U.S. EPA proposes giving Wyoming oversight of coal ash

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

OVERSIGHT

• The U.S. EPA proposes handing Wyoming regulators oversight of toxic coal ash storage and remediation in the state, saying it is part of an effort to advance ​“cooperative federalism.” (WyoFile)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Oregon advocates push back on Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek’s proposed per-mile road fee for EV and hybrid drivers, saying it would deter people from purchasing EVs and hamper transportation emissions reductions efforts. (OPB)

STORAGE

• Some Idaho residents push back against a 200 MW battery energy storage system under construction near Boise, citing safety and aesthetic concerns. (KIVI)

OIL & GAS

• California researchers find that oil and gas facilities’ fugitive methane emissions are usually accompanied by other toxic air pollutants such as benzene. (Phys.org)

• The federal Bureau of Land Management plans to auction 86 oil and gas leases on 79,169 acres in Wyoming in December. (Sheridan Media)

• A judge sentences two Wyoming residents to one year of probation and orders them to pay $28,330 in restitution for their roles in dumping oilfield waste on federal land. (WyoFile)

GEOTHERMAL

• New Mexico regulators seek public input on proposed changes to rules governing geothermal leases on state land. (New Mexico Political Report)

• Ormat Technologies partners with Sage Geosystems to license Sage’s next-generation geothermal technology, and Sage will build its first commercial plant at an existing Ormat power station in the West. (Latitude Media)

CLEAN ENERGY

• Xcel Energy asks Colorado regulators to fast-track permitting for several proposed wind, solar, and battery storage projects totaling about 4 GW capacity to allow them to take advantage of expiring federal clean energy tax credits. (CPR, Colorado Sun)

• New Mexico advocates plan to file a lawsuit seeking to block Santa Fe County’s recent approval of the 100 MW AES Rancho Viejo solar-plus-storage project. (Heatmap)

• Wyoming ranchers debate over a proposed wind facility near Laramie, weighing economic benefits against potential environmental impacts. (Cowboy State Daily)

• The Los Angeles Unified School District plans to expand its solar canopy program to 21 more facilities. (Spectrum News)

DATA CENTERS

• Texas-based BorderPlex Digital Assets proposes building a $165 billion data center complex with a dedicated on-site microgrid in southern New Mexico, but does not disclose planned energy sources. (El Paso Matters, news release)

• Beale Infrastructure moves forward with a proposed data center in an unincorporated area in southern Arizona after Tucson’s city council nixed the project over water and power consumption concerns. (AZ Luminaria)

URANIUM

• Data show Wyoming mines produced almost 93,000 pounds of uranium concentrate during 2025’s first quarter, making it the second-largest-producing state after Utah. (Cowboy State Daily)

UTILITIES

• Oregon doubles the amount of money available to help low-income residents pay utility bills. (Oregonian)

CARBON CAPTURE

• The U.S. EPA approves Utah’s carbon capture monitoring, reporting, and verification plan for a gas plant in the southeastern part of the state. (Carbon Herald)

EMISSIONS

• Colorado regulators delay voting on proposed landfill methane emission regulations, saying they need more time to understand the complex situation. (Colorado Sun)

NEW FROM CANARY 

• Trump extends order forcing Pennsylvania fossil-fuel plant to stay open — Dan McCarthy

• Commonwealth Fusion raises nearly $1B to chase commercial fusion power — Maria Gallucci

• Chart: The retiring coal power plants Trump could revive — Dan McCarthy

• As Trump delays steel pollution rules, study shows public health risks — Maria Gallucci

• Google’s new plan to keep its data centers from stressing the grid — Jeff St. John