New Mexico plans to reuse oil and gas wastewater for clean energy

OIL & GAS: New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham plans to divert oil and gas drilling wastewater to clean energy applications to ease water shortages and reduce earthquake-inducing reinjection of the brackish fluids. (Reuters)

ALSO:

• New Mexico regulators and stakeholders begin overhauling state oil and gas drilling laws, saying they are no longer able to oversee the growing industry and ensure environmental protection. (Capital & Main)
• Federal officials recommend that ships anchor further away from undersea pipelines in southern California to avoid a repeat of a 2021 offshore oil spill. (Associated Press)

TRANSPORTATION: The Biden administration plans to split $6.1 billion in federal funding between two high-speed rail projects that will span Los Angeles to San Francisco and Las Vegas to Los Angeles. (Associated Press)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Xcel Energy and Ford partner on a plan to deploy 30,000 electric vehicle chargers in Colorado and Wisconsin to help businesses transition to EVs. (Utility Dive)
• Colorado national laboratory researchers find when low-income essential workers are provided electric bicycles they use them most frequently to commute to their jobs. (Transportation Today)
• A Colorado city launches a program to help low-income residents purchase electric bicycles for commuting. (KJCT)

CLIMATE:

• Federal officials reject the Oregon health authority’s plan to offer low-income residents air-conditioners and other devices aimed at helping them survive climate change-exacerbated weather extremes. (OPB)
• A ballot measure aimed at repealing Washington state’s climate law could hinder efforts to join its cap-and-trade program with carbon markets in California and Canada. (Spokane Public Radio)

UTILITIES:

• An analyst finds Montana lawmakers redrew state voting districts to retain Republican control of the state utility regulatory commission. (Montana Standard)
• Analysts are skeptical of a Wyoming lawmaker’s proposal to stabilize utility rates by socializing Rocky Mountain Power, saying it would be too complicated and cost too much. (Casper Star-Tribune)

CLEAN ENERGY: Oregon trade officials say three European clean energy companies are considering establishing manufacturing facilities in or near Portland. (Oregonian)

COAL: Advocates call on Salt River Project to commit to shutting down the fourth unit of an eastern Arizona coal plant by 2032 along with the other three units’ retirements. (Herald/​Review)

SOLAR: A California food processing company plans to install 2.2 MW of solar capacity on three of its facilities across the state. (Solar Power World)

GRID: California’s grid operator sees a sharp increase in net energy exports after a wet winter and spring bolstered hydropower output. (RTO Insider, subscription)

BIOFUELS:

• Washington state regulators fine a biodiesel refinery $900,000 for allowing toxic waste to accumulate at its facility. (Bellingham Herald)
• The Kennecott copper mine in Utah plans to replace fossil diesel with biofuels in its haul trucks, heavy machinery and smelter beginning next year. (Reuters)