TRANSMISSION: Maine environmental regulators grant a permit for a transmission line to import Canadian hydropower, making it the third and final state agency to approve the project. (Bangor Daily News)

PIPELINES:
• Environmentalists sue federal regulators for their approval of a western Massachusetts pipeline project contending that climate risks should have been included in permit reviews. (Energy News Network)
• A Massachusetts town hires a consultant who concludes Eversource does not need to replace a natural gas pipeline due to flat demand. (Milford Daily Times)

***SPONSORED LINK: Applications are now open for the Veterans Advanced Energy Fellowship, a yearlong program for high-performing, high-potential military veterans in advanced energy, presented by the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center. Learn more at www.vetsenergyproject.org/fellowship*** 

EFFICIENCY: A Pennsylvania company that specializes in energy efficiency for healthcare facilities is slowed by the coronavirus pandemic but expects to bounce back when the crisis passes. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)

CLEAN ENERGY:
• Advocates say New York companies seeking rate relief from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic endanger funding for state clean energy programs. (Politico)
• A community choice aggregation program for 13 towns in New York is shelved due to a drop in energy prices. (Altamont Enterprise)
• A New Hampshire town works toward its draft plan to shift to 100% clean energy by requiring energy performance in sales and rental listings, and increasing energy efficiency opportunities. (Keene Sentinel)

POLICY: Democratic lawmakers demand a Pennsylvania steel company that supplies the oil and gas industry return a $10 million small business loan intended for companies impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

CLIMATE: Analysts say strong approval ratings for the governors of New York, Massachusetts, Maryland and other states for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic may give them the opportunity to push a climate agenda. (E&E News, subscription required)

***SPONSORED LINK: Do you know someone who works hard to facilitate the transition to a clean energy economy? Nominate yourself or someone you know for Energy News Network’s 40 Under 40 today.***

UTILITIES: Central Maine Power sets up a $500,000 fund for customers affected by COVID-19 as part of a settlement of an investigation of how it handled winter disconnections. (Portland Press Herald)

SOLAR: A Rhode Island judge rules a town planning board acted properly when it denied a permit for a solar development. (ecoRI)

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Bill Opalka

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.