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Senate confirms ex-coal lobbyist to lead U.S. environment regulator
The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed President Donald Trump’s candidate, a former coal lobbyist, to lead the nation’s top environmental regulator, infuriating Democrats and conservation groups who said his policies were endangering public health. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, a Washington insider with years of experience working as a congressional staffer, was nominated by Trump in January to permanently replace Scott Pruitt, who resigned in July after widespread criticism for alleged ethical missteps. [ read more … ]
Policy & Politics
Mo. regulators signal readiness to OK Grain Belt Express
After twice rejecting a 780-mile transmission project to move wind energy from Kansas to the eastern United States, Missouri regulators are signaling they’re ready to approve the $2.5 billion project. The Missouri Public Service Commission hasn’t formally voted on the Grain Belt Express line, but during a discussion yesterday and last week, members agreed the project satisfied all the criteria for approval and indicated they’ll vote to approve it despite pushback from landowners. [ read more … ]
Trump administration maintains that nuclear and clean coal are the climate solution
Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Thursday that clean coal technology and nuclear power are the way to reduce emissions and face down global warming, using the added authority of the International Energy Agency director to bolster that position. “We believe that you can’t have a serious conversation about reducing emissions without including nuclear energy and carbon capture technologies,” Perry said at an early morning joint press conference with IEA director Fatih Birol announcing two new initiatives to advance those emission reducing solutions.
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Proposed farm off New England wins state approval
A proposed $2 billion wind farm planned for federal waters off Martha’s Vineyard has received key approval from Rhode Island regulators. The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council in a unanimous vote Tuesday determined that the project is consistent with state policies. [ read more … ]
California regulators tee up changes to utility distributed storage programs
California utility regulators are preparing to order changes to distributed energy storage plans proposed by the state’s three big utilities, directing them to run open solicitations that pit utility-owned projects against independent developers. A proposed decision issued this week by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in the state rejects the utility-owned front-of-the-meter storage proposals filed in response to a 500 MW storage mandate in AB 2868. Instead, utilities would issue requests for offers (RFOs) for the facilities “without any bias towards any ownership model.” [ read more … ]
Governor Baker proposes controversial change in how Massachusetts spends money to address global warming
It’s an obscure provision in the governor’s latest budget, but it could have significant implications for how the state addresses climate change. The controversial proposal has also exposed a rift between environmental groups over whether the state should focus its efforts more on curbing the emissions that cause global warming or trying to blunt the impact of climate change. One approach confronts the cause; the other seeks to mitigate the consequences.
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Neb. bill targeting new wind projects fails in Legislature
A bill that would have made it harder to install new wind-energy farms in Nebraska has died in the Legislature. Lawmakers voted 23-8 yesterday in favor of the bill, two votes shy of the simple majority needed to advance it. [ read more … ]
Renewables, EVs pushed in Illinois ‘Green New Deal’
Two years after Illinois passed legislation to expand renewables and subsidize nuclear plants, many of the same key players are proposing a bolder and more ambitious bill to slash carbon emissions and spur jobs and economic growth equitably across the state. The “Clean Energy Jobs Act” immediately drew comparisons to the “Green New Deal” when it was announced this morning at news conferences in Chicago and Springfield by a group of three dozen Democratic legislators, environmental groups, and labor and businesses leaders. [ read more … ]
Sen. Inhofe: Carbon capture hearing is ‘first official recognition’ that US needs fossil fuel generation
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., became a co-sponsor on Wednesday of a carbon capture infrastructure bill that has wide bipartisan support, based on the potential of the technology to support coal and gas-fired generation in a carbon constrained regulatory environment. The Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act, reintroduced Feb. 7 as S. 383, passed the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee by voice vote last year, and committee support appears even stronger this time around. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.