** Republican lawmakers Monday boycotted the Oregon Legislature, denying Democrats a quorum in an attempt to doom a contentious climate change bill. A legislative panel approved the bill after it rejected a proposed GOP amendment to put the issue on the ballot in November. Last year, Republicans, who are in the minority in both the Senate and House in Oregon, also walked out to kill environmental legislation.
** Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has signed a bill into law preventing cities and towns in Arizona from banning natural gas hookups.
** Seventeen groups with opposing views on dams and salmon are calling on Pacific Northwest governors and Native American tribes to collaborate on a plan to recover salmon and steelhead.
** A bill requiring New Mexico’s legislature to formally oppose the transportation and storage of high-level nuclear waste dies in committee.
** A Wyoming House committee advances a bill aiming to incentivize coal exports.
** New Mexico’s Land Commissioner says her office has the funds to conduct a study on the bond money oil and gas companies are required to put up before drilling.
** Utah lawmakers introduce a bill aiming to expand electric vehicle infrastructure in the state through a partnership with Rocky Mountain Power.
** Roughly 2,500 gallons of oil spilled from a leak at a disposal well in North Dakota.
** Indiana lawmakers are set to consider legislation that would make it more difficult to close coal plants.
** A Wisconsin agency plans to seek approval from the U.S. EPA to regulate coal ash landfills and ponds.