Washington Gas tried, failed to blunt DC’s net-zero building law

GAS: Natural gas utility Washington Gas tried but failed to blunt the impact of Washington, D.C.’s net-zero building law on its business via suggested amendments. (Washington City Paper)

ALSO: A petition making the rounds in Rhode Island calls for a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers over environmental and noise concerns. (ecoRI)

OFFSHORE WIND:
• Vineyard Offshore bids into New York’s offshore wind solicitation with two projects — the Excelsior and Liberty wind farms — that exceed 2.6 GW combined. (news release)
• New York says its third offshore wind solicitation received a record ​“volume of quality proposals,” with the winning bids announced in the spring. (RTO Insider, subscription)

REGULATION: Maryland’s Democratic governor rescinds his Republican predecessor’s recess appointments of two utility regulators, with the head of the state’s Sierra Club chapter calling the move ​“the single biggest thing you can do to set up climate progress in this state for the next four years.” (Maryland Matters)

BUILDINGS: As Vermont elected officials gear up ​“for another showdown” over clean heat legislation, the head of the state’s natural resources agency shares her rough accounting of what it will cost to achieve. (WCAX, VT Digger)

CLIMATE:
• Ambitious climate agencies are pricey, but municipalities like Pittsburgh are using priority-based budgeting to find existing funds for the initiatives. (Grist)
• A New York City school’s stormwater runoff infrastructure is the latest example of city planners looking to playgrounds to implement climate mitigation tactics. (Next City)
• In Maine, clammers, scientists and advocates want the state to find scalable solutions and changes to protect clams from climate change-exacerbated threats. (Maine Monitor)

SOLAR:
• In Delaware’s Sussex County, dozens of acres of farmland are under consideration for solar development. (Cape Gazette)
• Rome, New York, passes a solar ordinance that took roughly six months longer to draft and codify than planned. (Daily Sentinel)
• A Maryland county board schedules a public hearing for residents to discuss their feelings on a proposed six-month solar farm moratorium. (Baltimore Sun)

BIOMASS: A biomass power plant that supplies all the power for New York’s Fort Drum Army base will close in March following financial viability concerns. (NNY360)

TRANSIT: Federal infrastructure funds will go toward replacing an Islesboro, Maine, ferry with a hybrid-electric model. (Maine Public Radio)

AFFORDABILITY: The largest utility debt forgiveness program in New York’s history will lead to .5% surcharges on customer bills for the next five years. (LoHud.com)

COMMENTARY: A local transportation planner finds that proposed e-bike rebates for Washington, D.C., residents will likely be more effective at reducing gasoline use than those for electric vehicles. (Greater Greater Washington)