OIL & GAS: A federal judge approves a $50 million settlement of a class action lawsuit over an oil pipeline breach that spilled thousands of gallons of crude along the southern California coast in 2021. (Los Angeles Times)

ALSO:
• Conservation groups sue the Biden administration for allegedly failing to respond to a petition calling for a rulemaking to phase out oil and gas extraction on federal lands. (NM Political Report)
• Colorado’s attorney general urges the Biden administration to revoke its approval of a proposed Utah oil railway that could send trainloads of crude along the state’s waterways. (Colorado Newsline)   
• New Mexico’s permanent investment funds, fueled by surging oil and gas production and rising prices, hit record revenue levels. (Albuquerque Journal)

UTILITIES: Analysts say a trial that began this week over PacifiCorp’s involvement in Oregon’s 2020 Labor Day Fires could reshape the way utilities respond to climate change-exacerbated wildfire risk, regardless of the outcome. (Oregonian)

SOLAR:
• Observers say California solar installers must expand into distributed battery storage to survive under the state’s new net metering policy. (Canary Media)
• Avangrid brings its 162 MW solar installation online in Oregon, becoming the state’s largest photovoltaic facility. (Solar Power World)
• Six Flags plans to build a 12.37 MW solar carport with battery storage at its Los Angeles theme park. (news release)
• A solar equipment manufacturing firm begins producing low-light photovoltaic cells at its California factory. (news release)

WIND: West Coast commercial fishermen say they were “steamrolled” by federal agencies’ lack of engagement and transparency when proposing Oregon and California offshore wind development sites. (Civil Eats)

STORAGE:
• An energy storage facility that repurposes used electric vehicle batteries as grid-scale solar backup goes online in California. (The Buzz)
• Some southern California residents push back against a proposed grid-scale lithium-ion battery storage facility, citing fire risk and potential toxic chemical out-gasing. (Times-Advocate)

GEOTHERMAL: The U.S. Energy Department selects Colorado and Alaska cities to take part in an initiative to develop community-wide geothermal heating and cooling systems. (news release)

ELECTRIFICATION:
• Colorado regulators propose banning gasoline-powered lawn equipment sales in areas with high ozone pollution starting in 2025. (Colorado Sun)
• Climate advocates worry a utility’s successful drive to put Eugene, Oregon’s natural gas hookup ban to a vote could inspire the industry to do the same elsewhere. (Bloomberg)

TRANSPORTATION: California awards two cities $38.6 million to purchase 24 hydrogen-fueled buses and redevelop downtown transit centers to include affordable housing. (KSBW)

HYDROGEN:
• A California startup raises $250 million to ramp up production of electrolyzers that produce hydrogen from water. (Seattle Times)
• Six groups from Western states apply for up to $1.25 billion in federal funds to establish regional hydrogen hubs. (S&P Global)

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Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.