WIND: New Jersey’s largest utility buys a 25% stake in the state’s first offshore wind farm off Atlantic City as it moves toward its zero-carbon generation goal. (NJ Spotlight)

ALSO:
• A year into its operations, a New Hampshire wind farm continues to polarize opponents despite complying with mitigation rules. (Energy News Network)
• An environmentalist and an advocate for marine wildlife debate the benefits of expanding offshore wind commitments in Massachusetts. (Boston Globe) 

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CLIMATE:
• The Vermont Climate Council aims to get the state back on track for reducing emissions after the effort stalls in recent years. (Energy News Network)
• Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan says he will defend the state’s new climate law from a possible constitutional challenge by Gov. Phil Scott. (WCAX)

GRID: A former Maine official and his company will pay $1.5 million to settle federal charges from 2012 that he advised a client to illegally manipulate New England’s energy market during times of high electricity demand. (CentralMaine.com) 

WASTE-TO-ENERGY: A waste-to-energy plant in Connecticut that burns trash from dozens of towns will close in 2022 as financing options for its rehabilitation run out. (WNPR)

SOLAR: A mine reclamation project scours northeastern Pennsylvania for potential solar farm sites at former coal mines. (The Citizens’ Voice)

PIPELINES: A part-owner of the PennEast pipeline removes it from its financial projections at least through 2024 as persistent delays push back its proposed in-service date. (Natural Gas Intelligence)

NATURAL GAS:
• The entire legislative delegation of a region in Rhode Island that suffers natural gas shortages opposes a utility plan to solve it by building more capacity. (UpriseRI)
• Federal figures show natural gas-fired power generation surged by 31% from 2015 to 2019. (Natural Gas Intelligence) 

FOSSIL FUELS: Analysts see room for optimism that President-elect Biden’s climate plan can take hold in a legacy fossil fuel state like Pennsylvania if job creation from clean energy is emphasized.  (AlleghenyFront)

COMMENTARY:
• A southeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce worries that ongoing disputes over the renovation of a State Pier risks the opportunity to develop it as an offshore wind hub for New England. (The Day)
• Activist Mark Ruffalo joins the Sierra Club in urging New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to oppose a liquified natural gas export terminal in the southern part of the state as it comes before a multi-state commission this week. (NJ.com)
• A recreational fisherman and charter boat operator says experience in Europe and in Rhode island shows offshore wind and fishermen can co-exist and even thrive side-by-side. (NJ Spotlight)

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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.