Under Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York is in setting ambitous climate goals, and may be pulling ahead of California.  Cuomo is trying to apply market forces to transform the way electricity id produced, transmitted and consumed. Depending on the details of the rules to be released from the Public Service Agency, New York's program could be the most ambitious effort in the the country to enlist the profit motive as an ally in the fight against global warming. [node:read-more:link]

As Wyoming faces a growing budget shortfall, the state is looking at ways to generate additional revenue, including possibly raising the state's wind tax. The Joint Revenue Committee will consider a proposed tax hike this week.

Wyoming is currently the only state in the nation that taxes wind energy production. Producers pay $1 per megawatt hour of electricity generated. Last year, that brought in $3.8 million to the state and counties. [node:read-more:link]

Rural bankruptcy filings are on the decline, according to data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Data show that, from 2014 to 2015, there was a 2 percent decline in bankruptcy filings among rural Pennsylvania businesses and individuals. The data encompass a 12-month period ending in 2014 and a similar period ending in 2015. [node:read-more:link]

North Carolina environmental regulators are reversing the previous administration’s decision to bring poultry operations under federal regulation.  The state environmental department will protect the agriculture industry from federal overreach by requiring poultry operations to be permitted by the state rather than by federal requirements. [node:read-more:link]

The Humane Society of the United States HSUS has formed its own National Agriculture Advisory Council.

Council members include Kevin Fulton of Nebraska, Chris Petersen of Iowa, Mike Callicrate of Colorado, Pete Eshelman of Indiana, Paul Muegge of Oklahoma, Carrie Balkcom of Colorado, Will Harris of Georgia and Joe Logan of Ohio. The HSUS stated that it advocates reducing or replacing consumption of animal products, and refining diets. [node:read-more:link]

A program to put food grown by Pennsylvania farmers into the charitable food system that was established six years ago — but never funded — will finally get off the ground thanks to first-ever funding through the 2015-16 state budget. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced April 12 the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank as the winning bidder to implement the program, known as the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System. The commonwealth’s final budget makes $1 million available to implement the program statewide. [node:read-more:link]

University of New Hampshire researchers say there are more 100 species of bees buzzing around the state and that some of them have never been documented. The university's Agricultural Experiment Station has completed its first assessment of the state's native bee population. Sandra Rehan, who oversees the UNH Bee Lab, said Monday that New Hampshire has a high "bee species richness" compared to other Northeastern states, such as Maine and Pennsylvania. [node:read-more:link]

A bill pending in the state legislature aims to help dairy farmers meet expected cost increases for implementing new manure regulations.  The bill authorizes an income tax credit for Ohio livestock owners who make eligible investments in equipment and facilities for storing and handling manure as well as its application and transportation. [node:read-more:link]

In addition to a countywide moratorium, a controversy over the removal of trees for a Minnesota solar project has prompted an amendment in the state legislature. [node:read-more:link]

Gov. Sam Brownback signed SB 318 Friday. The bill suspends “all state agency activities, studies, and investigations that are in furtherance of the preparation” of the plans that states are supposed to submit to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency as part of the Clean Power Plan.

The Clean Power Plan is an Obama administration initiative that sets a national goal of reducing carbon emissions by 32 percent of 2005 levels by 2030. Each state is required to submit a plan to the federal government on how to enact this under the policy.

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