Duke Energy Florida’s new president seeks rural solar boom

SOLAR:
• Duke Energy Florida’s new president seeks to add 750 MW of new solar over the next decade, and says ​“coal is not a viable fuel.” (Tampa Bay Times) [Note to readers: This quote was misattributed - it comes from the writer of the article, not Duke Energy Florida’s president]
• A look at how newly passed legislation may help Florida’s solar development surge. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
• A solar project on land leased from the Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi will break ground Thursday. (Meridian Star)

BUDGET: President Donald Trump’s proposed budget ends offshore oil revenue sharing for Louisiana and other Gulf states; and includes major cuts to the EPA and Department of Energy. (Times-Picayune, E&E News)

MEANWHILE: U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry toured the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and pledged to fight for preserved research funding. (Associated Press)

COAL:
• The Trump administration is negotiating to settle legal challenges over a rule that would toughen federal coal mine safety enforcement. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• Former coal miners in West Virginia fight an uphill battle against mountaintop removal. (E&E News)
• An annual meeting for the Virginia Coal and Energy Alliance began Monday with the theme ​“Coal: Launching A New Era.” (Times News)
• Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe visited a community college Monday to learn more about retraining former coal miners and others. (Bluefield Daily Telegraph)

FRACKING: An Arkansas couple’s lawsuit alleging contamination from fracking waste is revived after an appeals court rejects an earlier decision tossing it out. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Large companies, including those headquartered in the Southeast, are investing in renewable energy efforts, though roadblocks for smaller companies are being removed. (Wall Street Journal)

PIPELINES:
• Eminent domain makes if difficult for landowners to fight companies racing to build pipelines on their properties, though lawmakers in some states, including the Southeast, are pushing back. (Miami Herald)
• Advocates of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline described the project as critical on a conference call Monday, following the release of a survey that shows voters’ support for it. (Triangle Business Journal)

NUCLEAR: Prolonged low natural gas prices combined with carbon legislation is something Georgia Power didn’t envision when planning its Vogtle plant expansion. (E&E News)

EFFICIENCY:
• Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced a $5.6 million loan for energy improvements for schools. (Bristol Herald Courier)
• Atlanta has dropped three spots in an energy efficiency ranking of U.S. cities. (Atlanta Business Chronicle)

COMMENTARY:
• A newspaper editorial board calls for Florida Gov. Rick Scott to join the fight to stop drilling off the state’s coast. (Sun Sentinel)
• Advocates say Tennessee residents should demand TVA protect water from coal plant pollution. (The Tennessean)