END OF AN ERA IN CALIFORNIA: The Diablo Canyon Power Plant in California is slated to close within a decade, bringing an end to nuclear power in the Golden State.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) said Tuesday morning that it hopes to close the plant when its reactors’ licenses expire, and replace its generation with non-carbon-emitting power.
{mosads}”Our analysis continues to show that instead of continuing to run all the time, there will be parts of the year where Diablo will not be needed,” Tony Earley, PG&E’s president, told The San Francisco Chronicle. “At a plant like Diablo, with large fixed costs, if you effectively only run the plant half the time, you’ve doubled the cost.”
Diablo Canyon, located on the Pacific coast near San Luis Obispo, is the last nuclear power plant in the state, after the 2013 closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in southern California.
Diablo Canyon was the target of hard-fought protests from environmentalists and others for decades, even before it opened.
Its recent challenges have been due to its location nearly on top of a key fault line. But it also uses Pacific Ocean water to cool the reactors, harming marine species.
The deal to shut down the plant and replace its capacity came due to PG&E working with environmental and labor organizations. They will present the plan to state and federal regulators for approval.
Read more here.
COAL MAGNATE TO FUNDRAISE FOR TRUMP: Bob Murray, head of coal mining company Murray Energy Corp., is planning to host a fundraiser next week for Donald Trump.
The event by the outspoken, provocative executive will be in West Virginia and by invitation only.
Murray has repeatedly and colorfully slammed President Obama for his “war on coal” environmental policies. He’s sued against numerous environmental and safety regulations that could hurt coal.
The coal boss endorsed the presumptive GOP nominee for president in May after meeting with him, saying he’s the best hope the coal industry has to stay alive. He previously hosted a fundraiser for Sen. Ted Cruz when he was running for president.
Trump has put extensive efforts into appealing to coal, pledging to revive the industry by undoing numerous Obama actions and regulations.
He said at a West Virginia rally, “we’re going to get those miners back to work” and “they are going to be proud again to be miners.”
Read more here.
TESLA OFFERS TO BUY SOLARCITY: Electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors Inc. offered Tuesday to buy solar power company SolarCity Corp. to create a “vertically integrated energy company.”
The companies were both founded by and are chaired by South African-born magnate Elon Musk.
While Tesla’s main focus has always been in vehicles, it has moved recently to expand its battery business with energy storage technology for homes and businesses.
SolarCity, meanwhile, makes solar power systems, as well as selling, leasing and installing them for residential and commercial use.
“We would be the world’s only vertically integrated energy company offering end-to-end clean energy products to our customers,” Musk wrote in a blog post. “This would start with the car that you drive and the energy that you use to charge it, and would extend to how everything else in your home or business is powered.”
FEDS SLAM COAL GIANT’S REORGANIZATION PLAN: Federal officials are formally opposing coal miner Alpha Natural Resources’ reorganization plan.
The Justice Department said in a court filing that the plans to shed assets as part of the bankruptcy process puts at risk Alpha’s ability to clean up its mines, Reuters reports.
“The plan as proposed is not feasible or viable in terms of providing for the completion of environmental reclamation and long-term water treatment” at mining sites, federal attorneys said.
Alpha and other mining companies are obligated to retain the financial ability to pay for environmental cleanup for every mine they operate.
The Justice Department said in its filing that the federal government would not allow the transfer of federal-land leases if cleanups can’t be assured.
ON TAP WEDNESDAY I: President Obama is set to sign into law the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemicals for the 21st Century Act, which would update the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976.
ON TAP WEDNESDAY II: The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s energy and power subcommittee will host a hearing on implementation issues surrounding the Renewable Fuel Standard. Lawmakers will hear from Janet McCabe of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Howard Gruenspecht of the Energy Information Administration, and a full slate of industry representatives, including from oil and ethanol.
Rest of Wednesday’s agenda …
The House Science Committee will hold a hearing on the EPA’s use of scientific studies. EPA head Gina McCarthy will be the sole witness.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s subpanel on clean air will host a hearing on the EPA’s ozone standards and two bills meant to change the standards. The witnesses will represent local governments, the American Thoracic Society and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The House Natural Resources Committee’s subpanel on federal lands will host a hearing on the Bureau of Land Management’s wild horse and burro program. They will hear from Steve Ellis, deputy director for operations at BLM; and various stakeholders.
Resources for the Future will hold a seminar on the federal coal-leasing program. Guests will including Jason Furman and Kenneth Gillingham of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, as well as numerous researchers.
AROUND THE WEB:
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) released another massive batch of emails from state offices related to the Flint water crisis, the Detroit Free Press reports.
A California woman who pleaded guilty to defiling rock formations in national parks with graffiti is banned for two years from millions of acres of federal land, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union fell 24 percent between 1990 and 2014, the Guardian reports.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Check out Tuesday’s stories …
– Interior ‘strongly opposes’ bill to disarm federal land law enforcement
– Great Lakes states approve Lake Michigan drinking water plan
– Trader Joe’s settles with Feds over alleged air pollution violations
– GOP: Trump will talk more about energy
– Coal executive to host fundraiser for Trump
– California’s last nuclear plant slated to close
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