TRANSITION: New Mexico officials vote to offer energy transition funds aimed at offsetting a coal plant closure’s impacts to proposed hydrogen production, pumped hydropower storage and coal ash recycling projects. (NM Political Report) 

ENERGY ECONOMY: 

COAL: A coal train crashed in southern Colorado, killing a truck driver, destroying a bridge and shutting down an interstate highway indefinitely. (Colorado Sun)

HYDROGEN: New Mexico advocates urge state leaders to abandon plans to establish a hydrogen fuel production hub after its proposal was left off a list of projects garnering federal funds. (NM Political Report)

UTILITIES: California regulators consider proposed changes to the state’s 2025-2028 resource adequacy program. (RTO Insider, subscription) 

SOLAR: California’s grid operator maintained normal operations during the Oct. 14 eclipse after the drop solar generation it created was more muted than predicted.  (RTO Insider, subscription)

WIND: 

CRITICAL MATERIALS: 

BATTERIES: A firm begins operations at its lithium-ion battery recycling facility in northern Nevada. (news release)

OIL & GAS: 

CLIMATE: 

CARBON CAPTURE: Montana residents and officials raise concerns about a proposed carbon sequestration project on federal land in the southeastern part of the state. (Tri-State Livestock News)

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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.