Biden finalizes oil and gas methane limits for federal, tribal lands

OIL & GAS: The federal Bureau of Land Management finalizes its rule aimed at reducing methane emissions from oil and gas facilities on public and tribal lands by requiring operators to limit flaring and venting and detect and repair leaks. (Washington Post)

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ALSO: Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon criticizes the U.S. EPA’s proposal to establish a fee on methane emissions from oil and gas facilities, saying it would economically harm the state. (Buckrail)

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UTILITIES: California regulators propose a flat monthly utility fee for all electricity bills in an effort to reduce rates for low-income residents and to encourage electrification. (E&E News, subscription)

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SOLAR:

• Arizona’s attorney general calls on regulators to reconsider a decision to allow a utility to increase rates for rooftop solar customers, saying it is unconstitutional and discriminatory. (AZ Mirror)
• A study finds a full buildout of planned solar projects in California would destroy habitats for the Joshua Tree and an imperiled fox, but that climate change’s effects will be far more harmful. (E&E News, subscription)

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TRANSPORTATION: California environmental justice advocates push back on proposed changes to the state’s low carbon fuel standard, saying it might lead to higher gas prices that disproportionately burden low-income communities. (Inside Climate News)

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NUCLEAR: Washington state environmentalists and tribal leaders urge Gov. Jay Inslee to veto a budget earmark allocating $25 million to expedite advanced nuclear reactor deployment, saying the funds should go toward clean energy development. (Washington State Standard)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Colorado is set to launch its statewide electric bicycle tax credit program on April 1, but some retailers won’t participate due to slow reimbursement timelines. (CPR)
• California’s energy commission seeks public input on how to structure a grant program designed to replace and repair more than 1,300 public electric vehicle chargers. (RTO Insider, subscription)

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CLIMATE: Climate advocates protest Amazon’s plans to connect its Oregon data centers to a natural gas pipeline slated for expansion, saying the use of fossil fuels adds to the company’s “carbon problems.” (Common Dreams)

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ENERGY STORAGE: The first phase of a 680 MW battery energy storage facility in southern California is expected to go online this summer. (Patch)

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HYDROPOWER: Federal lawmakers from Western states introduce legislation that would allocate $45 million to repair and upgrade Hoover Dam and its hydropower plant in Nevada. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

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MINING: Protesters who disrupted work at the Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada claim their action was necessary to save lives as they’re sued by the project’s developer. (KOLO)

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TRANSITION:

• Wyoming leaders and some residents hold out hope for the coal industry’s recovery even as they embrace a planned advanced nuclear reactor. (NPR)
• The U.S. Energy Department awards a portion of $18 million to northwest Colorado coal communities to help them transition to cleaner energy. (Denver Gazette)

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