The City of Frederick lowered its monthly electricity usage by more than 2 percent and planted more than 500 new trees in 2021, even as some aldermen express concern that the city needs to do more to fight the effects of climate change.
See the full story at The Frederick News-Post.
More DMV News
Proposal to Forbid Local Gas Bans Dropped in Senate
Virginia Mercury
A controversial proposal to forbid local governments from banning or limiting use of natural gas has been dropped after House Majority Leader Terry Kilgore revamped a bill Tuesday in a bid to ensure legislation providing businesses with certainty about gas service makes it through the Senate.
D.C. Passes Emergency Legislation to Stop Illegal Cutting of Heritage Trees
DCist
Twice in the past month, developers in D.C. have illegally cut down protected heritage trees, according to city officials. Though officials knew about the illegal tree removals — and in one case watched as the work was carried out — they were powerless to stop the buzzing chainsaws.
In Virginia, Abandoned Coal Mines are Transformed into Solar Farms
The Washington Post
In southwest Virginia, abandoned coal mines are being transformed into solar installations that will be large enough to contribute renewable energy to the electric grid. Six old mining sites owned by the Nature Conservancy will be some of the first utility-scale solar farms in the region — and the nonprofit group hopes it’s creating a model that can be replicated nationwide.
Reclaiming Renewable Energy Act, Helping to Get to a More Sustainable Future
ABC-47
A bill in the Maryland general assembly looks to clear up what is considered a renewable energy source. According to environmental groups, some of the current sources considered to be renewable aren’t actually going to help in the fight against climate change.
National and International News
Conservative Justices Express Some Support for Limiting Biden’s Ability to Curtail Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Inside Climate News
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday showed some willingness to place new limits on the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases from power plants, before President Joe Biden’s administration even has a chance to act on them.
SOTU: What Biden Said — and Didn’t Say — on Climate
E&E News
President Biden used his first State of the Union address to reset his administration after a year of inflation and crises at home and abroad. But Biden did little to restart his stalled climate agenda. He spoke only briefly about climate change — talking about it roughly as much as diabetes — leaving some Democrats puzzled over Biden’s path forward on what he calls an “existential threat.”
Incentives Inform and Inspire Highly Efficient Affordable Housing in Massachusetts
Energy News Network
A pair of statewide incentive programs in Massachusetts is driving a surge of apartment buildings designed to the highly energy-efficient passive house standard.
As Biden Plans EV Charger Rollout, Location Questions Take the Fore
Utility Dive
Cities are placing charging stations in under-resourced neighborhoods. The efforts could guide state plans that must meet equity goals to qualify for federal funds.
For the First Time, Nations Band Together in a Move Toward Ending Plastics Pollution
Inside Climate News
A United Nations gathering in Kenya on Wednesday set the world on track to forge for the first time a legally binding global agreement to curb plastic pollution. The language in a resolution adopted by delegates to the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) gave environmental advocates much of what they were looking for.