POLICY: Legal experts say it could take 2-3 years to restore environmental protections that were rolled back by the Trump administration, and warn that invoking the Congressional Review Act could have unintended consequences. (New York Times)

OIL & GAS:
The Biden administration suspends oil and gas lease permitting on federal lands and waters for 60 days, but industry executives say shutting off production under a ban would take years because of existing stockpiled permits by major drillers. (Reuters)
As the Biden administration seeks to tighten oversight of the oil and gas industry, Colorado’s regulations could provide a template. (Denver Post)

PIPELINES:
• Top North Dakota Republicans want President Biden to reconsider his decision to revoke the Keystone XL pipeline permit. (Associated Press)
• Keystone XL developer TC Energy still has strong appeal for investors as the canceled pipeline would indirectly benefit the company’s natural gas and nuclear segments, experts say. (S&P Global)

OVERSIGHT:
• President Biden appoints Richard Glick to chair the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, who promises “significant progress” on clean energy. (Utility Dive)
• The Trump administration has appointed a small number of loyalists to overseas Department of Energy positions that were previously off limits to political appointees. (E&E News)

TRANSPORTATION: As Secretary of Transportation nominee Pete Buttigieg pledges to prioritize climate change, a writer looks at five ways he could steer the agency in that direction. (New York Times)

CLIMATE:
• Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sets a more aggressive goal to reach 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 amid a series of climate change proposals. (Star Tribune)
California climate experts say President Biden’s restoration of the state’s authority to set its own emissions standards was needed, and also challenges the state to improve. (Capital Public Radio News)
• Massachusetts legislators refile the same climate bill that Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed last week with the intent to override any veto that may occur. (WBUR)
• The Delaware Senate passes a renewable energy standard bill that would require 40% of electricity come from renewable resources by 2035. (DelawarePublic) 

SOLAR:
• A first-of-its-kind “renter equity” development in Detroit includes a community solar component to lessen renters’ utility burden. (Energy News Network)
• Minnesota regulators fine Xcel Energy $1 million for delays in connecting solar projects to the grid. (Star Tribune)
• Tampa Electric doubles its target for solar power, beginning construction of four new projects totaling 225 MW and announcing plans to retire a coal plant two decades ahead of schedule. (Florida Politics)
• Solar development is providing a lifeline for Texas landmen amid the oil downturn. (Houston Chronicle)

COAL:
• After West Virginia makes changes to how it funds reclamation of former coal mines, environmental groups drop a lawsuit but remain concerned about the potential for coal bankruptcies to overwhelm states’ ability to pay for cleanup. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• A safety inspector at a now-bankrupt Kentucky coal mine becomes the third person, of nine that have been charged, to plead guilty to rigging dust-monitoring equipment to skirt safety rules. (Associated Press)

COMMENTARY:
• A Sierra Club official discusses ways the climate movement can be more inclusive. (Washington Post)
• A political writer notes that policymaking through executive order is a sign of a dysfunctional government. (CNN)
• Despite his campaign promises to save coal, Donald Trump leaves office with the industry in collapse, writes a columnist. (Northwest Florida Daily News)

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.