POLICY: Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe moves to bypass lawmakers in a bid to cut power plant emissions. (The Washington Post)
COAL ASH:
• North Carolina lawmakers offer Duke Energy options for disposing ash as environmentalists and residents near ash pits cry foul. (Raleigh News & Observer, Greensboro News & Record)
• Duke Energy customers could be hit for $10 billion in charges as costs to ratepayers for utilities’ ash disposal vary widely. (Watchdog.org)
SOLAR:
• A new online poll suggests a proposed amendment to Florida’s Constitution that would undercut solar options for consumers has strong support. (Florida Politics)
• Dow Chemical will cut back its solar business and shut down a manufacturing plant in Greensboro, North Carolina as the company restructures. (SeeNews)
• Greenwood County, South Carolina approves an ordinance requiring natural buffers between residences and ground-mounted solar systems. (Greenwood Index-Journal)
UTILITIES: A Broward County, Florida official blasts Florida Power & Light for its proposed 22 percent rate hike while undermining the solar energy market there. (SunSentinel)
NUCLEAR: If a new rate increase is granted to South Carolina Electric & Gas, nearly 19 percent of residential customers’ monthly bills would go solely toward construction of two new reactors. (The Post and Courier)
TRANSMISSION: Conservationists step up attacks on a new power line Dominion Virginia Power needs over the historic James River. (Greenwire)
PIPELINES: Federal regulators set a schedule for the environmental review of the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline, further delaying the earliest possible start to construction. (The Roanoke Times)
WIND: Participants in a Virginia forum share views on how to expand the 3.7 gigawatts of wind power-purchase agreements throughout the South. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
VW EMISSIONS SCANDAL: As the host of Volkswagen’s lone assembly plant in the U.S., Tennessee is to receive a combined $42 million share of a $15.3 billion settlement. (Associated Press)
NATURAL GAS: A federal appeals court rejects challenges to liquefied natural gas export projects in Louisiana and Texas. (The Hill)
COAL: Both of West Virginia’s and Ohio’s senators push for a vote to restore funding for federal coal miner pension programs. (The Hill)
COMMENTARY:
• A North Carolina environmental group rails against Duke Energy’s seeking what is now a $240 million bond over a proposed gas-fired power plant. (Mountain Xpress)
• Yes, even Alabama sees the light on solar energy. (Montgomery Advertiser)