Western Energy News is one of five regional services published by the Energy News Network. Today’s edition was compiled by Jonathan Thompson.
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ELECTRIFICATION: Washington becomes the first state to adopt statewide electrification mandates by requiring electric space and water heat pumps in most new commercial and multi-family buildings starting in 2023. (S&P Global)
ALSO: Carlsbad, California, considers requiring all-electric appliances in new buildings. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
OIL & GAS:
• The Biden administration rescinds a Trump-era policy that would have opened more of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska to drilling and reverts to an Obama-era plan that leaves half of the reserve open to development. (Alaska Public Media)
• Energy experts say the Biden administration’s delayed release of new oil and gas drilling regulations stems from partisan fights over climate and gas prices. (E&E News)
• Montana nonprofits convert modular homes once intended for oil and gas workers into affordable housing. (Montana Free Press)
UTILITIES: Oregon regulators approve wildfire mitigation plans for PacifiCorp, Portland General Electric and Idaho Power, the first to be filed under a 2021 bill requiring such plans. (KDRV)
CLIMATE:
• Livermore, California, partners with a national laboratory to create a plan to become carbon neutral by 2045. (news release)
• Climate advocates occupy Wells Fargo’s corporate headquarters in San Francisco and call on the bank to stop funding oil and gas companies. (KPIX)
STORAGE: California regulators approve nine battery storage projects, totaling 1.6 GW, proposed by Pacific Gas & Electric. (Energy Storage News)
GRID: High winds and heavy snow damage utility equipment in Montana and North Dakota, leaving 18,000 without power. (Bismarck Tribune)
TRANSPORTATION:
• Residents of an Arizona city protest plans to build a 1-million-square-foot electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility adjacent to a Phoenix-area residential community. (ABC15)
• A hydrogen-powered ferry is set to begin operating in the San Francisco Bay this summer. (Reuters)
• Electric vehicles comprise 8.6% of Colorado’s car sales so far this year, considerably higher than in 2021, but lower than West Coast states. (Colorado Sun)
HYDROPOWER: Officials from the Colorado River Basin states agree to withhold water in Lake Powell to keep levels from dropping below the minimum needed to produce hydropower. (Cronkite News)
COMMENTARY:
• A Western climate advocate urges the Biden administration to fight climate change by modernizing the federal oil and gas leasing program. (The Hill)
• A Wyoming columnist says the state’s attempt to save the coal industry by forcing utilities to perform costly studies on retrofitting coal plants with carbon capture equipment will only burden ratepayers. (WyoFile)
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