Federal funds drive green manufacturing growth in Pennsylvania

INDUSTRY: Low-carbon solar components, zinc batteries, and refurbished, cleaner diesel engines are among the products coming out of southwestern Pennsylvania as the region experiences a manufacturing resurgence driven by federal stimulus money. (WESA)

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OFFSHORE WIND: Federal regulators announce the start of the environmental review process for a new offshore wind development, less than a week before President-elect Trump takes office. (Maritime Executive)

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CLIMATE:

• In her State of the State address, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announces plans to invest $1 billion in decarbonizing the state’s economy, but indicates likely delays in the implementation of a cap-and-invest carbon pricing program. (news release)
• Citing climate-driven disasters like the Los Angeles wildfires, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy pushes for passage of a bill codifying the state’s clean energy goals into law. (NJ.com)
• Vermont’s climate council prepares to release its latest set of climate action recommendations in July, days after the legislature adjourns for the year, preventing lawmakers from putting the ideas into action until 2026. (VTDigger)

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TRANSMISSION: A proposed transmission line in Maryland may be widely opposed, but is necessary to avoid rolling blackouts that could be a possibility as soon as 2027, experts say. (Baltimore Banner)

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SOLAR: Vermont plans, in late 2025, to launch a $62 million program to provide solar power to low-income households using funds from the federal Solar for All program. (Burlington Free Press)

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NATURAL GAS: Developers and real estate interests file a lawsuit challenging a Maryland regulation aimed at phasing out the use of natural gas appliances in large buildings. (Baltimore Banner)

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NUCLEAR: Constellation Energy has New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s support as it applies for federal funding to assess the potential for building a small modular reactor in the state. (Syracuse.com)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A Maine town plans to put four electric school buses on the road this month, working with a different supplier than the company that provided problem-plagued buses to other Maine districts. (Portland Press Herald, subscription)

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GRID: Grid operator PJM proposes changes making it easier to take advantage of underused interconnection capacity, potentially unlocking as much as 26 GW of new capacity, supporters say. (Utility Dive)

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TRANSPORTATION: As New York and New Jersey start to assess the impact of congestion pricing in Manhattan, London’s experience with a similar program suggests the controversy will subside but the traffic might return. (NJ Spotlight News)

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AFFORDABILITY: A Maine legislative committee approves Gov. Janet Mills’ nominee for the role of public advocate for utility ratepayers, who says she will “zealously represent” the interests of low-income residents. (Maine Morning Star)

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