POLITICS: Sen. Joe Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer signed a memo in July agreeing that Democrats’ reconciliation bill wouldn’t exceed $1.5 trillion and that clean energy tax policies would include natural gas, coal and carbon capture. (E&E News)

ALSO:
• Progressive House members suggest Democrats could trim their reconciliation bill by funding proposed programs for shorter periods but say climate spending is not negotiable. (Reuters)
• North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and lawmakers in both parties receive mixed reactions to a compromise on major energy legislation that eliminates gas and solar mandates, aims to cut power sector carbon emissions by 70% and allows multi-year ratemaking. (Energy News Network, Raleigh News & Observer)

OIL & GAS:
• As crews rush to contain a 126,000-gallon oil spill from an offshore pipeline off the Southern California coast, questions arise over officials’ slow response. (Los Angeles Times)
• Legal experts weigh in on whether fossil fuel companies could be tried for crimes against humanity over their contributions to climate change. (Gizmodo)
• Massachusetts climate and equity groups say they’re being ignored and marginalized by gas utilities during talks to develop a legally required roadmap for the industry’s future in the state. (Energy News Network)

CARBON CAPTURE: The White House and Democratic U.S. senators reportedly work out a deal to boost tax credits for carbon capture projects in heavy industry. (Reuters)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Electric truck manufacturer Rivian, which currently sources batteries from a South Korea supplier, plans to build battery cells in-house. (Reuters)

EMISSIONS: A House committee plans to hold the EPA accountable for relaxing environmental monitoring during the Trump administration even as it became clear that air pollution was tied to heightened COVID-19 death rates. (Grist)

WIND: Maine Gov. Janet Mills’ administration submits plans for a floating offshore wind farm with 12 turbines in federal waters roughly 45 miles from Portland. (Maine Public Radio)

EFFICIENCY: As Ohio lawmakers consider restoring energy efficiency programs gutted under HB 6, a new analysis shows ratepayers in multiple Midwestern states are missing out on major savings from recent efficiency rollbacks. (Energy News Network)

PIPELINES: Public pressure and continued community activism helped prevent the PennEast pipeline from receiving key permits and led to the developer’s eventual decision to kill the project. (NJ Spotlight)

COAL: Federal regulators issued nearly 200 citations to West Virginia mines from March to December 2020 for unhygienic conditions that deepened dangers for miners working in tight quarters during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

GRID: Transmission capacity in the Upper Midwest is becoming strained as more renewable energy projects come online, while building a more robust system would be expensive and contentious among landowners. (Star Tribune)

COMMENTARY:
• This weekend’s major oil spill off California’s coast is further proof the U.S. needs to end coastal oil drilling, an editorial board writes. (Los Angeles Times)
• A Harvard physics professor argues that reversing human-caused global warming will require the use of carbon capture or solar engineering on top of stark emissions cuts. (New York Times)

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Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.