** Several Chinese telecommunications companies have operated in the United States for years without adequate federal oversight, a bipartisan Senate report warned Tuesday.
** A startup called Planet Labs says it has enough satellites floating around the earth that it can snap at least one photo of every spot on the planet every single day.
** A top scientist at Harvard University has been indicted by the Justice Department for lying about his involvement with a tech university in Wuhan, China. Dr. Charles Lieber, 61, is alleged to have lied about participating in China’s “Thousand Talents Program,” which lures top scientists to China.
** The Trump administration is again considering a proposal — sought since the early days of the Trump era — to open up oil and gas drilling off Florida’s coast, according to POLITICO. But it won’t be revealed until after the election in order to avoid causing controversy in the state, where opposition to opening up the coastal waters is strong.
** Global demand for natural gas is on track to hit its largest yearly decline ever, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency. Driven by the coronavirus pandemic and a mild winter in the northern hemisphere, gas demand is expected to fall by 4 percent globally — marking a drop twice the size of the one that followed the 2008 global financial crisis when natural gas demand fell by 2 percent.
** ExxonMobil denied involvement in a hacking operation that targeted environmental activists, journalists, and government and elected officials across six continents. The activity, brought to light by cybersecurity watchdog group Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, has reportedly drawn a Justice Department probe.
** FERC issued a new rule for natural gas pipelines on Tuesday to prevent projects from starting construction until the commission has rejected all appeals to its approval.
** Two Montana senators are in favor of a federal bill that would provide $900 million annually from oil and gas royalties to conservation projects.
** An Arizona environmental group says it will sue President Trump for his executive order that waives endangered species protections to expedite fossil fuel project approvals.
** A new lawsuit alleges that hundreds of Latino homeowners and Spanish speakers throughout California were targeted by solar panel finance and construction companies and defrauded of thousands of dollars.
** Wyoming signs a memorandum of understanding with two Japanese companies to test new carbon capture technologies at a state research center.
** Chicago is likely the only city in the world running low on diesel supply due to production cuts from regional refiners.
** Kentucky coal mining company Blackhawk Mining announces it has been acquired by a Czech Republic-based company.
** University of Arkansas and University of Georgia researchers are working on projects to secure the U.S. electricity grid from cyber attacks.
