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The California legislature passed a series of natural gas pipeline safety measures before adjourning its legislative session Friday, while measures on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and renewable energy were left on the table by lawmakers.

August natural gas scored a double-digit gain Friday as traders noted what seems to be a never-ending series of forecasts calling for above-normal temperatures. At the close August was up 16.8 cents to $4.546 and September had added 16.2 cents to $4.520. August crude oil made an advance of its own adding $1.55 to $97.24/bbl.

In an effort to comply with a series of regulations proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Electric Power (AEP) on Thursday announced a $6-8 billion plan to retire nearly 6,000 MW of coal-fueled power generation, upgrade or install advanced emissions reduction equipment on another 10,100 MW, refuel 1,070 MW of coal generation as 932 MW of natural gas capacity and build 1,220 MW of gas-fueled generation by the end of the decade.

In an effort to comply with a series of regulations proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Electric Power (AEP) on Thursday announced a $6-8 billion plan to retire nearly 6,000 MW of coal-fueled power generation, upgrade or install advanced emissions reduction equipment on another 10,100 MW, refuel 1,070 MW of coal generation as 932 MW of natural gas capacity and build 1,220 MW of gas-fueled generation by the end of the decade.

Michigan regulators on Wednesday announced a new series of regulations that will impact the future operations of oil and gas drillers using hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) to stimulate production.

Energy infrastructure dominoes that may fall in Texas in the wake of a series of stiffer environmental rules could start with the demise of old natural gas-fired generation plants, according to a report by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) released last Wednesday. The study concluded that coal-fired generation in the state is likely to see few, if any, plant retirements from stiffer federal water, air and coal regulations.

Energy infrastructure dominoes that may fall in Texas in the wake of a series of stiffer environmental rules could start with the demise of old natural gas-fired generation plants, according to an ERCOT report released Wednesday. The study concluded that coal-fired generation in the state is likely to see few, if any, plant retirements from stiffer federal water, air and coal regulations.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Tuesday begins a series of three public hearings to gather testimony on pipeline safety. It is a response to the apparent lack of local knowledge about the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) pipeline that ruptured last September in a residential neighborhood in suburban San Bruno, CA, south of San Francisco.

A series of bills that would affect the regulation of natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) operations in Arkansas failed to clear a hurdle in the state’s House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Thursday and appeared unlikely to move to the full House during the current legislative session.