Can Trump derail EV charger funding?

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The Trump administration singled out funding for electric vehicle chargers in his orders halting climate and clean energy spending, but experts say agencies legally can’t hold back these ​“mandatory” grants allocated by Congress. (Canary Media)

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POLITICS:

• The U.S. Office of Management and Budget rescinds its memo freezing federal grant and loan disbursement after it sparked panic from organizations that rely on federal funds, but confusion remains. (Associated Press, NPR)
• Federal lawmakers fear the Trump administration’s push to oust federal employees will jeopardize energy and environmental projects in their states by delaying permitting. (E&E News)
• The U.S. Senate confirms Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA after a hearing in which he affirmed climate change’s existence but supported President Trump’s skepticism. (Associated Press)
• The Trump administration dismisses the U.S. EPA’s outside advisers on science and clean air, clearing the way to replace them with allies. (Inside Climate News)

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SOLAR:

• The U.S. EPA pauses disbursement of $7 billion in Solar for All grants, which were meant to finance community and rooftop solar arrays in low-income communities. (E&E News)
• Community solar developments are proliferating in New York, but President Trump’s moves to stymie renewable energy growth could jeopardize this progress. (New York Times)

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OIL & GAS: The Trump administration directs the Army Corps of Engineers to use emergency powers to sidestep the Clean Water Act to build gas pipelines, but environmentalists say they don’t have that authority. (E&E News)

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‍GRID:

• New Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair Mark Christie says he plans to prioritize grid reliability, proposals to co-locate large loads with power plants, and high electricity costs in his tenure. (Utility Dive)
• More details come to light regarding electrical faults on Southern California Edison’s Los Angeles-area grid in the moments before the deadly Eaton Fire broke out. (New York Times)
• PJM agrees to set a price cap and floor for its next two capacity auctions to control forecasted spikes in energy prices for ratepayers. (Utility Dive)

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HYDROGEN: A last-minute infusion of funds from the Biden administration will allow the Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub to begin planning and collecting community input, though some environmental advocates are skeptical the process will truly be climate-friendly. (Delaware Public Media)NUCLEAR: South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster calls for the expansion of the VC Summer nuclear plant, which previously collapsed in the ​“Nukegate” controversy but recently has been revived by state-owned utility Santee Cooper. (Post and Courier, South Carolina Daily Gazette)

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