OIL & GAS: Three Alaska Native tribes and 15 states file lawsuits aiming to stop the Bureau of Land Management’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas lease sale. (Anchorage Daily News, Spokesman-Review)
ALSO:
• An oil industry study targeting presidential candidate Joe Biden claims ending fossil fuel leases on federal lands would cost thousands of jobs in New Mexico and Wyoming. (Carlsbad Current-Argus, Casper Star-Tribune)
• Colorado’s oil and gas industry raises concerns about proposed oil well setback rules, but a new study finds the proposed 1,500 foot distance would have little impact on production. (Denver Business Journal, subscription; University of Colorado Boulder)
***SPONSORED LINK: National Clean Energy Week Policy Makers Symposium is September 21-25. Register to hear from members of Congress and leading clean energy innovators. Register today at https://nationalcleanenergyweek.org.***
COAL: Wyoming regulators delay an investigation into the potential benefits of retrofitting Pacificorp’s coal-fired power plants with carbon capture after the utility made a last-minute request to include additional evidence in the case. (Casper Star-Tribune)
EQUITY: New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland says the coronavirus pandemic has “put a spotlight on the legacy of environmental racism and injustice” during a congressional panel about environmental justice issues in the state. (New Mexico Political Report)
CALIFORNIA:
• A California lawmaker is planning a legislative hearing to look into the aftermath of San Bruno’s deadly gas explosion ten years ago. (Bay Area News Group)
• PG&E reports that power has been restored to 155,000 customers in 22 Northern California counties. (KPIX)
• A climate and clean energy expert says the voluntary power conservation that enabled California’s grid operator to keep its lights on would be worrying if it were to become a routine part of maintaining electric service. (Utility Dive)
RENEWABLE ENERGY: Colorado clean energy jobs are still thousands smaller than before the coronavirus pandemic crisis. (Denver Business Journal)
SOLAR: An Oregon-based solar startup plans to build a fully integrated manufacturing plant in Washington state. (Greentech Media)
COMMENTARY:
• A PG&E official defends exit fees charged to ratepayers who switch to a third-party energy provider. (San Francisco Chronicle)
• A San Francisco official and a former fire chief say natural gas is a leading cause of the climate crisis as well as a public health and safety hazard. (San Francisco Chronicle)
• California’s record heat wave, wildfires, and smoke are a sign that climate change is happening right now. (ProPublica)
• A California sustainability advocate in an interview discusses how rooftop solar installations and energy storage batteries could take some of the stress off the state’s grid in the future. (KPBS)
• A company that certifies energy efficient homes says that even without tax credits, solar is still a smart investment for homeowners (Energy News Network, sponsored)