NetZero Insider Weekly Intelligence Report: Policy & Impacts

This week in Net Zero policy news, James Downing wrote about a set of executive orders President Trump signed to bolster coal. The orders seek to make mining easier, pay coal plants under Section 202 C of the Federal Power Act that normally is used for weather emergencies, and directs the Department of Justice to look into state climate policies. The effort could keep some coal plants to the benefit of local communities but is likely to raise power prices for others in the process.

NetZero Insider’s John Cropley was at the New York Energy Summit, where the frequent changes Trump and his appointees have made since taking office were adding to uncertainty around the state’s efforts to clean up its grid. The executive order issued on state policies specifically calls out New York by name (along with California and Vermont). The state had issues before Trump, with a slow rollout of renewables since its climate law passed six years ago leading to calls for reforms to speed that up.

NetZero Insider’s Hugh Morley covered a recent legislative hearing in New Jersey where lawmakers heard about the state’s generation and demand mismatch. PJM and its markets came under criticism at the hearing, with the state consumer advocate arguing the RTO masked the issue of looming retirement “with excessive available generation” and argued the queue was not working. PJM countered that it could not predict the recent uptick in demand forecasts, which in its case is due largely to data centers. Part of the issue in New Jersey also is the slow development of offshore wind.

Maryland faces similar issues to New Jersey as both are on the eastern end of PJM and have long relied on imports from other states. The Baltimore Banner reported on a legislative package meant to help address the situation. The bills are meant to make it easier to build new power plants in the state, including natural gas fired power plants. Another measure would prohibit counties from banning solar farms. The laws await the signature of Gov. Wes Moore (D).

Read other stories in this week’s intelligence report:

Jump To

Finance & Investing
Impact & Adaptation
Policy & Politics

Finance & Investing

International

Trump Tariffs May Make It Too Expensive to 'Drill, Baby, Drill'

President Trump's tariff polices have sent oil prices falling, which may push energy companies to reconsider their plans to drill. The New York Times

U.S.

How Trump's war on climate and equity is impacting 'woke investing'

Shifting political and regulatory winds have led to fewer shareholder resolutions on environmental and social issues. Grist

U.S.

Tariffs Could Spike Rates in an Already Climate-Stressed Insurance Market

The Trump administration's tariffs will have profound impacts on homebuilding costs, which could affect the insurance market and consumers in the long term. Inside Climate News

U.S.

The USDA is unfreezing clean energy money -- but 'inviting' grant recipients to remove DEI and climate language

The agency is finally moving on getting gridlocked money to farmers. But at what cost? Grist

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Impact & Adaptation

Adaptation

U.S.

Artificial Reefs Can Mitigate Coastal Erosion in the Great Lakes. Will Cities Agree to Adopt Them?

Some researchers are proposing a naturally sourced solution to the issue of coastal erosion, which they say will keep sediment moving and cost less. Inside Climate News

Drought & Flooding

International

Growing Risk of 'Thirstwaves' as the Planet Warms

A new study finds that warming is leading to more frequent bouts of hot, dry weather that cause soils to lose large volumes of water to evaporation. Yale Environment 360

U.S.

Trump axed a rule designed to spare taxpayers the burden of future flooding

The change may speed up flood recovery, but it will leave communities -- and taxpayers -- facing the same problems over and over again. Grist

Impact

International

Getting Heavier': Climate Change Primes Storms to Drop More Rain

With rising temperatures, the atmosphere can hold more moisture, meaning precipitation has a tendency to fall at more extreme levels. The New York Times

U.S.

Trump Administration Cuts Princeton Funding to Study Climate Change

The cuts to a Princeton University program come as the Trump administration has been reviewing an array of research grants related to global warming. The New York Times

U.S.

Trump moves to hobble major US climate change study

The cuts are a potentially fatal blow to the National Climate Assessment that Congress mandated to ensure the government understands the threats posed by rising temperatures. POLITICO

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Policy & Politics

Colorado

At NREL, US Energy Secretary says climate change alarmism has hurt energy development

NREL is the country's primary lab for renewable energy technology and receives most of its funding from the federal government. It is unclear whether staff layoffs from DOGE, Elon Musk's cost-cutting effort, have affected the laboratory. Colorado Public Radio

Colorado

Colorado Moves to Accelerate Transition to Clean Energy

Gov. Jared Polis and legislative leaders are working on a package to require 100 percent clean energy in the state by 2040, 10 years earlier than current plans. Governing

International

The Richer the Country, the Deeper the Climate Divide, Study Finds

Politically conservative people tend to be less concerned about climate change, and that gap grows in wealthier countries, according to a new study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. The Energy Mix

International

Trump's tariff tantrum won't stop the global energy transition

The US's share of the global cleantech trade is too marginal to dictate its terms but the trade tariffs will harm American workers and developing countries. Climate Change News

Maryland

Maryland approves plan to fast-track power plants, override local solar bans

Lawmakers aim to boost energy independence amid rising utility costs. The Baltimore Banner

Texas

Renewable energy companies face little regulation in Texas. A lawmaker wants to change that.

The legislation would put new requirements on wind and solar companies that oil and gas companies in Texas do not face. Texas Tribune

Texas

Who is Stewards of Texas, the group pushing anti-renewable energy bill SB 819?

The non-profit describes itself as safeguarding Texas' "ecological and cultural identity" by supporting efforts to restrict renewable energy development. Energy and Policy Institute

U.S.

From pro-climate Republican to 'one of the Trump disruptors'

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's attacks on his agency's spending and regulations have made him a rising star in the Trump Cabinet, but left some former colleagues mystified. POLITICO

U.S.

Reversal of US energy agenda sparks friction between states

The deregulation is of keen interest to energy officials in Republican-led South Dakota and heavily Democratic Minnesota, where differences in climate policy have sparked border clashes. Mitchell Republic

U.S.

Reversing Biden-era ruling, feds re-open Ruby Mountains to oil, gas and geothermal leasing

In December, the Forest Service first announced their intention to ban oil,gas, and geothermal leasing on about 264,000 acres of public land in the Ruby Mountains for up to 20 years. That directive has now been reversed. Nevada Current

U.S.

Trump has left American energy with a split personality

US and wider Americas now investing in clean tech while extracting more fossil fuels. Energy Live News

U.S.

Trump's Tariffs Could Threaten His 'Energy Dominance' Agenda

A new wave of tariffs could raise costs for energy producers, including oil and gas companies, as well as solar and wind firms. The New York Times

U.S.

We have time to reverse this. We have time to step up'

Former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on what the Trump administration's rollback of climate policies means for Massachusetts (and other states). Commonwealth Beacon

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