N.C. governor asks Trump to expand offshore drilling ban

OIL & GAS: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper in a letter urges President Trump to include the state in his recent offshore drilling moratorium, which only covered Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. (Coastal Review Online)

ALSO:
• Oil and gas groups argue the ​“unique relationship” between the federal government and oil industry means that climate lawsuits from coastal Louisiana communities do not belong in state court. (The Center Square)
• An activist calls on a Texas liquified natural gas project to hire more workers from the community that will be affected by its pollution. (Port Arthur News)
• Offshore oil and gas producers and exporters begin clearing debris from Hurricane Sally and rebooting idled facilities on the Gulf Coast. (Reuters)

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PIPELINES:
• Opponents of the stalled Mountain Valley Pipeline submit 43,000 signatures asking federal regulators not to grant more time to complete the project. (Kallanish Energy)
• Gas lines explode in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and near Piedmont, Oklahoma, though no injuries had been reported at either location. (40/29, KOCO)

COAL:
• Murray Energy emerges from bankruptcy under a new name after completing a sale of its assets to an entity formed by former creditors. (Associated Press)
• President Trump’s promise to revive the coal industry has been thwarted by falling demand and cheaper alternatives. (Wall Street Journal, subscription)
• Witnesses for Duke Energy Carolinas tell North Carolina regulators that forcing it to absorb coal-ash cleanup costs would have a significant impact on the financial stability of its parent company. (Charlotte Business Journal)

SOLAR:
• A landmark settlement announced last week between Duke Energy and distributed solar advocates in the Carolinas could be a model for ending regulatory disputes across the country, experts say. (Utility Dive)
• A North Carolina farmer at a packed community meeting says a proposed 22 MW solar project will help keep his family farm financially viable. (Yadkin Ripple)

CLEAN ENERGY: Google’s South Carolina data center relies on the most carbon-intensive electricity mix of any of the company’s 11 U.S. data centers. (Post and Courier)

OFFSHORE WIND: Southeast lawmakers in Congress propose linking offshore wind revenue with coastal resilience projects. (E&E News, subscription)

STORAGE: A Houston power company begins construction on two 100-megawatt battery storage projects in Texas. (Houston Chronicle)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Construction plans for Tesla’s newest Gigafactory are revealed on the city of Austin’s website as part of the company’s permit process. (Teslarati)

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UTILITIES: Memphis’ municipal utility board delays a vote on hiring a consultant to help it explore alternatives to buying power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. (Memphis Flyer)

COMMENTARY:
• A proposed wood pellet plant in Georgia threatens the environment, public health, and climate, write two environmental advocates. (Valdosta Daily Times)
• An editorial board endorses a Democrat who ​“understands the importance of crafting and enforcing regulations to protect the state’s environment” for a seat on Texas’ Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas. (Houston Chronicle)