Tuesday, March 28, 2023

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Nashville mourns six dead in the latest mass shooting, the EPA takes public input on a proposal to clean up Pennsylvania's drinking water, and find ways to get more Zzz's during Sleep Awareness Month.

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A shooting leaves six dead at a school in Nashville, the White House commends Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to pause judicial reform, and mayors question the reach of state and federal authorities over local decisions.

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Finding childcare is a struggle everywhere, prompting North Carolina's Transylvania County to try a new approach. Maine is slowly building-out broadband access, but disagreements remain over whether local versus national companies should get the contracts, and specialty apps like "Farmers Dating" help those in small communities connect online.

Florida Solar Initiative Moving Forward

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Tuesday, July 7, 2015   

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Floridians for Solar Choice constitutional amendment effort is moving quickly to get on the 2016 ballot. Backers say they've gathered more than 100,000 signatures, exceeding the 10 percent necessary to submit the language to the state Supreme Court.

Stephen Smith, board member with Floridians for Solar Choice and executive director of the nonprofit Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, says the amendment would invalidate a law that gives utility companies a monopoly on the sale of solar electricity.

"Florida is one of only four states that explicitly prohibits what are called third-party sales, or allows somebody besides the monopoly utility to sell you electricity generated from solar power," he says. "This would correct that barrier by removing it."

Florida Power and Light and several other utilities have come out against the amendment. Last week, state Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a brief with the court in opposition, saying the proposal lacks consumer protections and contains unclear language.

Smith says the amendment would make it possible for small solar companies to offer homeowners financing packages, so consumers could get rooftop solar with little to no upfront costs.

"The monopoly utilities in the state really don't want to see that much rooftop solar, because that means people aren't buying more power from them," she says. "They have done nothing to really encourage and stimulate that segment of the market."

The Florida Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the initiative September 1.


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