UTILITIES: The move to create a publicly owned utility for Maine was delayed by COVID-19, but its prime legislative sponsor says momentum will return when a task force clearly defines its costs. (Energy New Network)
ALSO:
• Long delays in service restoration in the New York metropolitan area following Tropical Storm Isaias revive calls to break up utilities or make them publicly owned. (Wall Street Journal, subscription required)
• New Jersey utility executives defend recent storm restoration efforts before a legislative panel as members mostly agree their response was better than after previous events. (NJ Spotlight)
• Unpaid utility bills in Pennsylvania are soaring due to the coronavirus pandemic as consumer advocates fear shut-offs will skyrocket if a moratorium is lifted. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
***SPONSORED LINK: The ESA Annual Energy Storage Conference & Expo (#ESACon20) is a true 360-degree conference experience gone digital. Featuring one-on-one conversations and interactions, keynotes and educational content, demos of real projects from exhibitors in the eMarketplace, and more. Use code ENN2020VTL for 5% off. ***
PIPELINES: Several eastern Pennsylvania legislators write to Gov. Tom Wolf and environmental officials asking them to revoke the Mariner East pipeline permit, citing numerous incidents at the construction site. (Daily Local News)
CLEAN ENERGY: A consortium of 21 colleges and universities in New York seeks to buy clean energy from new sources over the next two-and-a-half years. (Localsyr.com)
SOLAR:
• A new report says it is technically possible for Rhode Island to develop enough solar energy to power the entire state without disturbing farmland and woods, which has been a major controversy in the state. (Providence Journal)
• A Massachusetts city expects to save nearly $2 million over the life of contracts with a solar developer as it adds arrays to two public buildings. (Wicked Local)
CLIMATE:
• Legislators, scientists and academics at a virtual forum say New Jersey should sue fossil fuel companies for climate damages as several cities and states have done. (DeSmog)
• Lawyers for Washington, D.C., tell a federal court that the District’s climate lawsuit against fossil fuel companies should stay in local court since it was filed under the city’s consumer protection laws. (E&E News, subscription required)
***SPONSORED LINK: Register today for emPOWER20 August 26-28, emPOWER is a virtual experience with 30 sessions and 40+ hours of content designed to foster a new kind of energy leadership. Join experts across the clean energy industry in finance, policy, and technology.***
POWER PLANTS: Work begins in Vermont to turn a former coal power plant into the centerpiece of a public park on a redeveloped waterfront. (VT Digger)
COMMENTARY: A utility watchdog group says National Grid lobbied extensively against clean energy policies in Massachusetts that were eventually incorporated into an omnibus bill awaiting final legislative action. (Energy and Policy Institute)