Massachusetts lawmakers pass long-awaited climate bill

CLIMATE: Massachusetts’ state Senate reconvenes to pass a sweeping climate bill, months after ending its formal session without action. The House is likely to vote on the measure next week. (The Boston Globe)

FOSSIL FUELS: New York City’s comptroller proposes barring public pension plans from future investments in fossil fuel infrastructure like pipelines, a move no other city in the U.S. has made. (Utility Dive)

OFFSHORE WIND:

• The New Bedford Port Authority has ​“grave concerns” that offshore wind development in a recently opened 13.4 million-acre parcel could hurt the commercial fishing industry. (The New Bedford Light)
• Iconic singer James Taylor rows into Narragansett Bay to admire a crane ship anchored there to support the construction of the 65-turbine Revolution Wind project. (The Providence Journal)

AGRIVOLTAICS: New Jersey utilities regulators approve an agrivoltaics pilot program to support the construction of up to 200 MW of solar on active farmland over the next three years. (New Jersey Business Magazine)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Vermont’s electric vehicle incentive program runs out of money three months earlier than expected, but state lawmakers will consider future funding in their next session. (WCAX)

NATURAL GAS: Donald Trump’s claim that fracking employs 500,000 people in important swing state Pennsylvania is a significant exaggeration, fact checkers find. (Washington Post)

RENEWABLE ENERGY:

• Pennsylvania ranks 48th in the country for renewable energy growth over the past decade, lagging particularly far behind in wind and solar development, according to a new report. (LehighValleyNews.com)
• New York state’s environmental department moves toward implementation of a fund to mitigate harm to endangered species during renewable energy construction. (River Reporter)

SOLAR: A Pennsylvania county solar ordinance is a success story for a new national nonprofit that aims to inform and mobilize renewable energy advocates to speak out in forums often dominated by opposition. (Inside Climate News)

NUCLEAR: In Rhode Island, nuclear skeptics and supporters contemplate whether the power source, which is seeing growing interest nationally, makes sense for the state. (ecoRI)

GRID:

• Renewable energy advocates say soaring prices in the PJM territory are due to the grid operator’s too-slow efforts to get wind, solar, and battery storage projects connected. (Chesapeake Bay Journal)
• ISO-NE pauses stakeholder discussions on its compliance with a federal rule requiring detailed long-term transmission planning, but has not yet decided whether to apply for an extension. (RTO Insider, subscription)

COMMENTARY:

• Two Maryland lawsuits attempting to hold fossil fuel companies responsible for damages caused by climate change are unsupported by the law and will only raise energy prices for residents, argues a former state legislator. (Maryland Matters)
• Long-term exposure to the kind of ultrafine particles produced by vehicle and power plant emissions is linked to a higher number of deaths in New York, according to new research. (The Conversation)