Will Florida break taboo against onshore drilling?

ALSO:

• The U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear an appeal from oil and gas companies that want to block local lawsuits seeking billions of dollars for damage linked to climate change. (Associated Press)
• Texas regulators request an additional $100 million to plug oil and gas wells, leading some to suggest the state should charge a new fee on production to create a fund to address the issue. (Houston Chronicle)
• Texas’ oil and gas industry shatters its record for state and local tax and state royalty payments, which are contributing to a $20 billion state budget surplus. (Houston Chronicle)

UTILITIES:

• A massive merger creates the largest independent power producer in North America and signals that momentum has shifted from renewables to natural gas, an analyst says. (Houston Chronicle, Utility Dive)
• A bipartisan pair of Tennessee Congress members file a bill to require the Tennessee Valley Authority to disclose salary information for all workers who receive more than $123,041, although the federal agency is funded by ratepayers instead of taxes. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)
• Duke Energy’s CEO will retire in April and be replaced by an official who has spent nearly 30 years with the utility. (WRAL)

COMMENTARY:

• Debris cleanup from Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina has been agonizingly slow, meaning residents will continue to see debris for months if not years to come, writes a columnist. (Asheville Watchdog)
• Virginia lawmakers must consider the conflicting needs of the state’s booming data centers, solar farms and localities that want to preserve farms and open space, writes an editor. (Cardinal News)