SOLAR:
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom says a controversial proposal to overhaul the state’s net metering policies for rooftop solar will be revised before it is finalized. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Developers begin work on a concentrated solar thermal installation to power operations at a massive boron mine in southern California’s Kern County. (Bakersfield Californian)

OIL & GAS:
• U.S. Navy officials say they will comply with Hawaii’s order to drain a leaky underground fuel storage facility blamed for contaminating drinking water. (Associated Press)
• Oregon researchers find living near oil and gas facilities increases pregnant women’s chances of developing life-threatening health issues. (DeSmog)
• Colorado environmental groups launch an ad campaign pressuring state leaders and regulators to set aside millions of dollars to clean up abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells. (Colorado Sun)
• Federal regulators approve a plan to capture carbon during natural gas processing and inject it into aging Permian Basin oil wells to stimulate production. (Natural Gas Intelligence) 

COAL:
• New Mexico community organizers work to ensure the transition from coal mining and power generation is just and equitable for affected workers and communities. (High Country News)
• Wyoming lawmakers propose a new bonding option that would help coal companies meet mine reclamation obligations as industry bankruptcies make traditional bonding more expensive and unreliable. (WyoFile)
• Wyoming pours millions of dollars into carbon capture and sequestration research in hopes of preserving its coal industry. (Denver Gazette) 

CLIMATE:
• Nevada is falling behind on its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 29% below 2005 levels by 2025, according to a state report. (Las Vegas Sun)
• Colorado records its warmest July-December on record in 2021, contributing to winter wildfires and depleting hydropower production. (Colorado Public Radio)

WIND: The Biden administration releases its draft environmental assessment of offshore wind impacts for a 206-square-mile area off the northern California coast. (E&E News) 

GEOTHERMAL: The developer of a western Nevada geothermal plant says a judge’s 90-day construction stoppage to hear environmentalists’ and tribes’ legal challenges could kill the project. (Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION: A downtown Tucson, Arizona, hotel installs four electric vehicle chargers as part of a program meant to address climate change while promoting sustainable business. (Arizona Daily Star)

UTILITIES:
• A California court will hold a preliminary hearing next month to consider criminal charges against Pacific Gas & Electric relating to its role in sparking the 2019 Kincaid Fire. (Press Democrat)  
• Regulators approve a southern California community choice aggregation utility’s plan to provide four cities with an energy blend including 69% clean energy. (Orange County Register)

COMMENTARY: An Arizona energy policy expert says utilities and power producers should form a Western regional transmission organization to create a more resilient power grid. (Arizona Republic)

Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.