ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: A natural gas-fired backup power plant for a New Jersey wastewater facility will move forward in a mostly BIPOC Newark community already burdened by pollution, but with strict controls on pollution and a requirement for a solar and storage system. (Associated Press)

ALSO: While a state official says the restrictions will “improve baseline conditions,” advocates remain skeptical and contrast the decision with the recent rejection of a NJ Transit gas plant opposed by primarily White residents. (NJ Spotlight)

WIND: 

  • Vineyard Wind says a “significant part” of a damaged wind turbine blade has fallen into the ocean, warning of additional debris washing ashore over the weekend. (WBUR)
  • The company that manufactured the turbine, GE Vernova, says the cause is still not known, but says it is “unrelated” to a similar incident at one of its turbines in Europe in May. (Reuters)
  • The Vineyard Wind incident was cited by Republican lawmakers in their opposition to a Massachusetts clean energy bill; which passed on a 131-25 vote. (State House News Service) 

NUCLEAR: Massachusetts regulators deny a request from the company decommissioning the Pilgrim nuclear plant to dump treated wastewater into Cape Cod Bay. (WBUR)

NATURAL GAS: While acknowledging it’s likely a “freak incident,” officials in a Vermont town are rattled after a truck hauling natural gas catches fire, roughly a year after a similar incident in the same location. (WCAX)

BIOENERGY: As New York dairy farmers increasingly adopt biodigesters to turn farm waste into energy, environmental advocates warn the technology could have unintended consequences. (WSKG)

SOLAR: 

BUILDINGS: 

COMMENTARY: 

  • A New York advocate says the state is “twisting itself into legal pretzels” to avoid using a voter-passed Green Amendment to crack down on polluting industries. (City Limits)
  • A Maryland official says a recent executive order from Gov. Wes Moore will help advance low-emission HVAC systems to help keep residents cool amid more frequent heat waves. (Maryland Matters)

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Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy, and has led the project from its inception as Midwest Energy News in 2009. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he held a variety of editing, production, and leadership roles, and played a key role in the newspaper's transition to digital-first publishing. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon.