New Mexico COVID-era oil and gas waivers benefit Putin associate

OIL & GAS: A New Mexico COVID-era program allowing oil and gas producers to temporarily shut down wells without penalty has benefited a company owned by an associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Capital & Main)

ALSO:
• Los Angeles releases a draft ordinance that would ban new oil and gas drilling and phase out existing production over the next 20 years. (City News Service)
• The U.S. Interior Department told an Alaska village’s officials they’d have more time to comment on the proposed Willow oil drilling project, but reversed course just days later. (Grist)
• Wyoming researchers find an oil and gas drilling timing restriction aimed at protecting the imperiled greater sage grouse does not align with the bird’s use of critical habitat. (WyoFile)
• The U.S. Energy Department announces up to $32 million in funding for developing methane monitoring and mitigation technology in oil and gas producing regions. (news release)

STORAGE: Montana regulators dismiss a proposed 50 MW battery storage facility after a court found a law allowing utilities to bill customers for such projects before construction was unconstitutional. (Billings Gazette)

SOLAR:
• San Diego launches a $10 million program to provide solar panels to low-income families at little to no cost. (CBS8)
• Washington state labor unions and farmers urge state officials to approve a 470 MW solar power facility proposed for private land in the southeastern part of the state, while the local Republican party opposes it. (RTO Insider, subscription)

EFFICIENCY: Colorado researchers find more than half of residential air conditioning power consumption can be attributed to dehumidifying rather than cooling the air. (Colorado Sun)

ELECTRIFICATION: Colorado climate advocates say a proposed state rule that would require developers to pay the full cost of natural gas hookups would incentivize electrification and lower utility bills. (CBS Colorado)

GRID:
• An unplanned outage in northern California leaves 3,500 Pacific Gas & Electric customers without power. (Sacramento Bee)
• Grid interconnection delays, permitting challenges and supply chain constraints are hampering California solar and wind development, potentially leading to impending power shortages. (Reuters)

CLIMATE: California Gov. Gavin Newsom urges state lawmakers to set aggressive emissions-reduction targets, increase the use of renewable energy and establish buffer zones around oil and gas wells. (Los Angeles Times)

COAL: The U.S. Commerce Department grants two Colorado communities $8.5 million to help mitigate the impacts of planned coal power plant retirements in coming years. (Steamboat Pilot & Today)

MINERALS: The federal government is failing to quickly approve new mining permits even as the Biden administration tries to create a U.S. supply chain for clean energy metals. (E&E News)

CLEAN ENERGY: U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm touts clean energy innovation during an Oregon visit. (KVAL)