PIPELINES: West Virginia regulators rewrite state environmental rules for a second time to facilitate construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline after a federal court ruling freezes its permit to cross waterways. (Mountain State Spotlight/ProPublica)
ALSO: Kinder Morgan Inc.’s 430-mile Permian Highway Pipeline across Texas goes into operation, and is expected to be fully in service by early 2021. (Natural Gas Intelligence)
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OIL & GAS:
• A central Texas oil producer begins drilling its first well in 10 months, after a tumultuous year marked by corporate upheaval and stakeholder concerns. (Natural Gas Intelligence)
• A fifth worker has died from injuries stemming from an August explosion when a barge struck a gas pipeline near Corpus Christi, Texas. (KIII)
• A West Virginia county will consider an option to buy property at the site of a proposed natural gas power plant, even as the company has canceled plans for another plant. (Exponent Telegram)
• Two oil and gas advocacy associations in West Virginia merge to become the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia. (WV MetroNews)
RENEWABLES: Nashville updates its building codes and energy standards and announces a partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Vanderbilt University to build 100 MW of solar generation as part of a tilt toward clean energy. (Nashville Scene)
WIND: A marketing video produced by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy aims to attract entrepreneurs and workers to the offshore wind industry. (Renews)
SOLAR:
• A solar developer proposes a three-part, 280 MW solar facility on 2,697 acres in western Virginia. (Southwest Times)
• Texas county commissioners consider a tax abatement for a 300 MW solar project, but hold off on taking any action for now. (Brownwood Bulletin)
UTILITIES:
• Lafayette, Louisiana’s city-owned utility seeks a source of solar energy as it prepares to retire a coal-fired plant that currently provides nearly half of its power. (The Daily Advertiser)
• Consumer advocates question the necessity of a requested 12% increase in electricity rates and 9% increase in gas rates by Louisville Gas & Electric. (WLKY)
• Alabama regulators reverse course and will livestream this morning’s meeting on Alabama Power’s electricity rates and environmental compliance costs. (AL.com)
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COAL: Chinese steel mills are looking to U.S. metallurgical coal, including from West Virginia, after they were told to stop importing Australian coal. (Argus Media)
COMMENTARY:
• A South Carolina newspaper publisher calls for sweeping action by state lawmakers to close coal plants, reduce pollution, protect land and engage on climate change. (Charleston City Paper)
• A retired healthcare executive praises Virginia regulators for denying a rate increase to Appalachian Power. (Roanoke Times)