New Hampshire climate plan to skip emissions targets

CLIMATE: New Hampshire’s new climate plan is unlikely to include emissions reduction targets, and will instead focus on voluntary measures, use of federal funds, and market-based solutions. (NHPR)

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ALSO:

• The Biden administration asks the U.S. Supreme Court to continue allowing states to sue big oil companies they accuse of deceiving the public about the climate impacts of fossil fuels. (The Well News)
• Climate advocates hold 10 rallies around New York, calling on leaders to pass climate legislation that will help “Trump-proof” the state. (Times Union)
• A Maryland advisory committee declines to recommend a cap-and-invest system, fees for fossil fuel companies, and other measures to combat climate change, instead voting to study the options. (Maryland Matters)

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SOLAR: Commissioners in one Maryland county vote to tighten the requirements for solar installations on agricultural land as they face a flurry of interest from developers. (Baltimore Sun, subscription)

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GEOTHERMAL: Communities in Massachusetts and Vermont are among those awarded federal funding to support the construction of geothermal heating and cooling networks. (Smart Cities Dive)

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FOSSIL FUELS: A Pennsylvania oil and gas company will pay $2 million and reduce emissions at 49 facilities as part of a settlement of alleged Clean Air Act violations. (Allegheny Front)

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BIOFUELS: In New York, biofuels suppliers tout their product as a lower-emissions option, though some worry their use would only slow progress toward electrification. (Times Union)

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UTILITIES:

• A New York utility will pay a $1.5 million settlement for “abandoning” community choice aggregation customers by attempting to terminate their contracts early. (Times Union)
• Eversource says its recent credit downgrade will increase costs for customers, firing back at a New Hampshire consumer advocate who claims the utility has only itself to blame for the change. (InDepthNH)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A New Jersey legislative committee votes for a two-year delay on the implementation of a rule that would require increasing sales of battery-powered vehicles. (NJ Spotlight News)

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EFFICIENCY: Connecticut launches a pilot providing funding, training, and expertise to small manufacturing companies looking to implement energy efficiency measures or use renewable energy. (Hartford Business Journal)

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COMMENTARY: The renewable energy industry in Maine has a positive effect on the economy and creates stable, good-paying jobs, and should not be blamed for rising energy costs, says the cofounder of a solar company. (Bangor Daily News, subscription)

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