State climate laws at stake this election

CLIMATE: Several states passed landmark climate measures and emissions goals over the last two years, and some of those provisions could be reversed or weakened if Republicans take over their legislatures or governor’s offices. (Grist)

ALSO:

• Foreign climate leaders hope whoever takes the White House will be open to international cooperation on reducing emissions, though most say Donald Trump shows few signs of doing so. (Politico, New York Times)
• An international climate reparations fund launched barely a year ago is on the verge of drying up because wealthy nations haven’t contributed much beyond their initial $650 million total pledge. (Grist)

SOLAR:

• U.S. trade officials will announce today whether they’ll impose new tariffs on solar imports from four Southeast Asian countries. (Reuters)
• A national green bank program funds its first project, providing a $31.8 million loan for a series of Arkansas solar arrays. (Canary Media)
• Hurricane Helene causes destruction in a small North Carolina town that’s known as America’s sole source of high-quality quartz for semiconductors and solar panels, potentially disrupting the supply chain for both. (NPR)
• With support from a community solar installer, a Chicago organization provides job training as well as financial and social support to help formerly incarcerated people find jobs in the solar industry. (Energy News Network)

GRID:

• Duke Energy officials say they’ll need to entirely rebuild some grid infrastructure instead of just repairing it after Hurricane Helene’s damage in North Carolina and South Carolina. (Utility Dive)
• Environmental groups file a complaint with FERC over PJM Interconnection’s capacity auctions, saying consumers are effectively paying twice for the capacity value of ​“must-run” power plants. (Utility Dive)
• The multi-state Grain Belt Express transmission project, under development since 2010, still needs easement agreements in Kansas and a favorable court ruling in Illinois before moving forward. (Capital-Journal)

CLEAN ENERGY: Residents living near U.S. Steel’s aging Pennsylvania steel plants say their climate and health impacts are being ignored as Japan’s Nippon Steel looks to buy the company. (Inside Climate News)

NATURAL GAS: While fracking in Pennsylvania has become a focal point of the presidential campaign, presidents can’t actually ban fracking, and experts say the industry’s job claims are being exaggerated while environmental costs add up. (WHYY)

NUCLEAR: Uranium mines are ramping up across the West, including in Arizona and Wyoming, as the U.S. seeks to cut Russia out of the supply chain for nuclear fuel. (The New York Times)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs legislation that will require all new electric vehicles sold in the state to be equipped for bidirectional charging by 2027, but vetoes a bill that would have required manufacturers to recycle electric vehicle batteries. (Mercury News; E&E News, subscription)

COMMENTARY: A Colorado land acquisition company discusses how its software can help energy developers simplify the process of resolving title issues. (Energy News Network, sponsored)