Clock ticking for New Hampshire coal plant to pass emissions test

FOSSIL FUELS: In New Hampshire, the Merrimack coal-fired plant has until the end of March to show compliance with emissions requirements after not retaking failed emissions tests for a year. (NHPR)

POLICY: Maryland’s governor says the state will make a ​“down payment” on its aggressive climate plan by investing $90 million in large building electrification and electric school buses. (Baltimore Sun)

WORKFORCE: A New York electrical workers union comes out in favor of worker-friendly protections within a bill to fully municipalize the Long Island Power Authority but stops short of endorsing the public model. (New York Focus)

INFRASTRUCTURE:

• The Philadelphia International Airport receives $20.4 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to upgrade its HVAC and electrical systems to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Two Portland-area towns decide to remove part of an infrequently used but oft-flooded road that also interrupts a protected coastal marsh, a notable climate adaptation. (Portland Press Herald)
• Vermont’s utility commission issues a new report finding it probably won’t meet a 2025 deadline to create a thermal energy program and clean heat standard, citing the complexity of such regulation. (WCAX)

SOLAR:

• A Rhode Island study commission finds it would be feasible to install solar panels on highway medians throughout the state with certain policy modifications. (ecoRI)
• A Maine school district finds its investment in a $7.2 million solar array has proven to be worthwhile and covers its monthly power bills, although the upfront development costs won’t be paid off for another 12 years. (WBNG)

OFFSHORE WIND: The final parts needed for the South Fork wind farm have departed the construction staging pier in New London, Connecticut. (The Day)

EQUITY:

• Massachusetts’ energy resources department publishes the state’s first environmental justice and equity strategy, with a focus on energy burdens and clean energy projects in disenfranchised communities. (NBC 10)
• A Philadelphia family’s poor health and anxiety after living next to a former refinery has led to environmental trauma, an increasing, global mental health concern. (Inside Climate News)

CLIMATE:

• New York City’s official evacuation plan for a tent shelter at a flood-prone park housing around 2,000 migrants doesn’t detail what to do in a weather emergency. (Gothamist)
• Last week’s ​“disappointing” snow coverage in the Boston area underscores how Boston hasn’t seen significant snow in over 720 days. (Boston Globe)
• Rhode Island grants just under $220,000 to six community groups to conduct public engagement around the state’s 2025 climate action strategy. (news release)