Energy news in brief

** Brazil’s oil production jumped by 20.4 percent on the year to set a new production record of 3.168 million barrels per day (bpd) in January, thanks to the prolific pre-salt basin, oil regulator ANP said on Wednesday.

** Chicago has made strides to become a more bike-friendly city, but bicycling remains unsafe and impractical in many minority neighborhoods, bicycle riders and advocates say.

** A General Motors app will soon provide Chevy Bolt owners real-time charging station data such as whether they are in use or down for maintenance.

** A Missouri advocacy group is laying the foundation to put a renewable energy standard as high as 50% by 2040 on the November ballot.

** Iowa utilities, clean energy advocates and agriculture groups reach a compromise that maintains net metering and calls for a value of solar study in seven years or when solar hits 5% of the state’s energy mix.

** A solar developer’s plans to build a project on up to 2,500 acres of farmland north of Madison, Wisconsin, creates tension over land-use issues.

** Oregon’s House passes a bill that will make it easier for utilities to recover costs for electric vehicle infrastructure.

** Several clean energy bills passed New Mexico’s 2020 legislative session, including one reinstating the state’s solar energy tax credit.

** Wyoming’s House passes a bill that would set aside $1 million to market the state’s coal.

** Alaska lawmakers consider reviving controversial plans for a 619 MW hydropower project.

** Native Americans in northern Arizona continue looking for ways to stay warm after the closure of the Kayenta mine cut off a supply of coal.

** The Los Angeles City Council approves a feasibility study exploring a partnership with the Navajo Nation for renewable energy and solar projects.

** Chevron Corp. is planning an initial round of local layoffs April 6 as it works to divest its Appalachian natural gas operations, according to a letter the company sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry earlier this month. Chevron  has 288 employees at its regional headquarters at 700 Cherrington Parkway in Moon Township near Pittsburgh International Airport. It also has 32 employees at a regional office in Mt. Braddock, Fayette County.