POLITICS: Republican candidates are backing down on “war on coal” rhetoric, finding it doesn’t resonate with younger voters. (The Hill)
CLIMATE:
• U.S. forests’ declining ability to store carbon could mean more aggressive targets are needed. (Washington Post)
• An industry group says natural gas deserves more credit for cutting emissions. (The Hill)
• Facing a vexing chemistry problem, researchers try to find more industrial applications for carbon dioxide. (Chemical & Engineering News)
• Science museums are cutting ties with fossil fuel industries. (InsideClimate News)
CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• At least two coal-burning utilities see potential profit in complying with carbon rules. (Bloomberg)
• EPA representatives hear feedback on the plan at a hearing in Denver. (Denver Post)
• The CEO of We Energies’ parent company in Wisconsin says the federal rules would cost the company $2.2 billion over the next five years. (Milwaukee Business Journal)
SOLAR: Massachusetts lawmakers propose a slight increase in the state’s net metering cap, which advocates say doesn’t go far enough. (Boston Globe)
WIND: MidAmerican Energy announces it has started construction in Iowa on the country’s tallest wind tower, which will also be made of concrete instead of steel. (Midwest Energy News)
COAL:
• Mining companies are backing away from federal leases in the Powder River Basin. (Billings Gazette)
• Surprising many legal experts, attorneys for ex-coal CEO Don Blankenship rested their case without calling any witnesses. (New York Times)
OIL AND GAS:
• Proposed drilling rules in Colorado draw a wide range of criticism even though they would affect only about 1 percent of wells. (Denver Business Journal, Associated Press)
• Urban oil wells in Los Angeles pose a public health risk. (Grist)
• For the first time in a decade, the Bakken oil patch in North Dakota posts a year-to-year decline in production. (Bloomberg News)
PETCOKE: Five protesters are arrested after locking themselves down and blocking entry to a petcoke storage facility on Chicago’s Southeast Side. (Midwest Energy News)
HYDRO: How New York’s net-metering law could make small hydropower economically viable. (Grist)
NUCLEAR: Residents of a New York town worry about the economic impact of a nearby nuclear plant closing. (New York Times)
TECHNOLOGY: The story of Tesla’s Gigafactory and its role in advancing battery technology. (EnergyWire)
COMMENTARY:
• What impact will the expiration of federal tax credit really have on the solar industry? (Wall Street Journal)
• A conservative solution to climate change. (The Atlantic)