CLIMATE: California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls on lawmakers to pass the state’s most aggressive climate package ever before the legislative session ends on Aug. 31. (San Francisco Chronicle)

UTILITIES:
• Clean energy advocates oppose Xcel Energy’s proposal to increase rates to pay for natural gas infrastructure, saying it would hinder long-term decarbonization efforts. (Colorado Sun)
• A New Mexico electric cooperative makes the final payment on a $37 million fee to exit its contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission.
(news release)

OIL & GAS:
• Navajo Nation officials say a pipeline operator has stopped an oil and wastewater spill from reaching a tributary of the San Juan River and continues to clean up the site. (Associated Press)
• New Mexico officials predict a multi-billion dollar state budget surplus next year, driven mostly by increasing oil and gas revenues. (Associated Press)
• A peer-reviewed study finds children living near unconventional oil and gas wells at birth are up to three times more likely to later develop leukemia. (Guardian) 

SOLAR: A public hearing on a proposal to construct a 1,000 MW solar power facility on 9,500 acres of public land in southeastern Arizona draws few attendees. (Eastern Arizona Courier) 

NUCLEAR: The startup planning to build an advanced nuclear reactor in a Wyoming coal town raises $750 million to fund its effort, but still must find a fuel source now that Russian imports are not an option. (Canary Media) 

URANIUM: A poll finds a majority of likely Arizona voters from both parties support a permanent ban on uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. (Grist)

LITHIUM: The developer of a controversial proposed lithium mine in Nevada says mining-related provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act will boost the industry. (E&E News)

TRANSPORTATION: A new tool developed by the California Energy Commission shows there are nearly 2,000 electric buses, trucks and delivery vans on the state’s roads. (news release)

GRID:
• More than 2,500 members of a Tesla virtual power plant in California sent battery power back to the grid this week during the program’s first emergency response event. (Electrek)
• Municipally owned Colorado Springs Utilities joins the Southwest Power Pool’s energy imbalance service market. (Public Power)

COMMENTARY:
• A New Mexico columnist says a petroleum lobbying group’s attempt to reverse new oil and gas pollution rules could harm Permian Basin residents’ health if successful. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)  
• A California editorial board says a ballot measure that would tax the wealthy to fund electric vehicle subsidies would disproportionately benefit ride-sharing firm Lyft. (East Bay Times)

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Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.