Biden moves to curb drilling and mining

PUBLIC LANDS: The Biden administration proposes tighter restrictions on oil and gas drilling, clean energy development and mining on federal lands in an effort to protect the imperiled greater sage grouse. (Associated Press)

ALSO: The incoming Trump administration plans to shrink two national monuments in Utah shortly after taking office, which will open hundreds of thousands of acres of federal land to oil and gas drilling and uranium and coal mining. (New York Times)

EMISSIONS:

• California air regulators vote to tighten the state’s low carbon fuel standards in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions even though the changes could lead to higher gasoline prices. (Associated Press)
• A Washington state grand jury charges two residents with violating federal pollution laws by smuggling $33 million worth of illegal devices designed to override truck emissions controls and selling them online. (Tri-City Herald)

CLIMATE: Experts predict Washington state’s defeat of a ballot measure aimed at overturning its landmark climate law will encourage other states to pass similar legislation and enact carbon markets. (E&E News, subscription)

UTILITIES:

• Independent candidate Elena Evans loses her race for the Montana Public Service Commission, even after out-of-state pro-clean energy organizations poured more than $500,000 into her campaign. (Daily Montanan)
• Arizona regulators fine a natural gas utility $2 million over concerns about piping material that can degrade in high temperatures. (Associated Press)
• California officials say the state’s community choice aggregators have signed on to purchase more than 18,000 MW of wind, solar, geothermal and battery storage since 2018. (news release)

ELECTRIFICATION:

• Voters in Berkeley, California, are poised to reject a ballot measure that would have taxed natural gas use in large buildings. (Berkeleyside)
• Washington state advocates plan to legally challenge a ballot measure blocking state and local restrictions on natural gas service that won on Nov. 5, saying it is unconstitutional. (Washington State Standard)

SOLAR: A California solar inverter firm plans to slash its global workforce by about 17% amid declining residential demand. (Reuters)

NUCLEAR: A Colorado firm is poised to restart uranium production as a ban on Russian enriched reactor fuel is implemented. (Denver Gazette)

GRID: An unusually severe winter storm in Colorado damages utility equipment, leaving more than 50,000 customers without power. (Denver 7)

CLEAN ENERGY: A report finds Arizona lags neighboring states in transitioning from fossil fuels, even though it has significantly increased solar and battery storage capacity in recent years. (KJZZ)