The U.S. Energy Department on March 30 announced new guidelines for federal building energy codes to save energy costs and encourage energy efficiency. The agency also proposed new requirements for residential pool heaters and air conditioners to assist consumers in reducing their energy costs. Over the next 30 years, the new guidelines and proposed standards…...
The Environmental Protection Agency issued its strategic plan for the fiscal year 2022-2026 on March 28 in conjunction with President Biden’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2023. The budget proposal requests $11.8 billion for the agency, complementing the resources provided in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The agency plan outlines strategies to…...
The Biden Administration on March 28, 2022 forwarded to Congress the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. The proposed budget for the Department of Energy includes funds to tackle climate change through the enhanced implementation of clean energy, restructuring the U.S. energy portfolio to enhance the nation’s energy independence, and invest in metropolitan and…...
The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on March 25 announced it will hold an offshore wind energy auction in May for two lease areas offshore the Carolinas. The agency reduced overall acreage available by 14 percent to avoid conflicts with ocean users and minimize environmental impacts. The agency made the announcement after finalizing…...
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Energy Department on March 24 outlined numerous intrusion campaigns conducted by indicted Russian state-sponsored cyber actors against energy sector organizations in the U.S. and abroad between 2011 and 2018. The agencies recommended actions for executives and leaders to take, urging the U.S. and international…...
A coalition of businesses and trade groups including Avista Corp, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas filed a lawsuit with the Oregon Court of Appeals challenging the Climate Protection Program aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels and natural gas starting in 2022. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality adopted the program in…...
California Independent System Operator Board of Governors on March 17 approved the grid operator’s 10-year transmission plan, which identified 23 projects estimated to cost $2.9 billion. The plan aims to boost grid reliability through system expansions, upgrades, and reinforcements required to enhance reliability and to achieve the state’s clean energy goals in an efficient and…...
U.S. Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced legislation on March 17, which aims to speed the development of clean energy by promoting competition, planning, transparency, and effective supervision of transmission networks. The bill titled Connecting Hard-to-Reach Areas with Renewable Powered Energy, or CHARGE, Act would establish reforms through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulations or the…...
The Securities and Exchange Commission on March 21 recommended rule amendments that would compel registrants to incorporate specific climate-associated disclosures in their registration records and periodic accounts. These disclosures pertain to details about climate-related risk that could have a quantifiable effect on their business, outcomes of operations or financial conditions, and certain related financial statement…...
U.S. power generation from renewables will expand from 21 percent in 2021 to 44 percent in 2050, according to a March 18 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The growth in renewable energy can be attributed to a rise in new wind and solar power generation assets. Growth in wind and solar assets is…...
The fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on March 16 stayed a district judge’s injunction against the use of the social cost of carbon, or SCC, estimates that federal agencies were directed to incorporate in their environmental analyses of major actions pursuant to an executive order that President Joe Biden issued in January 2021. Three-judge panel…...
The U.S. Energy Department on March 14 announced a $32 million grant to fund over thirty projects aimed at improving affordable housing technology. The seven recipients will pilot renovation methods that reduce disruptions to residents while advancing the energy and environmental execution of buildings speedily, inexpensively, and efficiently. These techniques include prefabricating walls and replacing…...