Maine approves massive wind farm in northern county

WIND: Maine utility regulators approve an Aroostook County wind farm slated to be the largest east of the Mississippi River, a decision that hinged on splitting development costs and power output with Massachusetts. (Portland Press Herald)

ALSO:
• In Maine, a coalition of environmental and labor organizations works to make sure organized labor has a role in offshore wind development through explicit mentions of union jobs in project agreements. (Energy News Network)
• Mayors and elected officials across New Jersey are calling for an offshore wind moratorium after a surge in whale deaths, despite federal scientists saying there is no link between the two. (Asbury Park Press)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• As tourism groups warn New Hampshire faces stiff competition from Maine and Vermont, new legislation aims to address barriers to installing public charging stations. (Energy News Network)
• Washington, D.C., currently has about 250 public chargers, but a new bill would see the city install at least 7,500 more by the end of 2027. (DCist)
• New York opens a 16-plug fast charging hub in a Southern Tier county. (news release)

CLIMATE:
• An environmental nonprofit’s new report finds that Maryland will need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to retrofit low-to-moderate-income residences and meet its climate goals. (Maryland Matters)
• In New Jersey, legislation advances to cap the amount of food waste sent to landfills to reduce emissions. (NJ Spotlight)
• Ulster County, New York, signs off on a plan to reach county and state climate and decarbonization goals. (Daily Freeman)
• A lack of suitable conditions puts the New England traditions of pond and lake skating on ice this season. (Boston Globe)

BUILDINGS: A New York pilot project showed that Bronx public housing units with induction stoves had significantly lower nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide levels than gas stoves. (The City)

UTILITIES:
• Maine’s secretary of state finalizes the wording of a November ballot question that will determine whether the state can take over the assets of its investor-owned utilities. (WGME)
• Pennsylvania begins investigating why some PPL Electric Utilities customers were sent ​“unusually high bills” and the company’s overall billing practices. (News-Item)
• Reserving thousands of contractors to quickly restore power after storms is an increasingly pricey practice for Maine utilities. (Portland Press Herald)

OIL & GAS: Much of the East Coast could see gasoline shortages this summer due to an European ban on Russian oil. (NNY360)

SOLAR: New Jersey approves two small remote net metering projects for Rutgers University as the state legislature considers passing a bill to make such projects easier to construct. (RTO Insider, subscription)

AFFORDABILITY:
• Philadelphia homeowners and renters contend with growing gas heating prices. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Mainers eligible for $450 state energy assistance checks should begin receiving them this week. (Mainebiz)
• A new report finds that Maryland utilities shut off households’ power over 74,000 times last year. (Baltimore Sun)

COMMENTARY: A decarbonization policy consultant celebrates a ​“first-of-its-kind” New Jersey law that incentivizes builders to minimize the carbon in their concrete for state-funded projects through tax credits. (Natural Resources Defense Council)