CLIMATE: President Donald Trump will sign an executive order today undo climate change initiatives in an effort to boost domestic energy production of fossil fuels. (Associated Press)

COAL:
• Trump’s executive order is unlikely to provide any significant rescue for West Virginia’s coal industry and others because it won’t immediately boost demand for coal. (Charleston Gazette-Mail, Bloomberg)
• Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell announced his support on Monday to accelerate the release of mine reclamation funds. (Lexington Herald-Leader)
• A West Virginia senator pushing to extend retired coal miners’ benefits will meet with miners on Friday. (Associated Press)
• Historic photos show the rise and decline of a Kentucky coal town. (Daily Mail)

WIND:
• Unless North Carolina enacts aggressive renewable energy goals, the state’s first offshore wind farm is still a decade or more away despite the auction earlier this month. (Southeast Energy News)
• Tennessee lawmakers kill a bill that would impose new restrictions on wind energy. (Knoxville News Sentinel)

NUCLEAR:
• One of the partners in the Plant Vogtle nuclear plant expansion said Monday the already-delayed project probably won’t be completed by its latest deadline. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Santee Cooper refuses to release details about its contingency plans for a South Carolina nuclear plant. (Charleston Post and Courier)

NATURAL GAS: A Duke University committee will consider public comments from a Monday meeting about a power plant on campus that has faced opposition since it was proposed last year. (WRAL)

FRACKING: Opponents spoke on Monday against an industry-back bill in the West Virginia Senate that would help natural gas companies force unwilling mineral owners to allow drilling. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

SOLAR:
• Using PACE loans to finance solar systems in Florida could have unintended consequences for property owners. (SaintPetersBlog)
• North Carolina’s attorney general is investigating consumer complaints about a solar installer. (WSOC)

GRID: How energy storage could be the next job creator in North Carolina and elsewhere. (EnergyWire)

COMMENTARY:
• President Donald Trump’s executive order to undo climate change rules would give Florida energy companies “a green light to churn out as much energy as possible with zero consideration for how that production affects the global climate.” (Miami New Times)
• Advocates say clean energy can lower costs and improve health in North Carolina. (Raleigh News & Observer)
• Can innovation save nuclear power? (Vox)

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Ken Paulman

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.