Trump moves to reopen Alaska wilderness to drilling, mining

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FOSSIL FUELS

• The Trump administration plans to rescind Biden-era protections on about 13 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, opening the door to drilling and mining in the North Slope wilderness. (New York Times, news release)

• Chevron officials say an April oil and gas well blowout’s effects continue to prevent residents of four Colorado households from returning to their homes. (Greeley Tribune)

BATTERIES

• Some southern California residents push back on a proposed 250 MW battery energy storage facility in Orange County, saying it poses fire risks. (Times of San Diego)

• Oregon energy storage firm ESS says an unexpected capital infusion will allow it to continue to operate its iron-flow long-duration battery system manufacturing facility. (Solar Power World)

BUILDINGS

• Colorado officials expect new state building codes requiring greater efficiency and accommodations for electric vehicle chargers and solar panels in new construction to save the average household $1,200 in energy costs. (CPR)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• New Mexico officials plan to continue to support electric vehicle adoption despite the federal government’s ​“damaging and destabilizing actions” aimed at discouraging zero-emissions vehicles. (Santa Fe New Mexican)

POLITICS

• The conservative Club for Growth attacks U.S. Sen. John Curtis, a Utah Republican, over his support for some Biden-era clean energy tax credits. (Deseret News)

SOLAR

• Hawaii lawmakers pass legislation aimed at adding 50,000 new rooftop solar and storage installations statewide by 2031. (PV Magazine)

• California’s Supreme Court is set this week to consider advocates’ lawsuit seeking to overturn state policy slashing net metering compensation for rooftop solar. (East Bay Times)

• Northern California solar-installation co-op CalSolar says its worker-owned model helps it stay resilient during difficult times for the industry. (High Country News)

• The federal Bureau of Land Management seeks public input on the proposed 250 MW Redonda solar-plus-storage project in southern California. (news release)

• Developers bring the 300 MW Box Canyon solar project online in central Arizona. (In Maricopa)

GEOTHERMAL

• Zanskar says it has repowered the 15 MW Lightning Dock geothermal facility in New Mexico by drilling a new production well. (Think Geoenergy)

COMMENTARY

• A Hawaii clean energy advocate urges Gov. Josh Green to veto legislation that would sunset the state’s rooftop solar tax credit. (Honolulu Civil Beat)

• Alaska advocates criticize Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy for headlining his Sustainable Energy Conference with fossil fuel supporters, saying it’s an insult to residents striving for a regenerative economy. (Anchorage Daily News)

NEW FROM CANARY

• President Trump celebrates the planned acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel, but the terms of the deal are still opaque, and could extend the life of existing dirty, coal-fired blast furnaces, Alexander C. Kaufman reports.

• A recently passed Ohio law forbids settlements in the closure of ​“base load” power plants, like one that advocates say pushed utility American Electric Power to speed up its closure of six coal plants a decade ago, Kathiann M. Kowalski reports.

• Republicans’ budget bill threatens Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, which have led to at least 21,000 jobs in Virginia, many of them in Republican congressional districts, Charles Paullin reports.