$156M for Massachusetts’ low-income solar programs

SOLAR: A $156 million federal grant is expected to fund a transformative investment in residential solar for low-income households in Massachusetts, advocates and officials say. (Energy News Network)

ALSO:

• New York officials consider whether a chemically polluted site in Niagara Falls could be redeveloped into a 16-acre solar farm. (Niagara Gazette)
• A developer is in line to receive $90 million from federal officials to develop what would become Pennsylvania’s largest solar farm on reclaimed coal mine land near State College. (Bay Journal)
• In Eversource’s Connecticut service territory, a developer finishes building a nearly 6 MW solar array, the largest project completed through the state’s community solar program. (news release)

GAS:

• As pro-gas groups work to dismantle gas bans across the country, recent meetings suggest they may turn their attention to new pro-electrification building codes and pilots in Massachusetts. (Boston Globe)
• A German biogas producer wraps up construction of two projects in Cassville, New York, and Ellington, Connecticut, that convert cow manure into methane. (news release)

INCINERATION: Baltimore advocates file a federal civil rights complaint against the city over the mayor’s unfulfilled promise to avoid renewing an incineration plant’s contract, noting the continued community health risk. (Baltimore Brew)

UTILITIES:

• Rhode Island consumer advocates say adopting a percentage-of-income utility bill payment model would be more equitable and help low-income people afford to electrify their homes. (Providence Journal)
• Maine regulators vote against a proposed settlement with Electricity Maine, deciding the deal wouldn’t be punishment enough for the electricity provider, which has garnered hundreds of ratepayer complaints. (Portland Press Herald)

TRANSPORTATION:

• Three school districts in western New York and nine in New Hampshire are among those nationwide receiving millions in federal funds to add zero-emission buses to their school fleet. (Buffalo News, Concord Monitor)
• Despite discussing electric vehicle installations with Tesla, chaos at the company led Massachusetts not to include them in its latest build-out. (Boston Globe)
• Boston transportation experts are keenly observing whether New York City’s traffic congestion tolling program is successful, as they’re interested in new ways to reduce Boston’s traffic headaches. (WBUR)

NUCLEAR: Federal nuclear regulators cite the firm decommissioning the Indian Point nuclear plant for making workers sign post-employment non-disclosure agreements about safety concerns at the facility. (Lo Hud)

WIND: Ørsted says it will give $2 million to Connecticut nonprofits if the state picks its Starboard offshore wind project for development. (CT News Junkie)

GRID:

• The New York Power Authority opens a power grid research hub focused on advancing the renewable energy transition by solving grid challenges. (Spectrum News 1)
• With PSEG’s contract soon set to lapse and a flailing public power push, the Long Island Power Authority opens up bidding for a new grid manager. (Newsday)
• New York’s grid operator used inaccurate data in a press release to describe its upcoming summer capacity forecast; stakeholders say the messaging error led to public confusion that margins would be tighter than expected. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• New Hampshire-based Unitil says 11% of all its power outages are caused by squirrels, describing its efforts to prevent them from chewing lines or building nests in equipment. (Mainebiz)