Sunrise Wind gets final federal approval

WIND: The 924 MW Sunrise Wind project receives final approval from federal ocean energy officials to be built off the Long Island coast. (news release)

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ALSO:

• Federal officials release a new draft environmental impact assessment finding offshore wind pre-construction activities in the Gulf of Maine will have “minor” whale impacts and “negligible to minor” sea turtle, commercial fishing and navigation impacts. (E&E News, subscription)
• A coastal New Jersey town earmarks $20,000 for its legal fight against offshore wind development, in addition to $10,000 already designated. (Down Beach)

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FOSSIL FUELS:

• Fire officials say an uncapped gas line caused a house explosion last week in Syracuse, New York, that hospitalized 13 people, including eight children. (Syracuse.com)
• Massachusetts Republicans stop a climate bill from moving forward but agree to have a full debate on the legislation this week to provide more time to review the slate of proposed measures. (Boston Herald)

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COURTS: Maine’s attorney general seeks to dismiss a lawsuit from youth and environmental advocates claiming officials have failed to follow the state’s 2019 carbon emissions reduction law. (Maine Morning Star)

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SOLAR:

• Maryland utility commissioners plan to hold a public hearing next week for a 3 MW solar project pitched for Carroll County, a plan opposed by local officials who say they approve of solar but not on agricultural land. (Baltimore Sun)
• Pennsylvania has plenty of former mine lands ready for development, but some solar developers still seem to be more attracted to shovel-ready farmland. (Tribune-Democrat)
• Maryland’s Montgomery County begins using an automated permitting system to hasten the installation process for residential rooftop solar panels. (news release)
• Council members in Westerly, Rhode Island, consider an application from an already vetted developer to install 6,700 solar panels on a large former landfill. (Westerly Sun)

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TRANSIT: A number of state lawmakers who oppose the now-indefinitely paused Manhattan traffic congestion tolling program weren’t able to provide an alternative plan for funding New York City’s transit agency. (New York Focus)

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FINANCE: Federal energy officials issue $45 million in grants to Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Vermont, among other states, to form energy efficiency revolving loan funds to reduce the cost of clean energy projects. (news release)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: New Haven, Connecticut, will kick off a new short-term e-bike rental program later this summer, although details haven’t been finalized yet. (New Haven Independent)

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WORKFORCE: A western Massachusetts community college receives an over $832,000 state grant to boost its programming for electric vehicle charging station installation, energy auditing, solar installation and other green jobs. (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

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UTILITIES: An open at-large seat on the Delaware Electric Cooperative’s board attracts five candidates; the election will be held in August. (news release)

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