ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: The New Jersey Senate passes a bill that gives “overburdened communities” a say in the approval process of new facilities that add polluting sources. (NJ Spotlight)

PIPELINES:
• The U.S. Supreme Court wants the Trump administration’s views before it rules on New Jersey’s decision to block the PennEast pipeline by preventing seizure of state land along the pipeline’s route. (Bloomberg Law)
• An attorney in a case over private security for a Pennsylvania pipeline project says local politics influenced the arrest of his client. (The Mercury)

***SPONSORED LINK: Applications are now open for the Veterans Advanced Energy Fellowship, a yearlong program for high-performing, high-potential military veterans in advanced energy, presented by the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center. Learn more at www.vetsenergyproject.org/fellowship. ***

TRANSMISSION: A Maine judge rules an anti-transmission line referendum can appear on the fall ballot, so constitutional objections to its validity can be addressed after the vote. (Bangor Daily News)

OFFSHORE WIND: Commenters express support for the one-nautical-mile spacing of turbines for the Vineyard Wind project off Massachusetts in the first virtual public comment hearing held by federal officials. (WorkBoat)

STORAGE: A pumped-hydro storage startup wins a contract from New York to construct a pilot project for an underground system. (Grist)

DIVESTMENT: George Washington University will divest fossil fuel holdings from its endowment by 2025 and become carbon-neutral by 2030. (The Hill)

SUSTAINABILITY: A sustainability school in Maine nears completion of its $14 million renovation to relocate its campus to an inland farm. (Portland Press Herald)

OIL & GAS: New gas wells drop 29% this year in Pennsylvania, which is expected to lower collections for the state’s impact fee assessed on drillers. (Pittsburgh Business Times, subscription required)

CLIMATE: Climate action plans are being developed at the state and local level in Maine by the Maine Climate Council and multi-city groups. (WMTW)

***SPONSORED LINK: Do you know someone who works hard to facilitate the transition to a clean energy economy? Nominate yourself or someone you know for Energy News Network’s 40 Under 40 today.***

SOLAR: A Black Maryland woman founds a solar company to develop  community solar projects for underserved communities. (Black Enterprise) 

COMMENTARY: The Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey says a port proposed to serve the offshore wind industry can be an economic driver for the state. (NJ.com)

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Bill Opalka

Bill is a freelance journalist based outside Albany, New York. As a former New England correspondent for RTO Insider, he has written about energy for newspapers, magazines and other publications for more than 20 years. He has an extensive career in trade publications and newspapers, mostly focused on the utility sector, covering such issues as restructuring, renewable energy and consumer affairs. Bill covers Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire and also compiles the Northeast Energy News daily email digest.