In the States
MA: Governor-elect Maura Healey is committed to an equitable transition away from fossil fuels, a top transition official said. Gina McCarthy, the former EPA Administrator and White House national climate advisor, is the co-chair of Healey’s “Climate Readiness, Resiliency and Adaption” transition policy committee and spoke to a Boston Globe event about the incoming Governor’s priorities. “We have a whole infrastructure of fossil fuels that will need, in some way, to transition out,” McCarthy said. “It’s not a question as to whether we have to shift away from fossil fuels and get enticed by clean energy, but how we set reasonable goals for that transition” McCarthy added. The climate transition committee held its first meeting recently and serves as one of six transition teams Governor-elect Healey has empaneled to make sure her administration “hits the ground running.” Governor-elect Healey has announced a goal of achieving a 100% clean electricity supply by 2030 and fully electrified public transportation by 2040. Another topic the committee is focused on is resiliency planning, including ensuring low lying waterfront areas are protected from rising sea levels. Governor-elect Healey also voiced support for offshore wind during the campaign. Healey committed to equitable clean energy transition, Gina McCarthy says—MassLive
ME: The University of Maine will help meet the workforce demand of the offshore wind industry through new training opportunities, funded by a grant from the Governor’s Energy Office’s Clean Energy Partnership program. OffshoreWind4Maine, led by assistant mechanical engineering professor Amrit Verma, will benefit over 300 students via a hands-on curriculum that teaches manufacturing, maintenance, and operation of offshore wind turbines. The grant, totaling $266,669, will fund this new program and includes opportunities for high school students, who can compete to design a floating offshore wind hull. Governor Janet Mills announced the award, alongside other clean energy workforce grants, on December 1st. The money comes from the Governor’s Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. UMaine receives award from Governor’s Energy Office to launch new programs and courses on offshore wind —Bangor Daily News
TN: South Korean company LG Chem announced plans to develop a cathode materials plant for electric vehicle batteries in Montgomery County, TN. In what Governor Bill Lee called the “single largest foreign-direct investment in the state’s history,” the $3.2 billion investment will create 1,000 jobs. “What we’re announcing today will change the lives of Tennesseans,” Governor Lee said. LG Chem CEO Hak Cheol Shin said that construction will begin in the first quarter of 2023, with mass production scheduled to start in late 2025. Shin said the factory is projected to produce enough materials to power batteries for 1.2 million electric vehicles annually. South Korean firm to spend $3.2B in TN, create 1,000 jobs in what governor calls historic investment—The Tennessean
WY: Governor Mark Gordon restated his vision of a carbon-negative Wyoming in a speech to the Governor’s Business Forum at the University of Wyoming. Governor Gordon supports the state’s energy industry while also backing efforts to remove carbon from the atmosphere via carbon capture and sequestration. “Wind, solar and all these other energy sources have a place and a role to play in an emerging grid. But they can’t do it alone. They can’t do the dispatchable and reliable energy that is absolutely necessary 24/7,” Governor Gordon said, touting the benefits of the state’s robust fossil energy sector. “Wyoming stepped forward and said we [are] not just trying to figure out a renewable standard for 2030. We are going to be carbon-negative, and we can do it by just improving our technology, carbon sequestration.” Governor Gordon added. McMaster announces electric vehicle workforce order, streamlining production in the state—Wyoming Public Media
National
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Biden supports adding Senator Joe Manchin’s proposed permitting reform bill to must-pass defense authorization bill during the lame-duck session. Permitting reform, which would ease regulatory barriers to new energy infrastructure, was promised to Senator Manchin (D-WV) to secure his vote for the “Inflation Reduction Act” that passed earlier in the year. White House wants lame-duck permitting bill—E&E News