OIL & GAS: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper in a letter urges President Trump to include the state in his recent offshore drilling moratorium, which only covered Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. (Coastal Review Online)
ALSO:
• Oil and gas groups argue the “unique relationship” between the federal government and oil industry means that climate lawsuits from coastal Louisiana communities do not belong in state court. (The Center Square)
• An activist calls on a Texas liquified natural gas project to hire more workers from the community that will be affected by its pollution. (Port Arthur News)
• Offshore oil and gas producers and exporters begin clearing debris from Hurricane Sally and rebooting idled facilities on the Gulf Coast. (Reuters)
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PIPELINES:
• Opponents of the stalled Mountain Valley Pipeline submit 43,000 signatures asking federal regulators not to grant more time to complete the project. (Kallanish Energy)
• Gas lines explode in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and near Piedmont, Oklahoma, though no injuries had been reported at either location. (40/29, KOCO)
COAL:
• Murray Energy emerges from bankruptcy under a new name after completing a sale of its assets to an entity formed by former creditors. (Associated Press)
• President Trump’s promise to revive the coal industry has been thwarted by falling demand and cheaper alternatives. (Wall Street Journal, subscription)
• Witnesses for Duke Energy Carolinas tell North Carolina regulators that forcing it to absorb coal-ash cleanup costs would have a significant impact on the financial stability of its parent company. (Charlotte Business Journal)
SOLAR:
• A landmark settlement announced last week between Duke Energy and distributed solar advocates in the Carolinas could be a model for ending regulatory disputes across the country, experts say. (Utility Dive)
• A North Carolina farmer at a packed community meeting says a proposed 22 MW solar project will help keep his family farm financially viable. (Yadkin Ripple)
CLEAN ENERGY: Google’s South Carolina data center relies on the most carbon-intensive electricity mix of any of the company’s 11 U.S. data centers. (Post and Courier)
OFFSHORE WIND: Southeast lawmakers in Congress propose linking offshore wind revenue with coastal resilience projects. (E&E News, subscription)
STORAGE: A Houston power company begins construction on two 100-megawatt battery storage projects in Texas. (Houston Chronicle)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Construction plans for Tesla’s newest Gigafactory are revealed on the city of Austin’s website as part of the company’s permit process. (Teslarati)
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UTILITIES: Memphis’ municipal utility board delays a vote on hiring a consultant to help it explore alternatives to buying power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. (Memphis Flyer)
COMMENTARY:
• A proposed wood pellet plant in Georgia threatens the environment, public health, and climate, write two environmental advocates. (Valdosta Daily Times)
• An editorial board endorses a Democrat who “understands the importance of crafting and enforcing regulations to protect the state’s environment” for a seat on Texas’ Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas. (Houston Chronicle)