CARBON CAPTURE: The federal government is reportedly preparing to pay companies to remove carbon from the atmosphere in an effort to spur development of emerging direct-capture technology. (Heatmap)
UTILITIES: The top electric utility lobbying group prepares to fight the Biden administration’s plan to reduce emissions from fossil fuel power plants, even as many of its members promise to cut emissions. (Guardian)
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ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• The U.S. EPA’s proposed vehicle emissions rule faces skepticism from both automakers who say it’s unachievable and climate advocates who say it’s not ambitious enough. (Associated Press)
• Transportation researchers want to see more data on planned electric vehicle charging stations so utilities can prepare for the increased power demand they bring. (Canary Media)
RENEWABLES: As federal officials seek to cut red tape for wind and solar projects, a growing number of local governments are adopting restrictions on where they can be built. (HuffPost)
NUCLEAR:
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists achieve a net energy gain from a fusion reaction for the second time, this time yielding more energy. (Axios)
• Sources say President Biden is leaning toward designating a national monument and banning new uranium mining claims on 1.1 million acres of federal land near the Grand Canyon. (Washington Post)
BUILDINGS: Amazon incorporated dozens of carbon-saving measures in its new Virginia-based HQ2, some of which may be incorporated into the U.S. Green Building Council next certification scorecard. (Energy News Network)
OIL & GAS:
• The Biden administration is reversing on its promises to stop funding overseas fossil fuel projects, sometimes over the objections of administration climate leaders and Democratic lawmakers. (Politico)
• A growing number of Ukrainians are fleeing their home country to come and work in North Dakota oilfields. (Associated Press)
GRID:
• The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission considers a rule that could spur transmission development and help settle who pays for interconnection projects that cross multiple states. (E&E News)
• The FERC rule would require transmission providers consider grid projects in clusters to speed development, though experts say that won’t speed the process in areas already using that method. (Utility Dive)
• A coastal North Carolina community joins a wave of municipalities building solar-and-storage microgrids to boost resiliency during extreme weather. (New York Times)
CLIMATE:
• A climate journalist says racism is central to the federal government’s failure to protect outdoor workers and other vulnerable people from extreme heat worsened by climate change: “They’re not seen as humans who need to be protected.” (Guardian)
• Federal officials overseeing the reconstruction of a Florida military base leveled by 2018’s Hurricane Michael hope it will serve as a model for other bases affected by climate change. (Washington Post)
OFFSHORE WIND: Developers propose four new offshore wind projects for New Jersey’s coastal waters, including two that wouldn’t be visible from the shore. (Associated Press)
COAL: Newly published research shows the number of emergency room visits for heart attacks and strokes in Pittsburgh fell dramatically after a large coal processing plant closed. (Environmental Health News)
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