CLIMATE:
• The National Weather Service issued New York City and New Jersey’s first flash flood emergencies last night amid severe rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Ida; flooding in New York shut down much of the area’s transit services while at least eight deaths have been reported in the area. (New York Times, Politico)
• Scientists say that Ida, which was supercharged by high water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, is an example of how a warming climate is making weather more extreme. (Washington Post)

GRID:
• More than 25,000 customers surrounding New York City and 60,000 in New Jersey don’t have power this morning after Ida, now a tropical depression, brought strong winds and rain to the area last night. (Pix 11)
• More than 100,000 Pennsylvania customers lost power last night following Ida’s sweep, which included several tornado touchdowns. (PennLive, Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Another 25,000 residents are without power across New England as the storm’s remnants continue up the East Coast. (NBC Boston)

EMISSIONS: Pennsylvania regulators vote to allow the state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, but legal and legislative challenges from Republicans are still likely. (Penn Capital-Star)

SOLAR: The first community choice solar program in the U.S. that automatically signs up a whole municipality for solar power goes into effect in two upstate New York towns, though National Grid is looking to take ownership of the state’s community solar installations. (PV Magazine)

EFFICIENCY:
• Efficiency Maine is offering special incentives for service stations to upgrade their HVAC and lighting systems to more efficient models. (Bangor Daily News)
• New Hampshire utility regulators reopen their review of a delayed plan that would set goals for efficiency measures utilities need to offer to customers through 2023. (NHPR)
• The leader of a Buffalo, New York, climate group describes efforts to encourage low-income residents to utilize a state-funded energy program to make efficiency and safety upgrades. (WIVB)

UTILITIES: A utility regulator encourages residents of a western New York city to apply for rental assistance to help cover overdue bills. (Post Journal)

PIPELINES: Protesters rally at an eastern Pennsylvania courthouse to demand regulators stop operation of and inspect the 90-year-old Mariner East pipeline. (Daily Local News)

COAL: Miners in an eastern Pennsylvania coal mine were evacuated last week due to an accumulation of methane in a crosscut. (S&P Global)

TRANSPORTATION:
• A program in Vermont’s most populous county gives gift cards to workers who decide against using their cars to get to work. (WCAX)
• Portland, Maine, advocates are running a series of events this month to encourage electric vehicle purchases. (Portland Press Herald)

COMMENTARY:
• With programs to transition utilities from fossil fuels and reduce building emissions, Pennsylvania is making laudable steps to fight climate change, but it’s not going far enough, an editorial board writes. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Fighting climate change will do more to protect birds than barring wind farms, especially if installations account for migratory patterns, a New Jersey Audubon executive writes. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

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Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.

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Ken Paulman

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.