NetZero Insider Weekly Intelligence Report: Policy & Impacts

NetZero Insider reporters hit the ground running in 2025 with a range of stories.

John Cropley led the pack with his coverage of the final rules the IRS issued on the Inflation Reduction Act’s low-income clean energy tax credits and Delaware’s $128 million deal with US Wind to allow the company to run export cables from its Maryland offshore wind projects under a state park parking lot.

Cropley also has the story on an onshore wind project in Wyoming — Repsol Renewables’ 504-MW Rail Tie project — which is facing a legal challenge from local individuals and groups claiming that the Western Area Power Administration failed to take into account potential negative impacts on eagles and “wide-open vistas” in the area.

Our James Downing is tracking two more legal cases: a suit arguing that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should loosen its regulations for permitting 20-MW microreactors, and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision turning back a challenge to FERC’s approval of an Indiana natural gas pipeline.

You’ll also want to take a look at K Kaufmann’s deep dive into one of the hottest issues facing the electric power industry ― the disruptive force of data centers and their burgeoning demand for power — and Downing’s analysis of how the incoming Trump administration could refocus FERC on lowering consumer energy bills.

Still more policy reports include:

Kaufmann’s preview of key energy legislation to be considered by the Maryland General Assembly;

Hugh Morley’s preview of the upcoming governor’s race in New Jersey and its impact on the aggressive clean energy policies advanced by outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy; and

Jon Lamson’s report on recommendations for cutting utility bills in Massachusetts via an opt-in seasonal heat pump rate and a non-bypassable fixed charge to cover state policy and reliability costs.

The devastating Los Angeles wildfires lead our curated content with an insightful Grist article on the “weather whiplash” of heavy rains followed by extended drought that has fueled the still-burning fires.

The death of President Jimmy Carter was marked with articles from NPR and The New York Times looking at his legacy of energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives.

Six major U.S. banks have left the U.N.-sponsored Net Zero Banking Alliance within the past month, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration and amid growing attacks on investment policies aligned with net-zero goals, The Guardian reports.

Yale Climate Connections tracked oil and gas industry spending in the 2024 election, finding that between direct contributions to individual candidates and money channeled through political action committees and other groups, the industry spent a staggering $219 million, with the majority of it going to Republicans.

But, a Grist article speculates, could Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, look to save money by cutting billions in hidden and direct subsidies that have long increased the profits of oil and gas companies?

E&E News has a rundown of Trump’s likely actions on Day 1 of his new administration, from lifting President Biden’s pause on natural gas exports to declaring a national energy emergency that would allow him to increase energy production, generation and supply, possibly by temporarily suspending the Clean Air Act.

Read on for this week’s Intelligence Report:

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

Equity & Economics

Environmental Justice

U.S.

EPA data shows entrenched health disparities tied to pollution

The agency committed to compiling the indicators in its latest long-term strategic plan that puts a priority on narrowing the differences. Greenwire

Equity & Economics

New York

A new solar project in Brooklyn could offer a model for climate justice

Community solar is gaining momentum nationwide, but uptake is low among those who could benefit most. This grassroots NYC project aims to change that. Canary Media

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Finance & Investing

U.S.

Despite wind and solar's low costs, PPAs remain vital

A new ACORE report says corporate use of power purchase agreements remain integral to getting large solar projects off the ground. pv magazine

U.S.

Exodus by Wall Street banks from climate group worries advocates

The exodus ended unhappy marriages for most after Republican politicians warned that membership in the group, particularly if it led to reduced financing for fossil fuel companies, could breach antitrust rules. Reuters

U.S.

Explainer: Where do big-name US departures leave the Net Zero Banking Alliance?

Is the UN-convened initiative dead in the water, or is the departure by US lenders an opportunity to strengthen the climate alliance? The Banker

U.S.

Six big US banks quit net zero alliance before Trump inauguration

Exodus from target-setting group is attempt to head off 'anti-woke' attacks from rightwing politicians, say analysts. The Guardian

U.S.

Why US Banks are Departing from Net Zero Banking Alliance

The incoming U.S. President is publicly in favour of oil and gas investment, and has referred to climate change as a "hoax", which is raising concerns for how the US will impact global sustainability going forward. FinTech Magazine

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Impact & Adaptation

Impact

Michigan

Climate takes its toll on the 'cherry capital of the world'

The erratic weather adding to the troubles of Michigan's cherry growers is impacting farmers everywhere. Grist

U.S.

Climate news to watch in 2025

2024 was a mixed bag for climate change. Here's what's on the horizon for 2025. Yale Climate Connections

U.S.

Climate-Driven Sea Level Rise Will Overwhelm Major Oil Ports, Study Shows

Rising sea levels driven by the climate crisis will overwhelm many of the world's biggest oil ports, analysis indicates. The Guardian

U.S.

OPINION: Is America Just Going to Abandon Its Towns Falling Into the Ocean?

Almost a century after the Dust Bowl, America is on the cusp of another displacement crisis, this one caused primarily by climate change, writes Stephen Lezak, a researcher at the University of Oxford and the University of California, Berkeley, who studies the politics of climate change. The New York Times

Vermont

2024 was Vermont's warmest year on record -- again

In 2023, Vermont made headlines for having the warmest year on record, mirroring a worldwide trend full of extreme weather and hotter temperatures. The state has just blown past that record. Vermont Digger

Litigation

Vermont

Vermont secures win over oil industry in climate case

A state court rejected an effort to dismiss Vermont's claims that companies misled consumers about the dangers of burning fossil fuels. Climatewire

Wildfires

California

The 'weather whiplash' fueling the Los Angeles fires is becoming more common

Around the world, dramatic swings between heavy rain and drought are increasing exponentially, according to new research. Grist

California

The Unusually Strong Force Behind the Apocalyptic Fires in Los Angeles

Sustained powerful winds reaching nearly 100 miles per hour are driving fast-moving wildfires near Los Angeles Vox

California

This could be the beginning of the end for fire insurance in California

The damages could overwhelm the state's already-stressed insurer of last resort. Climatewire

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Policy & Politics

California

Exxon Sues California Official, Claiming He Defamed the Company

The lawsuit, an unusual strategy for the oil giant, comes after California's attorney general sued Exxon last year alleging it misled the public about plastics recycling. The New York Times

Illinois

Illinois looks to continue clean energy progress under Trump

The deep blue state is preparing to protect its climate programs, but uncertainty around federal incentives and environmental enforcement makes the path harder. Canary Media

Iowa

This Red Midwestern State Is a Global Paragon of Clean Power

Iowa leads the nation in the percentage of its electricity it generates from wind and solar, showing that the transition doesn't have to be expensive or scary or even constrained by politics. Governing

Montana

Montana failed to consider pollution from new power plant, but Supreme Court won't stop it

Laurel Generation Station will produce tons of pollution, but state's highest court says NorthWestern plant can continue. Daily Montanan

Montana

We have been heard': Montana youth score a major climate victory in court

Montana's Supreme Court has ruled that the 16 youth who sued the state in a landmark climate change lawsuit have a constitutional right to "a clean and healthful environment." Grist

New York

Landmark New York Law Charges Big Oil $75B for Climate Costs

The New York legislation relies on the polluter-pays principle, which holds companies responsible for environmental damages caused by their business activities. The Energy Mix

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania could be on the sidelines as states line up to battle Trump over climate

It's unclear just how stiff that resistance will be if the incoming president follows through with his vows to shred President Biden's environmental agenda and cancel funds for clean energy projects. Pennsylvania Capital Star

U.S.

A Key Part of Biden's Climate Law Was Built to Survive Trump. Now, the Test.

A lucrative tax credit for renewable energy could be hard to kill because it applies to a technologies favored by Republicans, not just wind and solar. The New York Times

U.S.

Biden Left Us With a 'Prius Economy.' It's Time for Something Different.

Climate impacts are fueling the cost-of-living crisis, especially for the poor and working class. The New York Times

U.S.

Carter's White House Solar Panels Lived On After Reagan Removed Them

The panels, removed under Ronald Reagan, found new homes from Maine to China. And their legacy still reverberates. The New York Times

U.S.

Carter-Reagan Dynamic Sheds Light on Biden-Trump Transition

Forty-four years ago, Ronald Reagan took aim at Jimmy Carter's environmental legacy. President Biden's climate initiatives could face a similar fate. The New York Times

U.S.

Carter's environmental legacy set the foundation for today's climate action

By the end of the 20th century, Carter wanted the U.S. to get "20% of all the energy we use from the sun." NPR

U.S.

Energy is central to American politics. That all started with Jimmy Carter.

We have yet to solve the problems that Carter confronted head-on as president. Grist

U.S.

Fossil Fuel Industry Spent $219 Million To Elect The New US Government

The vast majority of this money went to Republicans, including nearly $23 million of oil and gas money donated to Donald Trump's campaign and PACs supporting him. Yale Climate Connections

U.S.

How Elon Musk could end fossil fuel subsidies

If the Department of Government Efficiency wants to cut $2 trillion in spending, handouts to the fossil fuel industry may be "a truth test to all of their messaging." Grist

U.S.

How will Mike Johnson lead Republicans on climate?

The embattled speaker will have to help settle deep divisions on energy policy and climate action. Is he up to the task? Climatewire

U.S.

Is all hope lost for US renewable energy under a Trump presidency?

The short answer: not quite. While the pace of progress may slow, the broader momentum of climate action and renewable energy is unlikely to grind to a halt. Power Engineering International

U.S.

Morgan Stanley Follows Citi, BofA in Quitting Climate Group

The defections are playing out against a tense political backdrop in the US, as the country's biggest financial firms find themselves the targets of Republican campaigns that have characterized net zero groups as climate cartels. BNN Bloomberg

U.S.

The surprising climate commitments of Trump's new 'energy czar'

Former North Dakota governor Doug Burgum, an outspoken proponent of carbon capture, committed to making his state carbon neutral by 2030. The Washington Post

U.S.

The US Spent Billions Fighting Pacific Climate Change. Where Did It Go?

The Department of State and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency do not track data on climate change award amounts by location because the activities are not budgeted for a specific country. A report released last month concludes that needs to change. Civil Beat

U.S.

Trump Rails Against 'Quagmire' Of Enviro Rules

The president-elect reiterated his promise of expedited environmental reviews for investors. E&E News

U.S.

Trump Readies Day One Energy Offensive

The incoming president has detailed plans to quickly reverse Biden's policies, expand fossil fuel production and declare a national energy emergency. E&E News

U.S.

Trump Team Takes Aim At Crown Jewel Of US Climate Research

A top aide to the president-elect wants tighter control over the National Climate Assessment. E&E News

U.S.

Why Trump alone can't gut NEPA reviews

The president-elect is being asked to waive environmental reviews for critical-mineral projects. Experts say it won't be that simple. Greenwire

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