Trump’s whale-sized hypocrisy

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Southeast Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

WIND

• The Trump administration lifted Endangered Species Act protections for whales this month to increase oil and gas production off the Gulf Coast despite frequently using the animals as an unfounded excuse to undermine offshore wind development. (Canary Media)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Polestar announces plans to build its flagship Polestar 3 electric SUV at its South Carolina Volvo factory and to phase out Chinese production. (Inside EVs)

• A Virginia startup announces plans to invest $538,000 to expand a factory to make hybrid-electric amphibious aircraft. (news release)

OVERSIGHT

• The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to move quickly to replace retiring CEO Don Moul, but could encounter challenges due to President Trump’s plan to cap salaries at $500,000 — which amounts to a more-than-90% pay cut from what Moul made. (Knoxville News Sentinel, E&E News)

• “He was behind the eight ball from day one”: Tennessee officials react to Moul’s retirement announcement. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

• Critics say legislation signed by Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to overhaul state regulation of Alabama Power marks a win for the utility after the bill was watered down so much its original sponsor voted against it. (Inside Climate News)

FOSSIL FUELS

• An analysis finds Woodside’s $18 billion liquefied natural gas facility now under construction in Louisiana is projected to produce substantially more greenhouse gas emissions than any LNG port that’s been built in the U.S. and dozens that have been proposed over the next decade. (Verite News)

• Texas residents worry TotalEnergies’ new gas fracking operation could harm children at three nearby elementary schools and a daycare center. (The 19th News)

• “We’re pretty much dead in the water at the moment”: Louisiana’s oyster industry expresses concern about lingering oil in the Gulf even after state health officials reopened the region to harvest after an oil spill. (WVUE)

• Environmental groups petition a federal court to review the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s Southgate spur from Virginia into North Carolina. (Chatham Star-Tribune)

• Sawgrass LNG & Power completes what it describes as the first-ever shore-to-ship liquified natural gas bunkering operation in Florida. (Offshore Energy)

POLITICS

• Tech companies contribute millions of dollars to Texas lawmakers as they debate new policies to regulate data centers and guide their development. (E&E News)

• Clean energy advocates criticize Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger for accepting a $100,000 contribution from Dominion Energy to her inaugural fund after previously refusing to accept donations from corporate entities during her campaign. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

• Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs legislation to approve a $4.6 million incentive package for Hitachi Energy to build a factory that will be the largest manufacturing site for large power transformers in the U.S. (Cardinal News)

DATA CENTERS

• The Texas comptroller reports the state will miss out on $3.1 billion in sales tax revenue over the next two years due to a tax break for data centers. (Texas Tribune)

• Digital Realty wants to build a $500 data center in a vacant film production park in Atlanta, Georgia, despite the city’s near-ban on the facilities within city limits. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)