Florida judges divided over clarity, purpose of solar amendment

SOLAR: Three of Florida’s seven Supreme Court justices question the clarity and purpose of the proposed constitutional amendment backed by utilities. (Miami Herald)

ALSO:
• A retired engineer in Mississippi responds to his utility’s rising power costs by purchasing a rooftop solar system that cuts his power bill by one-third. (Sun Herald)
• Commissioners in Onslow County, North Carolina weigh whether to lease an old county landfill for the state’s first solar facility at such a site. (Jacksonville Daily News)
• Commissioners in a North Carolina county approve a permit for a 35-acre solar farm. (Fayetteville Observer)
• A North Carolina solar developer moves to begin building the first utility-scale project in Alabama. (Dothan Eagle)

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NUCLEAR:
• Duke Energy says it may not know for weeks what caused a fire at its Oconee plant, part of which remains shut down. (Independent Mail)
• A new study confirms a Florida nuclear plant is leaking radioactive elements into Biscayne Bay. (Miami Herald)

COAL:
• The convicted ex-CEO of Massey Energy tied to a deadly 2010 West Virginia mine explosion is fighting $28 million in restitution sought by prosecutors. (Associated Press)
• A bill that would relax safety requirements in West Virginia is headed for a key vote today in the state Senate. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

COAL ASH:
• A judge clears the way for a $7 million settlement between North Carolina and Duke Energy. (Charlotte Business Journal)
• Activists are arrested for protesting a disposal permit granted to Dominion Virginia Power. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

UTILITIES:
• An activist’s clean-energy focused campaign for a board seat on a Kentucky electric co-op sets a precedent. (Institute for Local Self-Reliance)
• Duke Energy raises $742 million to help pay for its acquisition of Piedmont Natural Gas. (Charlotte Business Journal)

TRANSPORTATION: Engineers assess the potential for the ​“Mission Zero Corridor Project” along I-85 in Georgia. (New Electronics)

CLIMATE: An activist offers a climate change litmus test for elected officials in Florida. (Public News Service)

SUSTAINABILITY: The University of Mississippi opens its annual solicitation for sustainability projects it will consider funding. (Oxford Citizen)

LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS: A Louisiana company applies for a free-trade permit to begin exporting LNG from a planned terminal there. (Natural Gas Intelligence)

PIPELINES: Developers of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline change the proposed route to reduce its impact on wetlands and affected landowners. (Charlotte Business Journal)

COMMENTARY:
• A long-time Republican in North Carolina calls for policies designed to continue growing markets for clean energy. (Greensboro News & Record)
• Kentucky coal miners will pay dearly if the state ends safety inspections. (Lexington Herald-Leader)
• Virginians need more information about coal ash disposal. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• Two environmental activists in North Carolina call on fellow advocates to speak out to protect water supplies from coal ash contamination. (Fayetteville Observer)
• A Duke Energy executive outlines the utility’s next steps for the disposal of coal ash. (Charlotte Observer)