PIPELINES: Pennsylvania regulators recommend restarting the Mariner East 1 pipeline after safety inspections find no damage from sinkholes. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)
OIL AND GAS:
• Lawmakers from both parties are backing Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed severance tax on oil and gas operations. (Mercury News)
• A Texas company announces plans to increase drilling in Pennsylvania, in part because of anticipated increased demand from a new power plant. (WNEP)
***SPONSORED LINK: Northeast Renewables Summit 2018 will bring together Northeast policymakers and regulators, utilities, the renewables community, off-takers and policy advocates to share the latest information and insights on developing the Northeast renewables markets.***
NUCLEAR: At a public hearing, critics oppose relicensing the Seabrook nuclear plant in New Hampshire, with one calling the facility “a disaster waiting to happen.” (Seacoast Online)
TRANSMISSION: A Maine utility responds to comments opposing a proposed transmission line. (Maine Public Radio)
SOLAR:
• A Massachusetts solar company is in a dispute with the Department of Energy over whether it can build a plant in Asia. (E&E News)
• Vermont regulators say they are still receiving applications for net metering despite lower rates. (Vermont Public Radio)
• Solar panels have now been installed in 18 New York state parks, part of an energy initiative that is saving $1 million annually. (Troy Record)
• Solar arrays supported in part by state grants are helping Massachusetts farmers save money. (Berkshire Eagle)
• A report finds solar energy is growing rapidly in Rhode Island. (ecoRI)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• An advocacy group urges Boston’s transit agency to convert to electric buses. (Metro)
• A Pennsylvania company is developing a wireless charging system for electric vehicles. (York Dispatch)
EFFICIENCY: Consultants are working to improve a New Jersey energy efficiency program’s impact on multifamily housing. (NJ Spotlight)
BIOMASS:
• Burlington, Vermont is reviving plans for a district energy system that would recapture heat from a biomass plant. (Seven Days)
• Senators from New Hampshire and Maine introduce a bill that would encourage the use of biomass for heating and energy production. (Associated Press)
EQUITY: The leader of a New York community energy cooperative says developing clean energy can benefit low-income communities. (Between the Lines)
COMMENTARY:
• An editorial says the possibility of subsidizing out-of-state plants is another reason to reject a New Jersey nuclear incentive bill. (Daily Record)
• A Maine newspaper supports preserving EPA emissions standards for cars. (Kennenbec Journal)
• A New Hampshire lawmaker says small-scale energy production can help improve system reliability and cut costs. (Concord Monitor)