Legislative

Much of the discussion after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year issued new emissions standards for power generation units focused on the impact for coal-fired power plants. The rule in effect would require most fossil fuel-burning power plants to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution 90% between 2035 and 2040. Energy industry […]

A judge has ruled that construction of natural gas-fired power plant in Montana can resume, two months after the same judge ordered the project halted due to environmental concerns. The 175-MW Yellowstone County Generating Station, a $283 million facility sited near Laurel, has been dogged by legal actions after its air permit was challenged in […]

“Everywhere we look, we’re seeing demand surging,” Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), said. “When we talk about demand for nuclear, we’re talking about the future of our planet, the future that our children will inherit.” Korsnick spoke those lines on May 15 as part of her “State of the […]

Solar power is having a moment. While rooftop solar technologies have been around for decades, consumer demand, urgent climate change concerns, and competitive price points have coalesced, creating historical interest in solar power, including 700,000 homeowners installing solar panels in 2022 alone. COMMENTARY The industry is expected to grow by up to 30% this year, […]

One of the primary objectives of the powerful anti-fossil fuel lobby over the past two decades has been a federally mandated limit on carbon emissions. But the Supreme Court’s recent decision in West

COMMENTARY With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in December, the U.S. put some real financial muscle behind efforts to combat climate change and incentivize renewable energy with $370 billion in loans, grants, and tax credits to spur clean energy technology development, manufacturing, and job creation. Once the full potential of the bill […]

Perhaps the most devastating thing that could happen in any developed country would be widespread catastrophic damage to its electric power grid. Nearly everything in an industrialized nation relies on electricity to function. Without it, normal water supplies, sewer systems, and communication services are cut off. Furthermore, things like food and transportation are quickly affected […]

A judge in Montana has canceled the air quality permit for a natural gas-fired power plant under construction in the state, citing concerns about emissions of greenhouse gases from the facility. State District Judge Michael Moses on April 6 said government officials needed to more adequately consider the plant’s emissions during its lifecycle. The judge […]

The solar power industry seems to be caught in the crosshairs of competing legislative agendas. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created incentives to increase solar capacity via tax credits, but the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) limits the effectiveness of those credits by restricting the importation of any goods that were mined, produced, […]

The Biden administration has pledged another $1.2 billion to help extend the operating life of older or distressed nuclear power plants, with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm saying nuclear power is needed to support the nation’s clean energy goals. The funding, announced by the Dept. of Energy (DOE) on March 2, is the second tranche of […]