US Energy News 6-22-23

U.S. Energy News is one of five regional services published by the Energy News Network. Today’s edition was compiled by Kathryn Krawczyk.

POLITICS: Lawmakers in 37 states have introduced legislation to punish investment funds that consider social or environmental criteria in their decisions, and 16 states have enacted such laws, many with the help of fossil fuel industry funding. (Guardian, E&E News)

ALSO: The U.S. Senate budget committee holds a hearing to examine how fossil fuel interests are funneling political “dark money” to fight local and federal climate action. (Guardian)

ELECTRIFICATION:
• Americans need to annually buy an additional 14 million electric vehicles and appliances to keep the country on track for its net-zero goals, a report from electrification nonprofit Rewiring America finds. (Grist)
• California startup Lunar Energy unveils vertically integrated battery, inverter and software technology for home electrical systems. (Canary Media)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• The U.S. clean energy loans office will give $9.2 billion to Ford to build three battery factories in Kentucky and Tennessee, covering almost all of the plants’ costs when combined with state subsidies. (Bloomberg)
• The U.S. EPA’s finalized biofuel blending standards don’t make electric vehicles eligible for alternative fuel incentives. (The Hill)

UTILITIES:  Maine’s legislature joins Connecticut and Colorado in prohibiting investor-owned utilities from charging customers for lobbying, public relations and other political costs. (Energy & Policy Institute)

CLIMATE: Half of the U.S. population has faced extreme weather in the last six weeks, including heat waves, tornadoes and wildfires. (Guardian)

EMISSIONS:
• The U.S. Senate fails to override President Biden’s veto of legislation that would’ve overturned his heavy-duty vehicle emissions rule. (The Hill)
• More than a dozen environmental groups petition the U.S. EPA to strengthen its planned crackdown on landfills’ methane emissions. (The Hill)
• Climate advocates and health experts urge Maryland officials to adopt new rules to electrify cars and trucks after two new studies highlight the health and environmental benefits of doing so. (Inside Climate News)

CLEAN ENERGY: The Biden administration says developers have announced nearly 200 new clean energy projects since the Inflation Reduction Act became law. (The Hill)

OFFSHORE WIND: A 144 MW floating wind project now under federal review could spur future wind projects in the Gulf of Maine, where deep waters could necessitate floating turbines. (Reuters)

CARBON CAPTURE: Louisiana environmental justice advocates lead the way for a nationwide resistance to the Biden administration’s carbon capture and storage plans, saying they’ll provide a lifeline for heavily polluting fossil fuel and petrochemical plants. (Washington Post)

BUILDINGS:
• A growing list of housing developments are demonstrating that energy efficiency and affordability are not mutually exclusive. (Energy News Network)
• The North Carolina Senate is expected to vote today on a bill to strip power from a state building code council and block new rules for energy-efficient home construction that are opposed by the state’s powerful developer lobby. (Energy News Network)

OIL & GAS: Tennessee residents express concern for their power bills and quality of life after the Tennessee Valley Authority announces plans to build a new gas plant and 12-mile pipeline to replace a coal-burning unit. (WSMV)

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