In the States

DE: Governor John Carney, alongside Cabinet members and advocates, recently signed several bills to address climate change in Delaware. Building on years of state agency efforts, Carney's 2021 Climate Action Plan focuses on reducing emissions and enhancing resilience. Carney stated, “Climate change threatens our tourism industry, our agricultural industry, the health of our citizens, and the financial well-being of our local, county and state governments. There’s no time to wait to take action. I want to thank the advocates and members of the General Assembly for their dedicated work to preserving our natural heritage and building on the great work of state agencies as they follow Delaware’s Climate Action Plan.” The legislation includes targets for emission reductions, electric school bus purchases, solar installations in commercial buildings, electric vehicle incentives, and more. Various officials emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change and praised the collaborative efforts leading to these legislative milestones. Carney signs multiple pieces of environmental legislation—Coastal Point 

OR: Governor Kotek recently signed the "Climate Resilience Package" into law, underscoring Oregon's commitment as a national leader in climate action. This package, which includes House Bill 3409 and House Bill 3630, introduces policies that champion clean energy, energy efficiency, and clean transportation. Among its key initiatives are the "Resilient, Efficient Buildings" policies, which accelerate heat pump deployment and energy efficiency, and Senate Bill 870, targeting energy-intensive commercial buildings for improved efficiency. The package also features the Medium and Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Rebate Program for zero-emission vehicles, the Solar + Storage Rebate Program Extension to promote rooftop solar installations, and the Residential Heat Pump Program Extension offering affordable heat pumps. Celeste Meiffren-Swango, state director of Environment Oregon, lauded the initiative, emphasizing its potential to draw substantial federal funds for clean energy. Governor Kotek signs major bill package to address climate change, invest in clean energy—Environment American 

TX: Eaton Corporation is expanding its Cooper Power Systems facility in Nacogdoches, aiming to double its production capacity for voltage regulators and three-phase transformers. This move, announced by Gov. Greg Abbott, is projected to create over 200 jobs and bring in a capital investment exceeding $100 million. Gov. Abbott stated, "The expansion in Nacogdoches is a major win for East Texans, bringing jobs and capital investment. Growing Texas' capabilities in this industry is critical to our position as a global energy leader." Eaton's Senior Vice President, Guillaume Laur, emphasized the company's commitment to supporting electrification and grid modernization, noting that the expansion would increase Eaton's Nacogdoches team to 625 employees and have an annual economic impact of over $500 million.   Expansion of Eaton Corporation manufacturing facility expected to create over 200 jobs in Nacogdoches—CBS 19

WY: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has endorsed full funding for two major energy initiatives. The first, the Sweetwater Carbon Storage Hub project, is a partnership between the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources and Frontier Carbon Solutions. With a proposed budget of $9.1 million, this project aims to establish southwest Wyoming's premier commercial-scale carbon storage hub. The second project, led by BWXT Advanced Technologies, is set to receive close to $10 million. This initiative will explore the introduction and growth of nuclear microreactor technologies in Wyoming, focusing on the deployment of small nuclear reactors and assessing Wyoming's capability to back reactor component production. These projects are financed by the Energy Matching Funds, overseen by the Wyoming Energy Authority. The authority's Executive Director, Rob Creager, highlighted the projects' significance and hinted at upcoming funding opportunities. Wyoming Governor Recommends Full Funding for Two Energy Projects—Energy Portal

National

The Energy Department is investing up to $1.2 billion in two projects aimed at removing carbon dioxide from the air, marking the largest funding in "engineered carbon removal." This direct air capture technology, still in its infancy, could significantly impact climate change if scalable and affordable. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm highlighted its potential in achieving net zero emissions. The projects, named Project Cypress and South Texas DAC, will be in Louisiana and Texas, respectively. Both aim to initially capture one million metric tons of CO2 annually, with the Texas project eventually targeting 30 million tons. These initiatives are expected to generate 5,000 jobs, especially benefiting former fossil fuel workers. Experts emphasize the urgency of reducing emissions and investing in diverse solutions, including carbon management. Energy Department announces largest ever investment in carbon renewal—AP