Supreme Court rules in favor of Utah oil railway

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OIL & GAS

• The U.S. Supreme Court overturns a lower court’s decision to rescind federal approval for a proposed Utah oil railway and narrows the scope of required environmental reviews, potentially accelerating major infrastructure projects. (Utah News Dispatch, Associated Press)

• A California judge orders Sable Offshore Corp. to cease work to restart a pipeline network shuttered after a 2015 oil spill until it obtains proper state permits. (Los Angeles Times)

• Republican Nevada lawmakers introduce legislation aimed at reducing the state’s dependence on California’s shrinking refinery network, claiming it would keep gasoline prices in check. (Center Square)

CLIMATE

• A Washington state woman files a lawsuit accusing major oil companies of contributing to her mother’s death during the 2021 Northwest heat dome by deceiving the public about fossil fuels’ role in driving climate change. (KOIN)

ELECTRIFICATION

• A California nonprofit installs electric heat pumps and other appliances throughout its affordable housing complex, reducing natural gas use by 98% and saving an estimated $25,000 in utility costs annually. (Canary Media)

• Arizona launches an incentive program providing up to $14,000 rebates on high-efficiency electric appliances, insulation, and panel upgrades for low to moderate-income households. (KOLD)

• Southern California officials push back on a proposal to gradually replace natural gas water heaters and furnaces with electric ones, saying it would cost too much to retrofit older buildings. (Voice of OC)

• Washington state’s attorney general appeals a court ruling rescinding an initiative banning local governments from restricting natural gas hookups and appliance sales. (news release)

GRID

• Federal data show California’s grid operator last year curtailed 29% more solar and wind generation than in 2023, spurring plans to deploy more battery storage and increase trading with other operators. (PV Magazine)

• A study finds California could accelerate clean energy deployment and save billions of dollars by adding generation and storage at existing power plants’ underutilized grid interconnections. (Utility Dive)

UTILITIES

• Portland General Electric appeals the city’s decision to reject a proposed transmission project through an Oregon urban forest, saying the project is urgently needed. (KOIN, Oregonian)

• Rocky Mountain Power appeals Utah regulators’ decision granting the utility a portion of its proposed rate increase, saying it deprives it of the ability to provide reliable power and wildfire safety. (Deseret News)

SOLAR

• California regulators launch a $280 million incentive program aimed at helping low-income households install rooftop solar and battery storage. (news release)

• California residents rally at the state capitol to protest legislation that would slash net metering compensation rates for rooftop solar customers when they sell their home. (ABC 10)

COMMENTARY

• A clean energy executive says energy storage developers can avoid a Moss Landing type of fire by using composite conductive materials in their batteries. (Utility Dive)

NEW FROM CANARY

• New steelmaking and ironmaking capacity coming to the U.S. is all expected to use cleaner technologies that will reduce the industry’s emissions impact, but many polluting steelmakers still rely on coal-fired blast furnaces. Dan McCarthy reports.