PUBLIC LANDS: Wyoming lawmakers consider prohibiting state and local officials from cooperating with federal land managers after the Biden administration proposes blocking oil and gas development on 2.2 million acres. (WyoFile)
DATA CENTER: A data center under construction in Arvada, Colorado, is set to become one of Xcel Energy’s largest power customers, rivaling a steel mill and molybdenum mine. (Colorado Sun)
COAL: A legislative audit finds the Intermountain coal plant in central Utah operates with little state oversight and ships most of its power to California, irking some state lawmakers. (Deseret News)
OIL & GAS:
- New Mexico advocates urge state lawmakers to require oil and gas companies to disclose the chemicals they use — especially PFAS, or “forever chemicals” — during drilling and hydraulic fracturing. (KRQE)
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs legislation aimed at strengthening enforcement of oil and gas regulations and increasing penalties for violations. (Desert Sun)
- California environmental advocates say their last-minute lobbying blitz swayed Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign an orphan well prevention bill even though his finance department opposed it. (Politico)
- ExxonMobil acquires one of the Permian Basin’s largest oil and gas operators in a nearly $60 billion deal. (Associated Press)
BATTERIES: San Diego, California, considers regulating lithium-ion battery storage and disposal and restricting grid-scale energy storage facility locations following an upsurge in public safety concerns. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
WIND:
- Washington state looks to establish itself as an offshore wind power equipment manufacturing and service hub as the industry grows on the West Coast. (Seattle Times)
- Federal regulators extend the public comment period on planned wind energy areas off Oregon’s coast and another county votes to oppose the proposed development. (KDRV, KMTR)
SOLAR:
- California regulators delay voting on proposed cuts to rooftop solar compensation for multimeter buildings such as apartments and schools. (BNN Bloomberg)
- An Arizona electric cooperative plans to build a 294 MW solar-plus-storage facility in the southern part of the state. (news release)
UTILITIES: California consumer and environmental advocates urge regulators to reject Pacific Gas & Electric’s proposal to sell off power plants, saying it would raise costs and threaten dam safety. (E&E News, subscription)
ELECTRIFICATION: Heating and cooling equipment firms agree to support California’s goal of installing 6 million heat pumps by 2030. (RTO Insider, subscription)
CLIMATE: Montana advocates urge regulators to live up to an August court ruling by considering climate change impacts when issuing air quality permits. (Helena Independent Record)
CLEAN ENERGY: Southern California residents and advocates push Pasadena officials to declare a climate emergency and pledge to transition from mostly coal power to clean energy by 2030. (LAist)
GEOTHERMAL: The federal Bureau of Land Management plans to auction geothermal leases on 45 parcels covering 135,000 acres in Nevada. (news release)
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