Infrastructure

"Maine Regulators Allow Wind, Utility Project To Move Forward"

"Maine utility regulators on Tuesday gave final approval to a wind power project that would provide enough electricity for at least 450,000 New England homes along with construction of a new transmission corridor in northern Maine to get the electricity to the regional power grid."

Source: AP, 02/01/2023

Pressure Builds As States Miss Deadline In Colorado River Water Crisis

"The seven states that depend on the Colorado River have failed to meet a Tuesday deadline for agreeing on a water-use reduction plan, raising the likelihood of more friction as the West grapples with how to manage the shrinking river."

Source: LA Times, 02/01/2023

"Water Pipe Robots Could Stop Billions Of Litres Leaking"

"Around three billion litres of water are lost through leaks across hundreds of thousands of miles of water pipe in England and Wales daily, says water industry economic regulator Ofwat. Engineers have now developed miniature robots to patrol the pipe network, check for faults and prevent leaks."

Source: BBC News, 01/31/2023

Dereliction of Doodie: Ontario’s Sewage Plans Could Hurt Great Lakes

"The Doug Ford government says its vision for its second term is to get desperately needed homes built in Ontario. In York Region, the key to that vision is a massive pipeline that transfers water from one Great Lake region to another."

Source: The Narwhal, 01/31/2023

"California Holdout In Agreement Over Colorado River Cuts"

"Six western states that rely on water from the Colorado River have agreed on a model to dramatically cut their use, months after the federal government called for action and an initial deadline passed. California — with the largest allocation of water from the river — is the lone holdout."

Source: AP, 01/31/2023

Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023

Iconic critters like salmon, orca and wolves. Climate controversies like natural gas greenwashing and carbon auctions. And wildfire fallout like “smoke-a-geddon.” These are just some of the wide array of stories worth covering as environmental journalists scan Cascadia, the huge area encompassing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and stretching from Alaska to Utah. This special TipSheet, part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, outlines top issues in the region, offering insights, resources and story angles.

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Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands

Nearly two-thirds of the world’s rivers are impeded by dams and we keep building them in our quest for cleaner and greener sources of electricity. But as podcast producer Farha Akhtar learned while producing a recent episode, these monumental structures are having a profound impact on our planet and catastrophic consequences for many Indigenous people.

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Colorado River Is Overused And Shrinking. Crisis Transforms The Southwest

"The Colorado River begins as melting snow, trickling from forested peaks and coursing in streams that gather in the meadows and valleys of the Rocky Mountains. Like arteries, its major tributaries take shape across Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico, coming together in a great river like no other — a river that travels more than 1,400 miles and has defined the rise of the American Southwest over the last century."

Source: LA Times, 01/27/2023

"Puerto Rico Hands Control of its Power Plants to a Natural Gas Company"

"Puerto Rican authorities have hired a natural gas company to operate the island’s publicly-owned fleet of fossil fuel power plants, despite the commonwealth facing increasing pressure to rapidly transition its aging energy system to renewable sources."

Source: Inside Climate News, 01/27/2023

"4th Circuit Asked to Nix Permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline"

"Environmental groups asked the Fourth Circuit during oral arguments Tuesday to toss a key water permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which would lead to even more delays for the $6.2 billion project that developers aim to resume constructing this summer."

Source: Bloomberg Environment, 01/25/2023

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