CLIMATE: A Boston-area investor says fund managers now see “climate tech” as an opportunity to promote sustainability and clean energy innovations. (Boston Globe)
ALSO:
• A Rhode Island climate bill clears its first hurdle with unanimous approval by a Senate committee. (Providence Journal)
• New York and New Jersey are among a number of states weighing “green amendments” to guarantee the right to a healthy environment, an effort that could help youth climate lawsuits. (E&E News)
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OFFSHORE WIND:
• Federal officials say they are resuming an environmental review of the Vineyard Wind offshore project in Massachusetts after the developer requested suspension a few months ago. (WorkBoat)
• A fishing group complains the decision short-circuits the regulatory process and that officials should hold hearings to explain their decision. (CommonWealth Magazine)
SOLAR: A Pennsylvania solar entrepreneur successfully sues utilities and state regulators who tried to exclude his project from a net metering program. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
PIPELINES: Local officials and residents are relieved a proposed midcoast Maine natural gas pipeline is scrapped and hope this spurs more discussions about building renewable energy sources. (Bangor Daily News)
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: The New York State Senate passes a series of bills to include environmental justice as part of the review of projects that produce pollution that could disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities. (news release)
UTILITIES: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy extends the moratorium on utility shut-offs through June as regulators grapple with how to deal with more than $700 million in customer debt. (NJ Spotlight)
COMMENTARY:
• The head of a Rhode Island land trust says proposed changes to the state’s energy siting law are a step backward that give more power to fossil fuel interests. (ecoRI)
• A solar developer says Central Maine Power must be held accountable for a series of mishaps, including a recent botched plan to address a logjam in proposed solar project interconnections. (Portland Press Herald)
• A Maryland legislator says her reform bill will relieve utilities from providing electricity and concentrate on upgrading the electric distribution system. (Maryland Matters)