Policy Primer: Carbon Pricing – October 2022 Update
Discussions about carbon pricing continue to evolve as the strategy is increasingly viewed as a policy tool that can play an expanded role in a broader policy mix to meet ambitious climate goals.
PNM Proposes $344 Million Grid Modernization Plan for New Mexico
The Public Service Company of New Mexico has filed a grid modernization plan with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission seeking approval of the first six years of investments in projects, totaling $344 million. The projects, a part of the company’s longer-term grid modernization strategy, include the deployment of smart meters and enhanced physical security…...
Biden Administration Reinforces Federal Government’s Resilience to Climate Impacts
The Biden administration on Oct. 6 announced new actions by over 20 agencies to strengthen the federal government’s resistance to the exacerbating effects of climate change. The actions of agencies are outlined in their annual adaptation progress reports and emphasise an administration wide responsibility to tackling the climate crisis, by incorporating climate-enthusiasm across each agency’s…...
Virginia’s 2022 Energy Plan Supports Diverse Energy Mix
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin on Oct. 3 released the state’s 2022 Energy Plan which provides an analytical assessment of the current energy economy and outlines an approach for policy decisions. To meet the growing demand of residents and businesses, the plan calls for an “all of the above” approach that taps nuclear, natural gas, renewables,…...
Canada’s SaskPower Becomes First International Member of Southwest Power Pool
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) on Oct. 3 announced the participation of Canadian utility Saskatchewan Power Corporation (SaskPower) – the regional transmission organization’s first international member. The affiliation exemplifies both groups’ sustained attempts to enhance reliability through interregional coordination. SaskPower’s membership in SPP is expected to further strengthen electric coordination, improve the integration of intermittent generation,…...
New York Begins Implementation of Requirements to Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2035
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has directed the Department of Environmental Conservation to take regulatory action requiring a growing percentage of new light-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission starting with 35 percent of sales in model year 2026, and reaching 68 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2035. The move follows California’s Advanced Clean…...
Washington Finalizes Regulations to Implement Carbon-pricing Program
The Washington Department of Ecology has finalized regulations to implement the state’s cap-and-invest program, according to a Sept. 29 press release. The initiative is the mainstay of the state’s plan to drastically cut carbon emissions towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The program aims to deal with the root cause of global warming by reducing…...
U.S. EPA Completes Environmental Justice Action Plan for Land Protection, Cleanup Initiatives
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management has finalized an action plan detailing projects, tools, and practices applicable for its land pollution prevention and cleanup programs. The plan titled “EJ Action Plan: Building Up Environmental Justice in EPAs Land Protection and Cleanup Programs,” is part of the agency’s efforts to address…...
Visual Primer: Clean Hydrogen Receives Major Boost as Key Element Towards Net-Zero by 2050
The hydrogen market is changing amid federal and state initiatives to harness the technology to support decarbonization. Investing in clean hydrogen is viewed as a key component of efforts to progress towards the Biden administration's target of net-zero emissions by 2050.
U.S. Transportation Department Approves Plans for Nationwide EV Charging Network
The U.S. Department of Transportation on Sept. 27 announced it has approved electric vehicle infrastructure deployment plans for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, formula program. The initiative, created by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA, provides $5 billion to…...