CLIMATE: Experts say a climate plan announced by House Democrats yesterday is the most ambitious in U.S. history, with Republicans who’d pushed for more support for oil and natural gas saying they were left out of the process. (Vox, E&E News)
ALSO:
• The House plan would give FERC more authority over energy markets and direct the agency to develop “a comprehensive, long-range electric infrastructure strategy.” (S&P Global)
• A broad coalition urges PJM to continue work on carbon pricing as the most effective means to reduce emissions in light of a federal regulator’s move to examine the policy. (E&E News, subscription required)
• Several environmental laws take effect in Virginia today, including one that launches a 21-member environmental justice council and one that authorizes the state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. (Bloomberg)
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OVERSIGHT:
• The EPA says it will rescind a policy that had suspended enforcement of pollution limits due to the coronavirus pandemic. (The Hill)
• President Trump’s nominee for director of the Bureau of Land Management, William Perry Pendley, faces opposition after previous statements disparaging social justice issues were uncovered. (E&E News, subscription)
COAL: The Trump administration releases a report touting a strong future for petrochemicals and coal in Appalachia despite concerns about declining demand, supply gluts and environmental harm. (Reuters)
PIPELINES: A federal appeals panel rules regulators cannot indefinitely keep pipeline challenges out of court while construction proceeds in a case that originated in Pennsylvania. (Bloomberg Law)
OIL & GAS: The North Dakota Supreme Court sides with state regulators that issued a permit for a proposed oil refinery near Theodore Roosevelt National Park. (Bismarck Tribune)
UTILITIES:
• People of color are more at risk of utility disconnections, add-on utility fees and inefficient housing, yet Ohio regulators and utilities aren’t collecting data on whether these disparities are widening. (Energy News Network)
• A new study says residents of larger cities will see utility bills rise about 10% due to the stay-at-home orders issued for COVID-19. (CNBC)
EFFICIENCY: An energy-efficient, affordable housing development in Chicago moves forward despite the loss of a prominent architect who had forged a partnership with the local nonprofit Blacks in Green. (Energy News Network)
TRANSMISSION:
• Energy experts say building new transmission capacity can help the economy recover while advancing clean energy. (Los Angeles Times)
• MISO will expand research on transmission capacity needs in the Upper Midwest after utilities behind the CapX2050 study seek to make transmission a priority in the region. (RTO Insider)
MICROGRIDS:
• A planned microgrid project could help anchor a clean energy job training center in an underserved and racially diverse Minneapolis neighborhood. (Energy News Network)
• Microgrids are becoming more popular among health care providers, but regulatory hurdles can make implementation difficult. (Utility Dive)
ELECTRIFICATION: San Francisco officials announce legislation that would ban natural gas hookups in new buildings after this year. (S&P Global)
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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A panel issues a statewide strategy for electric vehicle charging in Ohio that includes having charging stations available every 50 miles of interstate. (WKBN)
COMMENTARY:
• The disproportionate impact of coronavirus on the Navajo Nation makes a just transition from coal power more urgent. (Earther)
• An energy writer says BP’s shifting priorities show that the coronavirus recovery will be good for clean energy. (Triple Pundit)