Midwest Energy News

Record gas flaring in North Dakota as processing plants, pipelines close

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OHIO: An Ohio attorney argues that a bill providing subsidies for two nuclear plants is a tax increase and therefore can’t be overturned by referendum. (WOSU)

OIL & GAS:
• High production and the closure of natural gas pipelines and processing facilities leads to record levels of natural gas flaring in North Dakota. (Bismarck Tribune)
• A North Dakota legislative panel begins studying potential uses for revenue from the state’s oil tax savings account. (Associated Press) 

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Midwest Energy News

Iowa governor blocks state AG from joining power plan lawsuit

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CORRECTION: Alliant Energy is adding wind capacity to replace power from a retiring Iowa nuclear plant. An item in Wednesday’s digest misidentified the plant’s fuel type. POLICY:
• Midwest environmental groups join 22 states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s attempt to overturn the Clean Power Plan. (Wisconsin State Journal)
• Iowa’s Democratic attorney general says Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds blocked him from joining the lawsuit against the Trump administration. (Associated Press)

PIPELINES: Environmental and indigenous groups push Democratic presidential candidates to sign a campaign pledge to stop construction on the Keystone XL pipeline.

Midwest Energy News

Minnesota lawmakers work to build consensus on clean energy

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POLICY: A bipartisan group of Minnesota lawmakers works behind the scenes to craft clean energy policy they hope to pass next year. (Minnesota Public Radio)

CLEAN POWER PLAN: Attorneys general in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota join a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s attempt to replace the Clean Power Plan, saying it hampers future administrations from tackling climate change. (Washington Post)

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WIND:
• Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she will listen to concerns about perceived health risks from wind turbines but that for now she is backing the industry.

Midwest Energy News

Ohio nuclear bailout challengers face setback

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GRID: The looming threat of climate change adds urgency to the debate over improving grid resilience in Detroit, where stakeholders have varying opinions on how to reduce the risk of outages. (Energy News Network)

NUCLEAR: Ohio’s attorney general rejects proposed petition language to challenge a state law that subsidizes two nuclear plants, forcing organizers to gather more signatures. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

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RENEWABLES: After an Indiana county bans large-scale wind projects, local planners consider regulations for commercial solar projects.

Midwest Energy News

Settlement could bring wave of third-party solar in Michigan 

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SOLAR: A proposed settlement between Consumers Energy and solar developers over PURPA rates in Michigan could lead to the development of hundreds of megawatts of power within the next four years. (MiBiz)

ALSO:
• Local officials will hold a public hearing this month on a planned 60 MW solar-plus-storage project in South Dakota. (Aberdeen News)
• A clean energy supplier partners with a Minnesota company to include pollinator habitats at solar projects. (Solar Power World)
• Solar advocates celebrate Kansas regulators’ decision to exempt certain customers from fixed charges. (KSNT)

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