Massachusetts seeks to reassert leadership in offshore wind

WIND: Massachusetts lawmakers are working on a bill that will help make the state more competitive in the offshore wind market: ​“We had a tremendous advantage, and it’s beginning to slip.” (Boston Business Journal)

ALSO: Extended federal tax credits, states’ clean energy commitments and Vineyard Wind’s approval forecast an offshore wind boom in the U.S., experts say. (S&P Global)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announces a statewide effort to monitor air quality in disadvantaged communities and develop mitigation strategies. (WKBW)

TRANSPORTATION: A new report finds increased flooding fueled by climate change led to $15 million in costs from transportation delays in the first eight months of 2020. (Maryland Matters)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: New Jersey launches a $4 million campaign to install EV chargers at tourist destinations. (RTO Insider, subscription)

UTILITIES: Central Maine Power asks state regulators to remove an ongoing penalty that was imposed in January 2020 over chronic billing and customer service issues. (Portland Press Herald)

NATURAL GAS: New York regulators have extended the comment period for a cryptocurrency company’s plan to buy a power plant near Buffalo and run it on renewable natural gas. (Buffalo News)

NUCLEAR: Officials say a Texas facility will still be able to accept waste from the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant despite financial issues. (Bennington Banner)

HYDROPOWER: An analyst says Hydro-Québec is unlikely to pursue another export deal the size of the one it just entered with New York without adding more capacity. (Montreal Gazette)

TECHNOLOGY: A Massachusetts company that aims to recycle lithium from used batteries has raised $70 million in new funding. (PV Magazine)

CLIMATE: A man who successfully sued to overturn a New Hampshire town’s voter-approved climate ordinance is now seeking $40,000 in attorney’s fees. (New Hampshire Public Radio)

COMMENTARY:
• An advocacy group says the urgency of climate change should compel state regulators to provide ​“forceful oversight” of Central Maine Power’s delays on solar power. (Natural Resources Council of Maine)
• The head of Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources notes that climate change ​“will require us to make changes in our lifestyle that are hard, or at least inconvenient, and will cost money.” (Manchester Journal)
• An environmental advocate and noted climate scientist say that as the fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter in the U.S., Pennsylvania has a responsibility to lead on clean energy. (Morning Call)
• A consumer advocate says Connecticut needs to repeal its policy allowing competitive electricity providers, noting they have cost ratepayers an additional $274 million over the past five years. (CT Mirror)