COAL ASH:
• Tests find more contamination of water wells from a North Carolina coal ash site. (Associated Press)
• North Carolina regulators hire a major law firm to defend against Duke Energy’s “virtually limitless legal resources” in a challenge to a $25 million fine for pollution violations. (Charlotte Business Journal)
EPA:
• A federal court rejects an effort, led by West Virginia and Ohio-based Murray Energy, to halt the Clean Power Plan. (Greenwire)
• A new report projects the Clean Power Plan will be a net job creator. (The Hill)
• The Environmental Council of the States urges the EPA to give advance notice to states, regulators and utilities of the final carbon rule “so we can respond intelligently.” (EnergyWire)
SOLAR:
• Georgia Power will start offering rooftop solar to customers starting in July. (Bloomberg)
• A South Carolina utility is expecting a “rush” of rooftop solar. (Savannah Morning News)
• A community in South Carolina called Sun City repeals its ban on solar panels. (Bluffton Today)
FRACKING:
• U.S. shale production is “grinding to a halt.” (Bloomberg)
• Drilling will likely begin at a controversial Louisiana fracking site within 45 days. (New Orleans Times-Picayune)
COAL:
• “We’re really in a crisis here,” say attendees at a West Virginia coal industry forum. (WVNS)
• Arkansas utilities seek to intervene in a plan to reduce haze over national wildlife areas. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
PIPELINES: Opponents of a natural gas pipeline hold a rally at a Virginia farm. (Franklin News-Post)
WASTE-TO-ENERGY: Duke Energy hopes to purchase biogas from out of state to meet North Carolina’s requirements to produce energy from pig waste. (Charlotte Business Journal)
GRID: At an appearance in New Orleans, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz says the U.S. grid faces “a daunting set of complex issues.” (New Orleans Times-Picayune)
COMMENTARY: What it would take to run the U.S. on 100% renewable energy. (Vox)