New York lawmakers are focusing on electrifying municipal buildings.
Buildings statewide make up 32% of New York's greenhouse gas emissions and experts said electrifying them would lower heating and cooling costs, as well as reducing emissions. Inflation Reduction Act funds are available for municipalities to convert public buildings to use electricity.
Marian Brown, elected official fellow for Elected Officials to Protect America, said there is one challenge worrying elected leaders.
"One of the biggest challenges right now, and we were hearing this from folks, is uncertainty over the durability of Inflation Reduction Act funding, the IRA, with a new federal administration that's already signaling that it's not supportive of clean energy technologies," Brown explained.
President-elect Donald Trump has said he will repeal the Inflation Reduction Act but it comes with significant trade-offs. Research shows it could terminate many manufacturing jobs and cost America a chance at energy independence. Reports find conservative states are seeing the greatest benefits from Inflation Reduction Act investments.
The 2023 All-Electric Buildings Act will help get more buildings electrified by banning fossil-fuel systems in new buildings. All-electric cooking and heating will be required for new buildings under seven stories by 2026 and by 2029 for taller buildings.
Dominic Frongillo, cofounder and executive director of Elected Officials to Protect America, said the legislation comes with many benefits.
"We need to make sure we have the cleanest, most efficient, most modern technology that can protect the public health and improve indoor air quality, and make sure that we're keeping our dollars locally in our communities and our pockets," Frongillo outlined. "We need to build on that policy that New York State has passed."
The state's Building Code Council is deciding whether to include the All-Electric Buildings Act in its 2025 code update. Another bill establishing the Green Affordable Pre-Electrification Fund could help with the effort. It would allocate funds for buildings deemed unfit for weatherization and electrification, removing a major barrier to existing programs.
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On the heels of a regulatory victory, utilities and various energy groups in Minnesota are expressing more optimism about the region's power grid - and its ability to accommodate a diverse set of electricity sources. In late January, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved a permit request for the Northland Reliability Project, a new 140-mile transmission line stretching from the Iron Range to the St. Cloud area. Utilities behind the effort say this creates more grid space and ensures reliability as they focus on renewables such as wind and solar.
Rachel Stuckey, executive director of the Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum, says that peace of mind isn't just tied to meeting higher electricity demands.
"If a weather event happens or, God forbid, some kind of cyberattack, that we can either withstand or bounce back from that," she explained.
Her organization favors an "all of the above" approach when it comes to energy sources. Stuckey added that as these grid modernization projects come on board, it's important all voices are heard, including property owners worried about new power lines going up. The Northland project also calls for replacing two 20-mile stretches of existing lines and is scheduled to be ready by 2030.
Amelia Vohs, climate director is with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, which prioritizes non-fossil fuel sources, says the region can't slow down in trying to modernize the power grid because demand keeps accelerating.
"Some of it [comes] from increasingly electrified appliances, or electric vehicles, but especially from the growth of data centers," she said.
Vohs added that creating more room on the grid eases the backlog of clean-energy development waiting to advance, and that while Minnesota has been a leader in trying to meet these challenges, it remains an open question of whether the state has enough transmission proposals coming together to keep pace. At least three other projects are being looked at by Minnesota regulators.
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A North Dakota legislative committee on Thursday took up a trio of bills about landowners' rights as states in this region are eyed for carbon-capture projects.
The measures stem from public scrutiny of Summit Carbon Solutions' plans for a multistate pipeline in the Midwest, to capture ethanol plant emissions for underground storage in North Dakota. State regulators have signed off on it, but some landowners don't like the idea of signing land deals with the company.
Ann Bernhardt of Linton, who lives near the proposed route, provided testimony in favor of a bill to block developers of these projects from turning to "eminent domain."
"All we're asking for from our representatives is a little bit of protection," she said. "Just do what's right."
Eminent domain is a legal move where private property is forcefully turned over for public use, with compensation provided. Groups such as Dakota Resource Council have questioned whether a venture such as Summit's has a public benefit or is driven by corporate profit. The company has said voluntary agreements are the goal but added that these legal tools are needed for the state to take advantage of this technology.
Bernhardt countered that if concerns from landowners and other opponents are overblown, as the project backers imply, then Summit would have all the land agreements in place already.
"If it's a good project, if it's good for everybody," she said, "there's no need for eminent domain."
The company told lawmakers that so far it has agreements with more than 80% of affected landowners in North Dakota for the pipeline to go through their property.
Beyond landowner rights, other concerns include safety issues in the event of a pipeline rupture, and skeptics say this project is touted as an environmental aid but could be used to expand fossil-fuel production.
No action was taken Thursday, but Charlie Adams, Summit's agriculture and stakeholder relations manager, did urge the panel to maintain existing laws that define carbon pipelines as a "common carrier," meaning they transport commodities. He said revoking that status and restricting eminent domain would set North Dakota back.
"Without this law," he said, "there will be no additional development of CO2 projects."
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Eastern Kentucky's largest utility, Kentucky Power, is proposing to expand its energy efficiency programs for residential and commercial customers.
After weeks of bitter cold, most residents will see higher energy bills, especially if they live in homes that lack insulation or rely on outdated heating systems.
Wesley Bryant, a Letcher County resident, said he is shelling out a hefty chunk of his income to pay utility bills. He pointed out any help with weatherization would allow him to reduce costs and use the money for other basic needs, such as food and medical bills.
"I pay two power bills because my home was destroyed in the flood but we still have to keep power on there, in hopes of getting back there," Bryant explained. "And on top of that, we're helping to pay the power bill at my mother-in-law's."
The deadline to submit comments on Kentucky Power's Demand Side Management program is Feb. 3. The company said expanding the program will help address health, safety or structural issues in homes that would otherwise not be eligible for the Weatherization Assistance and Targeted Energy Efficiency programs.
Consumer advocates said the company's proposed funding levels are unlikely to have much effect on overall energy demand in the region. Bryant noted the demand for weatherization and repairs is even greater, as many people displaced in the 2022 floods are still struggling to get long-term housing.
"Kentucky Power has a chance to power Kentucky by investing in the communities, by investing in weatherization," Bryant contended. "We've been experiencing cold here that that's not been felt here in years."
Byron Gary with the Kentucky Resources Council said while he is concerned about how Kentucky Power said it will recover costs, the program should be tailored to serve the most vulnerable residents.
"These programs run out of money before everybody who has applied can be served," Gary observed. "A lot of times, they end up prioritizing houses where the fixes are what you might call 'low-hanging fruit;' they're a lot easier to do."
Kentucky Power ratepayers already paid the state's highest average residential electricity bill in 2023, at $187 a month, according to state data.
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