ELECTRIFICATION: To fight electrification measures in California and other states, utility-backed groups are running campaigns to promote gas stoves despite known health hazards. (Mother Jones)

ALSO: California officials want to replace millions of gas-fired water heaters with electric ones to cut emissions and serve as an energy storage resource. (Bloomberg)

OIL & GAS:
• Chevron is still not sure of the exact makeup of a 600-gallon spill from a refinery into the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday, but officials have not found any health or wildlife impacts so far. (ABC 7 News)
• New Mexico lawmakers narrowly pass a bill that would require the oil and gas industry to use produced water or recycled water in drilling or fracking. (Albuquerque Journal)
• The EPA announces a Texas-based oil company will pay Wyoming $1.9 million for two oil and wastewater spills. (Associated Press)
• Elected leaders and environmental groups oppose a Central California county’s proposed revised oil permitting ordinance that would allow up to 67,000 additional wells to be built in the area over the next 20 years. (KERO)

COAL: Colorado Springs officials announce a $100 million deal with GE for six gas turbines to provide electricity as a downtown coal plant is dismantled starting next year. (Denver Post)

UTILITIES:
• An audit of the California Public Utilities Commission finds that $200 million that a whistleblower alleges was missing is accounted for, but the agency’s billing system is still “inaccurate and incomplete.” (ProPublica)
• A $2 million program set up to help Hawaii ratepayers behind 90 days or more on utility bill payments is forced to close after two days because of high demand. (KHON)

POLLUTION: Utah lawmakers responsible for the state’s air quality policies and appropriations detail 22 proposals they want considered during the 2021 Legislative Session. (Deseret News)

PUBLIC LANDS: Native American leaders in Montana call on U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Matt Rosendale to stop “deeply offensive“ criticisms of Interior secretary nominee Deb Haaland. (Montana Standard) 

WIND: Projects in Colorado and New Mexico have helped Xcel Energy to become the second U.S. utility to reach 10,000 MW of wind energy capacity. (Denver Post)

RENEWABLE ENERGY: San Diego County officials approve “regulatory and process” options aiming to streamline environmental review, permitting, and other processes related to renewable energy projects. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

TRANSPORTATION: Denver is deploying seven electric car share vehicles in six under-resourced communities along with subsidizing memberships in those areas for a minimum of 450 residents. (CBS Denver)

HYDROGEN: Experts say hydrogen vehicles and fuel could help Colorado achieve its climate goals, but state lawmakers need to work on regulations and purchasing incentives. (Colorado Sun)

COMMENTARY:
• An Oregon editorial board is critical of a state bill aiming to set energy efficiency standards for certain appliances. (Bend Bulletin)
• A New Mexico official discusses the possible long-term impact of President Biden’s indefinite ban of federal oil and gas leases in the state. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)

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.).