PUBLIC LANDS: Experts say the next few months could be crucial for the Trump administration’s push for “energy dominance” on public lands because of the coronavirus pandemic overlapping a fiery presidential election. (E&E News)

ACTIVISM: Green groups say they need to speak up in support of demonstrators protesting the killing of George Floyd because environmental issues and racial justice are inextricably linked. (Washington Post)

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CALIFORNIA: PG&E tells California regulators that diesel and natural gas generators are necessary to power communities impacted by planned outages until non-fossil-fueled alternatives are available. (Utility Dive)

OIL & GAS:
• Wyoming lawmakers are considering dedicating extra funding to expedite the cleanup of orphaned wells in a bid to create jobs and stimulate economic development. (Casper Star-Tribune)
• Some New Mexico oil and gas industry advocates are cautioning the state against adding rules and expenses to an industry in recovery mode. (New Mexico In Depth)
• Alaska’s Gwich’in Athabascan people are reviving cultural traditions as they fight oil and gas drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge. (Religion News Service)
• An information provider predicts Colorado will have some of the largest employment losses of any state by early 2021 because of the coronavirus crisis, particularly in the oil and gas industry. (Denver Post)

COAL: A Wyoming-based carbon technology firm announces a partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to explore the conversion of coal to high-value advanced carbon products and materials. (Oil City News)

CLEAN ENERGY: Puget Sound Energy officials say the utility is taking steps to implement Washington’s clean energy law, notably to “take advantage of the clean energy supply that’s out there (already).” (The Lens)

SOLAR:
• The chief executive of a California-based testing service warns that some solar panel manufacturers are swapping in cheaper Chinese materials to save money. (Los Angeles Times) [[NOTE TO READERS: This story was from 2013 and was included in error.]]
• Public comments on a 400 MW solar power generation plant being proposed on Moapa River Indian Reservation in southern Nevada are being taken until June 8. (Moapa Valley Progress)

TRANSMISSION: An exploration of California’s Avoided Cost Calculator and transmission access charges proposes two solutions to ensure proper valuation of distributed energy resources. (Transmission & Distribution World)

EFFICIENCY: Plans emerge for a new low-carbon neighborhood on the site of a former power plant in San Francisco. (Utility Dive)

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STORAGE: A new report indicates U.S. home battery installations outperformed the rest of the energy storage sector in first-quarter 2020 deployments, notably in California. (Greentech Media)

UTILITIES:
• The Energy Imbalance Market aims to expand to day-ahead trading, driven by new Western state renewables and zero emissions mandates. (Utility Dive)
• The board of the Platte River Power Authority is considering four options to help the wholesale electrical utility reach its goal of 100% non-carbon generation by 2030. (Longmont Times-Call)

Lisa Ellwood

Lisa is a Lenape and Nanticoke Native American freelance journalist, editor and writer currently based in the U.K. She has more than two decades’ experience working in corporate communications and print and digital media. She compiles the Western Energy News daily email digest. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University; her specializations include data journalism and visualization. She is a member of the Native American Journalists Association, Investigative Reporters & Editors, Society of Professional Journalists, and the National Union of Journalists (U.K.).