Last year, Vermont lawmakers passed a $10 million appropriation to facilitate advances in wireless technology that will expand both mobile and broadband access points. The state also received $150 million in stimulus funds for its broadband project. So far over 1,500 miles of fiber has been installed through the project.

Private investors are also contributing to the build-out providing a total capital investment of over $400 million. Additional projects include work on the state’s smart grid system. According to a story in the VTDigger, FairPoint Communication, one of the lead contractors on the expansion has spent $61 million to lay 1,100 miles of fiber and provide 24,000 new DSL broadband connections in the state.

88% of Vermont has reliable mobile services. Service providers have noted that the state’s hilly geography can create challenges for providing a reliable signal. The state is working with providers to overcome this by expanding traditional forms of coverage as well as new forms of signal expansion by utilizing utility poles and other public structures to house signal boosters.

During the coming year, state agencies will work to identify changes in strategy to achieve the goals of the plan and will work with local governments on delineating areas for future state investment, growth and preservation. State officials have put together a new website and YouTube video to outline the plan and its effects.

“We need PlanMaryland because the rate of land conversion for development has grown at triple the rate of population since 1970. That is not sustainable,” said Planning Secretary Hall. “Without a smarter approach, we’ll face billions of dollars in additional cost for more road and school construction.”

The plan is the result of four years of development including meetings with more than 3,000 people across the state and thousands more reached online through surveys and social media — one of the largest outreach efforts of its kind in Maryland planning history. More than 300 comments were received during two public comment periods in summer and fall 2011. The second comment period was added after local officials in August requested more time for deliberation.

The Plan fulfills legislation from the General Assembly in 1959, 1974, 2007 and 2010 that required or laid out the process for a state development plan — a mandate that until now had gone unmet.

Maryland has been working to streamline and upgrade state services in a variety of areas including broadband and open data, these efforts will contribute to the sustainable growth plan.

The measure addresses a $3.2 billion smart grid project that local utility companies have said they need significant concessions to move forward on. The Governor said he was against any such measure but the Senate went ahead with the trailer bill which will give significant concessions to the Commonwealth Edison Co. The Governor plans to fight the bill with the help of the state Attorney General.

State lawmakers are using the bill to override an earlier veto of these concessions issued by Governor Quinn.
“Legislators who accept lots and lots of campaign donations from utility companies want to write a law to raise consumer utility bills for the next decade,” Quinn said.

Supporters of the bill, including local utility companies say that the help is needed in order to offset the expense of this project and create much needed local jobs. Quinn has argued that the concessions make an end run around utility price regulations passing on sudden unfair rate hikes. The smart grid related fees are expected to add about $3 a month to an average consumer bill.

The projects that were awarded funds are focused on accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and providing job training to individuals and college students to design and build EVs.

Through the awards, $8.5 million will go to providing additional electric vehicle charging stations and fostering public-private partnerships to deploy EVs throughout the nation. The funding recipients range from communities with extensive EV planning experience to those that are eager to begin, but have not previously had the resources to do so. Most projects awarded in this round of funding are one-year start up projects focused on creating the ideal conditions for EV deployments such as revised permitting, charging station construction and training municipal personnel.

“By developing the next generation of automotive engineers and preparing communities for plug-in electric vehicles, these projects will help reduce our nation’s dependence on oil imports, create jobs, and help America capture the growing global market for advanced vehicles,” said Department of Energy Secretary Chu.

Individuals interested in learning about where they can purchase or charge electric vehicles in their state can visit the map on the DOE website which highlights all of the clean cities funding sites so far. The effort from DOE supports other electric vehicle initiatives already moving forward in several states. So far, these initiatives been supported in larger cities – the DOE funds will help foster growth in smaller cities, adding continuity to the budding national EV infrastructure.

The grants are part of the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP is the result of a 2008 Farm Bill Initiative that established funding sources to help people in rural areas mitigate the cost of being more energy efficient. REAP funds cover the purchase price and installation of renewable energy systems. USDA announced over $11 million in awards on Friday.

In order to receive funds through the REAP program award recipients must agree that grant funding will only cover 25% of the cost of implementation. No more than $500,000 can be spent on the purchase and installation of renewable energy systems and no more than $250,000 can go for implementing renewable energy measures.

“In this changing economy, our farm families and rural small business owners know they have to be innovative and resourceful to make sure their businesses grow,” said Gov. Beshear. “Their initiative in applying for these funds shows the dedication of Kentuckians to reduce our energy consumption and increase renewable energy usage.”

One bill will create the Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Advisory Council within the Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The council will be tasked with examining sites for and feasibility of using Lake Michigan for wind projects. The study will include both environmental and recreational impact. The Council will be comprised of state officials from various areas including energy, environment and tourism.

The council will present its recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by June 30, 2012.

The second law creates the Renewable Energy Production District Act, which allows county boards to establish renewable energy districts or wind farm districts. Under the new law, such a district would receive approval through a voter referendum.

Illinois is working to foster a strong renewable energy sector in order to serve the state’s growing energy needs and create a new area of economic development. As CivSource reported earlier, the state is also building the larges solar field in the midwest. Governor Quinn hopes to reduce the impact of the state’s energy use while also creating new jobs in renewable energy.

“These bills give the state additional tools to further enhance Illinois’ growing renewable energy industry,” Governor Quinn said. “A thriving green energy sector will further strengthen Illinois’ economy, create jobs and boost our economic recovery.”

The project will provide and improve access to hundreds of public agencies, schools, libraries and hospitals as well as providing the infrastructure for individuals and businesses to gain broadband service.

NoaNet’s broadband network serves as the main “information highway” for the state, enabling telecommunications providers to connect with it to provide Internet service to local communities and organizations.

The project will make enhanced 911 services available to virtually every inhabited location in the state. The ability to transfer real-time data over wireless networks will allow EMTs to communicate with hospital physicians en route from injury sites. All told, the new network will reach more than 170 communities.

In addition to this project, a $38 million pilot project is getting underway in in the city of Pullman, Washington, and the nearby community of Albion which will demonstrate the benefits of smart grid technology. The project, led by Avista Utlity Corp utilizes a jointly developed smart grid solution from Tropos Networks and Itron Inc to demonstrate energy distribution system automation.

The project will provide a smart metering infrastructure for both communities serving Avista’s 13,000 electric and 5,000 gas customers.

The pilot is part of the Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project, led by Battelle, which is funded through stimulus grants from the US Department of Energy and matching state funds. The project will take five-years and cost nearly $20 million.

Through the website, the public will be able to follow developments and share their ideas through an online comment form. The state first created and adopted a comprehensive energy plan in 1998 and has not updated it since then. So far, the state has been drawing on advice from public forums and private sector stakeholders for ways to update the plan to reflect current energy and economic realities.

The Plan has three primary purposes: to provide a picture of the energy landscape in Vermont including current and future challenges, identifying solutions to these challenges and provide plans for the future.

“The active participation of Vermonters is essential in determining our energy needs and preferences moving forward,” Governor Shumlin said. “Using this one-stop format to receive information from the public and keep Vermonters involved will help us identify and implement solutions to meeting our energy needs.”

NYSERDA estimates that these power projects will produce nearly $500 million in economic benefits over the expected 20-year life of the facilities. The projects will be funded through the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), is tasked with ensuring that at least 30 percent of New York’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2015.

Once operational, the 17 projects will add 315 megawatts of renewable capacity to New York’s generator resource base and produce about 1 million megawatt-hours per year of clean renewable energy. That will provide power to supply approximately 145,000 homes per year.

The wind projects chosen will go to farms in Steuben, Wyoming, Cattarugus and Clinton counties. The hydroelectric work will expand an existing facility in Saratoga County as well as re-powering three other facilities.

“New York has one of the most ambitious and responsible renewable energy targets in the nation: 30 percent by 2015. These projects represent the future of energy in New York State and will result in a grid that is efficient, affordable, clean and reliable for generations to come,” Governor Cuomo said.

Washington requires energy producers to meet emissions performance standards, TransAlta, the state’s coal plant has been working with state officials to find ways to meet those standards without having to close completely. In order to meet the standard for new and modified power plants, the boilers must be shut down. In light of this, the company is examining new business options including a natural gas plant in the same area. Between now and 2025 when the second boiler is turned off, TransAlta will be implementing several pollution control measures.

According to the agreement, in 2013 TransAlta will use pollution control technology to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides at the plant. The plant is responsible for most of the nitrogen oxide in Washington. Nitrogen oxides are one of the causes of haze. The company will also contribute $30 million to a community investment fund focused on energy efficient economic development and $25 million to an energy technology transition fund to support innovative energy technology and companies in Washington.

“TransAlta is a progressive power company that strives to produce more electricity with less environmental impact, every day,” said TransAlta President and CEO Steve Snyder. “We are proud to play a leading role in this unique collaboration of industry, government, community and environmentalists to chart a new energy future for Washington State. With this bill, TransAlta will be able to continue powering this community with new investments in power production and new jobs.”