ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: A Connecticut bill would let state officials place conditions on permits for polluting facilities in environmental justice communities, but some advocates and lawmakers think it should go even further. (Energy News Network)
POLICY:
• As New York’s budget comes due this week, two state lawmakers look to make major oil and gas producers pay $75 billion over the next 25 years, which would be used for climate adaptation and mitigation projects. (City Limits)
• New York lawmakers’ attempts to bar new gas- and oil-powered appliances, save for stoves, starting in 2030 has met a wave of misinformation from utilities and interest groups. (Buffalo News)
• Massachusetts lawmakers launch a series of hearings to develop a clean energy and climate plan as the base of their 2024 budget. (Center Square)
Sponsored Link
Job listings 50% off
Looking to spread the word about your open position? Share your posting on our job board — rates are half price for the rest of March! Listings are also included in our weekly newsletter.
OIL & GAS:
• The National Transportation Safety Board calls the Pennsylvania chocolate factory explosion a “natural gas” explosion and fire, saying preliminary information indicates a gas pipeline was involved. (NBC News)
• The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission says utility-served natural gas didn’t cause an explosion that killed five people in Pottstown last year, but says individual propane service could’ve been to blame. (Associated Press)
WIND:
• A Massachusetts coastal city is on track to open a marine terminal this summer to house offshore wind industry vessels. (Standard-Times)
• A CUNY college partnership to train workers, an education program, and a planned turbine assembly hub are poised to turn Staten Island into an offshore wind industry leader. (North American Wind Power)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• The New Jersey Turnpike Authority will negotiate with a travel center chain to install and operate electric vehicle charging stations at all of the company’s locations in the state. (NJ.com, subscription)
• Electric school buses make stops across New Hampshire for test drives and demonstrations. (Union-Leader)
BUILDINGS: A New York City startup raises $110 million to put smart thermostats in thousands of rental units to create a virtual power plant while saving tenants money on their energy bills. (Canary Media)
CRYPTOCURRENCY: A fossil fuel company installed cryptocurrency mining operations on former natural gas wells throughout northwest Pennsylvania without state permission, and now they’re raising noise complaints from neighbors. (Capital & Main)
STORAGE: New York regulators extend a 2025 deadline for utilities to build large-scale energy storage facilities to 2028. (Energy Storage News)
OVERSIGHT:
• Massachusetts’ new Department of Environmental Protection commissioner, a top environmental lawyer, promises to center climate adaptation and equity in her work. (Boston Globe, subscription)
• Maine’s governor nominates an energy analyst with expertise in renewables to the state’s Public Utilities Commission. (Portland Press Herald)
EMISSIONS: Vermont’s transportation agency seeks public input on how to get residents relying less on private cars, with a goal of cutting emissions. (WCAX)
ELECTRIFICATION: South Portland, Maine, leaders clarify a proposed ban on gas-powered appliances wouldn’t apply to commercial or municipal operators. (Portland Press-Herald)
COMMENTARY:
• Climate advocates say the fossil fuel industry is spreading “fear, uncertainty, and doubt about our clean energy future” as New York considers a gas appliance ban. (Syracuse Post Standard)
• Using existing natural gas pipelines to deliver green hydrogen could help wean Massachusetts off fossil fuels without the need for new transmission infrastructure, a union leader writes. (CommonWealth Magazine)
• The Sierra Club and efficiency advocates say a Connecticut bill will help renters and low-income homeowners afford efficiency measures that can cut their energy costs. (CT Mirror)
More from the Energy News Network: Midwest | Southeast | Northeast | West