NUCLEAR: A U.S. House committee votes to extend a key tax credit for new nuclear plants, likely to benefit projects underway in Georgia and South Carolina. (The Hill)
COAL ASH:
• As the Tennessee Valley Authority pursues “intelligent compaction” to stabilize coal ash, advocates warn of environmental risks. (Southeast Energy News)
• How a “folksy” South Carolina lawyer became one of the nation’s most prominent advocates for coal ash safety. (The State)
COAL:
• A U.S. Senate panel advances legislation to secure pensions and health benefits for retired coal miners. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• Mississippi regulators begin taking questions from citizens about the Kemper “clean coal” plant. (Mississippi Watchdog)
SOLAR: North Carolina homeowners are seeing strong economic returns on their solar systems. (Cherokee Scout)
PIPELINES:
• Shortages in the Southeast reveal how dependent the U.S. is on the Colonial Pipeline, which was restarted yesterday. (Reuters, AL.com)
• Developers of the Atlantic Coast pipeline sign with a contractor and anticipate a completion date of 2019. (Charlotte Business Journal)
• An 83-year-old Virginia woman’s appeal of Virginia’s pipeline survey law will test the state’s 2012 voter-approved property rights initiative. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• Developers of the Sabal Trail pipeline meet with community leaders and residents in Alabama to discuss the project. (Alexander City Outlook)
• At a multi-state shale conference, pipeline developers express concerns about public perception. (Pittsburgh Business Times)
OIL AND GAS:
• New data show the impact of the boom-and-bust cycle on Louisiana cities’ economies. (New Orleans Times-Picayune)
• A Louisiana senator backs legislation to cut taxes on natural gas-fueled heavy trucks. (The Hill)
• Environmental advocates go to court over an oil company’s refusal to release documents related to a 2012 leak. (Associated Press)
CLIMATE:
• Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says he still isn’t sure whether human activity is to blame for climate change. (New Orleans Times-Picayune)
• A Duke University law clinic continues to pursue a 14-year-old North Carolina girl’s case against state officials on climate policy. (Duke Chronicle)
POLITICS: A poll conducted by an environmental group finds a majority of Virginians are at odds with Gov. Terry McAuliffe on pipeline and coal ash issues. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
COMMENTARY:
• Why Florida utilities “are bottom of class” on solar power relative to utilities in other states. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
• As coal declines, Alabama regulators need to embrace solar. (The Crimson White)