PIPELINES: Mountain Valley Pipeline officials announce plans to extend the controversial pipeline across the Virginias into North Carolina. (Roanoke Times)
MORE: Authorities charge three people in Virginia as protests against the Mountain Valley Pipeline intensify. (Roanoke Times)
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NUCLEAR:
• South Carolina regulators may rule in the coming weeks whether SCE&G customers will get a temporary break from paying monthly charges for the failed Summer nuclear project. (The State)
• Environmental groups say SCE&G is “refusing and obstructing” its requests for records related to the failed Summer nuclear project and want regulators to intervene. (Post and Courier)
OFFSHORE DRILLING:
• Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke says states opposed to the federal government’s plan to expand offshore drilling “will be very happy” with a draft proposal released this fall. (Natural Gas Intel)
• The Mississippi River delta is disappearing faster than it can be replenished by sediment, which has implications for offshore oil and gas exploration. (Times-Picayune)
OVERSIGHT: U.S. Senate Republicans move to confirm a former coal industry lobbyist as the second highest ranking EPA official, making him next in line if embattled administrator Scott Pruitt leaves. (Associated Press)
COAL:
• Murray Energy’s CEO wants to buy coal power plants to shore up his mining company, including a FirstEnergy plant in West Virginia that is scheduled to close in early 2019. (Bloomberg)
• West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signs three bills that promote safety in the coal industry. (WYMT)
SOLAR: Virginia ranks 10th among states in solar capacity, up from 17th the year prior, as it becomes a leader in the solar industry. (Republican Standard)
WIND: The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is assessing potential offshore wind lease locations off the Atlantic Coast. (GreenTech Media)
NATURAL GAS: Opponents of a $210 million Entergy power plant in New Orleans East challenge the project in court, saying it will increase pollution and flooding risks. (New Orleans City Business)
CLIMATE: Global warming appears to be slowing the main Atlantic Ocean circulation, according to a new study. (New York Post)
UTILITIES: Florida Power & Light work to strengthen the power grid in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season. (10 News)