CLIMATE: Socially and economically vulnerable U.S. communities home to more people of color face more climate disasters than other places, but lack the federal support needed to recover or relocate, an investigation finds. (Mother Jones)

ALSO: A landscape that evolved to support the fading coal industry — unprotected homes, decaying infrastructure and land shorn of its natural defenses — made eastern Kentucky even more vulnerable to last week’s deluge of rain and flooding. (New York Times)

CLIMATE BILL:
• Utility leaders share their support for Democrats’ reconciliation package, saying its promised tax credits will let them more quickly and cheaply deploy clean electricity, even though some belong to trade groups attacking the bill. (E&E News, Energy and Policy Institute)
• Sen. Kyrsten Sinema reportedly wants to increase drought and water security funding in Democrats’ bill, and seeks changes to its corporate tax structure. (Axios, New York Times)
• The climate bill’s electric vehicle tax credits would require part of a car’s battery materials to be extracted by the U.S. or its trade partners, which could sharply cut the number of vehicles eligible for the credits. (The Hill)
• Coal industry groups blast the spending package and warn it will “severely threaten American coal,” while five former U.S. treasury secretaries voice their support. (The Hill, Reuters)
• The bill includes $30 billion for a nuclear energy industry tax credit that could spare some reactors slated for an early retirement. (Bloomberg)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• U.S. Energy Department leaders, clean transportation advocates, automakers and battery manufacturers outline what the U.S. needs to do to ensure half of electric vehicle sales are electric by 2030. (Utility Dive)

TRANSPORTATION: An Ohio program awards grants to public transit pilot projects that promote social equity and greenhouse gas reductions while also helping employers attract and retain talent. (Energy News Network)

ELECTRIFICATION:
• New York announces $70 million to support public housing efficiency programs, which will pay for 30,000 window-based heat pumps. (Canary Media)
• San Diego’s city council approves a climate plan that calls for banning natural gas hookups in new construction and electrifying nearly all existing homes and other buildings. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

GRID: Extended heat waves and cooling power demand threaten the reliability of New England’s electricity distribution lines and equipment, which generally can’t withstand high temperatures for very long. (Boston Globe)

UTILITIES: Records reveal a political consulting firm used by Alabama Power and other utilities to track journalists, smear politicians and manufacture protests also hired a private investigator to surveil Southern Company’s CEO. (AL.com)

COAL: The U.S. Interior Department asks states to apply for a share of $725 million made available under federal infrastructure funding to clean up abandoned coal mining sites. (Kansas Reflector)

NUCLEAR: Federal officials approve fuel loading for the long-delayed Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle in Georgia. (Power Engineering)

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Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.