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)

Jim Pierobon, a policy, marketing and social media strategist, was a founding contributor to Southeast Energy News. He passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer in 2018.

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