OFFSHORE WIND: The Coast Guard agrees with developers of offshore wind farms south of Massachusetts on a proposed turbine layout that eases navigation for commercial vessels and fishermen. (Taunton Daily Gazette)

SOLAR: Solar developers in Massachusetts say emergency rules issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic will have the opposite of their intended effect and curtail development. (Greentech Media)

***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.***

WASTE-TO-ENERGY:
• The governing board operating a Connecticut trash-burning plant gives up on refurbishing the facility unless the state commits to a financial bailout by summer’s end. (CT Mirror)
• The developer of a proposed medical waste-to-energy facility in Rhode Island is implicated in a fraudulent price-gouging scheme to sell face masks. (ecoRI)

GRID: New York’s grid operator predicts adequate electricity supply for the summer peak as the state slowly reopens from its response to the coronavirus pandemic. (T&D World)

UTILITIES:
• Massachusetts utilities tell an energy forum that procedures already in place to deal with severe weather and power outages have helped their response to COVID-19. (WWLP)
• A Vermont utility increases several rebates and launches a shared solar campaign for businesses in response to COVID-19. (news release)

OIL AND GAS: A study links a rare birth defect in horses who were exposed to farm water that contained fracking chemicals. (Environmental Health News)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A new report says more than 350 Pennsylvania firms could transition to become part of the supply chain for electric vehicle manufacturing. (AltEnergyMag)

COAL: The owners of a closed coal plant on the Potomac River agree to pay Washington D.C. $2.5 million to settle alleged water pollution violations. (Washington Business Journal)

***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.***

CLIMATE: A federal judge in Massachusetts releases an opinion explaining a March decision to send a climate lawsuit against Exxon back to state court. (E&E News, subscription required)

COMMENTARY:
• The Sierra Club says a drop in the New Jersey public pension fund balance is partly due to its investments in fossil fuels, which should be divested. (news release)
• The Northeast Gas Association says the fuel has led to a dramatic decrease in carbon emissions in the region and is primarily responsible for Massachusetts meeting its interim goals for 2020 in its climate law. (CommonWealth Magazine)

Avatar photo

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.