As California seeks to secure a 100% renewable electricity grid to address the climate crisis, the California Energy Commission (CEC) has released their initial Offshore Wind report with goals of 3,000 MW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and 10,000 to 15,000 MW by 2045 with a potential of 20,000 MW by 2050, with sufficient technological improvements.
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published Wednesday two separate Calls for Information and Nominations for suitable areas for possible offshore wind leases off the coast of Oregon and in the Central Atlantic.
Tapping into $6 billion in subsidies passed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Department of Energy launched a program on Tuesday to bail out the owners and operators of money-losing nuclear power plants.
Vice President Kamala Harris will announce on Monday a clean schools infrastructure program, which features grant funding for public school energy upgrades, money for electric school buses, and investments in rural schools.
President Joe Biden and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Wednesday $3.16 billion in new funding through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) for residential energy upgrades.
PHILADELPHIA -- On Monday, Gov. Tom Wolf swiftly vetoed legislation passed by the state General Assembly (SCRRR1) that attempts to block Pennsylvania from joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is a multi-state program that has successfully reduced climate pollution in participating northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions in Pennsylvania by 227 million tons by 2030.
PITTSBURGH -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a notice of violation to Metalico, Inc for air pollution from the company’s metal-grinding facility on Neville Island. This legal action comes after years of public outcry from local residents about pollution being released by the plant, including large spikes in particulate matter following a serious fire at the facility earlier this year. A notice of violation is a formal step in the Clean Air Act enforcement process that can lead to further action, including a fine.
HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) approved Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Wednesday by a vote of 3-2. Established in 2008, RGGI is a bipartisan multi-state program that addresses carbon pollution by setting a cap on carbon emissions from power plants, which is lowered each year. It is considered the most successful state-level program for reducing global warming pollution in the nation. Currently, 11 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) participate in this program. This decision follows nearly two years of regulatory review and public input, including a public comment period at the end of 2020 that showed Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support joining this program. In addition, the Environmental Quality Board voted earlier this summer to adopt the final rulemaking as well. While Wednesday’s decision marks the final step in the regulatory process, legal and legislative challenges are expected throughout the fall.
PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County again received straight “F” grades in the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report, making it one of only 13 counties nationwide to do so. The Pittsburgh Metro ranked ninth- worst for soot pollution in the study, which was released Wednesday. This type of pollution is linked to health problems such as asthma, heart disease, stroke and premature death.
WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency reinstated its website centered on climate science and policy on Thursday. This information was removed from the EPA website by the previous administration. This relaunch is a strong signal that the Biden administration will restore the role of science in protecting our communities and public health.
