A White House official dampened expectations that the Environmental Protection Agency will issue a greenhouse gas rule for existing power plants by the June 1 date set by the president last summer. Heather Zichal, deputy assistant secretary to the president for energy and climate change, said it would be premature to issue a rule for existing plants while still reviewing two million comments filed on the proposed GHG rule for new power plants, which was published in January, later than expected. The EPA extended the March 10 public comment deadline to May 9 at Congress’ request.
More: Clean Energy Report; EPA
High Court Leaves MISO Cost Allocation Standing
The Supreme Court declined to hear questions raised by some states and utilities about cost allocation for regional power lines. Utilities and regulators in Illinois and Michigan had challenged an appeals court ruling upholding the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s broad cost allocation design for “multi-value projects,” but the high court declined to take up the case. MISO’s cost-sharing regime is thus left in place.
More: UtilityDive
N.C. Spill Turns Up Heat For EPA Coal Ash Rule
The coal ash spill at Duke Energy’s shuttered Dan River plant in North Carolina has increased pressure on the federal government to issue strong disposal regulations. The power industry believes the Environmental Protection Agency will not regulate ash as a hazardous waste, and will leave regulatory choices to states, but environmental groups continue to argue for a hazardous designation and a strong federal role.
More: McClatchyDC
NREL Studies State Roles In Solar Market Development
A new National Renewable Energy Laboratory report concludes that the effectiveness of state solar policies is influenced by demographic factors such as median household income, solar resource availability, electricity prices, and community interest in renewables. NREL said the study provides “insight into the policy scope and quality that is needed to spur solar PV markets.”
The report includes case studies on three PJM states, citing Maryland’s “comprehensive policy portfolio with equal emphasis on all policy types;” North Carolina’s “strong interest in clean energy-related policy,” and Delaware’s experience, which it said “illustrates how targeted market preparation and creation policies can effectively stimulate markets.”
More: NREL
Shaheen-Portman Re-filed; Changes Aimed at Passage
An energy efficiency bill that has been stalled for months was reintroduced last week with some new provisions that could pave the way for passage, though timing of Senate floor action is still uncertain. The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, introduced again by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), would strengthen model-building codes, create a building efficiency financing program, provide incentives for energy-efficient industrial motors, and more. Numerous new provisions, which brought more senators onto the measure, include repeal of a 2007 law requirement that new federal buildings use no fossil fuel energy sources.
More: E&E Daily
House ‘Deacon’ Dingell Retiring After 6 Decades
Detroit-area Democratic Rep. John Dingell announced he would retire from the House of Representatives after a record 59 years. His wife, Debbie Dingell, is among those reportedly planning to run for his seat.
In his tenure, Dingell presided over the Energy and Commerce Committee’s passage of major energy and environmental legislation, including the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, which established the Acid Rain Program. He also was involved with the Energy Policy Act of 1992, which established incentives for renewable energy and conservation and created a full-fledged independent power business by allowing “exempt wholesale generators.”
He also led the committee during writing of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, referred to as the Waxman-Markey bill, which passed the House but died in the Senate. It would have created a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) has also announced his retirement, placing Democratic leadership of the energy committee in contention.
More: The Wall Street Journal; Detroit Free Press
— Compiled by Kathy Larsen
