Northeast Energy News will not be published Monday, June 20 for the Juneteenth holiday. Thanks for reading, and we’ll be back Tuesday.

UTILITIES: A seven-term Maine state legislator and former House majority leader drops his reelection bid to focus entirely on a ballot referendum effort to create a public power authority. (Portland Press Herald)

EFFICIENCY: Maine’s recently approved three-year efficiency plan includes a 40% increase in funding for services to low- and medium-income households. (Energy News Network)

TRANSPORTATION: The regional transportation board serving the Washington, D.C., area approves a plan to slash carbon emissions in half by 2030, despite concerns from some members about whether the target is reachable. (DCist)

PIPELINES: Pennsylvania utility regulators hand the Mariner East Pipeline developers their latest fine: a $51,000 penalty for residential-area construction violations. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

OIL & GAS:
• At a panel discussion in Boston, natural gas executives say their product is a “foundational fuel” that will survive efforts to decarbonize the economy. (Boston Globe)
• Maryland’s occupational safety board finds 16 violations with a petroleum recovery operation after a worker died during an on-the-job explosion in March. (WBAL)
• Pennsylvania regulators move forward with half of a rule meant to limit air pollution from oil and gas wells, limiting its oversight to shale sites and related equipment. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A Massachusetts startup offers an app for electric vehicle drivers that lets them order an on-demand charging station that’s delivered wherever they are. (Boston Globe)

SOLAR:
• A lease for a 120 MW solar project is one of the 57 items residents of a Maine town will vote on at their annual town meeting this weekend. (Sun Journal)
• Officials in a New Jersey township consider whether to allow a solar project on a former landfill site. (CentralJersey.com)

OFFSHORE WIND:
• Rhode Island lawmakers are delaying an offshore wind bill as the House and Senate are divided over a utility incentive that could reach $3.2 million a year. (Providence Journal)
• A report says Maine’s colleges are well-positioned to provide training for a growing offshore wind workforce. (MaineBiz)
• Massachusetts is seeking proposals for a $50 million fund to develop ports to support offshore wind construction. (Standard-Times)

NUCLEAR: Voters from 15 towns resoundingly reject a plan to dump 1 million gallons of radioactive water from the closed Pilgrim nuclear plant into Cape Cod Bay. (Cape Cod Times)

GRID: Communities in Maine and Massachusetts are among 12 participants in a Department of Energy program to expand clean energy and improve reliability in remote locations. (PV Magazine)

CLIMATE:
• Activists say New York City’s comptroller is not acting quickly enough on his pledge to divest the city’s pension funds from fossil fuels. (New York Daily News)
• As scientists warn sea level rise exacerbated by climate change will lead to more flood-causing high tides, one research group seeks volunteer tide watchers. (WMTW, Maine Public)
• Maine’s lobster pounds are increasingly shutting down as waters warm, with one pound owner recording mortality rates of up to 28%. (Bangor Daily News)

COMMENTARY: An advocate says New Jersey lawmakers should extend incentives for developers of solar projects that are awaiting interconnection. (NJ Spotlight)

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Bridget is a freelance reporter and newsletter writer based in the Washington, D.C., area. She compiles the Northeast Energy News digest. Bridget primarily writes about energy, conservation and the environment. Originally from Philadelphia, she graduated from Emerson College in 2015 with a degree in journalism and a minor in environmental studies. When she isn’t working on a story, she’s normally on a northern Maine lake or traveling abroad to practice her Spanish language skills.

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.

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.