Seventeen years ago, Ortiz became mayor of a small Maryland town just before years of epic flooding. Now, he sees himself as part of a generation of public leaders who’ve survived a climate trial by fire and embrace the need to forge lasting partnerships with communities.
See the full story in Inside Climate News.
More DMV News
D.C. Environmental Justice Advocates Join Push for Global Climate Justice at COP27
The Washington Informer
At COP27, the first-ever “Climate Justice Pavilion” hosted dozens of programs and created space for people from all over the globe to engage in climate justice conversations.
Maryland Climate Change 2022 Report: Mixed Bag for Counties
Conduit Street
The Maryland Commission on Climate Change’s 2022 Annual Report offers a mixed bag of incentive and preemption recommendations.
State Corporation Commission Weighs New Offshore Wind Settlement
Virginia Mercury
Virginia’s State Corporation Commission is weighing whether a proposed new agreement between Dominion Energy and consumer and environmental advocates over the utility’s massive offshore wind project is more favorable to ratepayers than a prior plan that required a performance guarantee.
Environmental Advocates Call on Gov.-Elect Wes Moore to Roll Back State Funding for Fossil Fuel Industry
Inside Climate News
The advocates say they are “appalled” by Maryland Energy Administration grants aimed at promoting and expanding natural gas infrastructure in the state.
National and International News
Biden Administration Makes $550M Available for Community-Based Clean Energy Projects
Utility Dive
The funds will be disbursed through the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.
Why Utilities Resist Simple Upgrades to Boost Renewables
E&E News
U.S. utilities have not welcomed dynamic line rating, or DLR, which could increase a line’s power-carrying capacity by 30 to 44 percent, according to a 2019 Department of Energy report to Congress.
Schools Scramble to Prepare for $1B in Federal Money for Electric Buses
Canary Media
From small rural districts to statewide fleets, schools are figuring out how to put to use the biggest electric school bus investment in U.S. history.
White House Releases Environmental Justice Screening Tool
E&E News
The White House has released the latest version of an online mapping tool intended to help funnel billions of federal dollars to disadvantaged communities, incorporating new metrics like historic redlining, wildfire risk and proximity to abandoned mines.
Swell Raises $120M for Virtual Power Plants to Link Solar and Batteries
Canary Media
Getting networks of homes with rooftop solar and batteries to help balance the grid requires innovative tech and financing. L.A.-based Swell Energy is on it.