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Sanders pushes clean energy effort; Wyo. moves to boost PRB coal

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Sanders pushes clean energy effort; Wyo. moves to boost PRB coal

Sanders walking into 'buzzsaw' with plan to boost US clean energy output

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders wants federally owned power marketing administrations to help the U.S. transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, in part by building massive amounts of new wind and solar capacity. But policymakers have tried and failed in the past to expand the administrations' role to boost renewable generation, with both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. Congress reluctant to back such top-down approaches to regional power planning.

Wyo. state officials look to boost ailing Powder River Basin coal region

Wyoming state officials want to help promote the use of coal from the Powder River Basin as producers in the region struggle with weak domestic demand and few export opportunities. Most of the larger coal miners in the region are in the midst of bankruptcy court proceedings or have emerged from a reorganization in the last few years. At a meeting of the Wyoming Legislature's Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee on Aug. 30, lawmakers voted to introduce in 2020 a bill to dedicate $1 million to promote the region's low-sulfur Powder River Basin coal resource.

Bankruptcy court approves Blackhawk Mining's Chapter 11 reorganization plan

A federal bankruptcy court approved Blackhawk Mining LLC's modified Chapter 11 reorganization plan and disclosure statement shortly after the coal producer wrote in court filings that it is on schedule to emerge without impairing its general unsecured claims. Judge Laurie Silverstein wrote that the plan's modifications were immaterial and comply with bankruptcy code, according to an Aug. 29 order filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

US officials seek information to lower miner exposure to respirable quartz dust

Federal mine safety officials are looking for information on economically and technologically feasible means to protect workers from exposure to respirable quartz, a material linked to lung disease among miners. The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced it is publishing a request for information on the topic in the Federal Register on Aug. 29. The request will include room for discussion about a reduced permissible exposure limit, potential new or developing technologies, and technical and educational assistance.

Mont. regulators open comment period for proposed coal mine expansion

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality released a draft environmental impact statement for an expansion at the Spring Creek coal mine northeast of Decker, opening a 30-day comment period for the proposed revision. The 72 million-ton expansion of the mine in the Big Horn County will occur within the mine's existing permit boundary, which encompasses 9,220 acres. The expansion project would add 977 acres of new mining disturbance, increasing the total disturbance area to 7,111 acres. The expansion is expected extend the life of the mine by four years, to approximately 2031 from 2027.

Senate Democrats tell FERC of concerns of potential PJM capacity market changes

Ten U.S. senators urged federal regulators not to enact policy limiting the participation of state-supported clean energy in the PJM Interconnection's capacity market that could exclude 14 GW of renewable energy resources and increase consumer costs by $5.7 billion/year, citing a clean energy consultant's estimate. In an Aug. 29 letter addressed to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Neil Chatterjee, the Democratic senators said it is their understanding that with the departure of Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur the following day, FERC's two-to-one Republican majority is considering a Minimum Offer Price Rule that would override existing rules allowing "state-supported clean generation to participate freely in the PJM capacity market."