TRANSIT: New York City’s transit agency rolls out a pilot fare structure that automatically upgrades riders to an unlimited weekly pass if they pay for 12 single-way rides, benefitting riders who can’t afford to buy weekly passes outright. (NBC New York)

SOLAR: Developers propose a 110 MW ground-mounted solar array in central Maine slated to cover nearly 700 acres. (Bangor Daily News)

GAS: Over a decade after a gas plant explosion in central Connecticut, survivors and the families of the six deceased workers are still engaged in legal battles with different contractors. (New Haven Register)

CLEAN ENERGY:
• New York may double its electricity use by 2050 under current projections and policies that put the state on track to transition away from fossil fuels to electric power and vehicles. (Newsday)
• A conservative conservation group heads to rural Maryland to make the case for private wind or solar installations, where observers say farmland availability concerns will carry significant weight. (Maryland Matters)
• A New Hampshire legislative committee will consider numerous bills this week that address net metering and offshore wind project approvals. (Concord Monitor)

EFFICIENCY:
• Some Vermont legislators grapple with how to impose clean heat regulations given that wholesale fuel distributors aren’t primarily based in the state. (VT Digger)
• Massachusetts will reportedly release a proposal today to update the state building efficiency codes and allow local “specialized stretch codes.” (Commonwealth Magazine)
• A commercial high-rise in New York City plans to capture lost heat to minimize wasted energy; currently, building management says the tower has 54% energy waste. (RTO Insider, subscription)

CLIMATE: Community pushback against a climate mitigation project in New York City underscores the importance of establishing trust and community involvement throughout the planning process. (Grist)

GEOTHERMAL: Some Philadelphia buildings are already heated and cooled by geothermal energy systems, but some clean energy advocates want the municipal gas utility to further tap into the energy source. (WHYY)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• New Hampshire state legislators and utility regulators consider measures to boost electric vehicle use and adoption, including an electric school bus pilot program, as well as an EV highway fee. (Concord Monitor)
• A Maine television station speaks with electric vehicle owners and mechanics about the maximum mileage their batteries provide during frigid winter months. (News Center Maine)

RIVER ENERGY: A tidal energy company heads to a northern Maine town later this year to test out a smaller version of its hydro-kinetic river turbine. (news release)

 

Bridget is a freelance reporter and newsletter writer based in the Washington, D.C., area. She compiles the Northeast Energy News digest. Bridget primarily writes about energy, conservation and the environment. Originally from Philadelphia, she graduated from Emerson College in 2015 with a degree in journalism and a minor in environmental studies. When she isn’t working on a story, she’s normally on a northern Maine lake or traveling abroad to practice her Spanish language skills.