COAL ASH: As expected, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory vetoes a coal ash oversight bill, saying it is “not good for the environment or for the rule of law.” Background on the bill here. (Raleigh News & Observer, Southeast Energy News archive)
ALSO:
• Virginia regulators issue the first draft of a permit that would allow Dominion Virginia Power to release treated water from coal ash facilities into the James River. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• A judge’s order affirms removal of coal ash from four North Carolina sites, which is already underway. (WCQS)
SOLAR:
• A stakeholder group, including a solar trade organization and the state’s largest utility, aims to break the “chilling atmosphere” for solar in Virginia. (Southeast Energy News)
• South Carolina cooperatives announce plans for as much as 5 MW of community solar. (Associated Press)
COAL:
• Federal regulators worry taxpayers will be stuck with a $1 billion bill for cleaning up after bankrupt coal companies. (New York Times)
• A mudslide from a surface mine damages homes in Kentucky. (Louisville Courier-Journal)
CLIMATE: An Atlanta-based carpet company announces a sustainability plan that includes relying on 100 percent renewable energy by 2020. (GreenBiz)
ACTIVISM:
• Nebraska activist Jane Kleeb, noted for her role in defeating the Keystone XL pipeline, joins opponents of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Virginia and West Virginia. (Charlottesville Daily Progress)
• Duke Energy becomes a regular target of street theater protests in Charlotte. (Charlotte Observer)
UTILITIES:
• A Florida company says “neither party has terminated the deal” as a key deadline passes in its proposed acquisition of a Hawaii utility. (South Florida Business Journal)
• Kentucky utilities turn to natural gas amid tougher pollution rules. (Daily Energy Insider)
• State officials approve two new units at a Virginia power plant. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• Time Warner Cable says it’s being bullied by North Carolina co-ops over leasing fees for utility poles. (Raleigh News & Observer)
WIND: A Virginia county objects to a wind farm in a neighboring county, saying it didn’t have any role in the approval process. (Roanoke Times)
NUCLEAR: A Florida lawmaker urges the state to “get this right on the first try” as it deals with contamination from a nuclear plant’s cooling canals. (WLRN)
COMMENTARY:
• Why the Tennessee Valley Authority is ahead of the pack on nuclear and solar. (Forbes)
• Three charts show why the Kemper “clean coal” plant in Mississippi is a bad deal for ratepayers. (Mississippi Watchdog)