Portland approves $750 million clean energy and climate plan

CLEAN ENERGY: Portland, Oregon’s city council approves a $750 million plan aimed at reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change, with a focus on low-income residents and communities of color. (OPB)

ALSO: Advocates look to entice Jackson, Wyoming, billionaires to take advantage of federal tax credits by investing in clean energy projects. (New York Times)

TRANSPORTATION: Portland, Oregon’s newly approved climate plan allocates $80 million for transportation projects, including $20 million for an electric bicycle rebate program. (Bike Portland)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission files a lawsuit against Tesla, alleging the company engaged in racial harassment and discrimination at its California factory. (ABC News)
• A California startup looks to develop a battery-powered speedboat for the non-luxury market. (Canary Media)
• Tesla breaks ground on its electric-vehicle battery-cell ​“Gigafactory” outside Las Vegas. (West Island Blog)
• A developer breaks ground on a 40-unit electric vehicle charging station with a grocery store and car wash in Santa Ana, California. (Electrek)

UTILITIES:

• An analysis finds corporate utility Sempra — SoCalGas’ and SDG&E’s parent company — is the top contributor to California politicians seeking state office. (Sacramento Bee)
• U.S. lawmakers question Hawaiian Electric officials during a congressional hearing on the role utility equipment played in the deadly Maui wildfires, but receive few answers. (Associated Press)
• A Washington state utility begins installing 350,000 smart meters that will provide consumption data, outage detection and new rate designs. (Smart Energy International)

CLIMATE: Montana regulators seek public input on how to implement a court’s order to weigh climate change impacts in permitting decisions. (Billings Gazette)

WIND: A California renewable energy provider agrees to purchase 220 MW of power from the 3,500 MW SunZia wind facility under development in New Mexico. (Power)

GRID:

• Utah researchers spearhead an effort to explore ways to harden the power grid against extreme weather, wildfires and other effects of climate change. (KUER)
• The Biden administration awards $167 million to grid resilience projects nationwide, including $13 million to Arizona, $17.2 million to Colorado and $1 million to the Spokane Tribe in the Northwest. (news release, Denver Gazette)

CARBON CAPTURE: The federal Bureau of Land Management seeks public input on a proposal to store captured carbon dioxide underground in southeastern Montana. (news release)

TRANSITION: A northwestern New Mexico community receives state funding to craft an outdoor recreation plan to help smooth its transition away from a fossil fuel-reliant economy. (Farmington Daily Times, NPR)

OIL & GAS: Wyoming’s oil and gas industry urges the Biden administration to continue oil and gas permitting even if far-right Republican lawmakers succeed in shutting down the government. (Sheridan Media)