Oil refinery pollution sickens a California community

OIL & GAS: A survey finds residents of a South Los Angeles community surrounded by petroleum refineries and a large oilfield experience high levels of physical and mental illness. (High Country News/​Grist)

ALSO:
• A consumer advocate’s study finds Wyoming would have reaped $1.7 billion more from federal oil and gas royalties over eight years had the rate been increased by 50% in 2013, like it was this year. (Wyoming Public Radio)
• California environmental advocates say regulators’ failure to enforce orders to plug and abandon idle Bakersfield-area wells led to major methane leaks from the facilities. (CapRadio)
• The Biden administration postpones oil and gas lease sales in several Western states so it can address protests and complete environmental analyses. (Fox News)

SOLAR:
• A new solar-powered microfarm on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington state could provide a model for other communities hoping to boost food and energy sovereignty. (Energy News Network/​Crosscut)
• A Korean company plans to bring a shuttered producer of polysilicon — a critical material for solar panels — back online in Washington state as part of an effort to create an American-made solar panel supply chain. (Grist)

UTILITIES:
• Washington state regulators approve Avista Utilities’ clean energy implementation plan, making it the first in the state to get the go-ahead. (Daily Energy Insider)
• A California environmental group calls on regulators to require Pacific Gas & Electric to prioritize decentralized grid planning and support rooftop solar and energy efficiency. (PV Magazine)

HYDROGEN: Chevron drops plans to invest in a 300 GWh green hydrogen production and storage project in Utah. (Energy Storage News)

GRID: Arizona regulators seek public comment on a proposed high-voltage transmission line that would serve a Meta data center being built in Mesa. (East Valley Tribune)

COAL: A fight over whether and when to retire the Colstrip power plant in Montana is on hold while minority owner Talen Energy goes through bankruptcy, complicating Western grid planning. (E&E News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: FedEx says it has added 150 electric delivery vehicles to its southern California fleet. (Popular Science)

NUCLEAR:
• An analysis finds keeping Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant open past its planned 2025 closing date would reduce California’s emissions, decrease dependency on power imports and lower wholesale electricity prices. (S&P Global)
• The U.S. Energy Department awards a Wyoming university $800,000 to develop an environmental justice-based siting process for emerging and advanced nuclear technology. (news release)

CLEAN ENERGY: A Utah town joins 18 other cities and counties in a state program aiming to power members with 100% net renewable energy. (St. George News)

CLIMATE: Wyoming environmental groups host a summit to encourage local governments to adopt less carbon-intensive policies. (WyoFile)