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)

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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)

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.).