SOLAR: Farmland advocates say Maine must strike a balance between protecting its prime agricultural land and allowing farmers to earn supplemental income from solar projects to help them economically. (Energy News Network)

TRANSPORTATION:
• The transit authority in Boston is finalizing a contract for its electric rail system to purchase 70% of its energy from renewable sources for the next three years, saving millions in the process. (CommonWealth Magazine)
• Vermont residents with moderate incomes could earn up to a $5,000 rebate on a used energy efficient vehicle. (St. Albans Messenger)

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UTILITIES:
• The New Jersey Rate Counsel urges a moratorium on utility shut-offs be extended to April and regulators should determine how large consumer debts are. (NJ Spotlight)
• National Grid says it aims to be carbon-neutral by 2050 and sees hydrogen playing a key role. (Utility Dive)

GRID: State regulators say a record-breaking marathon federal conference to discuss carbon pricing lacked key voices from the states that would be impacted by any policy changes. (Utility Dive)

POLITICS: A newspaper survey in Maine shows a wide majority of legislative candidates oppose a proposed power line to import Canadian hydropower, indicating a more difficult path at the state capital next year. (Bangor Daily News) 

OFFSHORE WIND: Ørsted will hold three virtual open houses later this month to discuss the progress of its Ocean Wind project in New Jersey. (TAPinto.net)

OIL & GAS: U.S. natural gas production and consumption reached record highs last year with Pennsylvania production increasing 10% over 2018. (TalkBusiness.net)

EMISSIONS: A New York environmental group sues the Environmental Protection Agency for taking too long to approve a state air quality plan. (Bloomberg Law, subscription required)

CLEAN ENERGY: Six municipalities in a New York county collaborate to form a purchasing pool for clean energy that is cheaper than the standard rate offered for non-renewable resources. (news release)

COMMENTARY: A former consumer advocate in Maine says a proposal to link transmission for hydropower in five Canadian provinces plus Maine would benefit the state if done properly. (CentralMaine.com)

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.