OVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Natural Resources chairman to retire

GOP’s DOC HASTINGS HEADS FOR EXIT: Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) announced he will retire at the end of the year on Thursday.

The chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee was nearing the end of his term as head of the panel. His retirement sparked talk of who would the helm next on a panel that had jurisdiction over oil and gas development issues — including the Interior’s regulations of drilling on public lands.

E2-Wire has the details here on his retirement.

THE LANDRIEU ERA BEGINS: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) began her post as chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday.

E2-Wire took a look at the work that lays ahead for the vulnerable Democrat up for reelection this year. The post offers her a number of opportunities to shape U.S. energy policy during a transition point for the country, but could also be a hinderance to her come election time.

Read more here.

ON TAP FRIDAY: The Center for American Progress plans to hold a discussion on the Obama administration’s climate change and conservation agenda in the coming year.

The exiting chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Nancy Sutley, will speak at the event, along with former Environmental Protection Agency head Carol Browner.

AROUND THE WEB:

Bloomberg reports that the United Kingdom’s consensus on energy and climate policy is cracking. The right-wing sector of the Conservative Party and the U.K. Independence Party are working to dismantle public trust in the evidence for climate change, Energy Secretary Ed Davey said.

The Associated Press reports federal authorities are launching a criminal investigation into a coal ash spill in a North Carolina river.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Check out the stories that ran on E2-Wire Thursday …

– Landrieu’s gavel comes with risks
– GOP’s Doc Hastings to retire
– Utilities turn to coal as cold blast spikes natural gas prices
– China to use $1.6B fund in fight against air pollution

Please send tips and comments to Laura Barron-Lopez, laurab@digital-release.thehill.com.