UTILITIES: The Florida Supreme Court takes up a dispute over an investment by Florida Power & Light in an Oklahoma natural gas project. (Palm Beach Post)
ALSO: American Electric Power, the parent company of Appalachian Power, opts to quit the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council to focus on helping states meet Clean Power Plan requirements. (Greenwire)
***SPONSORED LINK: Rocky Mountain Institute’s e-Lab Accelerator is calling on America’s most innovative teams at the forefront of the electricity transformation looking to take projects to the next level. See if your project is eligible for this invitation-only event April 24—27. ***
SOLAR:
• Rockbridge County hosts the latest of several bulk-purchasing co-ops forming in Virginia. (Lexington News-Gazette)
• Construction will begin soon on a community solar project on Cape Hatteras. (Island Free Press)
• A North Carolina town rejects a rezoning request for a proposed solar farm. (Burlington Times-News)
CLIMATE:
• Land and idealogy are losing the battle to rising sea levels in Virginia’s Hampton Roads region. (InsideClimate News)
• “Gulf South Rising” campaign makes its case for climate action at the Paris talks. (National Journal)
• Some members of Congress from Florida are skeptical President Obama can secure support for climate action. (South Florida Public Radio)
• Charleston, South Carolina is seeing near-daily consequences of flooding and other impacts of climate change. ( The Valdosta Daily Times)
• North Carolina-based VF Corp. explains why it is among the companies backing U.S. actions to mitigate climate change. (Triad Business Journal)
• Miami-Dade students re-enact the Paris climate talks. (South Florida Public Radio)
• In Paris, Atlanta’s mayor stresses cities’ role in climate action. (Oceanside Post)
NUCLEAR:
• The U.S. nuclear industry aims to cut production costs 30% by 2018. (Platts)
• The TVA begins loading fuel for the startup of its Watts Bar 2 nuclear reactor. (The Chattanoogan)
SUSTAINABILITY: Charlotte is hosting a national workshop in January aimed at boosting cities’ sustainability initiatives based on its experiences. (Charlotte Business Journal)
FRACKING: Orange County is likely to join the growing ranks of local jurisdictions opposing fracking in Florida. (Orlando Sentinel)
COAL:
• Alpha Natural Resources and West Virginia resolve dispute over the company’s mine reclamation bonds. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• A Kentucky coal mining company admits to numerous pollution violations and is fined $6 million. (Western Kentucky Public Radio)
COMMENTARY: A consumer advocate calls out a rate reduction by Alabama Power for what he think it is: a return of ratepayers’ money. (Alabama Media Group)