CLIMATE: Virginia joins 17 other states in an “all levers” probe into whether ExxonMobil is illegally obfuscating the risks of climate change. (InsideClimate News / Huffington Post)
TRANSMISSION: Among the multiple upsides of the now-authorized Clean Line transmission project is an energy hub envisioned near Memphis, Tennessee. (Vox)
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COAL: Alpha Natural Resources asks a bankruptcy judge to break a union contract to modify health-care benefits. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
COAL ASH:
• Georgia Power says it plans to close 12 ash ponds over the next two years in “the most efficient way possible.” (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
• Environmental groups square off against Duke Energy over alleged “sweetheart deals” easing its disposal of ash near Charlotte, North Carolina. (Charlotte Business Journal)
CLEAN POWER PLAN: Proponents of the Clean Power Plan deploy PR tactics used by same-sex marriage advocates to rally support before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments in June. (New York Times)
UTILITIES:
• Environmentalists decry while locals support the second-to-last approval of Dominion Virginia Power’s plan to build a large natural gas-fueled plant. (The Virginian-Pilot / Independent Messenger)
• The trade group representing investor-owned utilities hires a crisis communications consultant to remake its image. (Huffington Post)
NUCLEAR:
• Florida Power & Light is authorized to dilute cooling ponds that receive radioactive water from the Turkey Point plant. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
• Virginia’s decades-long moratorium on mining uranium for reactor fuel faces a key test in court today. (Associated Press)
OFFSHORE DRILLING:
• Opponents express growing concerns over impacts on marine life of seismic tests off the Atlantic coast. (Savannah Morning News)
• The Cape Fear region on North Carolina’s coast searches for a different economic engine after the Obama administration rejects drilling. (Wilmington StarNews)
SOLAR:
• Solar arrays provide a new cash crop for struggling North Carolina farmers. (Bloomberg)
• The TVA assigns solar capacity to power about 1,300 homes served by four local utilities. (The Chattanoogan)
FRACKING: Environmentalists condemn Duke Energy’s moves in favor of fracking during a round table at the University of North Carolina. (Daily Tar Heel)
OIL & GAS: Mobile, Alabama approves new rules governing petrochemical storage tanks. (Alabama Media Group)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: North Carolina State University adds two charging stations on campus, bringing its total to 22. (Technician)
UTILITIES:
• Reversing an earlier decision, Louisiana regulators approve the acquisition of Cleco by investors, drawing heightened scrutiny in the process. (SNL)
• Manufacturers in South Carolina challenge a proposed rate increase by South Carolina Electric & Gas designed to pay for pension fund shortfalls. (The Post and Courier)
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PIPELINES: West Virginia proposes a $93,000 fine for leaks from natural gas pipelines. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY:
• Georgia Power is overly vague about its plan to close coal ash disposal sites. (Southern Environmental Law Center)
• Arkansas’ opposition to the recently authorized multi-state Clean Line transmission project reflects the showdowns looming over the nation’s energy infrastructure. (USA Today / National Law Review)