Biden looks to ban oil and gas leasing in western Colorado mountains

OIL & GAS: The Biden administration plans to ban future oil and gas leasing and new mining claims on nearly 225,000 acres of mountains and rangeland in western Colorado. (Colorado Sun)

ALSO:

• Alaska Indigenous groups remain divided over the Biden administration’s proposed Arctic drilling restrictions and on how to balance environmental protections and economic development. (Roll Call)
• The U.S. EPA fines a Montana petroleum refinery $385,000 for violating hazardous substance management regulations. (news release)
• Alaska utilities, regulators and elected officials consider ways to tackle a looming natural gas shortage expected to begin in 2027. (Anchorage Daily News)

CLIMATE: Alaska Native leaders attend the United Nations climate conference in Dubai to bring attention to climate change’s impacts in the state. (Alaska Public Media)

CARBON CAPTURE: Climate scientists and advocates push back on a proposed facility in southern California that would capture carbon and sequester it in nearby oil fields, saying it amounts to a lifeline for fossil fuel producers. (Capital & Main)

UTILITIES:

• Idaho wildfire victims and environmentalists push back on PacifiCorp’s bid to limit its liabilities for future blazes sparked by its equipment, saying it would allow utilities to skirt responsibilities. (Idaho Statesman)
• Arizona’s top utility regulator says he will push for more natural gas generation and that ESG — environmental, social and governance — do not play a role in new generating resources decisions. (Utility Dive)
• Rocky Mountain Power’s Wyoming customers are expected to see an 8.3% rate hike next year, far less than the utility’s requested — and controversial — 21.6% increase. (WyoFile)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• A California high school’s automotive mechanic program shifts its focus to electric vehicles. (CBS News Sacramento)
• Officials behind a proposed zero-emissions transportation research and development center in Sacramento, California, look to raise $140 million to fund the project. (Sacramento Bee)

TRANSPORTATION: A proposal to revive passenger rail between Boise and Salt Lake City missed out on the latest round of federal funding because it was not far enough along in the planning process, federal officials say. (Idaho Statesman)

CRITICAL MATERIALS: Environmentalists urge U.S. lawmakers to strengthen and update federal mining laws in advance of a predicted clean energy mineral extraction boom. (news release)

SOLAR: A California startup that developed a pneumatic utility-scale solar tracker system shuts down its operations after failing to gain a foothold in a crowded market. (Canary Media)

CLEAN ENERGY: A new analysis ranks Nevada as the nation’s top state for clean energy investment. (news release)

NUCLEAR: A company looks to build a supply chain in Wyoming for its advanced nuclear micro-reactors. (Gillette News-Record)

COMMENTARY: On a visit to a Montana coal town, a California journalist says Americans need to work across political and ideological divides to decarbonize the grid, tackle climate change and ensure fossil fuel-reliant communities aren’t left behind. (Los Angeles Times)