California regulators reject gas-appliance phaseout rules

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ELECTRIFICATION

• Southern California air quality regulators vote to reject proposed rules that would have phased out residential gas water heaters and furnaces following opposition from industry and the Trump administration. (CalMatters)

GRID

• Colorado energy experts say jurisdictional issues have hampered utilities’ ability to expand and modernize the power grid quickly enough to accommodate growing demand and say further delays will threaten reliability. (Colorado Sun)

• California’s grid operator and Southwest Power Pool offer Western utilities and balancing authorities competing regional transmission organizations and day-ahead energy markets. (Colorado Sun)

• Idaho National Laboratory researchers work to develop earthquake-resistant electrical transformer bushings. (news release)

UTILITIES

• Colorado regulators approve Xcel Energy’s proposed wildfire hazard mitigation plan. (KDVR)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy threatens to strip BlueCrest Energy of its energy leases in Cook Inlet, saying it has not met drilling commitments that could mitigate a looming natural gas shortage in the state. (Northern Journal)

• New Mexico advocates push back on a proposal to recycle oil and gas drilling wastewater to supplement drought-diminished water supplies, saying there is no way to make it safe for off-field use. (High Country News)

• Navajo Nation citizens and advocates push back on the Trump administration’s push to revive the coal industry, saying it could lead harmful Black Mesa mines to reopen. (Arizona Republic)

• Colorado regulators begin work to extinguish an abandoned coal mine waste fire that has smoldered for decades. (CPR)

EFFICIENCY

• New Mexico launches a $5.3 million loan program to finance energy efficiency, solar, and electric panel upgrades in commercial buildings that serve the community. (Solar Power World)

CLEAN ENERGY

• A western Colorado airport rushes to begin construction on a parking lot solar installation in advance of Congress’ expected cuts to federal clean energy tax credits. (Grand Junction Sentinel)

• Colorado State University and Pivot Energy partner on a proposed offsite solar installation that would double the campus’ renewable energy use. (Coloradoan)

• Belen, New Mexico’s city council approves a utility-scale solar installation on about 395 acres of private land that is expected to create about 250 construction jobs and generate $16.9 million in tax revenue. (KRQE)

• A California county adopts an online solar permitting app aimed at streamlining residential installations. (Hoodline)

CARBON CAPTURE

• The Trump administration removes California startup Heirloom’s proposed direct-air carbon capture project in Louisiana from its federal funding ​“kill list” following Republican officials’ lobbying. (Politico)

TRANSPORTATION

• Democratic Oregon lawmakers prepare to introduce a transportation funding bill that would hike the state’s gasoline tax by 15 cents and increase or institute additional fees. (OPB)

COMMENTARY

• Utah elected officials urge state and federal leaders to streamline transmission permitting, saying an expanded and upgraded grid will slash energy costs and boost reliability. (Salt Lake Tribune)

• An Arizona vice-mayor says partisan efforts to slash federal clean energy and climate funding would ​“derail solutions our communities have been building for years.” (Arizona Capitol Times)

NEW FROM CANARY

• Chicago-area startup Sun Metalon aims to reduce steel industry emissions with an oven-sized box that cleans and melts down waste metal into recyclable pucks, Kari Lydersen reports.

• A North Carolina food bank is on track to save $143,000 annually thanks to its rooftop solar array, but the federal incentives that made it possible will be gutted under Republicans’ proposed budget bill, Elizabeth Ouzts reports.

• Springfield, Massachusetts, residents are fighting back after rulings to stop a wood-burning power plant were reversed, Sarah Shemkus reports.

• A handful of Senate Republicans indicate they’ll look to extend the 60-day phaseout of clean energy tax credits proposed in the House’s ​“Big, Beautiful Bill,” Kathryn Krawczyk reports.