UTILITIES:
• Efforts by Ohio utilities to guarantee income for affiliated coal and nuclear operations are part of a broader trend, according to a new report. (Midwest Energy News)
• AEP has reportedly reached an agreement to sell one coal and three gas-fired power plants in Ohio and Indiana for $2.1 billion. (Columbus Dispatch)

SOLAR: Michigan’s net metering program grew 20 percent in 2015, though officials and advocates say its growth may have been tempered by uncertainty created by the state legislature. (Midwest Energy News)

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EFFICIENCY: Nebraska is set to make a push for energy efficiency by benchmarking energy usage in nearly 4,000 state-owned buildings. (Midwest Energy News)

WIND: A company withdraws a permit application for a 100-turbine wind project in South Dakota. (Rapid City Journal)

OVERSIGHT: A large number of Midwest utility regulators are also former legislators, raising questions about whether politics enters the process. (EnergyWire)

BIOFUELS:
• Seven Midwest governors sign a letter to the U.S. EPA requesting new standards that would allow stations to sell more gasoline blended with higher percentages of ethanol. (Associated Press)
• A biodiesel production facility begins operating in Nebraska nearly a decade after construction first began on the site. (Associated Press)

PIPELINES:
• The Dakota Access pipeline developer reaffirms its commitment to finish the project, saying 60 percent of construction is already completed. (Forum News Service)
• The private security firm hired to manage protests with the Dakota Access pipeline has come under fire for human rights abuses when protecting oil and gas interests in other countries. (DeSmog blog)
• Minnesotans march in opposition to the Dakota Access pipeline. (WCCO)

COAL: As part of its bankruptcy plan, Arch Coal will end a self-bonding scheme and set aside collateral to cover future mine cleanup costs. (Reuters)

CLIMATE: North Dakota ranchers adapt to a warming climate as the topic of climate science remains taboo for conversation. (ClimateWire)

OIL AND GAS: North Dakota lawmakers postpone work on a series of “sweeping regulations” for oil and saltwater gathering pipelines. (Forum News Service)

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FRACKING: A coalition in Ohio fights back against a proposed ballot initiative seeking a local ban on fracking. (Youngstown Vindicator)

COMMENTARY: The Obama administration’s approach to the coal industry “sure sounds like a war.” (Fort Wayne News-Sentinel)