Northeast Energy News

Methane rules rollback would leave most emissions unregulated 

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EMISSIONS: A Trump administration plan to replace federal regulations for methane emissions would leave a only a patchwork of state rules to regulate the gas. (E&E News) 

PIPELINES: Developers of the PennEast pipeline in Pennsylvania tell federal regulators they found evidence of early Native American habitation at three sites and will take steps to minimize disruption during construction. (Platts)

***SPONSORED LINK: Join us at the 7th annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference, October 7-8 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The conference includes two full days of practical experience and advice with distributed generation and microgrids. Use code ENN2019 to get $200 off your registration.

Northeast Energy News

Pennsylvania regulators sought information on potential pipeline failure

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PIPELINES: Pennsylvania regulators last year demanded information from Sunoco on its calculations of what could occur if the Mariner East pipeline failed. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)

OFFSHORE WIND:
• The delay in approval for the Vineyard Wind project endangers crucial federal tax credits that are expiring, impacting project economics and potentially consumer costs. (Boston Globe)
• There are six offshore wind farms globally that are the size of small nuclear power plants, and the trend is for them to continue to get larger. (Greentech Media)
• A coalition of labor, environmental and community groups will hold a day-long conference Friday in Atlantic City to consider the prospects for offshore wind development in New Jersey. (ROI)

***SPONSORED LINK: Join us at the 7th annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference, October 7-8 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Northeast Energy News

Northeast states join lawsuit against emission rollback

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COAL: Ten Northeast states and the District of Columbia are among the 29 jurisdictions suing the U.S. EPA for easing restrictions on coal-fired power plant emissions. (Associated Press)

OFFSHORE WIND:
• Federal regulators who ordered an additional study for Vineyard Wind say the review will run into 2020, well past the developers’ targeted construction launch. (Commonwealth Magazine)
• A Rhode Island program that trains workers for offshore wind jobs co-sponsors an event in which turbine blade repairers show their rope climbing skills off a bridge. (Providence Journal)

***SPONSORED LINK: Join us at the 7th annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference, October 7-8 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The conference includes two full days of practical experience and advice with distributed generation and microgrids.

Northeast Energy News

Vineyard Wind to stay with project despite federal delay

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OFFSHORE WIND: Vineyard Wind says it is committed to the project and will revise its timeline after federal regulators ordered more study. (Cape Cod Times) 

ALSO:
• An industry group calls the federal action “regrettable” as it coincidentally kicks off its American Wind Week 2019. (Herald News)
• A Connecticut commission says long-term impacts on wildlife should be studied as the state seeks large-scale offshore wind development. (WSHU)

SOLAR: Moderately sized solar projects in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will take longer to review as the region’s grid operator is requiring more study of their impact on the transmission system. (ecoRI)

STORAGE: New York agencies have asked federal regulators to rule that the state’s grid operator is adopting policies that will inhibit the deployment of energy storage.

Northeast Energy News

Feds order another study for Vineyard offshore wind project

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OFFSHORE WIND: The Trump administration orders an additional study for the Vineyard Wind project in Massachusetts, extending its review into early 2020. (Bloomberg)

ALSO:
• The proposed turbine configuration is a likely cause for delay as fishing interests propose separate alternatives for the wind farm’s layout. (CommonWealth Magazine)
• The delay exposes several vulnerabilities the industry faces as it tries to establish itself in the U.S. (Greentech Media)
• A Long Island citizens group opposes the preferred landing spot for transmission cables to connect New York’s first offshore wind project to the grid. (Newsday)
• PJM says it has seen growing interest from transmission developers looking to build projects for anticipated offshore wind development. (Platts)

POWER PLANTS: FirstEnergy will close the last coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania on Nov.