Illustration: Tiffany Herring/Axios
1. ⚡️ FERC power moves: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday approved new rules intended to get renewables onto the grid more quickly.
- The interconnection queue reforms are a first step, but lawmakers and renewables developers want FERC to do more on transmission.
2. 🚘 EVs killed the radio star: The Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday approved legislation requiring all cars to have AM radios, which could force companies to redesign their electric vehicles.
3. 💵 Approps watch: Senate appropriators advanced their Interior-environment spending bill in a bipartisan vote Thursday. It would stave off the massive cuts to EPA and the Interior Department proposed by the House GOP.
- The House had been scheduled to vote this week on its Ag spending bill, but it was pulled until September, per Axios Pro's Victoria Knight.
4. ⚔️ Closing time: The Senate looks close to finishing up with its version of the NDAA, which is expected to carry nuclear licensing legislation.
5. 🐓 Playing chicken: The House on Thursday passed Congressional Review Act resolutions to remove protections for the lesser prairie chicken and northern long-eared bat.
- They have already passed the Senate, but face a likely veto from President Biden.
