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The NetZero Insider team’s policy coverage this week includes developments from the West and D.C.  


In the capital, James Downing covered Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s Feb. 21 meeting with reporters, in which she said the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have retained and strengthened U.S.-based companies.  


And John Cropley has the results of a new analysis measuring the nation’s progress toward decarbonization since the IRA was enacted 18 months ago. The highlights: The U.S. is on track on zero-emission vehicle sales but utility-scale renewables are falling far short due to supply chain problems and siting challenges.  


Elaine Goodman reported on the release of Nevada’s draft climate action plan, which focuses on vehicle fleet electrification as well as clean energy development, which the plan says could fulfill Nevada’s energy needs “multiple times over” if fully developed.  Nevada will join other states seeking a share of $4.6 billion in EPA funding for implementation. Applications are due April 1.  


In Washington state, John Stang covered a proposed rebates for utility customers designed to offset costs from the state’s cap-and-invest program. The Senate has proposed a $150 million rebate to utilities, to be credited back to ratepayers. The House is considering a one-time $200 credit to eligible households, for a total amount roughly equal to the Senate’s proposal.  


Our curation includes news on many other policy developments, including: 

  • Finance & Investing: Clean energy projects are now able to sell IRA tax credits to a third party under the act’s transferability rule, providing an alternative to long-term funding through a sponsor.   

  • Impact & Adaptation: United Nation climate funds sit in limbo as the European Union and other high-income governments debate over how seats on the board responsible for distributing the funds should be divvied up among their nations.   

  • Policy & Politics:  Pollution from sources such as wildfires is both increasing the amount of air pollution Americans are exposed to and challenging the Clean Air Act.  

These stories and much more in this week’s Intelligence Report:   


Jump To

Equity & Economics
Finance & Investing
Impact & Adaptation
Policy & Politics

 
 

Equity & Economics

Environmental Justice

Maryland

OPINION: Maryland deserves a better environmental justice bill

Maryland's most overburdened communities badly need a real environmental justice bill with them in the driver's seat and not mere observers, write Michael Middleton, executive director of the SB7 Coalition in South Baltimore, and Sacoby Wilson, director of the Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health at the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health. Maryland Matters


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Finance & Investing

International

'Greenstalling': Are businesses getting stuck in net-zero analysis paralysis?

Research suggests that many businesses starting on their net-zero journeys are worried about the scrutiny they'll face, which is halting transformational action. Edie


International

New Chair and Deputy Chair of Orsted's Board of Directors

Orsted has announced that Thomas Thune Andersen, chair of the Board of Directors, decided not to seek re-election at the annual general meeting March 5. Andersen has been chair for 10 years, and in anticipation of a forthcoming chair succession, the Nomination & Remuneration Committee has been evaluating successors and the board has concluded that the best candidates for chair and deputy chair would be Lene Skole and Andrew Brown. Ørsted


Maryland

Moore puts extra pot of cash toward green projects

Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced plans Feb. 16 for spending $90 million on reducing carbon pollution in Maryland, using an unexpected pot of money to fight what he called "environmental injustice." The largest portion of the money, $50 million, will go toward decarbonizing community buildings like hospitals, multifamily housing and schools, under the plan Moore outlined. The state will devote $23 million to electric-vehicle charging stations in low- and middle-income neighborhoods and $17 million to building up a fleet of electric school buses for public schools. Capital News Service


New York

New York State Restricts Investments in ExxonMobil, But Falls Short of Divestment

New York State's largest public pension fund is restricting its investments in ExxonMobil after determining the oil company is failing to prepare for a low-carbon world. The announcement falls far short of pledging a full divestment from Exxon, however, and the fund will continue to hold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of shares in other major oil companies. Inside Climate News


U.S.

Corporate PPAs hit record high in 2023

BloombergNEF says in a new report that corporations publicly announced 46 GW of solar and wind power purchase agreements in 2023, up 12% year on year. It says the increase was driven by a surge of activity in Europe. pv Magazine


U.S.

Tax credit transferability attracting billions to grid-scale solar and batteries

Three recent transactions of $300-million-plus demonstrate the healthy appetite for utility-scale solar and energy storage investment. pv Magazine


U.S.

What's behind Wall Street's flip-flop on climate?

Wall Street's retreat from earlier environmental pledges has been on a slow, steady path for months, particularly with Republicans beginning withering political attacks, saying the investment firms were engaging in "woke capitalism." But in the past few weeks, things have accelerated significantly. New York Times


U.S.

Exclusive: Electric plane, train and boat batteries get millions in DOE funds

A dozen teams nationwide are getting millions in Department of Energy funding to develop batteries for electric regional aircraft, trains and ships. A successful moonshot could help curb the massive amounts of carbon emitted from heavy-duty transportation. The teams will spend 18 months developing their technologies in the first of what's expected to be a two-phase program. Axios


U.S.

The race heats up for massive IRA state and local climate funding program

State and local governments across the country are finalizing plans and preparing applications for a $5 billion federal climate grant program under the Inflation Reduction Act. EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program has already distributed almost half a billion dollars to participating states and metropolitan areas to develop or refine local climate action plans. Now, the agency is preparing to award $4.6 billion in competitive grants to help implement big ideas contained in those local plans. Energy News Network


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Impact & Adaptation

U.S.

Climate change is undoing decades of progress on air quality

One in 4 Americans are now exposed to unhealthy air, according to a report by First Street Foundation. The issue has cropped up on the west coast, where air quality has consistently worsened since 2010, and a broader swath of the country is starting to see deteriorating conditions. Canada's boreal wildfires last summer saw the average person exposed to more small particulate matter than at any time since tracking began in 2006 -- a preview of more to come. Grist


Virginia

OPINION: People like me need the EPA to issue strong carbon rules, everywhere

EPA has a responsibility to do everything it can to slow down global warming and the disruptive impacts it will bring to people and the ecosystems we depend on, writes Gabby Walton, a federal campaigns associate at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Virginia Mercury


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Policy & Politics

Wyoming

OPINION: Mining bill removes local control, a Wyoming value worth preserving

Longtime University of Wyoming professor David Romtvedt urges people to read SF 44 and to speak with their local senators about the bill, to encourage them to support measures to help work together in making decisions for the benefit of all. WyoFile


Virginia

Bill to shift grid upgrade costs for small Virginia solar projects fails

The fight between Virginia solar developers and Dominion Energy over who should pay for upgrades to the electric grid needed for small solar projects will continue after legislative proposals to shift or split the costs failed. Currently, solar developers in Virginia are responsible for paying the costs of connecting their projects to the larger grid operated by Dominion, including any upgrades the utility says are necessary. Virginia Mercury


U.S.

Biden's sweeping green vision crashes into reality

Slowing electric car sales, anxious union workers and the president's campaign difficulties in Michigan are complicating one of his most ambitious climate policies. Politico


U.S.

Biden's climate law fines oil companies for methane pollution. The bill is coming due.

The Inflation Reduction Act primarily reduces emissions through financial incentives, rather than binding rules. But in addition to all its well-known carrots, lawmakers quietly included a smaller number of sticks -- particularly when it comes to the potent greenhouse gas methane, which has proven to be a pesky source of increasing climate pollution with each passing year. New research suggests that those sticks could soon batter the oil and gas industry, which is responsible for a third of all methane emissions in the U.S. Grist


U.S.

More Wall Street Firms Are Flip-Flopping on Climate. Here's Why.

Many of the world's biggest financial firms spent the past several years burnishing their environmental images by pledging to use their financial muscle to fight climate change. Now, Wall Street has flip-flopped. The reasons behind the burst of activity reveal how difficult it is proving to be for the business world to make good on its promises to become more environmentally responsible. The New York Times


U.S.

Republican Attacks on Biden's Climate Law Raise Concerns Ahead of Election

Executives of companies with clean energy projects are facing questions about the potential for a rollback of the law and its incentives if a Republican wins. New York Times


U.S.

Republican Attacks on Biden's Climate Law Raise Concerns Ahead of Election

The United States has experienced a surge in clean energy projects, representing more than $200 billion in new investments since President Biden signed an expansive climate bill into law more than a year ago. But the election and the potential for a Republican takeover is prompting concern that key parts of the law could be upended. The New York Times


U.S.

What a second Trump presidency could mean for U.S. energy policy

He would seek to undo much of the Biden administration's work to fight climate change if he returns to office after November's election, and launch new efforts to expand fossil fuel production, according to Republican policy experts and Trump's campaign website. Reuters


Virginia

In Virginia, new debates over who gets the final say on solar projects

General Assembly grapples with whether the state should be able to override local denials. Virginia Mercury


Oregon

With limited resources, an Oregon town plans for climate change

Among rural communities, Grants Pass, Ore., has notched an unlikely win: a sustainability plan. But lack of dedicated staff and resources to secure federal grant funds threaten its success. The Daily Yonder


Virginia

Virginia clean energy competition bill faces uncertain fate after collapsed negotiations

Legislation proposed in Virginia with the aim of increasing the amount of third-party generating capacity in Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power's service areas in the state has been tabled in the House and continued to the next session in the Senate. Utility Dive


Virginia

Virginia Lawmakers Elect Pivotal Utility Regulators To Oversee Energy Transition

Members of the State Corporation Commission review compliance with the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which mandates the utilities decarbonize the grid by 2050. Inside Climate News


Wisconsin

OPINION: Climate-positive headlines greenwash Wisconsin's fossil fuel dependency

News of the Pelican River Forest conservation area and new wind and solar energy projects are signs of a huge step in the right direction. But new carbon-emitting energy infrastructure threatens to undermine all these gains. The state needs to put its foot down on the Nemadji plant and ensure a renewable future for all of us, writes sophomore Jack Rogers, a student of Chinese, economics and political science. The Badger Herald


Wisconsin

Senate Republicans fire four Evers appointees from natural resources, UW Health boards

Wisconsin Senate Republicans rejected four appointees of Gov. Tony Evers on Feb. 20, including one to the Natural Resources Board and three to the board that oversees the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Authority. One GOP senator said Natural Resources Board (NRB) appointee Todd Ambs was being fired because of a now-deleted tweet attacking Republicans and Fox News. But none of those who voted against the three UW Health board members explained their reasons on the Senate floor Feb. 20. Wisconsin Examiner


Wyoming

Climate change denial heats up at Wyoming Capitol

A group known for promoting misleading information about climate change won the attention -- and hearts -- of many Wyoming lawmakers last week. WyoFile


Wyoming

Measures to guard against rising electricity costs advance in committee

Four of six bills intended to give state electric utility regulators more powers to scrutinize system investments that may cost Wyoming ratepayers advanced this week out of the Senate Corporations, Business and Economic Development Committee. WyoFile


U.S.

8 states move to ban utilities from using customer money for lobbying

According to the utility watchdog group Energy and Policy Institute, lawmakers in eight states, including California and Maryland, have introduced bills this year that would block utilities from charging customers for the costs of lobbying, advertising, trade association dues, and other political activities. The measures build on a growing trend in state policy: Last year, Colorado, Connecticut, and Maine became the first states in the nation to pass comprehensive laws preventing utilities from passing on the costs of lobbying to ratepayers. Grist


Oregon

With limited resources, a small Oregon town plans for climate change

In May 2023, the Grants Pass City Council passed a one-of-a-kind sustainability plan that, if implemented, would transition publicly owned buildings and vehicles to renewable energy, diversifying their power sources in case of natural disaster. While passing the sustainability plan in this largely Republican county was an enormous feat on its own, actually paying for the energy projects proves to be Grants Pass' biggest challenge yet. Oregon Capital Chronicle


California

California dreams of cheap renewables. Regular folks don't.

At hearings, press conferences and happy hours, lawmakers are talking about how much they've been hearing from their constituents about rising utility bills. Politico


Maine

Dumeny named administrative director for Maine Public Utilities Commission

Amy Dumeny has been named administrative director of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, effective Feb. 12. Dumeny has been with the commission since 2020, serving as assistant administrative director, overseeing the commission's budget and finances as well as all human resources functions. She has served the state of Maine since 2008 in various roles, including business operations manager with the Department of Marine Resources, and budget analyst, financial analyst and senior staff accountant with the Department of Financial and Administrative Services. Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel


California

Democrats pushed climate action in California. Then utility bills skyrocketed.

There is intensifying political pressure on state lawmakers to do something about utility bills that have shot up by as much as 127 percent over the last decade. Politico


Hawaii

Proposed HECO Bailout Bill Could Force The Utility Company To Restructure

Lawmakers are calling for significant changes at Hawaiian Electric Co. in exchange for letting the utility charge a new fee to customers to raise money to deal with wildfire costs. The fundamental change sought by HECO would allow the company to impose new fees on its 460,000 customers statewide outside the standard ratemaking process. The utility could use the fees to finance bonds at a lower interest rate than it could otherwise obtain, which could ultimately mean lower costs to customers. Civil Beat


International

BlackRock, JPMorgan and State Street Retreat From a Climate Group

Climate hawks have long questioned the financial industry's commitment to sustainable investing. But few foresaw JPMorgan Chase and State Street quitting Climate Action 100+, a global investment coalition that has been pushing companies to decarbonize. Meanwhile, BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, scaled back its ties to the group. All told, the moves amount to a nearly $14 trillion exit from an organization meant to marshal Wall Street's clout to expand the climate agenda. The New York Times


International

Rich Countries' Squabbling Undermines Historic Climate Deal

Aid for victims of climate change is in danger of being delayed as wealthy countries brawl over who gets to sit on the board of a new global fund. Politico


International

What Does Net Zero Really Mean?

Focusing solely on net zero for CO2 emissions is insufficient. Achieving net zero CO2 emissions without reducing non-CO2 emissions results in a lower probability of successfully limiting warming to 1.5C. Forbes


Iowa

County pipeline ordinances await federal appeals decision

The fate of several county ordinances that restrict the placement of carbon dioxide pipelines in Iowa might hinge on the federal court appeals of two lawsuits. Shelby and Story counties were the first of five counties sued by Summit Carbon Solutions over their ordinances that require the pipelines to be located minimum distances from places where people and livestock congregate. Summit wants to build an $8 billion, five-state pipeline system that would connect to about 50 ethanol plants, half of which are in Iowa. Iowa Capital Dispatch


Maryland

Bill to make polluters pay for climate damage runs into Democratic skeptics

They worry about the bill's impact on the state's energy marketplace, whether the funds would reach the communities that needed them most, and whether the bill's costs would be borne by consumers. Maryland Matters


Oregon

More than two dozen Oregon lobbyists work for both sides on climate change, report finds

More than two dozen Oregon lobbyists are advocating policies on behalf of industries that contribute to climate change while also representing those that fight and respond to climate challenges, according to a report from a lobbying watchdog group. Researchers at the group, Pennsylvania-based F Minus, launched last summer, compiled a database that shows that more than 1,500 lobbyists across the country are working at the state level for the fossil fuels industry as well as for conservation groups, public health entities, social justice organizations and local governments trying to respond to environmental and health issues caused by the burning of those fuels. Oregon Capital Chronicle


Maryland

Bill to make polluters pay for climate damage runs into Democratic skeptics

A bill to make fossil fuel companies pay for Maryland's climate degradation ran into some skepticism Feb. 20 at its first public hearing of the General Assembly session -- from climate-friendly Democrats. The RENEW Act of 2024 -- Responding to Emergency Needs from Extreme Weather -- seeks to levy penalties on the 40 biggest emitters of greenhouse gases in Maryland over the past two decades -- and use the funds for an array of climate mitigation, resilience and adaptation initiatives. Maryland Matters


Maryland

OPINION: The best funding solution for the carbon pollution reduction plan

We can't continue to kick the can down the road. We must take action now to protect our planet for future generations. Our taxpayers shouldn't be burdened with the cost of mitigating the damages pollution has caused to the state, writes Wandra Ashley-Williams, Maryland regional director for Climate XChange, a national organization promoting climate action at the state level. Maryland Matters


Montana

Schweitzer calls for shakeup of Montana utility regulators

Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer is encouraging Montanans to run for the state's utility commission, citing regulatory decisions that have hit consumers in the wallet. Schweitzer, speaking at a forum sponsored by Montana Conservation Voters, said the state Public Service Commission hasn't acted in the consumers' interest for several years, seizing on an October decision by the five-member PSC that made residential and small business electric rates the highest in the region for customers of NorthWestern Energy. Billings Gazette


Montana

State Sen. Jeff Welborn announces run for Public Services Commission District 3

State Sen. Jeff Welborn announced Feb. 20 he is running for the Public Services Commission District 3 seat in the Republican primary. A release from Welborn's campaign said Welborn decided to run due to "his desire to stand up for Montana ratepayers and ensure Montana's energy sector remains strong and reliable for those it serves." KULR-TV


Ohio

Corruption tax? Policy expert says that's basically what Ohio utility consumers have been paying

Many politicians -- especially conservatives -- are loath to approve anything that could be construed as a tax increase. But since 2009, Ohio's leadership has gone along with a number of questionable rate hikes demanded by regulated utilities. They've functioned in the same manner as tax increases -- regressive ones with unsavory origins. Ohio Capital Journal


Ohio

Fresh bailout and bribery indictments raise questions about what Ohio Gov. DeWine knew and when

The announcement Feb. 12 of new felony indictments against players in Ohio's massive bribery scandal is again raising questions about what Gov. Mike DeWine knew before and after he nominated Sam Randazzo to be the top utility regulator in the state. The indictment contained new allegations of a long, nefarious relationship between Randazzo, one of the state's biggest utilities and a group of industrial users. DeWine's spokesman has since reiterated that the governor believed in 2019 that Randazzo was qualified to be the top regulator because of his prior representation of utilities and large ratepayers. Ohio Capital Journal


Ohio

PUCO resumes HB6 and FirstEnergy investigations

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio announced Feb. 21 that its investigations related to FirstEnergy and House Bill 6 will resume. Crain's Cleveland Business


Carbon Pricing

U.S.

State-owned energy companies are among the world's most polluting -- putting a price on carbon could help

It might be considered easier for their emissions to be rapidly phased out by treating them as extensions of the government, without needing to rely on the incentives, fines or sanctions usually necessary to make private firms act. So far, however, things have not proved to be so simple. TechXplore


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