OIL & GAS: A peer-reviewed study finds increases in natural gas production correlate with corresponding decreases in average birth weight, a phenomenon that disproportionately affects women of color. (Environmental Health News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Federal agencies will need to acquire about 30,000 zero-emission vehicles per year and rapidly expand their charging capacity to meet Biden administration goals, a watchdog finds. (The Hill)

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CLEAN ENERGY: Wind and solar energy prices rose more than 30% in the third quarter of 2022 compared with a year before, cutting into their cost advantage over fossil fuels. (Inside Climate News)

SOLAR:
• Researchers say placing solar panels among farms on the outskirts of cities — areas that already see some of the most sun — could be more efficient than placing them on city rooftops or in faraway areas that demand large transmission investments. (Mother Jones)
• Ohio regulators approve significant solar and storage capacity with two of the state’s largest solar projects, totaling 600 MW, as well as a 200 MW storage project, but deny plans for a 300 MW solar project. (WTOL)

POLITICS: Government watchdogs and advocates are keeping close tabs on the Inflation Reduction Act’s rollout, searching for fraud and mismanagement and preparing for challenges if Republicans take over Congress next year. (E&E News)

CLIMATE:
• General Motors, Starbucks and other corporations agree to use more environmentally friendly materials for construction and manufacturing as part of the White House’s climate plan. (E&E News)
• The U.S. EPA announces plans to further slash hydrofluorocarbon emissions commonly found in refrigeration appliances, which have far more climate-warming potential than carbon. (Washington Post)

GRID:
• Puerto Rico’s power grid is in crisis, facing lingering outages from Hurricane Fiona, unrepaired damage from a 2017 hurricane, and a private company that has hiked rates seven times since taking over last year. (HuffPost)
• The Department of Energy seeks input on its $250 million program to help rural, municipal and small electric utilities beef up cybersecurity. (news release)
• A transmission executive says cost is the primary barrier to underground power lines, which can be five to 10 times more expensive than overhead lines. (Radio Iowa)

LITHIUM: Researchers find pairing geothermal generation with lithium extraction would lower costs and reduce environmental damage from producing the critical mineral. (news release)

CARBON CAPTURE: A recently announced Louisiana carbon-capture collaboration has attracted praise from state officials as a prototype for the fossil fuel industry, as well as criticism from environmental advocates who see it as a diversion from more proven decarbonization solutions. (Louisiana Illuminator)

AFFORDABILITY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair Richard Glick predicts consumers will “suffer” under high energy prices this winter. (E&E News)

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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.