Feds finalize Western public lands solar plan

SOLAR: The Biden administration finalizes its Western solar plan aimed at expediting development on 31 million acres of federal land in 11 states. (Reuters)

ALSO: A Utah county postpones a deal to install a solar array at a local airport to gather more information, but says it plans to move forward with the project later. (Moab Times-Independent)

PUBLIC LANDS: Federal courts prepare to consider several lawsuits seeking to diminish a president’s power to ban future mining and oil and gas drilling on some federal lands via national monument designation. (Bloomberg Law)

EFFICIENCY: The U.S. Energy Department awards Western states and cities $115.2 million to develop, implement and upgrade building performance standards and energy codes for commercial and multi-family structures. (news release, RTO Insider, subscription)

CLIMATE: Colorado awards local governments $1.9 million to support climate action plans and efficiency and sustainable energy programs. (news release)

STORAGE:

• A Washington state university launches a study on pumped hydropower energy storage’s feasibility, impacts and siting. (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
• California regulators approve a centralized strategy for procuring long-duration energy storage capacity in an effort to encourage competition. (RTO Insider, subscription)

GRID:

• Wyoming and Montana utilities join the California grid operator’s Western Energy Imbalance Market after defecting from SPP’s competing service. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• Colorado regulators begin requiring utilities to demonstrate the net benefits of joining a particular regional transmission organization over competing ones. (RTO Insider, subscription)

OIL & GAS: 

• California advocates call on lawmakers to pass ​“polluter pays” bills aimed at holding the oil and gas industry financially accountable for environmental and health impacts. (Inside Climate News)
• Utah advocates file a lawsuit challenging the federal Bureau of Land Management’s decision to reaffirm Trump-era oil and gas leases in a remote part of the state. (Utah News Dispatch)
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom threatens to call a special legislative session to pressure Democratic lawmakers to pass a bill that would require petroleum refineries to maintain reserves in an effort to stabilize fuel prices. (Los Angeles Times)

POLLUTION: Alaska advocates call on federal regulators to ban cruise ship exhaust scrubbers, saying the air-pollution mitigation systems contaminate ocean water. (KTOO)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• California officials say 150,000 electric vehicle chargers have been installed across the state, including nearly 15,000 fast ones. (KBAK)
• Oakland, California’s school district is the first major district in the U.S. to fully adopt electric school buses, which can send power back to the grid during high demand. (Grist)

CLEAN ENERGY: The National Science Foundation awards a Hawaii university $4.2 million for clean energy research and education. (Kauai Now)