** President Biden finally plans a visit next month to East Palestine, Ohio, a year after a disastrous train derailment sent dangerous chemicals into the air. The mayor of the city says Biden’s visit is too late.
** John Podesta, a senior White House adviser focused on clean energy and climate, will take over as US climate diplomat after John Kerry steps down this spring, according to a source familiar with the move reported CNN.
** The 12 largest U.S. electric utility companies have lobbied unevenly for climate policy aligned with the goals in the Paris Agreement — sometimes working against their own interests, says a January report from corporate sustainability group Ceres.
** Tesla is facing a lawsuit from 25 California counties accusing it of mishandling hazardous waste at facilities around the state, according to a complaint filed in San Joaquin County Superior Court. The lawsuit, which seeks civil penalties and an injunction forcing Tesla to correctly handle waste, was filed after months of negotiations reportedly broke down.
** Stung by a Delaware court ruling earlier this week that struck down his record Tesla pay package, Elon Musk says he is seeking shareholder approval to incorporate the company in Texas.
** The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) will begin to more closely track electricity consumption by cryptocurrency mining companies operating in the United States, the agency said on Wednesday.
** Former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told lawmakers that a proposed electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan could be used for Chinese espionage.
World
** Cuba’s government on Wednesday delayed a planned 500 percent surge in the fuel price after a “cybersecurity incident,” an economy ministry official said.
** Farmers in convoys of tractors created chaos outside the European Union’s headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, pelting police with firecrackers, eggs and beer bottles as they demanded leaders at an EU summit provide relief from rising prices and bureaucracy.
** Shell reported a $28 billion annual profit on Thursday after beating fourth quarter earnings forecasts on strong liquefied natural gas (LNG) trading, allowing the oil giant to increase its dividend and extend share repurchases.
** India will start operating new coal-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 13.9 gigawatts (GW) this year, its power ministry said in a statement to Reuters, the highest annual increase in at least six years.
** The Czech government said Wednesday it plans to build up to four nuclear reactors instead of one as the country tries to become more energy independent and wean itself off fossil fuels.
** Climate activist Greta Thunberg went on trial Thursday for refusing to leave a protest that blocked the entrance to a major oil and gas industry conference in London last year.