GRID: A Maine Board of Environmental Protection staff report dismisses New England Clean Energy Connect power line opponents’ arguments for rescinding a construction permit, but recommends new vegetation management and decommissioning policies. (Portland Press Herald)
ALSO:
• PJM Interconnection says it will have enough electricity to get through peak summer demand. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• A Maryland military base plans to add a 6 MWh energy storage system to support its nearly 20 MW on-site solar array. (news release)
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HYDROGEN: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf wants his state to be “a leader in the development of clean hydrogen,” but some environmental groups argue a hydrogen hub would still rely on fossil fuels. (news release, WESA)
TRANSIT:
• Even though Massachusetts agreed to move forward with a passenger train extension to the western part of the state, a state infrastructure bond bill doesn’t appear to indicate any related spending. (Commonwealth Magazine)
• A newly signed Maryland law allows Baltimore to take pictures of cars illegally traveling in dedicated bus lanes, while another law instates fines for illegally parking in electric vehicle charging spaces. (CBS Baltimore)
• The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority plans to scrap a seasonal beach route due to a lack of both riders and staff. (WPRI)
• A Pennsylvania commuter nonprofit is raffling off gift cards to encourage commuters to ride their bikes to work this month. (news release)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: In Maine, the cities of Portland and Biddeford now each have two new electric buses running routes. (News Center Maine)
ELECTRIFICATION: A gas utility in Washington, D.C., pushes back on an environmental group’s new report that finds the district is “ideally poised for electrification.” (Utility Dive)
UTILITIES: New York utilities would have to financially support their opponents intervening in their regulatory cases under a new bill the state Senate just passed. (Times Union)
SOLAR:
• New Jersey is forming a community solar program based on a pilot project but, as of March, only 14 of the 45 projects were operational. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• Vermont utility Green Mountain Power begins offering a solar subscription pilot program with time-of-use rates through which customers could save around $150 a year. (news release)
EDUCATION: A new bill would provide the New Jersey School of Conservation with dedicated state funding to continue its educational programming and rescind administration powers from a local college. (Politico)
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