Texas official presses financial firms for climate stances

FINANCE: Texas’ state comptroller demands more than 140 financial firms disclose whether they restrict or prohibit doing business with fossil fuel companies as part of a state effort to divest from companies with climate or social goals. (Bloomberg, NPR)

EMISSIONS: Texas residents press regulators to deny a permit for a company that makes ​“forever chemicals” over air and water quality concerns. (Austin American-Statesman)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• A Georgia development authority approves environmental standards and taxpayer-backed incentives for Rivian’s planned electric vehicle factory. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• An Arkansas transit agency finalizes plans to buy its first five electric buses. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
• A Florida city council considers whether to include building electric vehicle charging stations among its chief strategic priorities. (Palm Coast Observer)

OIL & GAS: Texas energy investors reluctant to spend on drilling infrastructure contemplate changing their minds as a recent fossil fuel boom shows signs it may persist. (Texas Monthly)

SOLAR:
• Silicon Ranch, the Tennessee Valley Authority and local officials break ground on a 6.75 MW solar farm in Tennessee. (Paris Post-Intelligencer)
• A French energy company adds 4 GW of renewable power to its portfolio by acquiring a Texas solar company. (Reuters)

COAL:
• An interactive graphic demonstrates how a southwestern Virginia county has shed a third of its population since 1990 as the coal industry has declined. (Virginia Public Access Project)
• Experts warn the coal boomlet driven by the war in Ukraine is not likely to last. (Marketplace)

NUCLEAR: The Tennessee Valley Authority secures a partnership with a Canadian utility to develop small nuclear modular reactors as a long-term source of carbon-free energy. (Oak Ridger)

CRYPTOCURRENCY: Investors and economic development advocates hope Kentucky’s growing cryptocurrency industry can fuel economic development as critics worry about its carbon footprint. (Ohio Valley ReSource)

BIOGAS: South Carolina officials celebrate the opening of the state’s first renewable natural gas project, which will power part of a Mercedes-Benz Vans plant. (WCSC)

UTILITIES: The average monthly bill from San Antonio’s municipal utility climbed roughly 22% from last year, largely due to rising natural gas rates. (San Antonio Report)

POLITICS:
• U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia negotiates a bipartisan climate and energy bill, while Democrats wonder whether he’d support a larger social spending and tax package. (S&P Global, Politico)
• A Virginia lawmaker jockeying to lead House Democrats tries to quash rumors a big-spending clean energy group is propelling his move. (Richmond Times-Energy)

CLIMATE:
• Speakers at a North Carolina energy conference call on leaders to ensure people of color and low-income residents are not left out of the clean energy transition. (WFAE)
• Four competitors deploy wave-powered desalination devices that could produce fresh water from seawater during a power outage. (Coastal Review)

GRID: Next month marks the 20th anniversary of a massive blackout in Jacksonville, Florida, likely triggered by the malfunction of a lightning protection device. (Florida Times-Union)