• House Republicans are working on a debt-ceiling deal that would include changes to the National Environmental Policy Act to speed up the buildout of fossil fuel and clean energy projects but would leave Democratic priorities like granting the federal government a bigger role in interstate power transmission line approvals up for discussion at a later date, according to a GOP House leadership aide familiar with the negotiations. (Politico) 
• President Joe Biden vetoed a congressional resolution to overturn a two-year tariff pause on solar panel imports from Southeast Asia following a bipartisan push from lawmakers that are concerned about unfair competition from China. The pause is set to continue until at least June 2024, after which Biden said he intends to allow the tariffs to take effect. (The Associated Press) 
• The Interior Department completed a court-ordered review of the Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada that it says would ensure construction can continue at the controversial project. The project was allowed to begin construction while the agency worked to provide more proof that Lithium Americas Corp. had the necessary mineral rights to dump waste rock and tailings on adjacent federal land. (The Associated Press)
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service issued a permit that would allow the $6.6 billion Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline to run through the Jefferson National Forest between Virginia and West Virginia, as Equitrans Midstream Corp. anticipates federal agencies to issue more required authorizations in the coming months. The project is still undergoing review and permitting by West Virginia and the Interior Department. (Reuters) 

Gas-powered cars won’t die off any time soon

Axios

Manchin Clashes With Biden Administration Over Climate Law

Luke Broadwater, The New York Times

Senator Joe Manchin III, the conservative West Virginia Democrat who faces re-election next year and is flirting with a presidential run, has threatened to repeal the measure he helped write.

What Graves’ role as debt negotiator means for permitting

Emma Dumain, E&E News

Rep. Garret Graves is taking the lead Republican role in debt limit talks, which could mean big things for permitting overhaul efforts.

Overhauling Energy Permitting Is a Heavy Lift in Debt-Ceiling Talks

David Harrison, The Wall Street Journal

Some lawmakers say they would rather discuss environmental reviews separately.

White House pressed EPA to toughen power plant rule

Benjamin Storrow and Scott Waldman, E&E News

EPA strengthened its climate rule on power plants after White House officials pressed the agency to expand the proposal before it was released last week.

How SCOTUS gutting Chevron could haunt Republicans

Pamela King, E&E News

The Supreme Court’s revisit of a key legal defense for federal environmental rules may not just spell trouble for Biden’s climate ambitions — a Republican president with different objectives could face similar obstacles.

States near historic deal to protect Colorado River

Joshua Partlow, The Washington Post

States and Interior Department are still wrestling over process, compensation for conserving a river that sustains millions.

US House Republicans blast EPA refusal to appear at EV hearing

David Shepardson, Reuters

The Republican majority on a U.S. House of Representatives panel criticized two Environmental Protection Agency officials who declined to appear at a hearing Wednesday on a proposal by President Joe Biden’s administration to cut vehicle emissions and boost sales of electric vehicles.

Flirting with climate danger: UN forecasts 2 in 3 chance of briefly hitting key heat limit soon

Seth Borenstein, The Associated Press

There’s a two-out-of-three chance within the next five years that the world will temporarily reach the internationally accepted global temperature threshold for limiting the worst effects of climate change, a new World Meteorological Organization report forecasts.

California pledges to build channel for threatened fish to bypass Gold Rush-era dam

Adam Beam, The Associated Press

California officials on Tuesday said they will spend about $60 million to build a channel along the Yuba River so that salmon and other threatened fish species can get around a Gold Rush-era dam that for more than a century has cut off their migration along the chilly waters of Sierra Nevada streams.

First nuclear fusion plants to need $7 billion supply chain – survey

Timothy Gardner, Reuters

Companies looking to harness the process that powers the sun and stars to generate electricity expect to spend about $7 billion by the time their first nuclear fusion plants come online, a survey published on Wednesday said.

Burning Man Becomes Latest Adversary in Geothermal Feud

Arielle Paul, The New York Times

Festival organizers are trying to block plans to build a clean energy plant in the Nevada desert, highlighting the struggle to combat climate change and the cost of clean power.

As the wind power industry looks to super-sized turbines, disruptors are betting on radical designs

Anmar Frangoul, CNBC

In recent years, major economies like the U.S. have laid out goals to ramp up floating wind installations.

Criminal cases for killing eagles decline as wind turbine dangers grow

Matthew Brown and Camille Fassett, The Associated Press

Criminal cases brought by U.S. wildlife officials for killing or harming protected bald and golden eagles dropped sharply in recent years, even as officials ramped up issuing permits that will allow wind energy companies to kill thousands of eagles without legal consequence.

Alaska LNG project clears legal challenge over environmental harms

Clark Mindock, Reuters

A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday rejected a lawsuit filed by environmental groups challenging federal approvals needed to construct a $39 billion project that would move natural gas from Alaska’s North Slope across the state.

‘Halt button’ hit on drilling in US oil and gas slowdown

Myles McCormick, Financial Times

New rigs auctioned at bargain prices as demand sags in the shale patch.

Shell to use new AI technology in deep sea oil exploration

Stephanie Kelly, Reuters

Shell Plc will use AI-based technology from big-data analytics firm SparkCognition in its deep sea exploration and production to boost offshore oil output, the companies said on Wednesday.

Consultants: Design issues, operations lapses led to big Kansas oil spill

John Hanna and Josh Funk, The Associated Press

Pipeline design issues, lapses by its operators and problems caused during its construction led to a massive oil spill on the Keystone pipeline system in northeastern Kansas, according to a report for U.S. government regulators.

Elon Musk says Tesla not immune to tough economy that he foresees

Hyunjoo Jin and Akash Sriram, Reuters

Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk warned on Tuesday that the electric-vehicle maker was not immune to the global economy, which he said will be difficult for the next 12 months.

Electric Vans, Delayed by Production Problems, Find Eager Buyers

Neal E. Boudette, The New York Times

Passenger cars dominate the electric vehicle market, but light delivery trucks could benefit from the cost savings and range E.V.s offer.

Elon Musk Says Tesla Will Try Advertising

Dana Hull and Sean O’Kane, Bloomberg

Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said the electric-car maker will dabble in advertisements, a major shift for the company that’s largely avoided traditional marketing.

California’s Green-Fuel Program Gets Too Popular for Its Own Good

Bob Henderson, The Wall Street Journal

A renewable-diesel boom is helping the state beat greenhouse-gas goals but stifles other investments.

Boeing’s new tool lets airlines plan for net zero emissions

Joann Muller, Axios

As the aviation industry wrestles with meeting its net zero emissions goal by 2050, Boeing is offering a new tool meant to help executives, policymakers and other leaders explore the risks and rewards of potential pathways.

Utility CEOs see green as pay-for-climate goes mainstream

Jeffrey Tomich, E&E News

Electric utilities are taking unprecedented steps to show that pledges to slash greenhouse gas emissions are more than just empty slogans by linking executive pay to climate initiatives.

Biden’s got a plan for ramping up energy transmission

Jeff St. John, Canary Media

The White House wants Congress to pass permitting reform. In case that doesn’t work, it’s tapping DOE’s authority to make it easier to build transmission.

Puerto Rico’s power play: How should billions of energy dollars be spent

Gloria Gonzalez, Politico

Prolonged fights over the spending could leave Puerto Ricans vulnerable to a new spate of power disruptions.

California Sees Less Risk of Summer Blackouts With Power Surplus

Mark Chediak, Bloomberg

California’s grid operator said the Golden State will have a slight surplus of electricity supplies this summer during the hottest days, reducing the chance of blackouts.

NERC urges power plant, transmission owners to prepare for winter in highest-level alert ever issued

Ethan Howland, Utility Dive

The North American Electric Reliability Corp. on Monday issued its highest alert level ever, urging generators and transmission owners to take measures to prepare for winter.

Feds point purchasing power at low-carbon construction

Andres Picon, E&E News

The Biden administration will begin purchasing lower-carbon construction materials under a new pilot program designed to reduce federal buildings’ climate impacts.

Head of top US oil-export port resigns abruptly

Reuters

Sean Strawbridge, chief executive of the Port of Corpus Christi, the largest U.S. oil-export port by volume, resigned on Tuesday, the port operator said without providing any explanation.