NATURAL GAS: Proposals to phase out or reduce the use of natural gas in Nevada homes and businesses are raising questions about equity and energy costs. (E&E News)

PUBLIC LANDS:
• New Mexico’s Democratic congressional delegation aims to introduce policy proposals and legislation that would satisfy environmentalists and fossil fuel workers in the state concerned about President Biden’s moratorium on federal oil and gas leasing. (E&E News)
• Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is set to helm a public forum tomorrow as the start of a comprehensive review of the federal agency’s fossil fuels leasing program. (S&P Global)
• The Biden administration withdraws its nomination of Elizabeth Klein to become the Interior Department’s deputy secretary after objections from moderate senators in fossil fuel-producing states. (Washington Post)

UTILITIES:
• California utilities could have to pay attorneys’ fees to those sued for damages after relying on maps incorrectly marking underground pipeline locations under a bill advanced by state lawmakers. (Bloomberg Law, subscription)
• A federal judge is considering requiring PG&E to be more aggressive with turning off power lines near tall trees in a bid to prevent wildfires. (The Hill)

COAL: A proposed Wyoming bill aiming to bring together community stakeholders to define a future beyond fossil fuels gets amended into a study group under a committee that bolsters the state’s coal industry. (WyoFile)

HYDROPOWER: A Washington county’s public utility district board passes a resolution opposing removal of four Snake River dams, while acknowledging it has no authority to stop the plan. (Peninsula Daily News)

OFFSHORE WIND: Two California Representatives join the Congressional Offshore Wind Caucus as vice-chairs. (Riviera Maritime Media)

POLICY:
• New Mexico lawmakers passed bills promoting solar and efficiency, as well as a measure creating a task force to plan a transition away from fossil fuels, while more aggressive legislation failed. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)
• Nevada legislation would change reporting and planning requirements for natural gas utilities and require the phase-out of new appliances that don’t meet the state’s energy efficiency standard. (Natural Resources Defense Council, Las Vegas Review-Journal)

RENEWABLE ENERGY:
• A 160 MW Arizona energy project comprising 61 wind turbines, 400 to 600 acres of solar panels, and a battery storage facility appears to be moving forward. (Arizona Daily Sun)
• A new study finds that covering California canals with solar panels would provide 13 GWs of renewable power annually, half the new capacity needed to meet state decarbonization goals by 2030. (High Country News/Wired)

TRANSPORTATION: Seattle sets out plans for electrifying its transportation infrastructure, including deploying more public electric vehicle fast chargers (news release)

COMMENTARY:
• Two University of California, Berkeley environmental experts say the state needs an equitable strategy to transition buildings to all-electric energy sources by 2045. (CalMatters)
• An official with an Alaska nonprofit says solutions need to be developed to protect Western Alaska communities and waters from oil spills. (Anchorage Daily News)
• A Colorado oil executive says his company is “on the path to carbon neutrality” through carbon capture investments. (Colorado Politics)
• An official with the company behind a first-of-its-kind microgrid for a California wastewater treatment plant in an interview discusses the project. (Microgrid Knowledge)

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.).