COAL: A review of records of the Trump administration’s push to save coal plants in Arizona and Kentucky raises questions over whether those efforts ever had any realistic chance to save the plants. (New York Times)

OVERSIGHT:
• In the wake of a July Supreme Court decision ruling that about half of Oklahoma is tribal land, the U.S. EPA turns over some of its oversight to the state, which the Cherokee Nation describes as a clear effort to undermine their sovereignty. (The Hill) 
• Interior Secretary David Bernhardt remains defiant after a judge rules William Perry Pendley was illegally serving as head of the Bureau of Land Management, warning critics’ “hopes and dreams are about to be crushed.” (E&E News, subscription)
• Observers say former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee are among top contenders to lead the Department of Energy if Joe Biden is elected president. (E&E News)

***SPONSORED LINK: MnSEIA’s 7th annual Gateway to Solar conference is next week! Join us Oct. 12-13 for a SEIA State Chapter Roundtable, keynotes such as Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minnesota State Legislators, D&I training for energy professionals, and much more.***

CLIMATE: A Minnesota city’s five-year climate action plan calls for swift action with measurable results, a contrast with longer-term plans adopted by many cities. (Energy News Network)

SOLAR: Farmland advocates say Maine must strike a balance between protecting its prime agricultural land and allowing farmers to earn supplemental income from solar projects. (Energy News Network)

EFFICIENCY: Midwest cities show improvement in an annual energy efficiency scorecard as experts point to the region’s untapped potential. (Energy News Network)

CLEAN ENERGY:
• After a two year delay, a Minneapolis entrepreneur finally receives a $1.6 million grant to launch a clean energy job training program in an underserved and racially diverse neighborhood. (City Pages)
• Boston’s transit authority is finalizing a contract for its electric rail system to purchase 70% of its energy from renewable sources for the next three years, saving millions in the process. (CommonWealth Magazine)

BIOMASS: Wood pellet manufacturing has fallen short of climate and job goals but brought noise and air pollution to Black and low-wealth communities across the South, with Alabama and Mississippi targeted for future expansion. (Southerly/Scalawag/Environmental Health News)

OIL & GAS: Interior Secretary David Bernhardt says the federal resource management plan focused on oil and gas development in New Mexico’s Greater Chaco region will move forward. (Farmington Daily Times)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Analysts say major automakers walk a fine line as they promote the benefits of electric vehicles while still relying primarily on internal combustion models. (E&E News, subscription)

***SPONSORED LINK: Help Fresh Energy ensure that clean energy is at the center of rebuilding our economy. Join Fresh Energy at their October 22 Virtual Benefit Breakfast fundraiser with keynote speaker Dr. Leah Stokes, a national expert on energy, climate, and environmental politics. Register here.***

GRID: State regulators say a record-breaking marathon federal conference to discuss carbon pricing lacked key voices from the states that would be impacted by any policy changes. (Utility Dive)

COMMENTARY:
• President Trump’s effort to divide Democrats over Joe Biden’s distancing from the Green New Deal does not appear to be working, David Roberts writes. (Vox)
• An anthropologist says quickly cutting emissions may be easier if Americans reconsider their demand for continuous electricity. (Boston Review)
• An Ohio state representative says “there is no reason” the state’s power plant bailout law “should not have already been repealed.” (Cincinnati Enquirer)

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Ken Paulman

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.