ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: The “father of environmental justice” Robert Bullard sees reason for celebration and caution in the passage of federal climate spending, calling on government watchdogs to ensure funding is doled out equitably. (New York Times)
POLITICS:
• The Biden administration is set to create a new team headed by John Podesta to implement the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate incentives. (Politico)
• As Democrats argue over a measure backed by U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin to streamline pipeline permitting, a Republican senator sponsors similar legislation. (The Hill)
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Southern Environmental Law Center is hiring
The Southern Environmental Law Center—one of the nation’s most powerful environmental defenders, rooted in the South—is hiring an Energy and Climate Communications Manager. This role will oversee regional energy communications, including solar and methane gas issues, to advance climate progress.
CLIMATE: A map shows where more than 7,000 daily temperature records were broken this summer across the country, as well as 400 monthly records and 27 all-time records. (Washington Post)
SOLAR:
• Several U.S. pilot projects are experimenting with pairing solar panels and agriculture in hopes of easing land-use tensions and bringing in more money for farmers. (Axios)
• Purdue University researchers look for ways to integrate solar panels and row crops such as corn and soybeans, but operating farm machinery and ensuring enough sunshine under the structures pose big barriers to the concept. (Indianapolis Star)
• IKEA partners with a solar company to offer residential solar packages in its California stores. (PV Magazine)
OVERSIGHT:
• A federal agency overseeing major banks hires a chief climate risk officer to monitor climate-related risks to banks. (New York Times)
• The Biden administration looks to strengthen safety regulations for offshore oil and gas drilling that were weakened under former President Trump. (The Hill)
• New Mexico officials call on the U.S. EPA to explain why it did not fine oil and gas producers that violated federal pollution rules, saying that it could hamper state regulators’ own enforcement efforts. (Capital & Main)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• The U.S. and Mexico plan to partner on electric vehicle production by leveraging Mexico’s nationalized lithium industry. (Associated Press)
• Consumer interest in electric vehicles has dropped amid decreasing gasoline prices, but industry supporters say long-term demand remains strong. (E&E News, subscription)
GRID:
• While inflation is slowing, rising electricity prices compounded by high temperatures continue to weigh on consumers. (NPR)
• The White House’s science office recommends federal power reliability standards and efficiency rules for cryptocurrency operations. (Utility Dive)
• Financial analysts warn transmission bottlenecks could cause inefficient development of renewable projects under the Inflation Reduction Act and increase price volatility. (Utility Dive)
TRANSITION: Researchers outline how coal plant workers can transition to clean energy jobs, calling for new jobs to be located near existing plants and $83 billion to aid the switch. (Forbes)
COAL ASH:
• Two million Georgia households are on the hook for Georgia Power’s projected $9 billion coal ash cleanup, which will bring in profit for the utility. (Energy News Network/Chicago Investigative Project)
• Environmental groups sue the U.S. EPA for allowing hundreds of unregulated coal ash dumps, a third of which are in the Southeast. (Facing South)
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HYDROPOWER: As the Western drought saps hydropower capacity, dam operators time releases to maximize generation in the evening, when grid demand is highest and solar output decreases. (E&E News)
COMMENTARY: A California energy researcher says the state’s buildout of battery storage in the last two years saved residents from mass outages during the recent heat wave-induced grid scare. (Los Angeles Times)
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