OVERSIGHT: A new Virginia law giving lawmakers the power to freeze rates – potentially a boon for utilities – may face a challenge in the state Supreme Court. (Southeast Energy News)

NUCLEAR: A report finds the Department of Energy fails to protect whistleblowers from retaliation. (McClatchy)

***SPONSORED LINK: How should regulators respond to Georgia Power’s expansion of electric vehicle charging stations? Vote here.***

COAL:
• A West Virginia report predicts coal will continue to decline before the industry stabilizes: “You see a bottom forming. We’re not necessarily there yet.” (MetroNews)
• A Virginia congressman pushes an amendment in the U.S. House to double the EPA’s spending on coal mine reclamation to $10 million. (Bluefield Daily Telegraph)
• An Alabama utility says it is “confident” a coal plant it operates is not responsible for a nearby fish kill. (AL.com)

UTILITIES:
• Southern Company’s CEO sees electrification of the economy as a key driver of future U.S. growth. (EnergyWire)
• Advocates say “the influence of the utilities and all of the money they get” is to blame for the state’s “terrible” energy policy. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

FLORIDA: A new report finds more than 140,000 “advanced energy” jobs in the state. (SaintPetersBlog)

SOLAR:
• The Florida Realtors back a measure creating new tax exemptions for solar, background information here. (Builder News, Southeast Energy News archive)
• The Florida League of Women Voters plans to organize solar buying co-ops in the state. (SaintPetersBlog)
• Construction of three Virginia solar projects is expected to create 800 short-term jobs. (WRIC)

OIL AND GAS:
• A new report maps fracking operations off the Gulf Coast. (New Orleans Times Picayune)
• Unable to block a drilling project, a Louisiana parish plans new regulations to limit impacts. (New Orleans Times Picayune)

EQUITY: Neighbors are calling plans to revive an idled natural gas plant in a predominantly black New Orleans neighborhood an “environmental injustice.” (ColorLines)

COMMENTARY:
• Why clean energy is booming in conservative states. (Nexus Media)
• What a conservative climate action agenda might look like. (Grist)

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Ken Paulman

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

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