Biden allocates billions of dollars to Western climate projects

CLIMATE: The U.S. EPA awards Western states more than $1.27 billion for projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, utilities, buildings and industry. (Associated Press, Colorado Newsline)

ALSO: A study finds the urban heat island effect increases Tucson, Arizona’s temperature by nearly eight degrees over that of the surrounding, undeveloped desert. (Arizona Daily Star)

UTILITIES: Hawaiian Electric and other defendants reportedly agree to pay $4 billion to settle lawsuits over last year’s deadly Maui wildfires, but disagreements over distribution of the funds is delaying a final deal. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)

WIND:

• California regulators propose buying 7,600 MW of offshore wind energy over the next decade, boosting planned developments off the state’s central and northern coasts. (E&E News, subscription)
• A clean energy advocate urges an Oregon county’s officials to support proposed offshore wind development, saying it could bring decades of economic investment to the rural area. (Wild Rivers Outpost)

SOLAR:

• A California program aims to slash low-income residents’ power bills by offering rooftop solar-plus-storage systems at no upfront cost. (Spectrum News)
• California solar installer SunPower ceases operations, citing cash flow problems and dampened sales. (CNBC)
• A Utah university begins meeting about 92% of its power demand with energy from a new, 80 MW solar installation. (Daily Herald)

ELECTRIFICATION:

• An Oregon city considers encouraging building electrification with impact fees, educational programs and expedited permitting after withdrawing a natural gas hookup ban. (OPB)
• Oregon restarts its heat pump rebate program for rental homes after it was paused due to lack of funds. (OPB)

GEOTHERMAL: The U.S. Army looks to heat an Alaska base with geothermal energy. (Task & Purpose)

HYDROGEN: Navajo Nation advocates push back against a proposed 200-mile hydrogen pipeline that would cross tribal land, saying existing regulations are inadequate to ensure safety or mitigate impacts. (Arizona Republic)

OIL & GAS: 

• Alaska officials accuse the federal Bureau of Land Management of breaking a commitment to lift land-use restrictions along a highway used by the oil and gas industry. (E&E News, subscription)
• California regulators submit final regulations banning hydraulic fracturing for administrative review and expect them to go into effect in October. (news release)
• A study finds about 2.6 million California residents live near oil and gas wells in high fire risk areas. (Los Angeles Times)

COAL:

• A rural northwestern New Mexico school district calls on the state’s largest utility to develop more solar facilities within its boundaries to replace generation and tax revenues lost when the San Juan coal plant retired in 2022. (Santa Fe New Mexican)
• A federal appeals court rejects Western Republican-led states’ bid to block Biden administration rules aimed at reducing coal plants’ greenhouse gas emissions. (Associated Press)
• Reports say a southwestern Wyoming coal mine will lay off about a third of its workers following industry-wide decline. (Wyoming Public Radio)

GRID: Unusually severe winds topple utility poles in eastern Idaho, leaving nearly 8,000 customers without power. (East Idaho News)