Queensland, Australia breaks ground on $3.5 billion solar farm
The massive 5100-acre solar farm will be built in three 500 MW sections with 500 MWh of battery storage.
States & provinces
New Jersey will now require LGBTQ history to be taught in schools
Governor Phil Murphy signed a measure that would require all public schools to teach LGBTQ history, making New Jersey only the second state in the U.S. to do so, after California in 2017.
Bali to impose ‘tourist tax’ for plastic pollution
Bali is facing a plastic pollution crisis, producing over 3,800 tonnes of waste every day and has now drafted a bylaw on tourist contributions for the environment and cultural preservation. The ‘tourist tax’ will involve a fee of $10 for overseas visitors to the island.
Indian state of Sikkim is launching the largest basic income experiment in history
Sikkim will provide cash payments to each of its 610,000 citizens — the largest basic income experiment in history.
New Jersey to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour
The new plan would raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour on July 1, $11 an hour in 2020, $12 an hour in 2021, $13 in 2022, $14 in 2023 and $15 in 2024.
New York passes trans rights bill, conversion therapy ban
New York State made history today, with both houses of the legislature passing bills to ban discrimination based on gender identity and to prohibit the use of conversion therapy on minors. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to sign both.
New York legislators pass sweeping overhaul of restrictive voting laws
The measures, planned by Democrats who reclaimed control of all levers of state government for the first time in modern memory, would allow voters to cast their ballots early or by mail for the first time in state history.
New York’s Solar For All program will award no-cost community solar to 10,000 low-income residents
In a bid to reduce the energy costs for low income New York households, while also helping to increase access to renewable energy for both renters and homeowners alike, the state is enabling no-cost community solar for up to 10,000 residents.
All new public buses in California have to be electric by 2029
By the year 2029, all new mass transit buses in the whole state will have to be fully electric, according to a new rule adopted unanimously by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Michigan becomes first state in Midwest to allow recreational cannabis
Michigan is now the first Midwestern state to legally allow recreational cannabis. It’s the 10th state to legalize recreational pot.