In the news today…
Coal:
- The Washington Examiner reports the FERC, the nation’s lead grid regulator, is quickly becoming to go-to agency for addressing a whole range of major energy policy hurdles for the nation, while hanging President Trump’s energy dominance agenda in the balance.
- The Herald Leader and US News report the death of a coal miner in a accident at a West Virginia mine on Thursday, March 7. It was the third nationwide this year.
- GreenTech Media reports coal as a grid reliability during extreme weather, and questions where future resilience will come from.
- S&P Global reports Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, who wants to save the coal industry in his state, has about one week to decide whether to sign a bill that would require utilities to seek buyers for their coal-fired plants, rather than closing them.
- The Casper Star Tribune reports a carbon dioxide research program in Kentucky centered on carbon capture technology.
EPA:
- InsideEPA reports EPA has finalized a rule easing emissions monitoring mandates for industrial sources of pollution to eliminate what it says are obsolete requirements, a move that is a win for several states and industry groups that sought the revision and that rejects concerns from environmentalists who claim the regulatory change will boost pollution.
Energy:
- WVTF reports there are now more solar jobs than coal jobs in the state of Virginia.
- Frontline reports the Texas city of Georgetown is now running on 100% renewable energy.
- E&E Energywire reports lawmakers in New Mexico have advanced a bill that calls for the public utilities and rural cooperatives to source all of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045, in effect phasing out power generation fueled by coal and natural gas.