In the news today…
Minerals:
- Reuters and Holtville Tribune report General Motors Co is investing in a U.S. lithium project that could become the country’s largest by 2024, making the automaker one of the first to develop its own source of a battery metal crucial for the electrification of cars and trucks.
- E&E Energywire reports if all goes to plan, General Motors Co.’s future electric cars will rely on batteries made from a broiling-hot, brownish fluid that gushes from the California desert.
- Sierra Nevada Ally carries an op-ed which argues a major lithium mine proposed for the state is necessary to limit global warming.
Coal:
- Associated Press reports the nation’s largest public utility is looking at shutting down three of its five remaining coal-fired power plants, saying they are old and no longer practical.
- The Wall Street Journal reports surging electricity use and higher natural-gas prices are giving coal new life despite its environmental drawbacks.
Climate:
- Washington Examiner reports Democrats may struggle to revamp President Joe Biden’s signature climate policy to comply with strict budget rules that govern the reconciliation process, the legislative maneuver they are using to bypass the filibuster.