WIND: Rhode Island regulators are set to review an application for an undersea cable and land-based infrastructure for the 704 MW Revolution wind offshore project. (Energy News Network)
ALSO:
• A new report says enough offshore wind power potential exists off the East Coast to produce four times the amount of electricity used in those states in 2019, with the greatest potential seen in New Jersey and New England. (NJ Spotlight, Cape Cod Times)
• New York regulators approve an export cable for the South Fork offshore wind farm that would connect the project to a substation on Long Island. (reNEWS)
• A Maine county and wind farm owner will repay the state $469,000 in tax abatement funds as a 44-turbine project was revalued lower than it was originally conceived. (Sun Journal)
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CLIMATE: Massachusetts legislators approve a comprehensive climate bill as Gov. Charlie Baker’s energy secretary says he is pleased with amendments made to the final draft. (Boston Globe)
NATURAL GAS:
• Utilities say stricter rules imposed on pipeline projects after a fatal explosion in Massachusetts in 2018 are too stringent. (Salem News)
• Dozens of Pennsylvania lawmakers want Gov. Tom Wolf to take “immediate action” after a non-profit newsroom found evidence that families living near fracking wells are exposed to harmful chemicals. (Environmental Health News)
WASTE-TO-ENERGY: A Maryland bill would eliminate a byproduct of paper production as a renewable energy source that qualifies for state subsidies. (Maryland Matters)
SOLAR: A new Maryland bill seeks to limit the amount of time that two state agencies have to consider solar projects over 2 MW and make recommendations to the state utility regulator. (Maryland Matters)
FUEL CELLS: Critics say tax subsidies and discounted power amount to $4 million per job to lure a fuel cell manufacturer to a vacant industrial park in western New York. (WGRZ)
HYDROPOWER: Federal regulators relicense a hydropower dam above the Chesapeake Bay for 50 years, ratifying an agreement between Maryland and owner Exelon that environmentalists say is inadequate to address Susquehanna River pollution. (Delmarva Now)
HEATING:
• A new report questions the environmental value of wood heat as it says stoves are a source of soot that causes cardiovascular and respiratory problems. (E&E News)
• New Yorkers looking to decarbonize their homes by installing heat pumps may encounter unexpected resistance from contractors, even those promoted by the state, who are wary of the technology. (Grist)
GRID: The New England power grid and a consultant will evaluate two market frameworks for a future grid that include awarding renewable energy certificates to clean energy resources. (S&P Global)
POLITICS: Pennsylvania Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s campaign for U.S. Senate must negotiate the tricky terrain of pro-fracking unions and environmentalists that oppose the practice. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES Massachusetts’ Berkshire County is not ready for widespread transportation electrification, in part because of how long most drivers’ routes are, according to a state agency feasibility study. (Boston University Statehouse Program)
COMMENTARY:
• An environmental group says proposals to burn waste in Rhode Island do not create renewable energy and are more harmful than burning coal. (Providence Journal)
• An activist opposed to a biomass plant in Massachusetts says project proponents minimize established pollution risks. (CommonWealth Magazine)
• A racial justice, environmental and labor coalition say a proposed law in Maryland to promote geothermal energy is good for the environment and will promote good-paying jobs. (Maryland Matters)