Federal court rescinds permit for Texas LNG export terminal

EMISSIONS: A panel of federal judges strikes down a key air permit for a liquified natural gas export facility now under construction in Texas, saying the state and regulators allowed improperly high emissions limits. (Inside Climate News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Toyota’s expansion of its deal with a battery recycling firm was prompted largely by its development of a $14 billion battery manufacturing plant in North Carolina. (Greensboro News & Record)
• Atlanta-based motorists drive an increase in the number of Georgia’s electric vehicle registrations, which have now surpassed 75,000. (Savannah Morning News)
• Three Georgia advocacy groups receive $1.2 million in federal funding for electric mobility initiatives in underserved Black communities in Atlanta, Savannah and Albany. (Savannah Morning News)
• Mercedes-Benz unveils a first-of-its-kind fast charger at its U.S. headquarters in Georgia, kicking off an effort to install 2,000 chargers worldwide by the end of 2024. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

STORAGE: Dominion Energy and Virginia State University test a 1.5 MW metal-hydrogen battery that can discharge power for up to 10 hours as a backup power source. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

GRID: Grid operator PJM fines utility Mon Power $40.5 million for an outage at one of its West Virginia coal plants during last year’s Christmas Eve cold snap. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)

OIL & GAS:

• The head of a fuel company discusses plans for a sizable gas-to-liquid facility in Arkansas that aims to produce low-emission diesel fuel. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
• An energy company signs a deal to provide up to four million barrels of crude oil per month from a planned Gulf Coast export terminal to a French oil and gas company. (Offshore Technology)
• West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice blames a water company for a line break that resulted in a multiday natural gas outage on the west side of Charleston. (WSAZ)
• A Texas oil pricing benchmark has lost about a sixth of its value over the last four weeks as global oil supply outpaces expectations. (Reuters)

COAL: Last week Kentucky regulators approved a utility’s plan to close two coal-fired units but deferred the retirement of two larger coal units, largely because of a new state law making it harder to retire fossil fuel-fired power. (Louisville Public Media)

BUILDINGS: Some Texas homebuilders are beginning to use foam and other innovative materials to rapidly build greener, more energy-efficient homes to relieve housing shortages. (KXAS)

CLIMATE:

• A Texas state board declines to approve proposed science textbooks, instead seeking ​“books that promote the importance of fossil fuels.” (Associated Press)
• A new federal study finds that Kentucky’s location in the Southeast makes it especially vulnerable to climate change, and its political leaders are failing to make decisions to help it avoid the worst impacts. (Louisville Public Media)

COMMENTARY:

• Florida’s investment to harden its power grid has made it less vulnerable to extreme storms, and now Louisiana should follow its example, writes the former chair of the Florida Public Service Commission. (NOLA.com)
• A West Virginia editorial board spotlights a federal report finding coal mine safety inspections fell off during the pandemic, even though that agency reported a nearly 100% completion rate. (The Review)