New Hampshire governor’s energy claims don’t add up

POLITICS: Advocates say New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s claim last week that climate policies are to blame for higher electric rates in neighboring states relies on misleading assumptions and leaves out Vermont, a state that contradicts the governor’s narrative. (Boston Globe)

CLIMATE:

• As anticipated, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday vetoed a bill requiring 100% renewable energy by 2030 over cost concerns; lawmakers plan to override the veto. (VT Digger)
• Portland, Maine, officials are about to unveil a zoning code overhaul that aims to encourage walking and transit use by allowing greater residential density, and also requires new development in areas vulnerable to flooding to be elevated. (Press Herald)

EQUITY: Massachusetts advocates seeking to create opportunities for women and people of color in clean energy say sexism and racism are still common problems in the industry. (MassLive via Energy Central)

GRID:

• National Grid last week announced plans for $35 billion in grid upgrades in New York and Massachusetts. (news release)
• A developer plans a 700 MW battery storage project on a former petroleum tank farm in Boston. (Boston Globe)

SOLAR:

• A solar developer is pursuing a 2.5 MW solar array that will be co-located with grazing and crop production managed by a local farm. (Greenfield Recorder)
• Solar opponents in a Pennsylvania county push for a 500-foot setback for solar panels from homes, which they say will preserve farmland. (WYTV)

TRANSPORTATION: Officials in the Bronx and New Jersey are concerned that New York’s congestion pricing plan will shift truck pollution to areas outside Manhattan. (New York Times)

HYDROGEN: Advocates say plans to capture carbon emissions from a proposed Appalachian hydrogen hub rely on unproven technology. (Inside Climate News)

WIND: Delaware’s state Senate advances a bill that will create an offshore wind procurement process for the state. (WMDT)

HYDROPOWER: Maine Audubon calls for removal of four Maine dams, saying the small amount of power they produce isn’t worth the impact on fisheries. (news release)

COMMENTARY:

• As Donald Trump perpetuates the falsehood that offshore wind development will ​“ruin the environment” and ​“kill the whales,” a political strategist connects the claim to oil industry financial interests. (NorthJersey.com)
• Advocates say pending investments in natural gas infrastructure threaten climate progress in Connecticut. (CT Mirror)
• A policy expert says binary debate over the New York Heat Act obscures the state’s progress and position as a leader on climate mitigation. (Observer)