** The Interior Department on Thursday took steps to strengthen the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) by rescinding Trump administration policies that significantly undermined the landmark conservation program. Secretarial Order 3396 revokes an order signed on November 9, 2020 (Secretarial Order 3388) that unilaterally imposed new restrictions to inhibit the availability of LWCF funding for federal land and water acquisitions.
** A settlement is reached in a class-action lawsuit involving nearly 600 Wyoming miners against bankrupt coal company Blackjewel reported the Casper Star-Tribune.
** Colorado’s strategy to combat climate change includes free e-bike giveaways to help lower emissions from short-to-medium distance car journeys.
** Seattle’s mayor signs a recently-passed bill banning natural gas in new large multifamily and commercial buildings into law.
** Western U.S. senators introduce a bill that would permanently ban oil and gas drilling in federal waters off Washington, Oregon and California.
** A new political row has broken out over a controversial gas pipeline between Russia and Germany after Angela Merkel’s government was accused of offering to spend $1bn on American gas if the US called off planned sanctions against the project.
** Tesla has flunked long-range driving abilities in tests conducted by Edmunds, an online automotive information resource. In all Tesla vehicles Edmunds has tested, the real-world range has fallen short of Tesla’s published EPA estimates.
** The board of directors of Phillips 66 declared a quarterly dividend of 90 cents per share on Phillips 66 common stock. The dividend is payable on March 1, 2021, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Feb. 22, 2021.
** Chevron is still not sure of the exact makeup of a 600-gallon spill from a refinery into the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday, but officials have not found any health or wildlife impacts so far.
** Native American leaders in Montana call on U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Matt Rosendale to stop “deeply offensive“ criticisms of Interior secretary nominee Deb Haaland.
** Colorado Springs officials announce a $100 million deal with GE for six gas turbines to provide electricity as a downtown coal plant is dismantled starting next year.
** Ford Motor Company relaxes after the U.S. International Trade Commission on Wednesday gave it a reprieve from a decision to block shipments to the battery company meant to supply the electric F-150. The ITC ruled that SK Innovation had stolen trade secrets from fellow South Korean battery manufacturer LG Chem.
