COAL: North Dakota has almost nothing to show for a 15-year program aimed at boosting the state’s lignite industry. (Associated Press)

EFFICIENCY:
• Municipalities in Michigan are gearing up for a fight with DTE Energy over proposed rate changes that would discourage LED streetlights. (Midwest Energy News)
• Michigan business groups are divided over whether the state’s energy efficiency requirements should be continued. (Crain’s Detroit Business)
• A Missouri utility gains the support of an unlikely ally for its efficiency plan. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

***SPONSORED LINK: The Illinois Renewable Energy Conference, July 16 in Normal, Illinois, will feature plenary sessions of interest to all areas of renewable energy, plus specific breakout sessions for wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and energy efficiency.***

OIL AND GAS:
• An industry official says Illinois may be “missing the boat” on fracking. (Carbondale Southern Illinoisan)
• North Dakota’s oil output is up slightly even though rig counts are down. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

PIPELINES:
• A pipeline rupture in Illinois spills thousands of gallons of crude into a creek. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Michigan regulators will consider a proposed pipeline project that has run into sharp opposition from neighboring residents. (MLive)
• The president of Ohio’s oil and gas trade association says Keystone XL opponents “have blood on their hands.” (Columbus Business First)
• An Iowa lawmaker says “we had a very successful year educating the public” despite not winning support for an eminent domain reform bill. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)

SOLAR:
• Critics say proposed Michigan legislation “would have a devastating impact” on the state’s solar industry. (Michigan Radio)
• A Michigan university approves Consumers Energy’s plan for a large-scale solar array. (MLive)
• A Wisconsin co-op is getting “a lot of inquiries” about its community solar project. (Eau Claire Leader-Telegram)
• An Ohio farm tour this week will highlight solar power. (Findlay Courier)

GRID: Work begins on a 20 MW electricity storage facility in Indana. (Network Indiana)

TRANSMISSION: Wisconsin regulators say work can continue on a power line despite concerns about bird habitat. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

POLITICS: A Republican group wants an environmental group’s tax-exempt status revoked because of ads criticizing an Illinois senator for opposing the Clean Power Plan. (The Hill)

***SPONSORED LINK: Energy Transition Lab’s Energy Storage Summit, July 15 in Minneapolis, will bring together industry, academia and public leaders to develop a shared vision for energy storage in Minnesota. Registration is free and open to the public but space is limited.***

TECHNOLOGY: The University of Wisconsin is determined to keep its Energy Institute open despite state budget cuts. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

COMMENTARY:
• Indiana needs energy justice for all. (Midwest Energy News)
• FirstEnergy should support restoring Ohio’s renewable and efficiency standards in exchange for support for older power plants. (Akron Beacon Journal)

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

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