Coalition says TVA coal ash plan poses threat to groundwater

COAL ASH: An environmental coalition says the TVA’s plan to keep coal ash in place in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee poses a threat to groundwater. (Associated Press)

ALSO:
• A Virginia town asks the EPA to probe whether the state allowed Dominion Virginia Power to break the law with discharges of ash wastewater. (Bay Journal)
• North Carolina advisors to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission set a hearing in April to weigh environmental justice issues. (Greensboro News & Record)
• South Carolina lawmakers prepare to defend a new law banning out-of-state ash waste in certain landfills. (The Greenville News)

***SPONSORED LINK: Join resiliency stakeholders and problem solvers from state and local government, businesses, universities, and the military in the first statewide Resilient Virginia Conference, March 22-23 in Richmond, Virginia. Register today to build Virginia’s resilient future!***

SOLAR:
• The Jacksonville Electric Authority says its current policies benefiting owners of rooftop systems amount to a subsidy other ratepayers don’t get. (The Florida Times-Union)
• A second large solar system is coming to Virginia’s Eastern Shore. (Delmarva Now)
• A Republican lawmaker prepares to renew his push to authorize third-party sales of solar in North Carolina. (Ecowatch)
• An electric cooperative in Virginia moves to lower electricity bills for its members with a new solar system. (WHAG-TV)
• Residents and businesses along the Mississippi Gulf coast now get some of their electricity from solar energy. (Sun Herald)
• A Virginia town embarks on a bulk-purchase cooperative. (Vienna Patch)

CLIMATE:
• Miami Beach steps up work to mitigate rising sea levels. (Miami Herald)
• How Mennonite volunteers are helping mitigate climate change for private bridges in West Virginia. (Popular Science)

UTILITIES: The latest power generation technology fueled by natural gas takes shape in Anderson, South Carolina for Duke Energy. (Charlotte Business Journal)

OFFSHORE DRILLING:
• Virginia’s bid for a share of federal oil and gas revenue hits a snag. (The Virginian-Pilot)
• Federal authorities investigate the death of a worker who died on the job about 150 miles south of New Orleans. (Houston Chronicle)

COAL:
• Virginia Republicans blast Gov. Terry McAuliffe for vetoing a coal-related tax credit. (Associated Press)
• Legislation that would roll back safety inspections in Kentucky stalls. (Louisville Courier-Journal)

POLLUTION: Parts of Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee and West Virginia have yet to produce a plan required by federal law to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants. (The Hill)

PIPELINES: A study by a Georgia college disputes claims that the proposed Palmetto Pipeline through South Carolina and Georgia will deliver benefits promised by its developer. (Independent Mail)

2010 GULF OIL SPILL: A judge rules BP is not liable for economic losses suppliers suffered when the federal government shut town drilling. (Associated Press)

COMMENTARY:
• Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe faces a stark choice between enabling unbridled growth in natural gas-fired power generation or cleaner energy sources. (Power for the People VA blog)
• A University of North Carolina faculty member spotlights how climate change is impacting coastal residents. (Raleigh News & Observer)
• West Virginia should look to natural gas and the pipelines to transport it to power its economy away from coal. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• An activist says North Carolinians shouldn’t trust Duke Energy to safely dispose of its coal ash. (Charlotte Observer)
• A church in North Carolina celebrates the startup of its rooftop solar system funded by donations. (Blue Ridge Now)