EFFICIENCY: New Jersey regulators approve a new efficiency program that moves the state from being a laggard to one of the most aggressive in the country. (NJ Spotlight)
GRID:
• New York’s grid operator releases its annual Power Trends report that highlights the twin challenges of building transmission to carry output from both onshore and offshore wind. (Greentech Media)
• The report also says the state made little progress in advancing its renewable energy goals in the past year. (Associated Press)
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PIPELINES: Environmentalists and others at a virtual hearing denounce a PennEast Pipeline bid before the Delaware River Basin Commission to cross dozens of waterways along its 116-mile route in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. (WHYY)
CLIMATE:
• New York environmentalists and members of the state Climate Action Council raise concerns that the state has done little to implement its aggressive climate targets passed a year ago. (E&E News, subscription required)
• A Maine discussion highlights an “all of the above” approach for the state to meet its climate goals with renewable energy. (Mainebiz)
WIND: Maryland regulators approve a 17-turbine wind farm in the western part of the state that could be operating by the end of next year. (Times-News)
SOLAR: A New York town drafts a law that would allow solar arrays in residential agricultural zones that would be limited to 10% of a farm’s acreage. (Post-Star)
TRANSMISSION:
• The Natural Resources Council of Maine appeals the permit given to a power line from Canada by state environmental officials. (Bangor Daily News)
• A town on the line’s route seeks legal help after Central Maine Power asks some planning board members to recuse themselves from permit review for their activities against the line. (Sun Journal)
POLLUTION: New York and other states urge a federal court to disallow the Environmental Protection Agency’s policy to lightly enforce pollution rules during the coronavirus pandemic. (Bloomberg)
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POLITICS: The Speaker of the Pennsylvania House, a supporter of the state’s natural gas industry, resigns from his seat six months before his scheduled retirement. (TribLIVE)
WASTE-TO-ENERGY: A Maine waste-to-energy plant temporarily closes due to its inability to pay its bills and a contractor’s lawsuit, diverting its waste to landfills. (Bangor Daily News)