RENEWABLE ENERGY: Three out of four Trump voters support “action to accelerate the deployment and use of clean energy,” according to a recent survey conducted by a Republican polling firm. (Greentech Media)
SOLAR:
• SolarCity announces plans to expand into Florida’s residential solar market. (Associated Press)
• The governor of Oregon hasn’t budgeted for an extension of the state’s Residential Energy Tax Credit, which is slated to expire at the end of next year. (Portland Business Journal)
• Florida’s four largest utilities are working aggressively to block solar policies, according to a new report. (Tampa Bay Times)
NUCLEAR: Illinois lawmakers approve a multibillion-dollar subsidy to keep two unprofitable nuclear plants operating for the next 13 years. (Associated Press)
CLIMATE: A climate change lawsuit filed by 21 youths is being called “the biggest trial of the century,” and it could have significant implications for Donald Trump’s administration. (Washington Post)
COAL:
• The EPA says a report from the Army Corps of Engineers failed to adequately address the environmental impacts of a proposed coal-export terminal in Washington state. (Seattle Times)
• The EPA tells Texas it needs to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions at four coal-fired power plants. (FuelFix)
• Two counties in Utah are suing the federal Bureau of Land Management for its moratorium on new coal mining leases on federal land, calling it “an act of unwarranted agency overkill.” (The Hill)
OIL & GAS:
• A rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer is teaming up with the DOE to improve gas-fired power plant efficiency. (Sacramento Business Journal)
• BP plans to build a $9 billion oil-production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, which could start pumping up to 140,000 barrels a day by 2021. (FuelFix)
• Federal officials finalize an overhaul of how public lands in the West are used for oil and gas drilling. (Associated Press)
PIPELINES:
• Donald Trump speaks out in support of the Dakota Access Pipeline. (Reuters)
• A Democratic senator from New Mexico asks President Obama to condemn police violence against Dakota Access Pipeline protesters. (Huffington Post)
• Dakota Access Pipeline protesters brace themselves for a brutal North Dakota winter. (Associated Press)
ADVOCACY:
• Environmental activists say the Dakota Access Pipeline protests are just the beginning of a movement to oppose more fossil fuel projects nationally. (TIME)
• Environmentalists are pressuring Warren Buffett’s company to sell its fossil fuel stocks. (Associated Press)
POLITICS: Donald Trump adds a think tank chief and outspoken critic of the Clean Power Plan to his EPA transition team and considers an Exxon CEO for secretary of state. (The Hill)
REGULATION: An obscure law can help Donald Trump undo President Obama’s regulations. (Quartz)
POLLUTION: An oil and gas exploration firm agrees to pay over $4 million on penalties and environmental mitigation projects to settle alleged Clean Air Act violations in North Dakota. (Associated Press)
UTILITIES:
• Charlotte-based Duke Energy asks regulators to deny an environmental group’s request for hearings on a project to convert a coal-burning plant to natural gas, saying the group opposes “any cost-effective, environmentally-beneficial project.” (Charlotte Business Journal)
• In a bid to boost efficiency, utilities are creating platforms to allow customers to shop for energy products online. (Midwest Energy News)
POLICY: Critics say a bill to make Ohio’s clean energy standards voluntary would cost the state business opportunities and jobs. (Midwest Energy News)
COMMENTARY: Renewable energy is likely to continue growing under a Donald Trump presidency, but at a much-reduced pace. (Forbes)