PIPELINES: A federal appeals court upholds an order calling for a full environmental review of the Dakota Access pipeline but declines to shut the project down while the review is completed. (Associated Press)

ALSO:
• President Biden could move quickly to halt Dakota Access pipeline operations after the court refused to revive a key pipeline easement. (Bloomberg Law)
• The development of major interstate natural gas pipelines may start to wind down as the market turns toward clean energy and the Biden administration pursues climate policies, analysts say. (S&P Global)

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SOLAR:
• A Minnesota oil refinery is reviewing bids from developers to build a 30 MW onsite solar project to help reduce its electricity costs. (Star Tribune)
• The city of Muncie, Indiana, reaches an agreement to develop a solar project at the site of a former General Motors plant. (Muncie Star Press)
• An anti-solar group holds a second public meeting over its opposition to a planned 300 MW solar project in northwestern Ohio. (LimaOhio.com)

UTILITIES:
• Some major utilities, including Xcel Energy and FirstEnergy, push back on a recent Sierra Club report criticizing power companies’ emission targets while maintaining coal and building new natural gas plants. (Utility Dive)
• Cleveland officials review fliers distributed in 2018 by an advocacy group that sought to erode trust in Cleveland Public Power. (Cleveland.com)

POLICY: A U.S. Senate panel meets today to consider President Biden’s nomination of former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm as energy secretary. (Detroit News)

BIOFUELS:
• The head of an Iowa biofuels group says industry supporters “must be ready to fight (electric vehicle) mandates in 2021.” (Radio Iowa)
• Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says all new gasoline and diesel fuel pumps in the state should offer ethanol and biofuel blends. (Radio Iowa)

CLIMATE: Michigan conservation groups welcome climate action efforts by the Biden administration, including targeting investments in clean energy and job training. (WXPR)

RENEWABLES: Some nearby residents raise concerns as local officials consider a planned wind and solar project in northern Iowa. (KIMT)

EFFICIENCY: A Chicago startup is developing more energy efficient LED lighting to improve electronic device screens that also benefits users’ eyesight. (Centered)

COMMENTARY:
• If confirmed as U.S. energy secretary, Jennifer Granholm faces a “daunting, pivotal task” of achieving bold climate action while addressing a significant backlog of work, clean energy advocates say. (Natural Resources Defense Council)
• The mayor of Dayton, Ohio, says leading Republican lawmakers have been “bought off by the rich energy companies who fund their campaigns” and are looking out for themselves “at the expense of everyday Ohioans.” (Cleveland.com)

Andy compiles the Midwest Energy News digest and was a journalism fellow for Midwest Energy News from 2014-2020. He is managing editor of MiBiz in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was formerly a reporter and editor at City Pulse, Lansing’s alternative newsweekly.