White House climate report highlights dire threats, but also state action

CLIMATE: The White House releases its National Climate Assessment, laying out likely climate change impacts by region, from thawing permafrost in Alaska to rising temperatures and waters in the Southeast. (Grist)

ALSO:

• The assessment warns that deep emissions cuts are needed to avoid the direst climate consequences, and highlights how states and territories are taking action. (Grist)
• This latest assessment is the first to heavily emphasize the disproportionate effects of climate change on low-income families and communities of color. (Inside Climate News)

EMISSIONS

• The U.S. EPA says it may need to soften expectations for power generators and states to meet its proposed power plant emissions reduction rule. (Utility Dive)
• A United Nations report finds countries’ current climate plans would increase global emissions 8.8% by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. (Grist)
• A satellite equipped with the ability to track carbon emissions down to individual power plants launches from a California military base. (Axios)

OFFSHORE WIND:

• A new utility analysis suggests that about half of Long Island, New York’s power will come from offshore wind by 2030. (Newsday)
• Oral arguments suggest a federal court is likely to order officials to proceed with an oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico without additional protections for an endangered whale. (E&E News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• ExxonMobil announces it’ll put $100 million into extracting lithium for electric vehicle batteries — a ​“drop in the bucket” compared to its recent $60 billion oil company acquisition. (The Hill)
• Electric vehicle sales aren’t growing at their previous pace, spooking manufacturers even as some experts contend that overall sales remain strong. (Utility Dive)
• North Carolina experiences a surge of new electric vehicle and battery-related investment, but questions linger over whether the region’s workforce can fill the industry’s labor needs. (Wilmington StarNews)
• In Massachusetts, a Black women-owned energy services company wants to locate more electric vehicle chargers next to Black-owned businesses and historic Black landmarks. (WBUR)

NUCLEAR: Researchers and startup companies try to build on last year’s fusion technology breakthrough, in which a fusion reaction produced more energy than it took in. (New York Times)

COAL:

• Wisconsin consumer advocates say utilities should not continue to profit from shuttered coal plants, and call on state regulators to use financing tools to limit ratepayer impacts. (Energy News Network)
• Wyoming lawmakers consider giving coal power plants more time to comply with a law requiring them to consider installing carbon capture equipment rather than shutting down. (WyoFile)

GRID: Startups pilot software that can help utilities and grid operators identify rare openings to connect new renewables to the grid. (Canary Media)

BIOFUELS: Opposition to carbon capture pipelines threatens to stall U.S. production of sustainable aviation fuels, industry players say. (Reuters)

COMMENTARY: The UAW’s contract negotiations will deliver major environmental benefits as Stellantis invests $4.7 billion to upgrade a shuttered Illinois assembly plant to build electric vehicles, advocates say. (Natural Resources Defense Council)