California tussles over rising utility rates

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UTILITIES

• California advocates, lawmakers and regulators mostly agree utility rates are too high, but they are at odds about how to tackle the issue. (Canary Media)

• Hawaii lawmakers consider legislation that would create a system for determining whether utilities are liable for power outage-related damages. (Spectrum News)

• A Los Angeles-area wildfire victim’s family files a lawsuit accusing Southern California Edison of sparking the deadly Eaton blaze, adding to dozens of similar legal actions. (Sacramento Bee)

• Oregon lawmakers consider legislation that would create a fund to compensate residents for utility-caused wildfire damages on the condition they do not also sue the utilities. (OPB)

FOSSIL FUELS

• A judge dismisses environmentalists’ lawsuit alleging the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline would violate the state constitution by exacerbating climate change and harming fish and wildlife. (Alaska Beacon)

• New Mexico regulators advance a proposed rule that would ban PFAS in downhole oil and gas operations, but continue to debate the legality of requiring firms to disclose hydraulic fracturing fluid ingredients. (New Mexico Political Report)

• Analysts say some Colorado school districts are not adequately preparing for losing up to half of their tax base when coal plants and mines close in coming years. (Hechinger Report)

• Some northwest Colorado coal industry employees begin transitioning to other work years before power plants and mines are scheduled to close. (Steamboat Pilot & Today)

• A California lawmaker urges the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team to drop oil and gas company sponsorships, saying fossil fuel pollution is bad for the climate and residents’ health. (Los Angeles Times)

GEOTHERMAL

• Alaska announces a geothermal lease sale on almost 56,000 acres on the slope of a volcano. (Alaska Beacon)

STORAGE

• A California energy official says the state is looking to continue its rapid expansion of grid-scale battery energy storage systems, but acknowledges safety concerns could slow progress. (PV Magazine)

LITHIUM

• Advocacy groups appeal a judge’s decision upholding a California county’s approval of the proposed Hell’s Kitchen lithium extraction project near the Salton Sea, potentially further delaying the project. (Desert Sun)

NUCLEAR

• Arizona lawmakers advance legislation that would streamline regulations for data centers looking to install small modular nuclear reactors in rural areas to power their facilities. (AZ Mirror)

ELECTRIFICATION

• A Colorado county launches an induction cook stove lending program aimed at encouraging residents to electrify their homes. (Longmont Leader)

TRANSPORTATION

• Washington state launches an interactive tool designed to help policymakers and planners identify optimal locations for electric vehicle chargers. (NonStop Local)