Judge blocks nuclear reactors sought in Florida

NUCLEAR: A judge orders Florida Gov. Rick Scott to reconsider the 2014 approval of two additional reactors sought by Florida Power & Light near the Everglades. (Florida Politics)

WIND:
• The federal government shifts its strategy for leasing offshore tracts, moving two of three from North Carolina’s coast to South Carolina’s. (reNews)
• Virginia regulators prepare to begin approval process for 25 turbines proposed for north of Roanoke. (Roanoke Times)

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COAL:
• Two power plants in Tennessee and two in Virginia receive one-year extensions to meet mercury and air toxics standards. (Platts)
• A job fair in eastern Kentucky draws long lines of job seekers recently laid off from mining companies. (WSAZ)
• The Virginia Senate upholds Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s veto of a coal tax credit. (Virginian-Pilot)

SOLAR: Contractors for the Navy and the TVA are set to begin construction of the largest solar system in Tennessee to date. (Memphis Commercial Appeal)

ENERGY BILL:
• Senators from five Southeast states opposed passage of a far-reaching energy bill now headed to a conference with the House. (Greenwire)
• An amendment offered by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul that would have eased certain environmental regulations is rejected before passage. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

NATURAL GAS:
• Environmental groups challenge FERC to analyze the indirect environmental effects that would be spurred by a new export projects, including several proposed in Louisiana. (SNL)
• The Senate energy bill would speed up federal review of proposed LNG export terminals. (Associated Press)

GRID: A Florida court finds Gov. Rick Scott and his Cabinet erred in approving two massive transmission lines sought by Florida Power & Light in Miami-Dade County. (Miami Herald)

CLIMATE: The retiring co-founder of the Atlanta-based Southface Energy Institute reflects on the evolution of Earth Day. (Creative Loafing)

OIL & GAS: The Sierra Club is now taking aim at defeating new natural gas-fired power plants and pipelines. (SNL)

VW EMISSIONS VIOLATIONS: Volkswagen reportedly agrees to compensate owners of about 600,000 of its diesel-powered cars assembled in Tennessee $5,000 apiece. (Wire reports)

BLANKENSHIP TRIAL: Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship is ordered to begin serving his one year prison term on May 12. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

BIOMASS: Electricity generated from biomass plants would be considered a carbon-neutral, renewable source under the Senate-passed energy bill. (Climate Progress)

EFFICIENCY: Real estate developers in Gainesville, Florida are vying to lead a fledgling move toward more energy efficient buildings. (Triple Pundit)

OFFSHORE DRILLING: An environmental group sues the Interior Dept. over ​“fast track” permitting. (Associated Press)

2010 BP OIL SPILL: Mississippi budgets part of its share of BP’s fine for coastal restoration projects. (Mississippi Today)

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ALABAMA: The new Energy Institute of Alabama aims to promote the state’s economy with ​“reliable, affordable and clean energy.” (Alabama Media Group)

COMMENTARY:
• Biomass sources of electricity present challenges that deserve to be addressed before the just-passed Senate energy bill becomes law. (Southern Environmental Law Center)
• Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander says the just-passed Senate energy bill will help fuel innovation. (The Chattanoogan)
• The utility-backed solar amendment on Florida’s November ballot would undermine the future of solar. (The Gainesville Sun)
• A new book tries to explain the impact of climate change on South Florida in lay terms. (Miami Herald)