Utility: ​‘Clean coal’ plant will be cheaper to run on gas

COAL: Mississippi Power says the Kemper ​“clean coal” plant will be cheaper to run on natural gas unless gas prices go higher. (Associated Press)

ALSO:
• Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoes a bill that would have reinstated tax credits for coal companies. (Roanoke Times)
• West Virginia mine operators hope a resurgence in steel demand can revive their industry. (WV Metro News)

COAL ASH:
• A Virginia lawmaker says coal ash legislation was ​“completely neutered” by his colleagues. (Capital News Service)
• In a series of public meetings, Duke Energy hears concerns from neighbors of coal ash facilities. (North Carolina Health News)

POLITICS:
• Virginia Rep. Dave Brat is booed at a town hall meeting for what some considered to be flippant answers on clean air and climate change. (Greenwire)
• A constituent confronts Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell at a town hall meeting: ​“These coal jobs are not coming back.” (Business Insider)
• Ivy Main, a prominent Virginia clean energy advocate, discusses the evolving state of energy politics in the state. (Southeast Energy News)

POLLUTION: West Virginia lawmakers advance a bill that would allow more pollution to be discharged into streams from coal mines and other facilities. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

SOLAR:
• A report identifies 15 sites in West Virginia that could host large-scale solar projects. (Beckley Register-Herald)
• A firm established by two former Marines has financed 36 solar projects in North Carolina, amounting to 10% of the state’s capacity. (Fortune)
• A Virginia bill is expected to make it easier for public entities to install solar. (Roanoke Times)

PIPELINES:
• West Virginia landowners fight eminent domain claims for the Rover pipeline as advocates seek other avenues to oppose the project. (The Intelligencer, Livingston Daily Press & Argus)
• More than 100 people file comments on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline at a public meeting in Virginia. (Nelson County Times)
• Two protesters are arrested after being pulled from inside the Sabal Trail pipeline in Florida. (Ocala Star Banner)

OIL AND GAS: Researchers find wastewater from fracking at a West Virginia site altered microbes downstream, raising concerns about broader environmental impact. (Phys.org)

UTILITIES:
• Virginia’s House and Senate approve a bill allowing some utility projects to bypass local zoning. (Roanoke Times)
• Four bills in Florida aim to cut energy costs for consumers. (Orlando Sun-Sentinel)
• Losses on the Kemper and Vogtle projects cut into Southern Co.‘s profit. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

GRID: North Carolina regulatory staff recommend approval of a proposed Duke Energy microgrid in the Great Smoky Mountains. (Microgrid Knowledge)

CLIMATE: A new climatologist at the University of Alabama has a warning for coastal communities. (AL.com)

COMMENTARY:
• North Carolina counties can ban wind and solar, but not fracking. (Greensboro News & Record)
• A North Carolina Nissan Leaf owner reports on his experience after 3 1/2 years with the car. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
• An advocate argues Virginia’s governor has an obligation to thoroughly scrutinize pipeline projects. (Roanoke Times)