The House Natural Resources Committee advanced a package of permitting bills, headlined by the SPEED Act that seeks to speed up permit processing and limit litigation.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Department of Energy’s efficiency standard for natural gas furnaces and water heaters against appeals from gas trade associations.

Democrats introduced a FERC-heavy bill to control electricity costs, House Energy & Commerce Committee Republicans tout bills passed out of committee, DOE returns $13 billion and some details from the Dallas Fed survey.

A House Natural Resources Committee hearing on permitting legislation highlighted how split the parties are, even on an issue where key parts of both their coalitions support action.

Permitting reform legislation is starting to move through Congress, with a key House committee holding a hearing and supporters lobbying legislators, though actually passing a bill is tough in any political climate.

ACP reported a drop in the pipeline of new projects as federal policies shifted this year, but installations have yet to be impacted by those changes.

Three clean energy trade groups asked DOE to reconsider its recent report on resource adequacy, which they contend uses a deterministic approach to stake out a position for not retiring any more power plants in the face of rising electricity demand.

Duke Energy reported earnings of $1.25/share for the second quarter, and its CEO told analysts the company also came out ahead with state and federal legislation.