FRACKING: A new study is the first to link hydraulic fracturing to surface water contamination, though levels of three pollutants remain below EPA thresholds. (Inside Climate News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• It’s the “wild, wild West” for automotive suppliers as they rush to meet automakers’ demands for electric vehicle production. (Reuters)
• Replacing all federal vehicles with electric models by 2030 could save more than $1 billion, a report finds. (Utility Dive)
• Connecticut regulators finalize new rules paving the way for a major expansion of battery storage and electric vehicle charging, part of a broader effort to modernize the state’s electric grid. (Energy News Network)

SOLAR:
• Blackouts and higher electricity rates are increasingly leading homeowners to install or lease solar power, a solar company survey finds. (PV Magazine)
• Florida Power and Light says its 409 MW solar-powered battery system, set to be the world’s largest, is 75% complete. (Electrek)

CLIMATE:
• Several court decisions this week either bolstered or knocked down the Biden administration’s climate efforts, exemplifying the U.S. judiciary’s big role in determining the country’s climate future. (Washington Post)
• A study finds 90% of media coverage throughout the U.S. and other countries is accurately reflecting the realities of climate change. (Grist) 

FOSSIL FUELS:
• The U.S. Interior Department launches its review of the federal coal leasing program, taking into consideration the Biden administration’s environmental goals and a lack of competition in the system. (The Hill)
• Alaska politicians denounce a federal judge’s order this week voiding approved permits for a major oil and gas project, saying it will hurt the state’s economy and send oil production overseas. (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)

EMISSIONS: Research shows flaws in the EPA’s methane estimates, highlighting the need to improve how the agency tracks emissions before it can reduce them. (E&E News)

WIND: The federal Bureau of Land Management is taking comments on a 1,000 MW wind-power project proposed for public lands in south-central Idaho that would double the state’s wind generating capacity. (Associated Press)

STORAGE: Developers complete the second phase of the largest battery storage installation in the world, bringing the total capacity of the California facility to 400 MW/1,600 MW-hours. (Monterey Herald)

HYDROGEN: Safety concerns, including the possibility of explosions and leaks, stand between hydrogen and widespread adoption — though advocates note other energy sources have similar risks. (E&E News)

NUCLEAR: A former top Westinghouse Electric Co. executive is charged with 16 felony counts for allegedly helping cover up cost overruns and delays that doomed the construction of two South Carolina nuclear reactors. (Reuters)

CLEAN ENERGY: Advocates are promoting a plan to develop the country’s first carbon-neutral mixed use development on a polluted former golf course site in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Star Tribune)

UTILITIES:
• Protesters rallied outside of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s board meeting Wednesday, criticizing the utility’s handling of coal ash cleanup and calling for more rapid decarbonization. (PV Magazine)
• Activists and city officials call for a state investigation of Michigan’s utilities after recent storms left hundreds of thousands of customers without power. (Detroit News)
• Eversource prepares for possible grid impacts in Connecticut and Massachusetts as Tropical Storm Henri approaches New England. (New Haven Register, WHDH)

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.