asking the federal government to stop subsidies to the coal industry because it is fueling a more erratic climate. (Telluride Daily Planet)
ENERGY REFORM: Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski took a big toward large-scale overhaul of federal energy policy on Thursday, introducing 17 bills that could form the backbone of a broad energy reform effort. (The Hill)
CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• Even as some of them fight the Clean Power Plan, coal-reliant Midwestern states are asking the EPA for guidance on an emissions trading platform to help them meet proposed limits for power plants. (Reuters)
• With one of the richest wind resources in the U.S., Iowa is well positioned to meet its own Clean Power Plan requirements and also help with those of a half-dozen neighboring states as well. (Midwest Energy News)
FRACKING:
• A science journal issued a correction to a paper on fracking and water safety after revelations that the authors did not disclose their financial ties to energy giant Chesapeake Energy. (InsideClimate News)
• Environmental groups have sued the federal government approval of a new liquefied natural gas export facility in Maryland, arguing risks from the additional fracking were not considered. (The Baltimore Sun)
WATER: California environmental groups filed a lawsuit Thursday to halt oil industry injections of drilling wastewater into nearly 500 wells, which they say threatens fresh water supplies critical in the current record drought. (Reuters)
BATTERIES: Tesla’s new battery does not yet work well with rooftop solar so it can only be used for backup power rather than to extend solar power after sunset. (Bloomberg)
PIPELINES: A U.S. senator from Louisiana introduced a bill Thursday to give the Interior Department power to allow construction of natural gas pipelines on National Park Service lands without congressional approval. (The Hill)
SOLAR: Duke Energy’s chief executive officer Lynn Good was interrupted at a shareholder meeting Thursday by demonstrators who say the company is blocking people and businesses from putting solar panels on their roofs. (Associated Press)
NUCELAR: DTE Energy has received Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval to construct a new nuclear facility on the site of an existing nuclear power plant in Michigan, but DTE has no plans to build it. (FierceEnergy)
ETHANOL:
• Ethanol refineries may release much larger amounts of smog-forming compounds than researchers and government agencies had suspected, according to a new study. (Yale Environment 360)
• Hawaii lawmakers have passed a bill to end a requirement that the corn-based additive be mixed into fuel sold in the state. (Associated Press)
CARBON TAX: Four Oregon cities and one county have passed resolutions calling for state lawmakers to pass a tax on carbon emissions. (Portland Business Journal)
ARCTIC DRILLING: Seattle’s mayor and environmental activists in kayaks hope to stop Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet from parking in the city’s port, as the business community warns of repercussions for the city’s port and jobs. (Guardian)