CLIMATE BILL: After a weekend marathon of debate and voting on proposed amendments, the U.S. Senate passes Democrats’ reconciliation package with opposition from all Republicans; the House plans to vote on it Friday. (Politico, E&E News)

ALSO:
• While it would be the largest federal investment in climate action in U.S. history, the bill scales down the Biden administration’s original ambitions, omitting plans for a Civilian Climate Corps and likely delivering smaller emissions reductions than Democrats had initially hoped. (New York Times)
• Barriers to the implementation of Democrats’ clean energy measures remain, including local opposition to wind and solar farms and a lack of transmission lines needed to transport clean energy. (Washington Post)
• Extensions of wind and solar tax incentives in the federal legislation could further politically divide states that have welcomed renewable energy sources and states that have put up roadblocks. (E&E News)
• Sen. Joe Manchin, who counts pipeline companies among his biggest financial supporters, fought to include gas pipeline-boosting measures in Democrats’ spending package. (New York Times)

WIND: Virginia regulators approve Dominion Energy’s $9.8 billion plan to build America’s largest offshore wind farm, but impose a performance guarantee, requirements to report cost overruns, and other conditions to protect ratepayers. (Virginia Mercury, Associated Press)

PIPELINES: A Texas-based pipeline builder will accept criminal responsibility for damaging water and wetlands while constructing the Mariner East pipeline  through Pennsylvania; the plea also involves charges related to another pipeline explosion. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)

UTILITIES: The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is yet to release the full scope of public records related to FirstEnergy’s dealings with a former top regulator and lawmakers, causing an ongoing “black cloud” to hang above the agency. (Energy News Network/Eye on Ohio)

CLIMATE: Kentucky’s historic floods raise questions about whether extreme weather driven by climate change combined with the long-term effects of strip-mining will make parts of Appalachia uninhabitable. (Inside Climate News)

SOLAR: A renewable energy developer proposes constructing a 500 MW solar-plus-storage project in eastern Washington where livestock grazing and farming would continue between photovoltaic panels. (Tri-City Herald) 

GAS: Shifting Philadelphia’s natural gas-burning buildings to electric sources may be the hardest part of the city’s climate journey as leaders warn the failure of municipally owned Philadelphia Gas Works could bankrupt the city. (Grid)

COAL: A New Mexico startup still has not met benchmarks needed to take over the aging San Juan coal plant and install carbon capture equipment, making it increasingly likely the plant will shut down on Sept. 30. (S&P Global)

COMMENTARY:
• Bill Gates urges business leaders, climate leaders and Americans as a whole to keep lobbying Congress to pass the Inflation Reduction Act as the House prepares to consider the bill. (New York Times)
• A climate journalist recounts how climate change emerged as a political issue in the late 1980s, and has now grown to drive the passage of the U.S.’s first economy-wide climate bill. (Atlantic)
• President Biden should reform the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to allow the nuclear power industry to grow again, a climate scientist writes. (Boston Globe)

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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.