Climate, energy make appearances in chaotic presidential debate

POLITICS: In an unexpected exchange on climate change in last night’s chaotic presidential debate, President Trump made misleading statements on climate change and vehicle emission standards, including a false claim that he’s increased incentives for electric cars. (CNN, The Hill, New York Times)

ALSO:
• While Trump sought to divide Democrats after Joe Biden differentiated his energy plan from the Green New Deal, the latter policy’s architects say they plan to work with Biden on ​“aggressive” climate action. (Washington Post)
• Fact checkers review candidates’ statements on the falling costs of renewable energy, the Clean Power Plan, and Trump’s environmental record. (New York Times)

CLIMATE: The U.S. remains an outlier in its opposition to the Paris Agreement, and Trump administration rollbacks mean the country will fall far short of its initial commitment. (NPR)

UTILITIES:
• While Colorado’s wildfire risk isn’t as severe as California’s, utilities there are taking more aggressive steps to ensure they don’t repeat the missteps of PG&E. (Energy News Network)
• NextEra recently approached Duke Energy about a possible takeover, which was rejected but could still be pursued later, according to people familiar with the matter. (Wall Street Journal, subscription)
• As Florida Power and Light sought to buy Jacksonville’s municipal utility, executives discussed donating to charities associated with city council members. (Florida Times-Union)
• A former ComEd official pleads guilty to a corruption charge in the first conviction related to an ongoing federal investigation into an alleged utility bribery scheme. (Chicago Sun-Times)

COAL:
• Vistra Energy announces plans to retire its coal fleet totaling nearly 7,000 MW in Illinois and Ohio by 2027 as it invests in solar and storage projects. (S&P Global)
• A federal judge blocks a proposed joint venture between Peabody Energy and Arch Resources, saying it would ​“substantially impair competition” in the Powder River Basin coal market. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

SOLAR: A study of home prices over 15 years in Massachusetts and Rhode Island says solar arrays built on farms and forest land can lower values of nearby homes. (Providence Journal)

EFFICIENCY: New Hampshire utilities have ramped up energy efficiency spending in new three-year plans that significantly raise targets over current levels. (Energy News Network)

OIL & GAS: Tribal nations and archaeologists partner to identify Greater Chaco region culturally sensitive sites and resources to protect from oil and gas development. (New Mexico Political Report)

GRID: The House on Tuesday passed four bills with provisions to protect the grid and other infrastructure from cyberattacks. (The Hill)

NUCLEAR: Researchers at MIT say a nuclear fusion reactor they’re developing could be operational in a decade -- though similar pledges throughout history have failed to materialize. (New York Times)

COMMENTARY:
• A South Carolina Republican says clean energy is one of the smartest ways to rebuild the state’s post-pandemic economy. (Greenville News)
• An electric vehicle car-sharing program set to launch next year in Minneapolis-St. Paul hopes to allow far more residents access to EVs without having to purchase them, a columnist writes. (MinnPost)