OIL & GAS: After a two-year investigation, a Pennsylvania grand jury report says state environmental officials failed to protect residents from the health effects of fracking. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)

ALSO:
• The bankruptcy sale of a closed Philadelphia refinery is expected to close Friday after the owner agrees to accept $26.5 million less due to uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• A new report says progress is slow in fixing thousands of gas line leaks in Massachusetts as required by a 2014 law. (Salem News)

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TRANSPORTATION:
• A study that calculates cost comparisons of running electric versus gasoline vehicles shows Washington, D.C has one of the highest savings while Massachusetts has the lowest. (InsideClimate News)
• Connecticut transit authorities will partner with an autonomous technology provider to develop electric buses in the first-of-its-kind deployment in the U.S. (Intelligent Transport)

CLIMATE:
• Washington, D.C. sues major oil companies for allegedly deceiving customers of its knowledge of the climate risks posed by fossil fuel emissions. (The Hill)
• The Vermont Senate passes a law to require an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. (VT Digger)

SOLAR:
• Solar Builder chronicles the four-and-a-half-year process of building a community solar project outside Boston in the first installment of a three-part series.
• More than 6,000 ongoing projects in Maine are in limbo as federal regulators are asked to determine the legality of net metering nationally. (Pine Tree Watch)
• A town board in New York for a variety of reasons gives a cool reception to a proposed solar law that would allow projects in an agricultural district. (Post-Star)

NUCLEAR: Court filings show that the company decommissioning the Pilgrim nuclear plant in Massachusetts is under criminal investigation in New Jersey related to tax benefits it received to relocate there. (Politico)

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HEATING: A federal grant helps the northern New England forestry industry find new markets for its products, including two wood heating initiatives. (VermontBiz)

COMMENTARY:
• A group opposed to wind projects in western New York says rural areas are asked to pay the price for energy development that only benefits New York City. (Albany Times Union)
• An editorial board says New Jersey will get a piece of the offshore wind development pie but shouldn’t pay more than necessary as development benefits will be shared by other states. (Press of Atlantic City) 

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.