Democratic Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation on Sept. 18, which directs the state to deny permits if an environmental justice analysis finds that a new facility will have a disproportionate impact on overburdened communities. The law marks the toughest measure in the nation to safeguard overburdened communities from pollution. Under the bill, “overburdened” applies to…...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Sept. 17 approved a long-awaited rule, directing regional grid operators to open their markets to distributed energy resource aggregations. The order removes barriers preventing these resources from competing on a level playing field in the wholesale capacity, energy, and ancillary services markets. The rule requires regional grid operators to…...
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, on Sept. 16 announced a draft regulatory framework to implement a recently-enacted law, which established the Office of Renewable Energy Permitting to expedite the siting and regulatory review of large-scale renewable energy facilities. The proposed framework is expected to dramatically speed up clean energy project development and help…...
The Florida Public Service Commission on Sept. 15 authorized a settlement allowing a $5 million reduction in Gulf Power Company’s restoration costs related to Hurricane Michael, which caused widespread power outage and infrastructure damage upon making landfall in October 2018. In a November 2019 filing, the company requested approval to recover about 295 million. As…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Sept. 10 ratified a settlement allowing Consumers Energy Company to increase its natural gas rates by $144 million, which is approximately 40 percent less than the utility’s initial request. Under the new rates, effective Oct. 1, residential customers will see a 9.1 percent increase in their monthly bills. In its…...
The Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board on Sept. 15 voted in favor of a proposed regulation that would allow the state to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, a cooperative effort among 10 states to cap and reduce emissions from the power sector. Democratic Governor Tom Wolf applauded the move, which stems from…...
States and utilities across the U.S. are expanding electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to overcome barriers to transportation electrification. The demand for fast charging in states with zero-emission vehicle goals, such as California, New York, and New Jersey, have heightened the need for reliable access to a wider network of stations.
The New York Independent System Operator Inc. on Sept. 8 announced it has finalized the process required to allow full participation of energy storage resources in the grid operator’s wholesale energy markets. The rules are required for compliance with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Order No. 841, which directed grid operators to establish a market…...
A coalition of 15 states on Sept. 9 filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for approving oil and gas leasing activities in the 1.56 million-acre Coastal Plain area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The lawsuit, filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, argues that the approval is based on…...
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Sept. 9 announced the state’s second offshore wind solicitation, seeking 1.2 to 2.4 gigawatts of capacity. The board also approved the final Offshore Wind Strategic Plan, the state’s comprehensive roadmap for reaching the goal of 7.5 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035. The first round resulted…...
The Pennsylvania Senate on Sept. 9 voted in favor of a bill that would require legislative approval before the state can impose a carbon tax or join a multi-state carbon-trading program. The House of Representatives approved the legislation in July. The move comes ahead of a Sept. 15 meeting of the state’s Environmental Quality Board…