Documents show climate concerns in 1960s Clean Air Act discussions

CLIMATE: A compilation of government documents shows climate change was discussed in Congress and the media in the 1960s and 1970s, including a Nixon administration report that said ​“the greatest consequences of air pollution for man’s continued life on earth are its effects on the earth’s climate.” (Grist)

ALSO: The research, compiled by historian Naomi Oreskes, contradicts assertions in recent Supreme Court rulings that climate change was not a topic of concern when the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970. (Inside Climate News)

UTILITIES: Hawaiian Electric and six other entities agree to pay $4 billion in damages to settle lawsuits stemming from last year’s deadly Maui wildfires. (CNN)

ELECTRIFICATION: Nearly $500 million in federal funding will help encourage heat pump adoption in Alaska and New England. (Canary Media)

COAL:

• Indiana is emblematic of a larger problem as utility-owned coal plants are dispatched despite the availability of cheaper resources like wind and solar, costing ratepayers hundreds of millions and contributing to air pollution. (Energy News Network)
• An Arizona utility plans to retire its remaining coal generation by 2028 while adding energy storage, wind, solar and quick-ramping gas plants to meet a predicted 1.2% annual demand increase. (Arizona Daily Star)
• Federal data says coal stockpiles at U.S. power plants are at their highest level since 2020. (Energy Information Administration)

GRID: An Exelon executive says the record-high prices awarded in PJM Interconnection’s latest capacity auction could lead to double-digit rate increases for some of its utilities. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• A study finds conservative, rural areas have been slow to apply for federal electric vehicle charging grants, primarily due to lack of exposure to the technology rather than political opposition. (E&E News, subscription)
• A new report says unreliable public charging infrastructure is one of the biggest barriers to electric vehicle adoption in the U.S. (Canary Media)
• A charging company takes on the problem of ​“charger hogs” who slowly top off their batteries after their vehicle’s quick-charging limit has been reached. (CNN)

SOLAR: Michigan farmers seeking additional revenue through solar leases are backed by a new state law that gives state regulators greater oversight in the event of local opposition. (Bloomberg)

POLITICS:

• Former President Trump tries to court Pennsylvania voters by highlighting Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2019 statements opposing fracking. (Associated Press)
• Trump, who has spread misinformation about electric vehicles at his rallies, says he has ​“no choice” but to support EVs after being endorsed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. (Electrek, Business Insider)

COMMENTARY: A utility-funded California program relies on innovative approaches to help low-income homeowners take advantage of electric heat pump rebate programs. (CalNEXT, sponsored)