MINING: Democratic U.S. lawmakers introduce bills that would update public land mining laws as companies ramp up efforts to extract minerals for electric vehicle batteries and other clean energy applications. (E&E News)
ALSO: The Reno-Sparks Indian Tribe calls on archaeologists to halt excavation of cultural sites at the proposed Thacker Pass lithium mine in northern Nevada. (KUNR)
UTILITIES:
• Wyoming lawmakers consider creating deregulated power zones aimed at attracting large electricity users such as cryptocurrency miners. (County10)
• A New Mexico business group accuses state utility regulators of violating open meeting laws when privately discussing a proposed transfer of a coal plant’s ownership. (Albuquerque Journal)
SOLAR:
• California lawmakers consider a bill aimed at expanding lower-income residents’ access to distributed generation by expediting community solar projects. (PV Magazine)
• The U.S. Defense Department awards a renewable energy company $2 million to develop a solar-powered microgrid at an Air Force base in Nevada. (news release)
• The developers of a 690 MW solar facility with 380 MW of battery storage planned for southern Nevada secure $1.9 billion in financing. (Recharge)
COAL:
• Xcel Energy proposes closing the Comanche 3 coal power plant in Colorado four years ahead of schedule and meeting 80% of customer power demand with renewable energy by 2030. (Denver Post)
• Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signs a bill transferring oversight of coal combustion residuals from federal to state regulators, drawing criticism from environmental advocates. (Arizona Republic)
• Arizona officials and advocates call on the U.S. EPA to crack down on a coal and natural gas power plant for allegedly violating federal air pollution laws. (KGUN)
OIL & GAS:
• Democratic U.S. lawmakers seek information about a methane leak that lasted for a month this spring at a ConocoPhillips oil and gas drilling facility in Alaska. (Reuters)
• California lawmakers consider a bill that would ban new and existing offshore oil drilling by 2024. (Politico)
• California lawmakers advance a bill that would force the 2027 closure of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility, the site of a huge 2015 methane leak. (Food & Water Watch)
HYDROGEN:
• The U.S. Energy Department commits to loan $504 million to a green hydrogen production and energy storage project under construction in Utah. (Energy Storage News)
• A Washington state startup launches a pilot project to convert cow manure into hydrogen fuel. (GeekWire)
STORAGE: The U.S. Energy Department breaks ground on a grid energy storage research and development facility in Washington state. (ExecutiveGov)
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