NEW YORK CITY—Governor Cuomo with former Vice President Al Gore repudiated the Trump administration's plans to open waters off of New York’s coast for offshore drilling and announced that New York would request an exclusion from the federal government’s oil and gas leasing program. The Governor also recommitted to phasing coal out of the state by 2020 and building 2.4GW of offshore wind by 2025, supporting his goal of sourcing 50 percent of the state’s electricity from renewable energy by 2030. Additionally, he advocated for increased investments in the Environmental Protection Fund and other programs related to necessary land, air and water protections.
Concord, N.H.--United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt visited New Hampshire today without a public notice. Instead, a note describing the visit in an article in the Washington Post on Monday served as notification.
Boston, MA -The Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change released an omnibus energy bill today titled An Act to Promote a Clean Energy Future. The bill includes numerous provisions to advance clean energy, and also help communities deal with the effects of climate change. The bipartisan Committee voted unanimously in favor of the bill.
Hartford, CT -- The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) released the final version of the Connecticut Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CES) today which details increased electric vehicle infrastructure, rapid expansion of renewable energy including solar and increased energy efficiency investments.
Boston, M.A. — Independent System Operator New England (ISO-NE), the regional electric grid operator for Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and most of Maine announced the results of its capacity auction yesterday. The auction will ensure that the region has enough electricity generating capacity to keep the lights on through 2021.
Hartford, C.T.--The United States District Court for the District of Connecticut ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must respond to a “Good Neighbor” petition to reduce air pollution (also known as a §126 petition under the Clean Air Act) by holding a public hearing on the issue and responding within 60 days.
Albany, N.Y.— New York State released their Offshore Wind Master Plan today which lays the framework to develop a scalable offshore wind program. Through the Master Plan, the state has identified port facilities for turbine infrastructure development, areas off of Long Island for future offshore wind sites and established a procurement standard for the industry that focuses on state-based job creation -- all the elements to position New York as a regional hub for the offshore wind industry and supply chain. Additionally, the plan estimates that at least 5,000 jobs will be added to New York by the mid to late 2020s through the growth of a robust offshore wind industry.
Boston, MA - Governor Baker’s administration announced the results of a clean energy procurement process today as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to reduce carbon pollution by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. The state is proposing contracts with Canadian based hydroelectric power, rather than bids including renewable energy that create jobs in New England.
Boston, M.A.--Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker gave his State of the State address today highlighting the state’s 2018 priorities. In the address, Governor Baker touted the state’s #1 energy efficiency ranking in the county and mentioned various commitments to renewable energy initiatives including the largest renewable energy procurement in Massachusetts’ history and the beginning stages of a process that could lead to the construction of the largest offshore wind operation in the nation.
Annapolis, M.D. – Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh with Senate President Thomas Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch hosted a public hearing today on the repeal of the Clean Power Plan, underscoring the critical notion that Maryland stands with people across the state and around the nation who are committed to a carbon-pollution-free future.
(Pittsburgh, PA) January 11, 2018 –Sierra Club and the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, represented by PennFuture and the Law Office of Howard Crystal, filed a settlement Wednesday with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that will reduce toxic pollution in waterways from 10 coal-fired power plants that had been operating in the state with expired water permits.
WASHINGTON DC - For the last two years the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) states have been conducting a review of their carbon pollution reduction policies in order to set goals that will plot the future course of the program out to 2030. Today, the states released a final model rule that memorializes an agreement to strengthen RGGI, together with economic modeling data that shows the changes will spur economic growth and job creation in the region.