Offshore wind projects hit turbulence in Connecticut and New Jersey

OFFSHORE WIND: An offshore wind developer tables a planned wind farm after Connecticut failed to join Massachusetts and Rhode Island in agreeing to buy power from the project. (WBUR)

ALSO:

• Federal regulators approve a 2.4 GW wind project south of Massachusetts, though questions remain about how the incoming Trump administration will impact the development. (Nantucket Current)
• A New Jersey offshore wind project asks state regulators for a second delay in its timeline as developers struggle with supply chain issues and price volatility. (Associated Press)
• Federal offshore wind regulators will answer questions at a public forum on Nantucket as residents express ongoing concerns about the impact of offshore wind development near the island. (Nantucket Current)

CLIMATE:

• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill before year’s end to make major fossil fuel companies pay for the impact of climate change, but industry groups have signaled their intention to challenge the new law in court. (Gothamist)
• In Vermont, elected leaders consider modifying or scrapping some climate policies following Democrats’ loss of their legislative supermajority in the November elections. (VTDigger)

FOSSIL FUELS: Neighbors of a former refinery site in Philadelphia worry about the potential environmental and health impacts of plans for a warehouse and life sciences complex and liquefied natural gas and butane storage. (Inside Climate News)

TRANSMISSION: Maryland legislators have at least four bills in the works to modify or stop a widely opposed transmission line through the state — a plan that has drawn state policymakers’ attention away from other energy and climate issues this year. (WBAL, Maryland Matters)

GRID: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro files a federal complaint against PJM, arguing that the grid operator’s market rules are ​“currently failing” and will result in soaring electricity prices. (Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION: New York’s plan to impose an extra toll on drivers in some parts of Manhattan is set to go into effect this weekend despite a pending legal challenge from New Jersey. (Gothamist)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Vermont municipalities grapple with how best to deploy electric vehicle charging stations to ensure access and keep the systems economically sustainable. (VTDigger)
• More than 2 million rides were taken on rentable e-scooters in Queens and the Bronx in 2024, even as some elected officials advocated against the programs. (Streetsblog NYC)

UTILITIES: A Spanish energy company purchases the parent company of electric utilities in Connecticut, Maine, and New York in a $2.5 billion deal that critics say will reduce transparency and accountability. (Maine Public)

STORAGE: Maine recommends that the state public utilities commission procure 200 MW of battery capacity to manage storage and deployment of solar and wind power and avoid costly grid upgrades. (Portland Press Herald, subscription)