States join lawsuit against federal onshore wind freeze

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Northeast Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

WIND

• Several northeastern states join a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to freeze routine reviews of land-based wind projects across the country. (CT News Junkie)

FOSSIL FUELS

• The energy bill passed by the Massachusetts Senate aims to save consumers money by phasing out a gas pipeline replacement program critics say drives up utility bills without making the system any safer. (Canary Media)

• The owner of a Pennsylvania natural gas processing plant wants to expand the facility, even as community members worry about safety and environmental impact. (Allegheny Front)

DATA CENTERS

• Local residents and tribal leaders oppose a plan to build a tidal-powered underwater data center off the northern coast of Maine. (Maine Monitor)

BUILDINGS

• Environmental groups and a Maryand state lawmaker raise concerns about possible changes to the state’s building code for large commercial buildings, saying the proposal would make energy standards less stringent than national guidelines. (Maryland Matters)

• Massachusetts awards $23 million in grants to geothermal projects, heat pump installations, and other clean energy projects at nine state university and college campuses. (MassLive)

GRID

• The results of grid operator PJM’s latest capacity auction, which fell short of its reliability target, sound ​“alarm bells” for the region, says Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chair Laura Swett. (Utility Dive)

NUCLEAR

• New Jersey’s plans to develop new nuclear power plants would need federal funding to prevent consumer costs from spiking, though it is unclear whether such money would come through. (Gothamist)

AFFORDABILITY

• Though New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) has made energy affordability her signature issue, there is actually little she can do to lower prices, a new report finds. (E&E News)

SOLAR

• Pennsylvania’s newly enacted budget renews a state program funding solar installations on schools and gives the initiative an additional $25 million. (Solar Builder)

• A new Massachusetts coffee company uses solar panels and electric equipment to roast its beans. (Lowell Sun)

NEW FROM CANARY

• Clean energy still beats fossil fuels on cost, despite, well, everything — Kathryn Krawczyk

• An old-school geothermal giant rides the tech’s newfound popularity — Maria Gallucci