Alaska looks to get into carbon sequestration

CARBON CAPTURE: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy proposes legislation that would allow the state to lease subsurface rights for storing carbon dioxide in an effort to maintain or increase fossil fuel production while reducing emissions. (Alaska Beacon)

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OIL & GAS:

• An analysis finds Colorado’s new financial assurance rules for oil and gas companies may not generate enough funds to clean up all of the state’s wells at the end of their lives. (Colorado Sun)  
• A California lawmaker introduces a bill that would replace the term “natural gas” with “methane” in state energy codes to emphasize the fuel is made up mostly of the potent greenhouse gas. (E&E News, subscription)

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SOLAR:

• A Colorado startup receives $150 million in financing to fund multi-tenant property rooftop solar installations. (Durango Herald)
• The Gila River Indian Community begins construction on a solar installation over an irrigation canal that is expected to save about 3 million gallons of water annually through avoided evaporation. (WBUR)

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WIND: A confederation of tribal nations accuses federal agencies of failing to engage with them before finalizing offshore wind energy plans along the Oregon coast. (KOIN)

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UTILITIES:

• Hawaii lawmakers consider a bill that would allow the state’s largest utility to levy a fee on customers to help pay wildfire costs and require it to develop a reorganization plan. (Honolulu Civil Beat)
• Washington state lawmakers advance a bill that would allow utilities to offer customers “non-emitting energy” alternatives to natural gas, including electricity or hydrogen fuel. (Chronicle)
• Federal data show urban Hawaii, San Francisco and San Diego have the nation’s highest electricity prices. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Observers say California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s appointment of state consumer advocate Matt Baker to the state utilities commission signals an increasing focus on affordability. (E&E News, subscription)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Oregon receives $10 million in federal funding to repair broken or malfunctioning electric vehicle charging stations. (OPB)
• New Mexico adopts building codes requiring electric vehicle chargers in new multifamily housing and commercial developments. (Albuquerque Journal)
• A rural Colorado school district uses federal funding to purchase two more electric buses and fully transition to a zero-emission fleet. (Vail Daily)

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CLIMATE: Washington state lawmakers propose spending carbon allowance auction revenues on electricity bill credits for low-income residents and to purchase hybrid-electric fire engines and charging infrastructure. (Washington State Standard)

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DIVESTMENT: Oregon lawmakers advance a bill that would phase out the state public pension fund’s investments in the coal industry. (Portland Tribune)

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