California transit agency is nation’s first to go all electric, zero-emissions

TRANSPORTATION: A southern California transportation authority becomes the nation’s first all-electric, zero-emissions transit agency, 18 years before the state’s deadline. (Canary Media)

ALSO:
• An Arizona electric vehicle manufacturer begins selling zero-emission big rigs from a Colorado equipment dealership. (news release)
• Montana is set to receive $43 million and Wyoming $24 million in federal infrastructure funds over the next five years to install direct-current fast charging electric vehicle infrastructure. (news releases)
• Advocates say a California rule requiring rideshare services to convert 90% of their fleets to electric vehicles unfairly burdens independent contractor drivers. (Wired)

OIL & GAS:
• Environmental groups sue to obtain records relating to the U.S. Interior Department’s November oil and gas program report, saying it failed to address climate change. (CNN)
• A California court will consider next month whether to allow Kern County to resume oil and gas permitting under a streamlined review system opposed by environmentalists and landowners. (Bakersfield Californian)
• ConocoPhillips continues to seek the cause of a methane leak detected over two weeks ago at one of its Alaska oil drilling facilities. (Anchorage Daily News)
• Colorado environmental advocates use thermographic cameras to track methane emissions from orphaned oil and gas wells. (Sierra)

COAL:
• Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signs a bill giving a tax break to coal companies that will save the industry $10 million annually while costing the state. (Casper Star-Tribune)
• A Colorado county allocates $200,000 to develop ways to mitigate methane emissions from an abandoned coal mine. (Aspen Times)
• Colorado coal communities team up to pursue state and federal just transition funds to soften the economic blow of pending power plant and mine closures. (Steamboat Pilot)

HYDROPOWER: Conservation groups call on the U.S. EPA to require hydropower facilities to report greenhouse gas emissions and say Nevada’s Hoover Dam emits 12.3 million tons of carbon annually. (S&P Global)

BIOFUELS: Hawaii lawmakers say they will focus on a state regulator nominee’s views on a stalled biomass power plant in upcoming confirmation hearings. (Honolulu Civil Beat)

NUCLEAR: An Oregon small modular reactor developer could get a boost from the Ukraine crisis as European countries seek alternatives to Russian fossil fuels. (E&E News)

COMMENTARY:
• An Alaska environmentalist urges lawmakers to pass a renewable portfolio standard bill, but to remove large hydropower and biofuels from the list of qualifying sources. (Juneau Empire)
• A California environmental advocate says a plan to produce biofuels at oil refineries is a ​“diversion from the zero-carbon transportation and energy alternatives that we really need.” (East Bay Times)
• Biden’s oil and gas leasing pause had no effect on domestic oil and gas production, nor will resuming lease sales, an energy journalist argues. (Land Desk)