EV rules at risk in Mass. and beyond

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Northeast Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• Massachusetts should proceed as planned with implementation of rules requiring automakers to put increasing percentages of electric vehicles on the market, as a delay would jeopardize the state’s climate goals and damage public health, more than 60 environmental, business, and housing organizations say. (Canary Media)

• Meanwhile, Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer announces plans to eliminate Delaware’s version of the same rule, calling it a mandate that limits consumer choice. (WHYY)

• A bipartisan proposal in Maine would charge EV owners an annual $250 registration surcharge to help make up for lost gas tax revenue. (Portland Press Herald)

FOSSIL FUELS

• A Pennsylvania crypto-currency mining operation powered by on-site natural gas fracking has abandoned the site without capping the gas wells, a pattern the parent company has repeated in other states. (Capital and Main)

• The Gulf of Maine could be included in the Trump administration’s plans to open up more areas to offshore oil and gas drilling. (Maine Public)

SOLAR

• Driven by the growth in solar, renewables generated more power than coal in the PJM grid region in April. (Allegheny Front)

• The benefits of Delaware’s net metering program — including lowered energy costs and improved grid resilience — outweigh the costs, a new report from the state renewable energy and energy efficiency utility finds. (Delaware Business Now)

• New York state regulators decide to reallocate money from an ahead-of-schedule, under-budget distributed solar incentive program to other renewable energy initiatives, despite pushback from advocates who argue the move penalizes the original program for its success. (RTO Insider)

HYDRO

• Tribe members from the Nipmuc Nation and environmental advocates protest the decision to protest the relicensing of a Massachusetts hydroelectric facility they say ​“cripples” the Connecticut River and damages aquatic ecosystems. (MassLive)

GRID

• Maryland’s consumer watchdog files two complaints against PJM, alleging the grid operator’s rules are systematically overcharging Maryland consumers to subsidize services and infrastructure benefiting Virginia. (Inside Climate News)

• The energy company behind a controversial transmission line plan in Maryland admits it is involved in recent social media ads arguing the state needs more transmission infrastructure to contain costs and increase reliability. (Fox45)

EMISSIONS

• A refinery closure, more efficient buildings, and the power grid’s continued shift toward cleaner energy have helped Philadelphia lower its carbon emissions 31% between 2006 and 2022, which keeps the city on track for its goal of going carbon neutral by 2050. (WHYY)

CLIMATE

• Across Massachusetts, towns are stepping up to invest in climate-friendly infrastructure, including solar arrays, net-zero schools, and municipal EV fleets. (CommonWealth Beacon)

GEOTHERMAL

• A new elementary school under construction in Maine will use an 80-well geothermal system for heating and cooling. (Mainebiz)