Online tool tracks New York communities’ renewable energy progress
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February 1, 2024
A new online tool is tracking New York’s progress in decarbonization.
The Local Pace of Progress tool examines city, county, and state data to measure how they’re electrifying buildings. It tracks energy for rooftop solar, heat pumps, HVAC systems, and other energy systems. The data is benchmarked against the national 2050 decarbonization goal.
Tarren Peterson, research analyst for Rewiring America, noted the tool makes large-scale climate goals more manageable. “When we look at more individualized communities, say for instance we’re looking at the city of Buffalo in New York, we can see that we need to install roughly 7,000 heat pumps over the next three years,” Peterson pointed out.
CA offshore wind projects picking up steam
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February 1, 2024
The California Energy Commission has just released its strategic plan for offshore wind, and more than 200 elected officials across the state have signed a letter calling for an inclusive, equitable transition to clean energy.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is taking public comment now through Feb. 20 on how it should proceed with an environmental impact statement on five offshore projects planned near Morro Bay and Humboldt.
Heidi Harmon, former mayor of San Luis Obispo, applauded the effort to fast-track offshore wind. “California is laying the groundwork to power 25 million homes with 25 gigawatts of clean, floating turbine offshore wind electricity by 2045,” Harmon pointed out. “It’s critical that we process offshore wind in a way that ensures that our workers and communities receive the benefits from this new industry.”
Study reveals climate change erasing seasonal snowpacks of New England
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January 31, 2024
A new study found seasonal snowpacks throughout New England have shrunk significantly over the past 40 years due to human-driven climate change.
Researchers at Dartmouth College say snowpacks have declined between 10% and 20% each decade.
Alex Gottlieb, a doctoral candidate at Dartmouth College, said by the end of the 21st century, the region could be close to snow-free in March.
“Each additional degree of warming is going to take a larger and larger chunk of your snowpack,” Gottlieb pointed out. “You can see these really rapidly accelerating losses, which is what we’ve started to see emerge here in the Northeast.”
Environmental groups discourage U.S. use of liquified natural gas
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January 29, 2024
The U.S. is reconsidering its use of liquefied natural gas. While it has long been touted as a “clean alternative” to fossil fuels like coal, it has similar impacts in terms of emissions.
Research has indicated if all gas export facilities proposed or now being built move forward, the emissions would equal those of 539 coal-fired power plants. Dominion Energy is proposing adding liquefied natural gas storage to serve its Brunswick-Greensville Storage Facility.
Jamie Henn, director of Fossil Fuel Media, said importing liquefied natural gas opens America up to an unstable global market.
“It means that instead of generating clean renewable energy here at home, which we control — if you have a solar panel on your roof, you’re getting that electricity directly — instead, we’re really reliant on a really dynamic, fluctuating market at the global level,” Henn pointed out.
Website helps Maine’s young voters track Inflation Reduction Act climate change resources
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January 10, 2024
A new website aims to help young voters in Maine take advantage of the historic climate progress being made through the Inflation Reduction Act.
The legislation puts the United States on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030, create millions of clean energy jobs and help Americans reduce their own energy bills.
Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez, president and executive director of the group NextGen America, said young voters were essential in the bill’s passage and deserve to reap the benefits, and explains what they will find on the website.
“It’s a resource guide,” Ramirez explained. “It’s also celebrating the win that young people have had, and it’s a call to action to continue the fight to win more.” Ramirez pointed out the website features links to clean energy job boards and information about the energy rebates available for purchases of electric vehicles, solar panels or appliances. It also urges users to continue pushing for climate action by writing and calling their representatives.
Study confirms Gulf Stream warming, shifting toward Maine coast
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The latest research finds the Gulf Stream has warmed faster than the global ocean over the past two decades, and has shifted toward the Atlantic coast.
Scientists say the ocean current, which carries tropical water up the Eastern Seaboard, has warmed two degrees Fahrenheit since 2001 and could be pushing warmer water into the Gulf of Maine.
Robert Todd, an associate scientist with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, said years of data collection confirm what climate models predicted.
“Long-term ocean observing really is important,” said Todd, “and we need to keep making those observations so we can understand what’s actually happening in the climate system.”
Todd said ocean temperatures are steadily rising as a result of human activities. He said the findings could determine how changes in the Gulf Stream will impact Maine’s coastal industries.
New heat-pump technology helps Maine reduce oil use, reach climate goals
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January 2, 2024
A new report shows Maine is exceeding the home-heating goals set forth in its ambitious four-year climate plan to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The state surpassed its goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps earlier this summer, and Gov. Janet Mills quickly set a new target of 275,000 by 2027.
Michael Stoddard, Efficiency Maine Trust executive director, said new refrigeration cycle technology is helping both the climate and consumers, who’ve struggled with volatile prices in home heating oil.
“The advent of highly effective at very cold temperatures and very cost-effective air-sourced heat pumps has been a huge breakthrough for us,” Stoddard explained.
Close to 30% of Maine’s greenhouse-gas emissions come from heating homes and businesses. The state has set a goal of going carbon neutral by 2045 and is aggressively promoting heat pumps to help reach that target.
On ‘Environmental Day,’ AZ leaders show support for water bills
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January 26, 2024
Arizona leaders, advocates and high school students gathered to commemorate Environmental Day at the Arizona State Capitol on Thursday.
Rep. Stephanie Stahl-Hamilton, D-Tucson, took a dig at her Republican colleagues, saying she knows the difference between weather and climate. She said despite the recent precipitation around the state and last winter’s above-average rainfall, Arizona continues to get hotter and drier each year, adding to the severity of the state’s drought.
“Combined with the fact that groundwater pumping remains completely unregulated in rural areas of the state,” she said, “puts rural Arizonans in danger of, one day, not being able to sustain the way of life they’ve been accustomed to for generations.” This session, Stahl-Hamilton introduced House Bill 2359, which applies water-supply requirements to developments statewide, putting a stop to what she called “unfettered” building projects.
A trio of NM bills could rein in lucrative oil, gas industry
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January 24, 2024
A trio of bills to curb oil and gas pollution is under consideration by New Mexico lawmakers.
New Mexico is the country’s second-largest oil producer and a top gas producer.
Rep. Debbie Sariñana, D-Albuquerque, co-chair of Elected Officials to Protect America and chair of the group’s New Mexico Leadership Council, believes policy changes are needed to protect children from pollution and prevent fresh water from being wasted during the state’s ongoing megadrought.
Despite what some believe, she argued the bills are not designed to shut down the industry, which she acknowledged is important to the state’s bottom line. “We’re just trying to regulate the industry, so they’re not operating in a way that wastes our fresh water,” Sariñana explained. “They have to operate according to basic environmental and public health principles.”
New York environmentalists push to pass HEAT Act in state budget
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January 23, 2024
The New York HEAT Act is again making its way through the state Legislature. The bill aims to phase out gas-line extension allowances and gives the Public Service Commission authority to keep utility companies in line with the state’s climate laws.
In previous years, the bill has gotten far, clearing the Senate chamber in 2023. Much of the bill is in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2025 budget proposal.
Anshul Gupta, policy and research director with New Yorkers for Clean Power, contends gas utilities are spreading misinformation about the bill. “The most common one is that our electrical infrastructure, our electrical grid, cannot handle the load of shifting the heating, space and water heating, from gas to electricity,” Gupta said.
USDA funding to ease application process for clean energy projects with IRA Rural Energy for America Program
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January 17, 2024
Indiana will soon get a dedicated person to help farmers, ranchers and other landowners apply for federal grants to help fight pollution and climate change.
Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it would hire 40 individuals as Climate Change Fellows. They will be assigned to Indiana and other states to help people apply for the Rural Energy for America Program, which has $2 billion in funding for clean-energy projects.
Anthony Kirkland, director of business and cooperative programs at the USDA’s Rural Development office in Indianapolis, said Indiana’s Fellow will have specific tasks.
“Helping to provide guidance to the grant recipient, or to the grant writer,” Kirkland outlined. “They’ll also be helping with evaluating the process of an application and helping with monitoring, making recommendations, providing advice to the coordinator.”
New Jersey backers of offshore wind tout good jobs, fossil fuel independence
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December 6, 2023
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wants the state’s Board of Public Utilities to initiate more bids for offshore wind projects in the New Year.
The move aligns with the state’s ambitious goal of a 100% clean energy economy by 2035.
Balvir Singh, a Burlington County Commissioner and New Jersey leadership council member of Elected Officials to Protect America, said the governor’s decision sends a robust signal to offshore wind developers, affirming New Jersey is open for business in the renewable energy sector.
“Offshore wind power and other renewable energy sources will drive the transition of the electrification of transportation,” Singh contended. “Renewable energy projects represent enormous positive outcomes for our health and economy, especially from the lens of environmental justice.”