CLIMATE:
• In a Q&A with InsideClimate News, scientist Michael Mann says investigations into ExxonMobils efforts to cast doubt on climate science “confirmed things that we had long suspected.”
• New York’s settlement requiring Peabody Energy to disclose climate risks to investors could be expanded to other industries. (Reuters)
CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• A Nevada official says the state is “well positioned” to comply with the Clean Power Plan. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• The governor of Montana, which faces steeper emissions cuts than any other state, forms an advisory panel to develop the state’s response to federal carbon rules. (Associated Press)
SOLAR:
• The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds rooftop solar systems boost their resale value by an average $15,000 in the six states studied. (Greentech Media)
• Critics say Utah regulators approach to determining the value of solar to the grid ignores key benefits. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Solar advocates say they are being vastly outgunned by utilities as the Massachusetts legislature takes up a net metering bill next week. (MassLive)
• A judge upholds New Jersey regulators’ rejection of a solar farm, saying the site – a former apple orchard – doesn’t qualify as a “brownfield.” (NJ Spotlight)
• Advocates say ending federal tax credits for solar installations would leave Midwest states particularly hard hit. (Midwest Energy News)
• Prices for a key component of solar panels have dropped to a record low level. (Bloomberg)
WIND:
• Wind energy is challenging coal in its biggest market – the Great Plains. (Bloomberg)
• Why a Danish company may be in a position to succeed in developing offshore wind in the U.S. (Boston Globe)
NATURAL GAS: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rejects a proposed natural gas port, which would have been the state’s first, citing environmental and terrorism concerns. (New York Times)
EFFICIENCY: A leading clean-energy lender has issued more than $1 billion in home improvement loans. (Los Angeles Times)
REGULATION: A federal judge rules EPA chief Gina McCarthy must give a deposition in a lawsuit filed by Murray Energy over the Clean Air Act’s projected impact on jobs. (Associated Press)
UTILITIES:
• A Minnesota utility announces a new green-pricing program in targeted at large commercial users that want to invest in renewables. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• Consumer advocates in Washington D.C. are calling for an ethics investigation into the mayor’s about-face to support Pepco’s merging with Chicago-based Exelon. (Washington Post)
• A report outlines where utilities want regulatory processes to be prioritized as the grid continues to evolve. (Breaking Energy)
PIPELINES: A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators pushes a bill to improve pipeline safety. (The Hill)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A new life-cycle analysis finds electric cars are cleaner than gasoline-powered cars in most of the U.S. (Los Angeles Times)
TRANSPORTATION: A study finds improved bicycle infrastructure could significantly reduce carbon emissions while saving trillions of dollars in transportation costs globally. (Climate Central)
COMMENTARY: How New York’s rejection of a natural gas terminal helps clear the way for offshore wind. (NRDC Switchboard)