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)