COAL: Wyoming environmental regulators say the state’s effort to clean up abandoned coal mines is creating much-needed jobs and funneling millions of dollars into local economies. (Casper Star-Tribune)

ALSO: The Navajo Transitional Energy Company lays off 80 workers at a Wyoming mine who had previously been furloughed in May. (Casper Star-Tribune)

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OIL & GAS:
• New Mexico’s climate change initiatives continue to be at odds with the state’s record oil production and its impact on communities, and its Indigenous population in particular. (Santa Fe New Mexican, New Mexico Political Report)
• A leading Powder River Basin oil and gas firm is studying ways to minimize impacts on ferruginous hawks. (Casper Star-Tribune)

STORAGE:
• Mitsubishi Hitachi is providing a 20 MW / 80 MWh battery energy storage system to California’s grid as part of a multi-year study on clean distributed energy resources. (Transmission & Distribution World)
• Hawaii and Arizona are among the top five states leading in co-located renewables and energy storage capacity, according to a new analysis. (Wind Power Monthly)

GRID:
• Rocky Mountain Power advances its $2 billion plan to modernize and expand the utility’s Wyoming transmission infrastructure. (Casper Star-Tribune)
• Advocates say grid upgrades will be needed in Nevada to support energy storage and ensure reliability as the state transitions to clean energy. (Nevada Independent) 

SOLAR: An Arizona utility disputes claims it is unfairly limiting rooftop solar connections. (Arizona Daily Star)

PUBLIC LANDS: The Bureau of Land Management says nearly half of the $8.2 million in revenue from last week’s oil and gas lease sale will go to the states where the leases are located. (Associated Press)

UTILITIES:
• California lawmakers abandon an emergency legislative measure that would have added about $1 to California utility bills to finance a $3 billion wildfire prevention fund. (Los Angeles Times)
• The CEO of an Arizona utility says the state needs to continue focusing on grid reliability and resources when considering new renewable energy requirements. (Arizona Daily Star)
• A utility serving the Fort Collins, Colorado area considers a plan for 90% carbon-free electricity by 2030. (Coloradoan)

HYDROPOWER: A $47 million water diversion project will increase the power production capacity of an Alaska hydro facility. (Associated Press)

COMMENTARY:
• A climate advocate explains why clean energy microgrid solutions would be better for California than backup generators powered by fossil fuels. (Sacramento Bee)
• A California columnist says the state’s recent rolling blackouts are a warning about failing to ensure there is enough to meet demands during its renewables transition. (CalMatters)
• The CEO of a Colorado co-op says “there is much we can learn from recent experiences in California” when transitioning to clean energy. (Vail Daily)

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.).