Trade unions ask states to triple offshore wind procurements

OFFSHORE WIND: A coalition of trade unions urges Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to triple their offshore wind procurement targets to help meet climate goals and create jobs. (Inside Climate News)

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ALSO: Officials on Nantucket object to the terms of a mitigation agreement proposed by a planned offshore wind farm, saying the offer fails to address the harms the project will cause to the island. (Nantucket Current)

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CRYPTO: A New York judge allows a cryptocurrency mining operation to keep running its fossil fuel-fired power plant, saying state regulators failed to justify their decision not to renew the facility’s permit. (WSKG)

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HEAT PUMPS: Maine’s decision to incentivize whole home heat pump systems rather than individual rooms has driven a surge in homeowners taking advantage of the rebates. (Portland Press-Herald, subscription)

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MICROGRIDS: A renewables-powered community microgrid in the country’s easternmost city is already proving to be a model for other towns along the Maine coast to reduce outages. (Inside Climate News)

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SOLAR: Maryland communities attempt to stem the tide of solar development on open land, with Carroll County looking to strengthen its prohibition on solar projects on farmland and Harford County moving to place 1,100 acres of land into agricultural preservation. (Baltimore Sun, subscription)

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BATTERIES: A Canadian company plans to open a lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in New York, creating some 250 jobs. (The Post-Journal)

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ELECTRIFICATION: Maine launches a $1 million study to determine the cost and logistics of electrifying four ports to cut diesel emissions from visiting ships. (Portland Press Herald, subscription)

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NUCLEAR: New York’s energy authority begins to assess the possibilities for and interest in developing advanced nuclear facilities in the state. (RTO insider, subscription)

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INDUSTRY: Decarbonizing the steel industry in states such as Pennsylvania will require enormous amounts of clean energy and deployment of new technologies.  (Canary Media)

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CLEAN ENERGY: In Vermont, experts and state leaders worry federal funding for clean energy and other environmental priorities could be withdrawn when Donald Trump takes office. (VTDigger)

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COMMENTARY:

• Current numbers suggest Maine is unlikely to reach its goal of putting 150,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030 and should try a more targeted strategy for reducing vehicle emissions, says an environmental journalist. (The Maine Monitor)
• New Hampshire’s governor-elect Kelly Ayotte should embrace the clean energy economy for the benefits to the workforce, economy, and the state’s natural resources, says an environmental advocate. (Concord Monitor)

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