Western lawmakers look to shield utilities from wildfire liabilities

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Western Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

UTILITIES

• Lawmakers in several western states consider legislation that would shield utilities from some liability for equipment-sparked blazes and require them to develop fire hazard mitigation plans. (Wyoming Public Radio)

• A northeastern Colorado county delays a decision on a utility’s proposal to add five natural gas turbines to an existing power plant, saying it needs more information on the contentious issue. (Coloradoan)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Colorado regulators approve new rules requiring oil and gas companies to use more recycled wastewater in their operations as part of an effort to conserve freshwater in the arid state. (Inside Climate News)

• An Alaska state agency urges the Trump administration to leverage security and trade agreements to strongarm Japan into funding a proposed natural gas pipeline and export terminal. (E&E News)

• Some Democratic New Mexico lawmakers join with Republicans in killing legislation aimed at reducing oil and gas facilities’ greenhouse gas emissions. (Capital & Main)

• Colorado residents and advocates call on regulators to increase restrictions on oil and gas facility air pollution, even though the state’s rules are among the nation’s strongest. (KUNC)

• An advocacy group looks to defend federal protections for a lizard that lives only in the Permian Basin against a Texas lawsuit. (news release)

• A company begins construction on a rail-loading terminal aimed at expediting wax crude oil shipments from Utah’s Uinta Basin to Gulf Coast refineries. (news release)

CARBON CAPTURE

• New Mexico lawmakers advance legislation that would allow the state to permit injection wells for storing captured carbon. (New Mexico Political Report)

CLIMATE

• Advocates find California’s public employees pension fund classifies oil and coal companies as climate-friendly investments. (Bloomberg)

• Climate scientists criticize a Trump administration proposal to cancel the lease for an office that supports the Hawaii observatory that tracks atmospheric carbon dioxide. (Reuters)

• Aspen, Colorado’s sustainability administrator says the city is falling behind on its greenhouse gas emissions goals for 2030 and 2050. (Aspen Times)

CLEAN ENERGY

• Democratic U.S. Senators from Arizona introduce legislation that would transfer 3,400 acres of federal land to a county for developing a solar-plus-storage installation. (KAWC)

• Montana lawmakers advance legislation that would establish a legal framework for community solar programs. (PV Magazine)

• Advocates urge Utah to aggressively pursue a transition to renewable energy, saying it could create up to 56,000 jobs and $9.1 billion in economic output. (KUER)

STORAGE

• A developer begins construction on a 320 MW battery energy storage system in southwestern Utah. (news release)

ELECTRIFICATION

• Colorado pauses rebate programs aimed at helping low- and middle-income households purchase heat pumps and other electric appliances following the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze. (CPR)

COMMENTARY

• A California columnist criticizes Gov. Gavin Newsom for proposing to use about $300 million from a new voter-approved climate bond to balance the budget. (Los Angeles Times)