** Federal regulators have issued a handful of gas-related orders that clear the path for new pipeline and energy infrastructure in the Midwest and along the Gulf Coast. The decisions from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission come as the agency has taken steps to remove barriers to building gas pipelines, including granting a one-year waiver to a FERC rule that precludes construction activities while the agency considers rehearing requests.
** Instead of reporting incidents of “negative” depictions of American history as requested by the Trump administration, national park visitors are scanning signs’ QR codes to submit hundreds of comments in support of the National Park Service.
** Public health in Louisiana could be at risk due to the definition of “green energy” in new legislation signed into law by the governor, and energy experts are pushing back. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry approved three bills with the goal of boosting the state’s energy industry, per KATC. However, experts have highlighted problems with the language used in one of the bills.
** In the world of nuclear energy, the Idaho National Laboratory this week accomplished a first-of-its-kind test. The experiment proved successful and could ultimately decrease the amount of waste generated from nuclear power plants across the country.
** New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared an emergency in Grant County after a devastating wildfire that has “burned more than 24,000 acres north of Silver City.” Known as the Trout Fire, the blaze has been burning since June 12 but is at least 41% contained and was ruled to have been caused by lightning.
** Researchers say their recent national study of hazardous forever chemicals found the Pocotaligo River in South Carolina had higher levels of pollution from the toxins than any other waterway they examined across the country.
** GE Appliances announced a nearly half-billion-dollar project Thursday that it says will create 800 new jobs and shift production of clothes washers from China to its massive manufacturing complex in Kentucky.
World
** Iran will not close the Strait of Hormuz for the sake of regional stability and the economic interests of Asean countries like Malaysia. According to Iranian Ambassador to Malaysia Valiollah Mohammadi Nasrabadi (pic), Iran would maintain security over essential trade routes despite its ongoing conflict with Israel.
** Ed Miliband has turned down a scheme to import solar and wind power from Morocco via 2,500-mile-long subsea cables. The Xlinks scheme, overseen by Sir Dave Lewis, the former Tesco chief, would see high-voltage direct current power imported from North Africa through cables running along the coasts of Spain, Portugal and France, and coming ashore in Torridge, Devon.
** Australia is suing a Chinese-linked company and a former associate over a breach of foreign investment laws linked with rare earths miner Northern Minerals, the national treasurer said, adding it was the first case of its kind.
** Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa is in talks with Chinese suppliers of rare earth permanent magnets about the possibility of bringing production to Europe, in a bid to cut the region’s reliance on imports after curbs on supplies from China