Washington cap-and-trade law faces ballot challenge

ELECTION: Washington is among the states where climate and clean energy progress is on the ballot, as opponents seek to repeal its landmark cap-and-trade law through a ballot measure. (Grist)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs legislation that will require all new electric vehicles sold in the state to be equipped for bidirectional charging by 2027, allowing their batteries to help back up the grid. (Mercury News)
• Newsom also vetoed a bill that would have required manufacturers to recycle electric vehicle batteries, saying the mandate would be too difficult for the state to enforce. (E&E News, subscription)

COAL:

• Three environmental groups sue Montana regulators for approving an expansion of the Bull Mountain Mine that they say threatens water supplies and Native American cultural artifacts. (Daily Montanan)
• A Montana Republican introduces legislation in Congress to block a Bureau of Land Management plan that would end new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin. (E&E News, subscription) 
• As the United Kingdom’s last coal-fired power plant closes, a British consul general discusses what Wyoming might learn from that country’s experience transitioning to cleaner energy. (Wyoming Public Radio)

OIL & GAS: A new California law delays a requirement that oil and gas companies detect and fix leaky wells near homes and schools until 2030, after state regulators said they needed more time to test techniques and develop specific policies. (CalMatters)

NUCLEAR: Uranium mines are ramping up across the West, including in Arizona and Wyoming, as the U.S. seeks to cut Russia out of the supply chain for nuclear fuel. (The New York Times)

CLIMATE: A federal judge tells attorneys for a group of young California climate activists that he had ​“yet to be convinced” that their lawsuit’s complaints against the U.S. EPA could be fixed by a court. (E&E News, subscription)

SOLAR: Hurricane Helene causes destruction in a small North Carolina town that’s known as America’s sole source of high-quality quartz for semiconductors and solar panels, potentially disrupting the supply chain for both. (NPR)

GEOTHERMAL: A newly signed California statute is expected to unlock potential geothermal energy development by allowing counties to serve as lead agencies for environmental review. (Press Democrat)

COMMENTARY: A Colorado land acquisition company discusses how its software can help energy developers simplify the process of resolving title issues. (Energy News Network, sponsored)