September 3, 2022 - COAL: A federal judge strikes down two federal Bureau of Land Management resource plans for the second time, saying they failed to account for the environmental impacts of coal leases in Montana and Wyoming. (Daily Montanan) 

LITHIUM: The developer of the proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine in Nevada submits a plan to federal officials for protecting an endangered wildflower while developing the project. (Bloomberg)

NATURAL GAS: California climate advocates push back against the state’s plan to buy power from natural gas power plants to avoid outages, saying it threatens the state’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2045. (Politico)

GRID:
• Montana utility regulators warn residents impending electricity shortages may arise due to coal and nuclear plant closures, but utility officials say they have an adequate power supply. (Independent Record)   
• A California city’s utility says customers’ rooftop solar installations have reduced peak power demands and grid stress, helping the utility avoid outages during summer heat waves. (Pasadena Now)

TRANSPORTATION: California utility regulators establish a program that allows utilities to charge less for electric vehicle charging than for other electricity uses. (RTO Insider, subscription) 

HYDROPOWER: An investigation finds Bonneville Power Administration, which operates hydropower dams in the Northwest, has prioritized business interests over salmon recovery efforts. (OPB) 

OIL & GAS:
• Phillips 66 proposes using a method called sparging to clean up groundwater contamination from its refinery in Montana. (Billings Gazette)   
• Colorado regulators delay approving a proposal to drill 200 wells in the northeastern part of the state until the developer provides clarity regarding environmental protections. (Denver Business Journal, subscription)

NUCLEAR: The California battle over whether to keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant running past its planned 2025 retirement date is a bellwether for other nations looking for low-carbon power sources. (VICE)

CLIMATE:
• Arizona’s Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema says she will vote for a proposed $369 billion congressional climate bill after removing a tax provision targeting wealthy investors. (Los Angeles Times)   
• Former California Gov. Jerry Brown says he was surprised and delighted by news that Senate Democrats had reached a deal on a proposed $369 billion climate bill. (Los Angeles Times)
• Dozens of Washington state’s largest polluters, including petroleum refineries, will be exempted from a greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-invest program set to go into effect next year. (Seattle Times)

ELECTRIFICATION: A California city votes to require electric vehicle charging stations in new housing projects, but decides not to ban natural gas hookups in new construction. (Gilroy Dispatch)