Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

Michigan Lawmakers block governor’s enviro order in rare move

By David Eggert, Associated Press • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:50:51

Republican lawmakers blocked Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s bid to restructure Michigan’s environmental agency — the first time the full Legislature has rejected a gubernatorial executive order since 1977. The GOP-led Senate voted 22-16 against the order along party lines, criticizing her attempt to abolish new rulemaking and permitting panels, and to establish an “environmental justice” office without defining what the term means. The Republican-controlled House voted down the order last week. [ read more … ]

Maine governor repeals predecessor’s attempt to ban projects

By Marina Villeneuve, Associated Press • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:51:20

Maine’s new Democratic governor has signed an executive order allowing state agencies to consider new wind energy projects in areas of Maine where her predecessor had sought to prohibit them. Gov. Janet Mills’ office said Friday she signed an executive order a day earlier that repeals and replaces former Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s January 2018 order. That measure called a halt to permits for new wind projects in western and coastal areas of Maine, as well as avian migratory pathways. [ read more … ]

Policy & Politics

New Calif. governor names Energy Commission boss

Anne C. Mulkern, E&E News reporter • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:51:48

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom yesterday named a solar power veteran and California Energy Commission member as new chairman of the commission. Newsom tapped David Hochschild, 47, a Democrat from Berkeley, to lead the commission. Hochschild has been a commission member since 2013. Before that, he was vice president of external affairs at Solaria Corp., executive director at PV Now, and co-founder and director of policy at the Vote Solar Initiative. [ read more … ]

Wyo. ponders bill to save ailing power plants

Benjamin Storrow, E&E News reporter • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:52:10

Wyoming has long contemplated alternative ways to burn its ample coal reserves. Few have ended well. One developer famously proposed building a massive power plant fueled by waste coal. He ended up in prison last year, convicted of stealing $5.7 million in federal stimulus money meant for the project [ read more … ]

Wall Street Is More Than Willing to Fund the Green New Deal

By Katia Dmitrieva, Bloomberg • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:52:34

Even before Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, both Democrats, introduced their Feb. 7 resolution outlining a “Green New Deal,” members of both parties were calling the idea unrealistic or worse. Republican Mike Simpson of Idaho, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said it was “loony” without specifying why, and John Barrasso, Republican chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, labeled it an “absurd socialist manifesto.” Even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who’s been fearless in the face of Republican opposition on other issues, failed to bless it. [ read more … ]

PJM to ask FERC to invalidate its energy market rules after stakeholder impasse

By Gavin Bade, Utility Dive • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:52:53

The governing board of the PJM Interconnection on Wednesday directed its staff to file a proposal with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to invalidate and reform the rules of its energy market, sparking criticism from renewable energy supporters and its market monitor. PJM’s five-point proposal includes changes that will boost real-time and day-ahead energy market prices by allowing larger, less flexible units to set prices. PJM staff asked its governing board to direct the FERC filing after its proposal and others failed to garner consensus from market participants. [ read more … ]

PGE, NextEra team up for largest wind-solar-storage project in US

By Robert Walton, Utility Dive • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:53:25

Portland General Electric (PGE) is planning to develop a first-of-its-kind renewable energy facilitythat would combine utility-scale wind, solar and energy storage. Once completed, PGE will be able to supply about 50% of its customers’ electricity needs with emissions-free generation, the company said on Tuesday. The project, known as Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility, will combine 300 MW of wind generation, 50 MW of solar and 30 MW of battery storage. It will come online in stages beginning with wind generation in 2020. [ read more … ]

Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.

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	February 19, 2019
Top Stories Michigan Lawmakers block governor’s enviro order in rare move By David Eggert, Associated Press • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:50:51 Republican lawmakers blocked Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s bid to restructure Michigan’s environmental agency — the first time the full Legislature has rejected a gubernatorial executive order since 1977. The GOP-led Senate voted 22-16 against the order along party lines, criticizing her attempt to abolish new rulemaking and permitting panels, and to establish an “environmental justice” office without defining what the term means. The Republican-controlled House voted down the order last week. [ read more … ] Maine governor repeals predecessor’s attempt to ban projects By Marina Villeneuve, Associated Press • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:51:20 Maine’s new Democratic governor has signed an executive order allowing state agencies to consider new wind energy projects in areas of Maine where her predecessor had sought to prohibit them. Gov. Janet Mills’ office said Friday she signed an executive order a day earlier that repeals and replaces former Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s January 2018 order. That measure called a halt to permits for new wind projects in western and coastal areas of Maine, as well as avian migratory pathways. [ read more … ] Policy & Politics New Calif. governor names Energy Commission boss Anne C. Mulkern, E&E News reporter • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:51:48 Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom yesterday named a solar power veteran and California Energy Commission member as new chairman of the commission. Newsom tapped David Hochschild, 47, a Democrat from Berkeley, to lead the commission. Hochschild has been a commission member since 2013. Before that, he was vice president of external affairs at Solaria Corp., executive director at PV Now, and co-founder and director of policy at the Vote Solar Initiative. [ read more … ] Wyo. ponders bill to save ailing power plants Benjamin Storrow, E&E News reporter • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:52:10 Wyoming has long contemplated alternative ways to burn its ample coal reserves. Few have ended well. One developer famously proposed building a massive power plant fueled by waste coal. He ended up in prison last year, convicted of stealing $5.7 million in federal stimulus money meant for the project [ read more … ] Wall Street Is More Than Willing to Fund the Green New Deal By Katia Dmitrieva, Bloomberg • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:52:34 Even before Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, both Democrats, introduced their Feb. 7 resolution outlining a “Green New Deal,” members of both parties were calling the idea unrealistic or worse. Republican Mike Simpson of Idaho, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said it was “loony” without specifying why, and John Barrasso, Republican chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, labeled it an “absurd socialist manifesto.” Even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who’s been fearless in the face of Republican opposition on other issues, failed to bless it. [ read more … ] PJM to ask FERC to invalidate its energy market rules after stakeholder impasse By Gavin Bade, Utility Dive • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:52:53 The governing board of the PJM Interconnection on Wednesday directed its staff to file a proposal with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to invalidate and reform the rules of its energy market, sparking criticism from renewable energy supporters and its market monitor. PJM’s five-point proposal includes changes that will boost real-time and day-ahead energy market prices by allowing larger, less flexible units to set prices. PJM staff asked its governing board to direct the FERC filing after its proposal and others failed to garner consensus from market participants. [ read more … ] PGE, NextEra team up for largest wind-solar-storage project in US By Robert Walton, Utility Dive • • Posted 2019-02-19 05:53:25 Portland General Electric (PGE) is planning to develop a first-of-its-kind renewable energy facilitythat would combine utility-scale wind, solar and energy storage. Once completed, PGE will be able to supply about 50% of its customers’ electricity needs with emissions-free generation, the company said on Tuesday. The project, known as Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility, will combine 300 MW of wind generation, 50 MW of solar and 30 MW of battery storage. It will come online in stages beginning with wind generation in 2020. [ read more … ] Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.
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