Are fossil fuel plants giving Memphis residents cancer?

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Tennessee officials investigate whether nearby fossil fuel and chemical plants are giving residents cancer in some of Memphis’ oldest neighborhoods. (WHBQ)

ALSO: Black and Indigenous leaders protest a Louisiana oil and gas conference and the industry’s plans to build out more export terminals. (Inside Climate News)

SOLAR:
• A Virginia county planning commission will consider permitting a proposed 71 MW solar farm and substation. (Smithfield Times)
• A Florida county sees fewer car wrecks during power outages by using stoplight-mounted, solar-powered emergency beacons to turn intersections into four-way stops until power can be restored. (news release)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: EV maker Canoo reports a third-quarter loss and purchase of an Oklahoma manufacturing plant as a bridge to a larger facility. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

STORAGE: The Marine Corps and Duke Energy will announce the construction of an electric ​“microgrid” to allow facilities at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune to continue operating during outages caused by extreme weather. (Winston-Salem Journal)

EFFICIENCY: Louisville, Kentucky’s energy manager has saved the city about $1.3 million since starting last year. (Louisville Courier Journal)

RENEWABLES: A global renewable energy company announces it will expand its operations in eastern Tennessee, growing Knoxville’s reputation as an energy stronghold. (Knoxville News Sentinel)

WIND: A Texas firm announces a ​“wind-powered microgrid” rooftop system that combines solar and storage with a vertical axis wind turbine as advocates pursue rooftop wind development. (CleanTechnica)

UTILITIES: Kentucky regulators open a statewide investigation to review the volatility of electric and natural gas fuel prices and the resulting effect on utilities’ power rates. (Appalachian News-Express)

HYDROGEN: Tennessee researchers announce a new train engine that runs on hydrogen to decrease carbon emissions. (WVLT)

TRANSITION: Utilities counter U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s umbrage at President Biden’s remarks declaring renewables will replace coal as they accelerate coal retirements to take advantage of new federal tax incentives. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

CLIMATE: Record-low water levels cause major shipping jams on the Mississippi River just as farmers need to export the fall harvest. (Bloomberg)

POLITICS:
• Louisiana climate groups take aim at unseating a longtime elected regulator who was forced into a runoff. (The Advocate)
• Young voters worried about climate change make a sizable dent in Tuesday’s midterms, carrying Democrats to victory in key states and electing the first member of Generation Z to Congress in Florida. (Inside Climate News)
• Texans re-elect Republicans in statewide races, ensuring a continuation of oil and gas-friendly policies and what critics say is a failure to take aggressive action against climate change. (Capital & Main)
• Texas Democrat ​“Beto” O’Rourke pivots from a loss in the governor’s race to a defamation lawsuit brought by Texas energy billionaire Kelcy Warren. (Forbes)

COMMENTARY: The dispute between President Biden and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin over replacing coal with renewables underscores the need for federal officials to support coal communities through a difficult transition, writes an editorial board. (Parkersburg News and Sentinel)