WIND: Nearly 500,000 acres of offshore wind leasing areas go up for bid in the New York Bight off New Jersey and Long Island today, and experts say final bids could collectively approach $1.5 billion. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

ALSO: Pennsylvania military officials are fighting a planned 175 MW wind farm in Schuylkill County, claiming it could threaten operations at a nearby Air National Guard base. (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

CLIMATE:
• As Connecticut falls behind on its emissions goals, climate groups want residents to be able to sue the state for failing to abide by its 2008 climate law; residents already can sue to protect natural resources. (Energy News Network)
• A Maryland interfaith nonprofit with an environmental bent works to help religious congregations in the Baltimore area prepare their properties for the changing climate and increasing stormwater issues. (Inside Climate News)
• Two professors document how high-elevation lakes in western Maine might uniquely protect certain species as water temperatures rise. (Maine Public Radio)
• A report suggests “climate-smart farming” techniques, including planting streamside forest buffers, can help Chesapeake Bay states meet watershed pollution reduction goals. (Keystone State News)

UTILITIES:
• Vermont’s largest employer will still pursue forming a self-governed utility that will comply with state energy standards after state regulators rejected their request because the company wanted an exemption to renewable energy rules. (VTDigger)
• Some observers of National Grid’s proposed sale of Narragansett Electric to PPL question how the deal could impact the utility’s storm response. (Providence Journal)
• Maine lawmakers express skepticism that Gov. Janet Mills’ utility accountability bill would be a better tool than forming a public utility. (News Center Maine)

SOLAR:
• A Maine wild blueberry field is hosting a solar pilot project to determine how well the berries grow under the array. (Scientific American)
• A proposed 200 MW solar farm in upstate New York leads some residents to worry that the project will negatively impact groundwater, farmland and local wildlife. (RTO Insider, subscription)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A northern New York town says local electric vehicle charging demand is increasing, pushing officials to figure out how to quickly get more fast chargers. (NNY360)

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Bridget Reed Morawski

Bridget is a freelance reporter and newsletter writer based in the Washington, D.C., area. She compiles the Northeast Energy News digest. Bridget primarily writes about energy, conservation and the environment. Originally from Philadelphia, she graduated from Emerson College in 2015 with a degree in journalism and a minor in environmental studies. When she isn’t working on a story, she’s normally on a northern Maine lake or traveling abroad to practice her Spanish language skills.