Virginia governor’s power grab derails state climate progress

OFFSHORE WIND:

• The federal government announces an offshore wind energy lease sale that will include areas off the coast of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. (WRDE)
• A giant ship being built in Brownsville, Texas, is expected to boost the country’s capacity to build offshore wind farms when it’s completed next year, though a second Trump presidency could imperil future projects. (NBC News)

CLIMATE:

• Stronger storms and sea-level rise are accelerating erosion that has caused six beachfront homes in four years to collapse along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. (WTVD)
• A study finds that heat waves in Richmond, Virginia, disproportionately affect low-income, Black residents, who often live in urban heat islands and also lack convenient access to cooling centers. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
• A new Virginia law taking effect today bans utilities from shutting off electricity for nonpayment if temperatures reach 92 degrees or more. (WWBT)

EFFICIENCY:

• North Carolina lawmakers advance legislation that would establish a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program in the state. (WRAL)
• A new Florida law lets homeowners finance energy saving and resilience improvements through their property tax assessments. (Florida Politics)

SOLAR:

• A nonprofit group’s new solar training program in Georgetown, South Carolina, is paying students to learn how to install solar infrastructure. (WMBF)
• A dozen New Orleans churches have established solar-powered resilience hubs where residents can come during power outages and disasters. (WVUE)
• A West Virginia county commission takes no action on a solar project’s proposed payment-in-lieu-of-taxes arrangement after hearing local opposition. (Journal)