Today’s headlines: Lucid layoffs, loosening drilling rules, and more

This roundup of U.S. energy news headlines is part of our Canary Media Daily newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Luxury EV maker Lucid Motors will lay off 1,500 employees, or 18% of its workforce, marking its second round of layoffs this year as the company installs a new CEO and as the U.S. EV market remains slow. (TechCrunch)

• A Brookings Institution analysis finds state action is key to promoting EV sales after the collapse of federal tax credits, although incentives, charging infrastructure, and other policies vary widely from state to state. (Brookings Institution)

FOSSIL FUELS

• The Trump administration claims fossil fuel shipping is nearly back to prewar levels in the Strait of Hormuz, though Iran is still threatening to retake control of the crucial shipping lane. (The Hill, Associated Press)

• The U.S. Interior Department moves to encourage oil and gas drilling on public land by proposing loosening rules that aimed to reduce methane pollution and hold drillers accountable for abandoned wells. (The Hill)

SOLAR

• Three U.S. solar manufacturers ask federal trade officials to investigate cell imports from South Korea, claiming Hanwha’s Qcells and other producers are routing Chinese-made products through the country. (Reuters)

• Tim Pawlenty, the new head of the Solar Energy Industries Association, says the White House has so far ​“underappreciated” solar’s power-generating potential and aims to unite Democrats and Republicans behind a permitting reform bill that boosts the industry. (Semafor)

UTILITIES

• The Trump administration names former Montana utility regulator Travis Kavulla to lead the public hydropower distributor Bonneville Power Administration. (E&E News)

• U.S. power utilities are backing away from their emissions reduction commitments under the Trump administration, but long-range planning documents reveal they’re still preparing for a future administration that may restore climate regulations. (E&E News)

DATA CENTERS

• Some congressional Democrats and tech companies are hesitant to lend their support as a bipartisan House group rolls out a ​“Ratepayer Protection Act” that aims to shield residential utility customers from data center-induced power price spikes. (E&E News)