Wyoming Republicans call out governor over climate stance

CLIMATE: Wyoming right-wing lawmakers call out fellow Republican Gov. Mark Gordon’s plan to make the state ​“carbon negative” while still burning fossil fuels, raising questions about the political viability of a coal state tackling climate change. (E&E News)

ALSO:

• Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte asks the state’s Supreme Court to delay a court order requiring agencies to address greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts in environmental reviews. (Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
• California advocates say dairy methane digesters, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing the gas for use as a fuel, spew lung-damaging pollution into nearby communities. (Los Angeles Times)

FOSSIL FUELS: Wyoming’s energy authority recommends awarding $37.5 million in state funds to six fossil fuel-related energy projects, including carbon capture and producing hydrogen from coal and methane. (WyoFile)

OIL & GAS: 

• Representatives of the Gwich’in Nation travel to Washington, D.C., to urge federal lawmakers to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil and gas drilling and other development. (KTUU)
• New Mexico environmental and Indigenous advocates praise the Biden administration’s new methane emissions rules, but emphasize the need for strong enforcement. (NM Political Report)

COAL: Arizona utilities award $134,000 to communities affected by coal plant and mine closures. (KNAU)

URANIUM: The Havasupai Tribe pushes back on a company’s proposal to reopen a long-idled uranium mine near the Grand Canyon, saying it could damage their water supplies and cultural sites. (Salt Lake Tribune)

UTILITIES:

• Montana regulators agree to reconsider its NorthWestern Energy rate hike approval following a slew of objections, including that it disproportionately burdens low-income customers. (Daily Montanan)
• California researchers develop wildfire-detection software that can be added to power line monitoring devices. (KCLU)

SOLAR:

• The U.S. Energy Department awards $630,834 to Blackfeet Community College in Montana to install a solar array. (CleanTechnica)
• New Mexico advocates form a solar co-op to purchase residential installations at group prices in a San Juan Basin oil and gas field community. (Albuquerque Journal)

BATTERIES: Developers bring a 60 MW battery storage facility online in southern California. (news release)

WIND: California regulators launch an environmental review of a proposed floating offshore wind turbine assembly facility at the Port of Long Beach. (Urbanize Los Angeles)

GRID: The Washoe Tribe looks to use $1.3 million in federal funding to upgrade its power grid in Nevada and California and make it more resilient to extreme weather. (Capital & Main)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Nevada advocates say the state must expand its electric vehicle charging network and expedite adoption to reach emissions goals. (Las Vegas Sun)

CRITICAL MINERALS: Idaho National Laboratory partners with a Montana mine to develop rare earths processing methods. (Mining)