ELECTRIC VEHICLES: New Jersey’s governor signs a law directing $45 million toward buying zero-emission school buses over three years, with a chunk earmarked for low-income and environmental justice communities. (NJ Spotlight)

GAS:
• A new study commissioned by Pennsylvania health officials finds that the practice of spreading fracking wastewater on rural dirt roads isn’t effective as intended and endangers health. (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
• Pennsylvania utility regulators unanimously vote to approve a $195,000 settlement with a Pittsburgh-area gas utility for a gas leak and customer outage caused by a failed temporary meter station. (Pittsburgh Business Times
• One of New York’s U.S. congress members introduces a bill blocking states from accepting federal energy efficiency funds if they ban fracking; New York has had a ban on the books since 2020. (Auburn Citizen)

CLIMATE:
• At least half of New York City’s cooling centers weren’t open during a late July heatwave, with more than 80% closed on Sundays, according to the city’s comptroller. (Gothamist)
• A national nonprofit rates a prime southern Maine surfing beach as threatened by climate change, but local surfers deny that and claim there are more immediate concerns. (Portland Press Herald)
• Maryland-based spice company McCormick raises its emission reduction targets after meeting its prior goals four years early. (Daily Record)

TRANSIT:
• Some Massachusetts legislators want Boston’s entire transit system to go fare-free for the duration of an abruptly announced one-month closure on a vital subway line. (Boston Herald, Boston.com)
• Volunteer “bus ambassadors” help new immigrants and refugees in the Portland, Maine, area navigate the transit system in their shared languages. (Maine Public Radio)

UTILITIES:
• Maine’s governor and public advocate have come out against a new rate hike requested by Versant Power that would raise electric bills by an average of $10.50 a month. (Bangor Daily News)
• A New York state lawmaker asks Central Hudson Gas & Electric to hold off on plans to reintroduce late utility bill fees this fall. (Daily Freeman)
• Some Vermont utilities ask customers to conserve power amid scorching temperatures. (NBC Boston)

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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.