Ericka Wicks, MBA, EP’s Post

We're encouraged by the insights U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland shared recently on #climateaction and the United States' #cleanenergy transition. A few highlights from Secretary Haaland’s remarks Ashley (Ash) Martinez captured while in attendance: - The transition of our country’s energy future to #renewable energy is a top priority and the U.S. is on track to complete our clean energy goals on time - The first 7 offshore wind energy projects in history have been approved in the U.S.  - $16B from the bi-partisan infrastructure law is going directly towards addressing legacy pollution in the U.S. We're pleased to see many communities being invited to engage in addressing these important issues. Haaland remarked, "To get this historic work accomplished with everyone at the table, we're fundamentally changing how we work with states, tribal nations, and the labor community. It's important for us to connect early and often with the communities whose lives we want to positively affect.” To learn more check out:  + #Justice40Initiative – 40% of overall benefits from certain investments must flow to communities marginalized by under investment and overburdened by pollution  + Executive Order 14008 – Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad  + The Federal Sustainability Plan (including information on America’s transition to clean energy)   + This article from The World Resource Institute on the State of the US Clean Energy Transition How are you discussing climate action and leaning into the Clean Energy transition in your company and community? We’re happy to help you think through these complex topics. Sign up for a free consultation today! https://lnkd.in/g-UygBAh

The fifth round of grants through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program have been announced. "Funds will be deployed to advance crucial clean energy and infrastructure upgrades by state governments, local governments, and Tribes to reduce energy use, curb fossil fuel emissions, and improve energy efficiency." #cleanenergy #energyprojects #energyefficiency #sustainability #electricalinfrastructure #infrastructureupgrades

In celebration of #EarthDay, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $7B in #SolarForAll grants set to unlock affordable, resilient, clean #solar power for 900,000+ low-income & disadvantaged households nationwide. The 60 grantees will serve households in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and territories, as well as increase access to solar for Tribes.    This is a monumental step toward expanding access to solar-generated power & overcoming related financial barriers, but we’ll still need policy and regulatory changes for S4A to be successful.    States need smart energy policies & streamlined implementation to ensure S4A can be utilized to its max potential so communities get the full range of benefits #solar can provide.     Read United Managing Director Harrison Godfrey’s statement on S4A here: https://lnkd.in/enMhQwFy 

The New York Energy Alliance (NYEA), a grassroots organization dedicated to advocating for abundant and reliable electricity for New York State families and industries, commends Office of the NYS Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli for his recently released audit report, “Improved Planning Needed for New York To Achieve Its Clean Energy Goals.” The report shines a spotlight on the significant shortcomings in the implementation of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), corroborating the concerns NYEA has consistently raised regarding rising energy costs and the negligible impact on emissions reduction. https://lnkd.in/eiW54dyE

"The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has issued an order approving the Electric Sector Modernization Plans (ESMPs) from the state’s electric distribution companies (EDCs) as strategic roadmaps to enable an equitable and cost-effective clean energy transition in Massachusetts.   "Massachusetts is among the first states in the nation to encourage forward-thinking plans to modernize the electric grid and increase the state’s ability to decarbonize safely, equitably, and efficiently.... "These plans were filed as a result of the 2022 Climate Law and build on the DPU’s ongoing efforts to support the clean energy transition in Massachusetts and achieve net zero emissions by 2050." #energy #energypolicy #gridmodernization #electricity #energyregulation #electrification #netzero

Read my op-ed in The Hill Times: Cleaning and greening Canada's energy sector In 2021, fossil fuels accounted for 76% of Canada’s energy supply; renewable energy accounted for only 16.6%. We need to transition to renewables to future-proof our economy as the world transitions away from fossil fuels. We don't want to be left behind. https://lnkd.in/eAXDi6VK

#AntiRenewableEnergyForces #GovernmentCapture #MarkMallett #WindConcerns "With Alberta Premier Danielle Smith set to lift the province’s seven-month moratorium on renewable energy projects this week, wind and solar developers are urging the provincial government to refrain from introducing “punitive” and “arbitrary” regulations that impede the industry’s growth. Smith nevertheless introduced sweeping new rules on Wednesday, including a minimum buffer zone of 35 km around protected areas or pristine views. She framed the regulations as good for wind and solar, saying “We must grow our renewable energy industry in well-defined and responsible ways.”* But Smith has recently met in private with an Alberta organization called Wind Concerns that’s called wind development “grotesque” and claims that the mainstream scientific consensus on global temperature rise is “ridden with fraudulent data and outright lies.” That’s according to Mark Mallett, founder of the group, who told DeSmog that he had a face-to-face meeting with the premier in late January alongside Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr. “We spent about a half an hour with her,” he said. “And we were able to lay out the various arguments against industrial wind.” Mallett, who previously told DeSmog that carbon dioxide is “the gas of life,” describes wind energy as a mass killer of birds, bats and insects and disputes whether human-caused global temperature rise is happening. “It’s time to reject the absurd and baseless climate change narrative and return to common sense,” Wind Concerns argues on its website. Mallett insisted in a phone interview that “we’re not funded by the oil industry or anything like that.” But his group has a clear preference for which electricity sources should power the province. “Alberta has an abundance of natural gas,” it argued on its website this month. “It can be burned cleanly.” Wind Concerns is part of a growing backlash to renewables occurring across North America. Such groups, some with the backing of conservative power brokers with ties to the oil and gas industry, have in the U.S. succeeded in helping slow down the Biden Administration’s aggressive roll-out of wind and solar. ... Energy experts point out that reclamation challenges from wind projects pale in comparison to the vast environmental impact of oil and gas. Cleaning up and remediating inactive drilling wells could cost upwards of $60 billion, according to estimates from Alberta’s auditor general. And despite that huge financial liability, the province has never paused oil and gas development or imposed onerous clean-up regulations. It continues to approve new projects."

"As infrastructure continues to age and sustainability becomes increasingly important, regulators must provide utility companies with the needed capital to keep up with projects that are essential to delivering safe and reliable energy," CBIA's Chris DiPentima notes in a Hearst Connecticut Media Group op-ed. "It's time for Connecticut policymakers to work with utilities to meet our growing energy demands while supporting the build-out of additional sustainable sources of energy."   #energy #sustainability #transformCT

Government agencies and project proponents need to adapt their engagement strategies to bring communities on the energy transition.   Read the latest from our Inside Government series below.

More than 70% of Irish adults are more likely to support large-scale energy infrastructure projects near where they live, if they come with local jobs and investment in their communities, according to a survey on Ireland’s energy transition. The “powering tomorrow” poll conducted by Red C for KPMG indicated strong acceptance for projects such as wind or solar farms, but less so for high-voltage power lines, while enthusiasm for EVs, a key part of the Government’s climate strategy, is low – despite record sales recently.