EMISSIONS: The U.S. will pledge Tuesday to cut its greenhouse gas emissions up to 28 percent as part of a global treaty aimed at preventing the worst effects of climate change, according to White House sources. (Associated Press)
SOLAR: Solar projects across much of Massachusetts could hit a stumbling block because faster-than-expected growth has pushed the state toward its net-metering cap. (The Boston Globe)
ALSO: Disconnecting from the grid will not be an economically viable solution for most people even as the cost of solar panels and battery storage continue to decline, according to a new study. (The Washington Post)
FRACKING: Big Oil pressured scientists about publicly discussing the possible connection between fracking and a big jump in the number of earthquakes. (Bloomberg)
KEYSTONE:
• Canada is pushing ahead with alternatives to the Keystone XL pipeline that would carry more than 3 million barrels of oil per day—far in excess of the 800,000 barrels slated for Keystone. (Climate Central)
• EPA head Gina McCarthy said Monday that the Keystone XL pipeline would not be disastrous for the climate any more than any other single issue would be. (National Journal)
WIND: Wind energy in parts of the Midwest could be impacted if the federal government announces today that it will list the Northern long-eared bat as an endangered or threatened species. (Midwest Energy News)
EFFICIENCY:
• Two years after opening, Seattle’s Bullitt Center is running so efficiently that tenants paid nothing for electricity and the building generated 60 percent more than it used. (The Seattle Times)
•The White House Monday started its final review of a proposal to improve the efficiency of large trucks and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. (The Hill)
OFFSHORE DRILLING:
• As the Obama administration weighs where to sell offshore drilling leases from 2017 to 2022, the oil industry has asked it stop ruling out potential prospects, especially in the Atlantic, eastern Gulf of Mexico and Alaska. (Fuel Fix)
• Royal Dutch Shell will resume drilling off Alaska after suspending operations for two years in the wake of an accident, the special U.S. envoy to the Arctic said Monday. (Reuters)
COAL: A House Republican introduced a bill Monday that would block the Obama administration’s efforts to restrict mountaintop removal coal mining. (The Hill)
STORAGE: Tesla may unveil a new home battery for storing solar power on Thursday, if speculation based on a tweet by CEO Elon Musk is right. (Bloomberg)
FRACKING: During a hearing about fracking, a Nebraskan challenged oil-and-gas commissioners to drink wastewater from the process. (ThinkProgress)
ARCTIC: Maine is positioning itself as potential gateway to construction, marine transportation, renewable power and logistics sectors in the Arctic. (Portland Press Herald)