Loophole for LNG terminals leaves neighbors unaware of risks

OIL & GAS: Liquified natural gas terminals are considered ​“critical infrastructure” that are exempt from having to share information about chemicals and risks, leaving their neighbors largely clueless about the danger of potential accidents. (Floodlight)

ALSO:

• The Gulf Coast’s liquified natural gas export boom has resulted in dramatic price swings for natural gas customers in Louisiana and other states. (Canary Media)
• The Tennessee Valley Authority, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy and Georgia Power are among the Southeast’s utilities that want to build new natural gas-fired power plants to reduce carbon emissions and maintain grid reliability during the clean energy transition. (S&P Global)

OVERSIGHT:

• Georgia’s secretary of state halts elections for the state’s utility regulation board because of a lingering court case, leaving a majority of the all-Republican board’s members in office after their terms expire. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, subscription)
• Alabama’s top regulator fends off a Republican primary challenger in Tuesday’s elections, putting her on course to secure a fourth term in the office. (AL.com)
• A former lawyer for Jacksonville, Florida, describes how the CEO of the city’s municipal utility cussed him out when he refused to back an incentive plan prosecutors say was part of a kickback scheme. (Florida Times-Union)

TRANSITION: A Pittsburgh-based coalition of groups aims to invest in 14 different supply chains to remake Appalachia into a hub for green manufacturing and clean energy. (Sierra)

SOLAR:

• A Virginia county board votes to at least temporarily halt approvals for solar projects after a large crowd rails against the industry at a meeting. (Gazette-Virginian)
• Florida Power & Light begins operation of a 75 MW solar farm, its fifth such facility in a Florida county. (Hometown News Brevard)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Georgia officials suggest Hyundai might need to drill more wells into local aquifers to supply its massive ​“Metaplant” under construction near Savannah. (Savannah Morning News)
• Mississippi and Louisiana rank as the two worst states in the country in a recently published list of electric vehicle-friendly metro areas, but some cities are making progress. (KTAL/KMSS)
• A Florida school district announces plans to roll out four electric school buses by the end of March. (Observer)

NUCLEAR: Texas regulators form a working group to brainstorm ways to attract advanced nuclear reactors to the state. (Utility Dive)

CLIMATE:

• The U.S. Army deploys two units to assist with the fight to stop the largest wildfire in Texas history. (Amarillo Globe-News)
• Scientists say record high temperatures in February exacerbated by climate change were a significant factors in the wildfires that have consumed Texas this month. (Texas Tribune)

GRID: West Virginia regulators approve construction of an $83.6 million transmission line to power a steel mill. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

UTILITIES:

• Dominion Energy provides shareholders an update on its restructuring, saying customers bills’ would rise by less than the rate of inflation. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• Virginia lawmakers advance legislation to relieve the concerns of electric cooperatives about the potential for increased rates and danger to lineworkers as they’re been pulled into the broadband expansion process. (Cardinal News)

MINING: A Texas company announces a new product to allow lithium producers to analyze underground fluid for the presence of lithium with a slim pump-through tester. (news release)