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Politico
a day ago
- Business
- Politico
Gridlock on the Western grid
With help from Noah Baustin, Alex Nieves and Saqib Rahim POWER PLAYS: California wants to lead the West into a unified electricity market. The problem? California. Lawmakers have just over a month to salvage legislation that could reshape the Western power grid. Forming an independent West-wide grid operator to manage electricity trading a day ahead of time, as Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic lawmakers are proposing, would expand on the real-time trading market already run by California's grid operator. The promised benefits include more easily exporting the state's surplus solar during the daytime and tapping the Pacific Northwest's steady hydropower during the evening, when solar goes down and power demand spikes. The catch: California wants to drive the transition, and the rest of the West won't get in the car unless it lets go of the wheel. Former Public Utilities Commission President Loretta Lynch, one of the foremost opponents, warned lawmakers this spring that the new regional grid would 'give up control of the pilot seat' and expose Californians to higher costs and out-of-state fossil fuels. Ratepayer advocates and some environmental groups have echoed the concerns — pushing for tighter legal safeguards in case legal challengers or the Trump administration try to use a new regional grid to undercut California's leading renewable energy laws. (Meanwhile, East Coast Democrats have been bashing their own regional grid operator for rising power costs.) Backers, both inside and outside California, say the fears are overblown. They're also running out of time. A rival regional market based in Arkansas is gaining traction, winning commitments from Arizona and Washington utilities that once considered teaming with California. They cited a more palatable governance structure even if costs might be lower in California. (Still up for grabs: energy providers in states like Colorado, New Mexico and Idaho.) 'If we don't do this, then we could lose all of our neighbors to the market out of Arkansas,' said Sen. Josh Becker, author of the bill, SB 540, that would pave the way for California to set up the regional grid. 'It can't look like, and it can't actually be, a California-dominated market.' But amendments Becker took in May to get through the Senate Appropriations Committee — which added a California oversight council made up of lawmakers with power to pull out of the new market — have spooked backers. Environmental groups that once co-sponsored the bill have pulled their support, warning that the new structure is too California-centric to attract other states. Utilities central to California's plan, including Pacific Gas & Electric and PacifiCorp, told lawmakers that the new bill could drive trading partners to sign on to the rival market instead, which would drive up the cost of getting energy in moments of grid stress. Becker said he's gotten an earful across state lines. At last month's National Caucus of Environmental Legislators meeting, Oregon lawmakers pulled him aside during dinner to press for an update. 'They really want this to happen,' he said. He's also heard from curious (but largely agnostic) Utah and Washington legislators, he said. The effort still has momentum. The bill passed the Senate unanimously in June, with strong backing from Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire. This month, both Newsom and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas publicly pledged to stand up the regional grid, with Newsom calling it 'our best shot at lowering energy costs' in a year dominated by affordability concerns. They stopped short of endorsing the current version of SB 540, however. Becker said the bill is 'untenable' as written but that he expects to amend the bill once lawmakers return from summer recess on Aug. 18. Even if it passes, the deal isn't done. Kathleen Staks, executive director of Western Freedom, an organization representing large industrial and commercial power customers who want a regional grid, and a key leader of the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative, said her main focus right now was keeping the coalition together — a broad group that includes utilities who've already committed to California's regional grid like PacifiCorp, companies like Amazon and Rivian, and former skeptics like labor unions, who were worried about ceding control over California's energy but were mollified by backers promising that wouldn't happen. 'When you're talking about that kind of an investment, you need some certainty — and creating that certainty from California is really critical,' Staks said. 'Being able to build trust that has been lost, and maybe in some places was never even there, is going to be what we have to work on next.' — CvK Did someone forward you this newsletter? Sign up here! CUTTING THE LINE: California is on its way to establishing 30 experimental gas-free communities. On Thursday, scores of people eagerly urged the California Public Utilities Commission not to choose their town. 'I really like my gas appliances. I don't want to get rid of them,' said one Costa Mesa caller during the agency's public forum on designating 'neighborhood decarbonization zones.' A similar sentiment was shared by many commenters, perhaps a sign that a Southern California Gas Co. email blast encouraging customers to weigh in at the forum hit home. But the opposition was far from unanimous. A City of Santa Barbara staffer called in expressing the municipality's interest in participating in the program. The controversy stems from the 2024 passage of SB 1221, which instructed the CPUC to set up pilot project zones in which utilities would be relieved of their obligation to provide natural gas in the area to help customers instead transition to zero-emission alternatives. In July, California's utilities submitted maps showing where they planned to replace pipelines in coming years. But Denise Grab, energy law and policy project director for the UCLA Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, worries that the maps highlight such a wide swath of locations that it could overwhelm the CPUC, slowing the program's progress. 'When everything is a priority (neighborhood decarbonization zone), nothing is a priority,' Grab wrote in a post on Legal Planet. Pacific Gas & Electric, SoCalGas and San Diego Gas & Electric didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The agency has until Jan. 1, 2026, to choose its priority neighborhoods, and another six months to set up the pilot programs. Energy customers in the chosen zones will get a chance to vote on whether they want to participate, and a community will need at least 67 percent of customers' ayes to set up a pilot. — NB RETURN OF THE SUN: The California Supreme Court gave rooftop solar advocates a small win Thursday. The state's highest court ruled that a lower court had deferred too much to state utility regulators when it upheld the California Public Utilities Commission' 2022 decision to slash incentives to new rooftop solar customers. The case now goes back to the court of appeals, where a judge will have to consider the arguments for and against with fresh eyes. The decision means the fight over the payments rooftop solar customers get from selling energy back to the grid through a process called 'net metering' will continue on. But it also has broader implications for the CPUC, which is now on the back foot in other legal disputes over its various decisions. 'This is the highest court in the state saying, 'Look, you have to follow the law closely,'' said Roger Lin, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the plaintiffs alongside the Environmental Working Group and the Protect Our Communities Foundation. Terrie Prosper, a CPUC spokesperson, said the agency appreciates 'the Court's careful attention to the appropriate standard of deference for reviewing CPUC decisions.' 'We are pleased that the CPUC's decision will remain in effect as an important part of controlling electricity bills,' she said. — CvK SMOG SETTLEMENT: U.S. EPA officials have agreed to issue a decision by next month on whether the Central Valley is out of compliance with federal standards for smog-forming ozone. The agency agreed in a proposed lawsuit settlement released Thursday to issue a final rule by Sept. 15 on whether the San Joaquin Valley meets the 1997 federal ozone standard of 80 parts per billion, Sean Reilly reports for POLITICO's E&E News. If a judge approves the deal between EPA and groups, including the Committee for a Better Arvin and the Sierra Club, federal officials would also face a January deadline to decide on a 'contingency measure' to cut vehicle tailpipe pollution in the region. The Central Valley and Southern California consistently rank among the smoggiest regions in the U.S, and are both in 'extreme' nonattainment for ozone, the lowest ranking on EPA's scale. Ozone is the main component of smog, which increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. — AN, SR DISASTER DRAMA: The insurance industry is pushing back on Sen. Adam Schiff's attempt to create a federal backstop to stabilize state insurance markets. Congressional Democrats are proposing a federal reinsurance program that would cap the amount insurers pay in claims after large disasters. The program, funded by premiums, would pay out the remainder of the claim after the cap is reached. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association and National Association of Mutual Insurance Cos. warn that the proposal would create incentives for people to live in high-risk areas and artificially suppress rates, as Saqib Rahim reports for POLITICO's E&E News. Schiff's bill is an attempt to lower the cost of reinsurance, essentially insurance for insurance companies, which providers buy to pay a portion of claims after a catastrophic event — like the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year. Schiff introduced a similar bill in 2024 while serving in the House. That effort died in committee. — AN, SR — New research finds that ropeless fishing gear can avoid whale entanglements while also preserving yield for commercial Dungeness crab fishermen. — A new giant solar-plus-storage power plant in the Mojave Desert will power seven percent of the city of Los Angeles. — Venture capital funding for solar companies fell significantly in the first half of this year — but project acquisitions and mergers picked up.
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Not just Big Bird: What to know about the Center for Public Broadcasting and its funding cuts
Here's what to know: Losing funding President Donald Trump Lawmakers with large rural constituencies voiced concern about what the cuts could mean for some local public stations in their state. They warned some stations will have to close. Advertisement The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday reinforced the policy change by excluding funding for the corporation for the first time in more than 50 years as part of a broader spending bill. How it began Congress passed legislation creating the body in 1967, several years after then-Federal Communications Commission Chairman Newton Minow described commercial television a 'vast wasteland' and called for programming in the public interest. Related : The corporation doesn't produce programming and it doesn't own, operate or control any public broadcasting stations. The corporation, PBS, NPR are independent of each other as are local public television and radio stations. Advertisement Rural stations hit hard Roughly 70% of the corporation's money went directly to 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations across the country. The cuts are expected to weigh most heavily on smaller public media outlets away from big cities, and it's likely some won't survive. NPR's president estimated as many as 80 NPR stations may close in the next year. Mississippi Public Broadcasting has already decided to eliminate a streaming channel that airs children's programming like 'Caillou' and 'Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood' 24 hours a day. Maine's public media system is looking at a hit of $2.5 million, or about 12% of its budget, for the next fiscal year. The state's rural residents rely heavily on public media for weather updates and disaster alerts. In Kodiak, Alaska, KMXT estimated the cuts would slice 22% from its budget. Public radio stations in the sprawling, heavily rural state often provide not just news but alerts about natural disasters like tsunamis, landslides and volcanic eruptions. From Big Bird to war documentaries The first episode of 'Sesame Street' aired in 1969. Child viewers, adults and guest stars alike were instantly hooked. Over the decades, characters from Big Bird to Cookie Monster and Elmo have become household favorites Entertainer Carol Burnett appeared on that inaugural episode. She told The Associated Press she was a big fan. 'I would have done anything they wanted me to do,' she said. 'I loved being exposed to all that goodness and humor.' Sesame Street said in May it would also get some help from a Netflix streaming deal. Advertisement A control room at the Arizona PBS offices at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix, seen on May 2. Katie Oyan/Associated Press Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. started 'Finding Your Roots' in 2006 under the title 'African American Lives.' He invited prominent Black celebrities and traced their family trees into slavery. When the paper trail ran out, they would use DNA to see which ethnic group they were from in Africa. Challenged by a viewer to open the show to non-Black celebrities, Gates agreed and the series was renamed 'Faces of America,' which had to be changed again after the name was taken. The show is PBS's most-watched program on linear TV and the most-streamed non-drama program. Season 10 reached nearly 18 million people across linear and digital platforms and also received its first Emmy nomination. Grant money from the nonprofit has also funded lesser-known food, history, music and other shows created by stations across the country. Documentarian Ken Burns, celebrated for creating the documentaries 'The Civil War,' 'Baseball' and 'The Vietnam War', Influence of shows Children's programing in the 1960s was made up of shows like 'Captain Kangaroo,' ''Romper Room' and the violent skirmishes between 'Tom & Jerry.' 'Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood' mostly taught social skills. 'Sesame Street' was designed by education professionals and child psychologists to help low-income and minority students aged 2-5 overcome some of the deficiencies they had when entering school. Social scientists had long noted white and higher income kids were often better prepared. Advertisement Over the years, 'Finding Your Roots' showed Natalie Morales discovering she's related to one of the legendary pirates of the Caribbean and former 'Saturday Night Live' star Andy Samberg finding his biological grandmother and grandfather. It revealed that drag queen RuPaul and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker are cousins, as are actors Meryl Streep and Eva Longoria. 'The two subliminal messages of 'Finding Your Roots,' which are needed more urgently today than ever, is that what has made America great is that we're a nation of immigrants,' Gates told the AP. 'And secondly, at the level of the genome, despite our apparent physical differences, we're 99.99% the same.'
Toronto Star
7 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Republican Senate candidates seeking to replace McConnell aim to define themselves at Fancy Farm
FILE -Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the former Senate Republican leader and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, leaves the chamber as the Senate votes to reject a war powers resolution authored by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to affirm that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite), File) flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Toronto Star
7 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Before the attacks, Senate candidates seek to define themselves in Kentucky
FILE -Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the former Senate Republican leader and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, leaves the chamber as the Senate votes to reject a war powers resolution authored by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to affirm that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite), File) flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Associated Press
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Not just Big Bird: Things to know about the Center for Public Broadcasting and its funding cuts
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps pay for PBS, NPR, 1,500 local radio and television stations as well as programs like 'Sesame Street' and 'Finding Your Roots,' said Friday that it would close after the U.S. government withdrew funding. The organization told employees that most staff positions will end with the fiscal year on Sept. 30. A small transition team will stay until January to finish any remaining work. The private, nonprofit corporation was founded in 1968 shortly after Congress authorized its formation. It now ends nearly six decades of fueling the production of renowned educational programming, cultural content and emergency alerts about natural disasters. Here's what to know: Losing funding President Donald Trump signed a bill on July 24 canceling about $1.1 billion that had been approved for public broadcasting. The White House says the public media system is politically biased and an unnecessary expense, and conservatives have particularly directed their ire at NPR and PBS. Lawmakers with large rural constituencies voiced concern about what the cuts could mean for some local public stations in their state. They warned some stations will have to close. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday reinforced the policy change by excluding funding for the corporation for the first time in more than 50 years as part of a broader spending bill. How it beganCongress passed legislation creating the body in 1967, several years after then-Federal Communications Commission Chairman Newton Minow described commercial television a 'vast wasteland' and called for programming in the public interest. The corporation doesn't produce programming and it doesn't own, operate or control any public broadcasting stations. The corporation, PBS, NPR are independent of each other as are local public television and radio stations. Rural stations hit hard Roughly 70% of the corporation's money went directly to 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations across the country. The cuts are expected to weigh most heavily on smaller public media outlets away from big cities, and it's likely some won't survive. NPR's president estimated as many as 80 NPR stations may close in the next year. Mississippi Public Broadcasting has already decided to eliminate a streaming channel that airs children's programming like 'Caillou' and 'Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood' 24 hours a day. Maine's public media system is looking at a hit of $2.5 million, or about 12% of its budget, for the next fiscal year. The state's rural residents rely heavily on public media for weather updates and disaster alerts. In Kodiak, Alaska, KMXT estimated the cuts would slice 22% from its budget. Public radio stations in the sprawling, heavily rural state often provide not just news but alerts about natural disasters like tsunamis, landslides and volcanic eruptions. From Big Bird to war documentaries The first episode of 'Sesame Street' aired in 1969. Child viewers, adults and guest stars alike were instantly hooked. Over the decades, characters from Big Bird to Cookie Monster and Elmo have become household favorites Entertainer Carol Burnett appeared on that inaugural episode. She told The Associated Press she was a big fan. 'I would have done anything they wanted me to do,' she said. 'I loved being exposed to all that goodness and humor.' Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. started 'Finding Your Roots' in 2006 under the title 'African American Lives.' He invited prominent Black celebrities and traced their family trees into slavery. When the paper trail ran out, they would use DNA to see which ethnic group they were from in Africa. Challenged by a viewer to open the show to non-Black celebrities, Gates agreed and the series was renamed 'Faces of America,' which had to be changed again after the name was taken. The show is PBS's most-watched program on linear TV and the most-streamed non-drama program. Season 10 reached nearly 18 million people across linear and digital platforms and also received its first Emmy nomination. Grant money from the nonprofit has also funded lesser-known food, history, music and other shows created by stations across the country. Documentarian Ken Burns, celebrated for creating the documentaries 'The Civil War,' 'Baseball' and 'The Vietnam War', told PBS NewsHour said the corporation accounted for about 20% of his films' budgets. He said he would make it up but projects receiving 50% to 75% of their funding from the organization won't. Influence of shows Children's programing in the 1960s was made up of shows like 'Captain Kangaroo,' ''Romper Room' and the violent skirmishes between 'Tom & Jerry.' 'Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood' mostly taught social skills. 'Sesame Street' was designed by education professionals and child psychologists to help low-income and minority students aged 2-5 overcome some of the deficiencies they had when entering school. Social scientists had long noted white and higher income kids were often better prepared. One of the most widely cited studies about the impact of 'Sesame Street' compared households that got the show with those who didn't. It found that the children exposed to 'Sesame Street' were 14% more likely to be enrolled in the correct grade level for their age at middle and high school. Over the years, 'Finding Your Roots' showed Natalie Morales discovering she's related to one of the legendary pirates of the Caribbean and former 'Saturday Night Live' star Andy Samberg finding his biological grandmother and grandfather. It revealed that drag queen RuPaul and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker are cousins, as are actors Meryl Streep and Eva Longoria. 'The two subliminal messages of 'Finding Your Roots,' which are needed more urgently today than ever, is that what has made America great is that we're a nation of immigrants,' Gates told the AP. 'And secondly, at the level of the genome, despite our apparent physical differences, we're 99.99% the same.'
