Biden bans drilling on western Colorado’s Thompson Divide

OIL & GAS: The Biden administration finalizes a 20-year ban on new oil and gas drilling and mining on 222,000 acres of federal land in the Thompson Divide area of western Colorado. (Colorado Sun)

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ALSO:

• Permian Basin petroleum companies plan to develop pipelines to Gulf Coast export terminals designed to meet increasing global demand for liquified natural gas. (Carlsbad Current-Argus, subscription)
• The U.S. EPA orders Colorado regulators to revise a natural gas processing plant’s air quality permit after finding it failed to ensure flaring at the facility reduces smog-forming emissions. (news release)

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BIOFUELS: Phillips 66 completes converting a California Bay Area oil refinery into a biodiesel production facility. (ESG Today)

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UTILITIES:

• At least four self-described clean energy candidates win seats on the board of the Salt River Project, an Arizona utility. (KJZZ)
• Victims of last year’s deadly Maui blazes balk at Hawaiian Electric’s proposed 5% fee on ratepayers’ bills to help the utility fund wildfire prevention efforts. (Honolulu Civil Beat)

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SOLAR: Hawaiian Electric streamlines its rooftop solar and battery storage incentive program, resulting in reduced benefits for some customers. (Utility Dive)

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BATTERIES:

• Developers plan to bring a 680 MW battery energy storage system online this summer on the site of a shuttered natural gas plant in southern California. (Canary Media)
• LG Energy Solution begins construction on an electric vehicle and grid-scale battery manufacturing facility in Arizona. (Energy Storage News)
• Idaho Power plans to build a grid-scale battery energy storage project as part of its bid to bolster clean energy on its grid. (news release)

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NUCLEAR: California advocates sue the Biden administration for allocating $1 billion to the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant to keep it operating, saying the award was based on a flawed analysis that doesn’t recognize some hazards. (Associated Press)

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CLIMATE:

• A nonprofit estimates Los Angeles County must invest at least $12.5 billion over the next 15 years to protect residents from climate change-exacerbated extreme weather, wildfires, rising sea levels and public health threats. (Los Angeles Times)
• Idaho lawmakers consider legislation drafted by conservative think tanks and fossil fuel industry groups that would block large banks from factoring climate and environmental concerns into investment decisions. (Idaho Statesman)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A Washington state utility offers $50 credits to electric vehicle owners who agree not to charge when power demand peaks. (Center Square)

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CARBON CAPTURE:

• Montana advocates and residents push back on a proposed carbon sequestration project on federal land in the southeastern part of the state. (Montana Free Press)
• A California lawmaker withdraws legislation that would have increased safety regulations on carbon dioxide pipelines following pushback from labor and industry groups. (E&E News, subscription)

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