In the news today…
Coal:
- The Daily Mail WV carries an op-ed, in which the author writes now is the time for West Virginia to develop their coal reserves while the world demand for met coal is growing.
- New Hampshire Union Leader reports New Hampshire will soon be home to the only coal-fired power plants left in New England, and the owner of those power plants says they will be burning coal for the foreseeable future.
- Argus reports the city of Farmington, New Mexico, and private holding company Acme Equities have entered a preliminary agreement that could prevent the early retirement of the San Juan Generating station.
EPA:
- Inside EPA reports construction and other industry attorneys are doubting state water regulators’ fears that Trump administration plans to narrow the scope of the CWA could undermine states’ push to assume dredge-and-fill permit power under section 404 of the law, countering that the precise impacts of the CWA rule remain unclear.
Climate:
- Inside EPA reports a new draft climate change resolution by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, offered as an alternative to the more ambitious Green New Deal, would largely reinstate a suite Obama-era greenhouse gas rules and policies that Trump officials are trying to roll back, including EPA’s CPP utility GHG rule and passenger vehicle GHG limits.
- Energy News Network reports a recent policy forum in Washington D.C. explored the economic benefits of cutting reliance on fossil fuels.
Power Grid:
- E&E Energywire reports that the FERC will hold a technical conference this year related to the reliability of the bulk power system.
- Argus reports ERCOT is more at risk of not meeting summer power demand following a decision to allow the Texas Municipal Power Agency to mothball the Gibbons Creek power plant, the grid’s chief executive warned.
- Bloomberg reports the CEO of grid operator PJM says planned closures of nuclear and coal plants won’t impact reliability.
World News:
- Washington Examiner reports the Trump administration claims to be making significant headway in swaying Germany to import more U.S. natural gas, using the country’s recent plans to close all its coal plants by 2038 as leverage.