CLIMATE: A peer-reviewed study finds forest-management carbon offsets don’t absorb as much extra greenhouse gasses as purported, undercutting California’s climate progress. (Bloomberg)
ALSO:
• A California startup says it has developed concrete blocks free of carbon-intensive Portland cement, drastically reducing emissions from the material’s production. (Canary Media)
• Arizona environmental justice activist Nicole Horseherder receives the prestigious Heinz environment award for her work advocating for Navajo Nation communities affected by coal mining and power generation. (Arizona Republic)
ELECTRIFICATION: A national climate alliance that counts seven Western state governors as members vows to install 20 million electric heat pumps by 2030, with 40% of them going to disadvantaged communities. (Grist)
BATTERIES: California’s grid operator says battery storage is coming online faster than any other sort of power plant, with the state’s capacity jumping from 500 MW in 2020 to 5,000 MW this year. (Canary Media)
WIND:
• California Indigenous advocates say the boundaries of a proposed national marine sanctuary off the state’s central coast appear to favor offshore wind energy development over protecting biodiversity. (Tribune)
• The U.S. Energy Department awards Colorado researchers $1 million to develop methods of avoiding bat-wind turbine collisions. (Colorado Sun)
SOLAR: A Colorado county launches a co-op aimed at reducing the cost and complexity of residential rooftop solar installation. (Longmont Leader)
CLEAN ENERGY: A nonprofit forms to recruit solar and wind companies to partner with tribal nations to clear hurdles to clean energy development. (PV Magazine)
OIL & GAS:
• Environmentalists say a proposed rule that would promote biological diversity and environmental health in federal wildlife refuges could be used to block oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. (Bloomberg Law)
• Ventura County, California’s board votes to loosen proposed oil and gas development regulations to settle an industry lawsuit. (VC Reporter)
• The U.S. Forest Service seeks public input on a proposal to renew a 20-year ban on oil and gas development near a sensitive cave system in southeastern New Mexico. (Carlsbad Current-Argus)
BIOFUELS:
• A southern California biofuel company backs away from its proposed pipeline following an outcry from residents worried about safety, pollution and a growing industrial presence in their community. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• A Montana ski resort transitions from petroleum fuel to biodiesel as part of an effort to cut emissions. (news release)
POLLUTION: Southern California regulators plan to crack down on warehouses that have not complied with a rule requiring them to offset truck traffic pollution. (Los Angeles Times)
UTILITIES: New Mexico regulators approve a settlement that will return $115 million to a utility’s ratepayers for charging them for a coal plant’s operations after it was retired last year. (Albuquerque Journal)
HYDROGEN: The U.S. Energy Department awards Colorado, California, Hawaii and Washington institutions $12.9 million to fund hydrogen research and development projects. (news release)
COMMENTARY: A California editorial board says the state’s lawsuit against oil corporations could force the industry to end its decades-long climate change disinformation campaign. (Los Angeles Times)
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