ELECTRIFICATION: A coalition of 25 U.S. governors pledge stronger emissions reduction targets, including through the deployment of 20 million heat pumps by 2030 — 40% of them to disadvantaged communities. (Grist)

ALSO:
• Maine has not made much progress on its own program to deploy heat pumps to low-income homes. (Bangor Daily News)
• Experts and community leaders discuss how to make sure federal funding for building electrification benefits climate- and pollution-vulnerable communities that need it most. (Canary Media)

EMISSIONS:
• The Biden administration will consider the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions in more of its policies and decisions, though the new policy could face legal and logistical challenges as it’s implemented. (E&E News, New York Times)
• Just 5.2% of turbines at gas power plants, making up 22% of the U.S.’s power capacity, would be affected by the Biden administration’s proposed rule cracking down on coal and gas plant emissions. (The Hill)
• A California startup says it has developed concrete blocks free of carbon-intensive Portland cement, drastically reducing emissions from the material’s production. (Canary Media)

HYDROGEN: Rising costs and a lack of government support are stymying the deployment of low-emission hydrogen projects, the International Energy Agency says. (Guardian)

CLEAN ENERGY:
• A nonprofit forms to recruit solar and wind companies to partner with tribal nations to clear hurdles to clean energy development. (PV Magazine)
• Virginia is set to soon build thousands of megawatts of wind, solar and storage projects, but advocates worry a backlogged grid interconnection queue will keep clean energy from making it to the grid. (Energy News Network)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Texas will require electric vehicle charging station installers to include a Tesla plug to be eligible for federal funds. (Reuters) 

JOBS:
• The U.S. EPA will so far not be part of the new American Climate Corps because it doesn’t have an existing service program already in place. (E&E News)
• Advocates say Illinois is going through “growing pains” as it slowly develops workforce training programs under a 2021 law meant to bring clean energy jobs to historically disadvantaged communities. (Chicago Sun-Times/Inside Climate News)

UTILITIES:
• Louisiana’s public service commission gives a consulting firm more time and money to write an energy efficiency policy, even though the firm has been working on the policy for 13 years and has racked up $600,000 in charges. (Louisiana Illuminator)
• Lawyers representing investors in a class action lawsuit against FirstEnergy say thousands more documents should be released involving the utility’s role in the bribery scandal. (Ohio Capital Journal)

SEQUESTRATION:
• A peer-reviewed study finds forest-management carbon offsets don’t absorb as much extra greenhouse gasses as purported, undercutting California’s climate progress. (Bloomberg)
• Maine climate officials consider incorporating the carbon sequestration value of seaweed in its carbon budget, which already factors in the impact from the state’s forests. (Portland Press Herald)

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Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.