State lawmakers and regulators in the Northeast are increasingly directing utilities to consider the impacts of climate change on their systems, but utilities need to plan for it in an integrated fashion. Transmission and distribution planning are often not considered together, which will become a more significant issue as distributed energy resources are added to the system.
See the full story at Utility Dive.
More DMV News
Virginia GOP Targets Clean Energy Law, but Options for Rollback are Limited
Energy News Network
Democrats’ narrow control of the state Senate makes repeal of the state’s Clean Economy Act unlikely for now, and market forces along with the state’s staggered regulatory appointments will make it harder to slow-walk implementation.
DASH Electric Buses Face Challenges from Hills and Cold Weather
Alexandria Now
Alexandria bus network DASH has been charging ahead on its electric bus program, but DASH leadership said the initiative has also faced a few bumps in the road.
[Virginia] Homeowners Associations Continue to be a Hurdle for Rooftop Solar Installations
Virginia Mercury
Many Virginians are aware of the transformational energy legislation enacted in 2020 by the General Assembly, such as the Virginia Clean Economy Act. But a lesser-known bill significantly expanded the rights of homeowners living in homeowners associations who wish to install and use rooftop solar arrays.
Air Pollution Disproportionately Affects DC’s Black Residents, Says NASA
Washingtonian
Though clean air laws have seriously improved DC’s air quality, the health benefits have not been experienced equally among the city’s residents. A new report from NASA’s Earth Observatory includes a map that shows the locations in the District with the highest levels of fine particle pollution.
National and International News
The Progress (and Failures) of COP26, in 3 Charts
Grist
After two weeks of tense negotiations at COP26 in Scotland, the world has a new international climate change agreement: the Glasgow Climate Pact. The new document does not replace the landmark Paris Agreement, but rather bolsters it with increased clarity on key issues.
COP Negotiators Demand Nations do More to Curb Climate Change, but Required Emissions Cuts Remain Elusive
Inside Climate News
The U.N. climate talks ended in Glasgow with nothing decided that would slow greenhouse gas emissions through 2030.
The House Just Passed a Major Infrastructure Bill. Here’s What’s in it.
Grist
On Friday, the U.S. House passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. After President Joe Biden signs it, it will inject $550 billion in new spending over the course of five years into America’s roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, and other physical infrastructure badly in need of an update. The package focuses on “traditional” infrastructure, but some spending addresses emissions and climate resiliency.
Public Transit Use Must Double to Meet Climate Targets, City Leaders Warn
Bloomberg CityLab
With the transition to zero-emission vehicles headlining a slate of transportation-related events at the COP26 conference in Glasgow on Wednesday, a chorus of city officials, labor leaders and policy experts are urging climate negotiators not to lose sight of public transit as a key tool for decarbonizing the transport sector.
Here’s What the 2021 Elections Tell Us About the Politics of Clean Energy
Inside Climate News
Clean energy advocates couldn’t help but feel uneasy as the city and state election returns came in last week. But beyond the statewide results, they had reason to celebrate because of city candidates who emphasized clean energy and climate change more than before, and won.