** At least a quarter of Iran’s oil rigs are out of action as U.S. sanctions strangle the Islamic Republic’s vital oil industry, according to a Reuters review of financial documents and industry sources, dealing a potentially long-term blow to its oil industry.
** St. Louis coal company Foresight Energy files for bankruptcy, joining its parent company Murray Energy in efforts to restructure amid industry decline.
** Sunrise Coal permanently closes a mining operation in southwestern Indiana to reduce financial losses.
** A North Dakota utility regular raises concerns about a natural gas liquids spill five years ago as the same company seeks to build a new gas pipeline.
** A proposed interim storage facility for nuclear waste in southeastern New Mexico would cause limited environmental damage, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s draft environmental impact statement released Tuesday.
** Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has signed an executive order “taking the boldest actions available to lower greenhouse gas emissions under current state laws” after the state’s legislature adjourned abruptly in the wake of a Republican walkout.
** Colorado is prepared to issue another air emissions permit to Suncor despite the company’s history of emitting more pollutants than allowed.
** Salt Lake City wants developers to build without natural gas and use all-electric technology for heating and cooling.
** A BLM oil and gas lease sale in northeast Utah drew few bidders a day after oil prices collapsed.
** Kern County, California oil producers are worried about the industry’s 25,000 local jobs as oil prices plummet internationally.
