PIPELINES: At least 18 states since 2017 pass laws criminalizing anti-pipeline activism, which civil liberties advocates say is unconstitutional. (The Guardian)
ALSO:
• A Virginia community hopes its investments in solar power send a message of opposition against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. (Energy News Network)
• Communities along the Atlantic Coast Pipeline’s route are divided over the economic benefits lost while construction is halted. (WVPB)
• Suburban Philadelphia residents fear the Mariner East pipeline now under construction creates a catastrophic risk similar to a construction explosion in western Pennsylvania. (Philadelphia Magazine)
***SPONSORED LINK: Attend Infocast’s Renewables: Extracting Value from Power Markets Conference in La Jolla, California, July 23-25 and take an intensive deep dive into how to better value merchant tails for renewable projects. Register today!***
SOLAR:
• The political clout and incentives of big utilities discourage Florida homeowners from installing solar panels. (New York Times)
• New York City homeowners installing solar power often face challenges because most panels are designed for sloped roofs. (New York Times)
• A utility’s challenge to a third-party solar project in Milwaukee is being closely watched in other states, advocates say. (Madison Capital Times)
• The rooftop solar industry is thriving in Nevada despite recent incentive cutbacks. (The Nevada Independent)
COAL:
• Wyoming coal miners and their families worry whether life will ever be the same after the sudden closure of two mines. (Casper Star-Tribune)
• Coal company Blackjewel deducted miners’ paychecks from their bank accounts after filing for bankruptcy on July 1. (Lexington Herald-Leader)
OIL & GAS:
• The Philadelphia refinery closed by a recent explosion will pay its workers until the end of August while the owner contemplates the future of the facility. (WHYY)
• West Virginia University researchers test an idea to save water by combining wastewater from power plants and fracking. (Associated Press)
TRANSMISSION: Proponents and opponents of a transmission line in Maine spent at least $1.8 million on advertising since late last year. (Bangor Daily News)
NUCLEAR: South Carolina could be stuck with a massive stockpile of dangerous nuclear material for decades despite a federal mandate to get rid of it. (Post and Courier)
EMISSIONS: Kentucky colleges have ambitious climate goals but are struggling to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. (Courier Journal)
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: California Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a crucial test this week as he attempts to convince lawmakers to ratify his multi-billion utility wildfire fund. (Los Angeles Times)
BIOFUELS:
• Critics say the EPA’s latest proposed biofuel rules do little to address waivers for refineries to avoid blending ethanol with gasoline. (Radio Iowa)
• Supporting the ethanol industry is still considered a litmus test for presidential candidates who visit Iowa. (Bloomberg)
***SPONSORED LINK: Attend Infocast’s Storage Week Plus Conference in San Francisco, July 23-25, to join a who’s who of policymakers, renewable energy and storage developers, utility and corporate customers, and financiers leading the storage boom for invaluable insights into your future projects. Register today!***
POLITICS: Murray Energy CEO Bob Murray is hosting a private fundraising event later this month for President Trump’s re-election. (The Intelligencer)
COMMENTARY:
• A legal expert says next steps are unclear after the World Trade Organization ruled that clean energy laws in seven states are discriminatory. (Washington Post)
• A rural policy think tank says debt tied to uneconomic coal plants is a major obstacle to clean energy for many rural co-ops. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
• A Pennsylvania environmental group for the first time takes a stand against natural gas as a solution to climate change. (Philadelphia Inquirer)