CLIMATE: State Farm stops accepting new applications for homeowner or business property insurance in California, citing growing risks from climate change and the rising cost of reinsurance and rebuilding. (Los Angeles Times)

ALSO:
• California’s state auditor says the state’s water agency is relying on forecasts that don’t adequately consider the effects of climate change. (Los Angeles Times)
• Wildfires and climate change are forever transforming New Mexico’s terrain, but its future isn’t predetermined, scientists say. (Albuquerque Journal)
• A retired state forester warns that wildfire poses a potentially “cataclysmic danger” in parts of Anchorage, Alaska, with limited road access. (Daily News)

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HEAT PUMPS: Oregon is banking on rapid adoption of heat pumps to help reduce emissions and lessen the impact of heat waves, but cost and a shortage of knowledgeable installers pose obstacles to the transition. (Oregonian) 

GRID:
• As the Southwest Power Pool expands its grid footprint into the West, some experts worry the changes could isolate California and cut off access to renewable energy and other power imports. (Utility Dive)
• The Bureau of Land Management advanced two transmission projects last week that would facilitate more renewable energy projects in Nevada. (CNBC)
• Idaho utility regulators will host public hearings next month on a proposed 500-kv transmission line connecting Oregon and Idaho. (Idaho Capital Sun)

PUBLIC LANDS:
• A fight erupts over the Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to allow for conservation leases on federal land, with opponents alarmed about the potential impact on grazing, mining and oil and gas development. (Idaho Capital Sun)
• The discovery of massive rare earth elements in Wyoming and elsewhere could bring a new mining rush to the Mountain West, but questions remain about the impact on the environment and local communities. (Wyoming Public Media)

COAL:
• As Washington’s last coal-fired power plant prepares to close in 2025, a potential renewable energy hub is emerging for the property that local leaders hope will offer new job opportunities to plant employees. (Seattle Times)
• Wyoming’s major coal mining companies report first quarter results that are better than the early pandemic years but down from last year. (Star Tribune)

UTILITIES: Las Vegas residents fret about rising temperatures and electricity bills, but some residential customers could get a break this summer. (Review-Journal)

EMISSIONS: Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announces steps to phase out use of gas-powered leaf blowers by city departments and contractors. (Seattle Times)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: In Nevada, tourists and residents complain about the difficulty of finding electric vehicle charging stations. (Fox 5)

COMMENTARY:
• Clean energy advocates say recent federal legislation has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Alaska to transition to solar power that is more affordable than natural gas electricity. (Daily News)
• A Sierra Club director says putting conservation at the heart of Bureau of Land Management decisions could be a significant climate victory. (Nevada Current)

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Dan has two decades' experience working in print, digital and broadcast media. Prior to joining the Energy News Network as managing editor in December 2017, he oversaw watchdog reporting at the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, part of the USA Today Network, and before that spent several years as a freelance journalist covering energy, business and technology. Dan is a former Midwest Energy News journalism fellow and a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communications from University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.