July 26, 2026 to August 01, 2026

This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements, and other government-related news concerning power generation and transmission, wind and solar, utilities, midstream companies, batteries and energy storage, LNG, biofuels, as well as nuclear. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Federal Government News

Presidential Determination: Defense Production Act Authority Over Recoverable Critical Minerals

On July 30, 2026, President Trump issued a memorandum identifying recoverable critical minerals and materials (CMMs), including black mass and end-of-life rare-earth permanent magnets, as vital for national defense. The directive instructs the Secretary of Commerce to implement actions under Section 101 of the Defense Production Act of 1950. This reflects the government's concern regarding reliance on imported CMMs for supply chain stability and directs regulatory action to secure domestic sources as defined by previous executive orders and legislation. The authority includes issuance and publication of relevant regulations in the Federal Register.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

DOE Extends Public Comment Period for Energy Conservation Standards Rulemaking Procedures

The Department of Energy has granted a 15-day extension for public comment on the notice of proposed rulemaking concerning procedures for energy conservation standards and test procedures for consumer and commercial/industrial products. Comment submissions are now accepted until August 21, 2026. The extension responds to a joint request from multiple trade organizations, citing the complexity and scope of the proposed revisions and their relation to a concurrent analytical methodology review. The Federal Register docket contains instructions for electronic or mail-based comment submission.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Fact Sheet: Presidential Delegation of Defense Production Act Authority for Critical Minerals

President Trump has signed a Presidential Determination delegating authority under the Defense Production Act to impose export restrictions on recoverable critical minerals and materials (CMMs). The Secretary of Commerce is empowered to enforce these restrictions to address national security risks stemming from import reliance. CMMs are sourced from industrial waste streams and recyclable goods such as permanent magnets and lithium-ion batteries. The determination follows recent executive actions to bolster mineral supply chains, streamline permitting, and modernize defense acquisition processes.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

Notice of Schedule for Environmental Assessment: Athens Optimization Project

Texas Eastern Transmission, LP has received notice for the preparation of an environmental assessment (EA) related to its Athens Optimization Project in Ohio. The project involves replacing four existing turbine units with two new Solar Titan 130 units, expanding compression facilities for an additional 50,000 dekatherms per day in natural gas transportation to serve Kentucky Utilities. The EA is scheduled for issuance November 6, 2026, with the federal authorization decision deadline set for February 4, 2027. Previous stakeholder comments focused on threatened species and operational noise, with public input considered throughout the EA process.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Modernizing Reactor Licensing, Safety Oversight, and Siting Practices: NRC Correction

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a correction to its previously published proposed rule on modernizing reactor licensing and safety oversight. Draft Regulatory Guide DG-4037, containing outdated information, has been withdrawn from the supporting guidance for the rule. The correction affects sections on guidance documents and regulatory guide availability in the July 16, 2026 Federal Register issue. Stakeholders are instructed to disregard DG-4037 when commenting on the modernization rule, and NRC will consider revised guidance if necessary.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Legislative Updates

Geothermal Energy Advancement Act

Bill 5631 aims to expand support for geothermal energy development. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered the bill reported favorably without amendment on July 29, 2026.

Sources: www.congress.gov

License to Drill Act

Bill 5039, titled License to Drill Act, addresses regulatory provisions for drilling operations. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has ordered it to be reported favorably without amendment.

Sources: www.congress.gov

A bill to amend the Federal Power Act regarding large load interconnections

Bill 5199 amends the Federal Power Act to clarify Federal Energy Regulatory Commission jurisdiction and establishes standards for the interconnection of large loads to the transmission system. The bill was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Recycling Infrastructure and Data Accountability Act

Bill 9987 was introduced to improve recycling infrastructure and enhance data oversight. As of July 30, 2026, it has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act of 2026

Bill 9975 would direct federal agencies to support carbon dioxide removal solutions. It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Opinion | The path forward for the clean energy transition: Washington Post examines future scenarios for U.S. clean energy policy in light of recent federal changes.
• Column | How your next stove could save you money — and upgrade the electric grid: Appliance innovation is discussed as a driver for grid modernization and customer savings.
• Energy Watch: Fool me once: Reuters commentary addresses shifting dynamics in power sector reliability and trust.
• US Energy Department orders more power resources for western electric grid: DOE directs additional power procurement for the western U.S. grid amid prolonged emergency conditions.
• Why Restarting a Nuclear Power Plant Can Be Much Harder Than Expected: The New York Times describes the technical and regulatory hurdles facing U.S. nuclear restarts.
• UK's Ofgem proposes grid-connection fee to deter speculative data centre projects: Ofgem outlines proposed fees to address speculative grid connections for data centers in the UK.
• INVESTOR VIEW: Negative power prices expose a market opportunity: Reuters reviews how negative power prices present market openings for flexible and storage resources.
• Malawi installs first utility-scale battery to store solar power: Malawi launches its first utility-scale battery system to support solar power reliability.
• What You Need to Know About Installing Plug-In Solar Panels: The New York Times offers a guide to consumer adoption of plug-in solar panel installations.
• Africa’s off-grid solar sector courts mainstream investors with landmark financing deals: AP reports on major financing trends in Africa's off-grid solar industry targeting mainstream investment.

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