Volume 12 | March 4, 2019

CONEG Governors Convene 2019 Winter Meeting
As CONEG Chair, Governor Phil Scott (VT) convened the CONEG governors winter breakfast meeting on Sunday, February 24 in Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting was to assemble a roundtable discussion on regional issues. In attendance were
Governor Mills Supports New England Clean Energy Connect

by Lana Bluege
Regional Program Coordinator

Governor Mills of Maine has officially come out in favor of Central Maine Power’s (CMP) proposed 1 billion dollar corridor project, known as the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC), bringing hydro power from Quebec through Lewiston, Maine ending in Massachusetts.

This 145 mile transmission line will deliver up to 1,200 megawatts of clean energy to the region. Such interconnection projects have been proposed in the past in accordance with Massachusetts’ Act Relative to Energy Diversity that came out in 2016 demanding 1,600
Governors Sununu and Lamont Stress Paid Family Leave At State Solutions Conference

Governor Chris Sununu (R-NH) and Governor Ned Lamont (D-CT) were featured at Politico’s 9 th annual state solutions conference in Washington, DC. Both Governors focused on bipartisan solutions for both New Hampshire and Connecticut.

In common, both Governors emphasized their efforts to address paid family leave. Governor Sununu highlighted a program that New Hampshire is jointly launching with Governor Scott in Vermont, that could “become a model for rest of the country with an approach that is financially stable.” Stressing the importance to business bottom line, Governor Lamont said of the need for paid family leave policy, “Nothing is more expensive in this day and age than losing a great worker in your workplace.”
 
Governor Mills Supports Previously Abstained NEG/ECP Resolutions
CONEG is pleased to report that Maine’s Governor Mills would like to officially express Maine’s support for several of the climate-related resolutions that the state abstained from in past years. The governor has been in office for only a couple months but it is clear that regional collaboration and progressive environmental and energy efforts are of the utmost importance to her.
News from the States
 Connecticut
Governor Lamont: Continued Investments in the New Haven Rail Line Are Needed for the State to Realize Its Full Economic Potential


Ma ine


Massachusetts
Gov. Charlie Baker’s top takeaways from National Governors Association conference (Boston Herald)

State kickstarts Western Massachusetts wood chip industry with renewable thermal energy grants (Mass Live)

New Hampshire
Governor Sununu’s Washington D.C. Trip Recap

New York
Bids Are In For NYS Wind Power Project (WSHU Public Radio)

Statement From Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Legislation to Ban Offshore Drilling Infrastructure in New York Waters

Rhode Island
$2B offshore wind farm gets R.I. approval (Providence Journal)


Vermont
State Awards $400,000 to Nine Vermont Towns and Organizations to Install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Governor Scott discusses energy shift to solar (WCAX)
Regional and Federal Updates
Governors bullish on infrastructure after Trump talks (The Hill)

Under Wheeler, EPA rollbacks expected to continue (Energy News)

Democrats in Congress consider extending federal tax credits for wind and solar beyond their upcoming sunset dates. (E&E News)
   
Will Massachusetts and Other Northeastern States Move to Aggressively Price Carbon Emissions ? (The National Law Review)
The 8th Annual Climate Leadership Conference will be held from March 20th-22nd in Baltimore, Maryland where influential climate, energy, and sustainability professionals from around the globe will come together and address climate change through policy, innovation and business solutions. This collaboration attracts over 400 attendees including business executives, academic professionals, and government officials. Join CONEG along with other delegates in climate, energy, and sustainability to build strategic business connections, gain new insights and collaborate with the nation’s leaders on climate.

CLC has provided CONEG partners with the following 15% Discount Code: CLC-CNG-15.
Online registration closes March 15, 2019 at 6 P.M. EST. Onsite registration will incur 10% administration fee to full rate.