OHIO: Cincinnati and Columbus dismiss their civil lawsuit claims against FirstEnergy and Energy Harbor for the companies’ actions related to the power plant bailout law scandal after favorable court rulings and a partial repeal of the law. (Energy News Network / Eye on Ohio)
POLICY: Iowa clean energy advocates are eager to see the impact of a newly elected Des Moines city council member who has pledged more aggressive action on climate and clean energy. (Energy News Network)
PIPELINES:
• The Biden administration asks Great Lakes Indigenous tribes for input on upcoming treaty talks between the U.S. and Canada over the Line 5 pipeline. (E&E News)
• A University of Michigan researcher says building a tunnel for the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac is the type of investment that needs to stop in order to meaningfully address climate change. (Toledo Blade)
FINANCE: County officials in the St. Louis area consider disbanding a residential clean energy loan program after an investigation found it put some low-income residents at risk of losing their homes. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Analysts say the ongoing recall associated with GM’s electric Bolt suggests the automaker’s electric vehicle plans are off to a rough start. (CNN Business)
• The Biden administration releases its $7.5 billion plan to build a nationwide network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations. (E&E News)
• A Michigan lawmaker criticizes recent efforts to create sweeping tax incentives for electric vehicle manufacturers as “another massive tax subsidy for companies that are profitable.” (Metro Times)
• Ohio officials will begin accepting applications for $7 million in grants for publicly available fast-charging electric vehicle stations. (Toledo Blade)
SOLAR: Representatives from Samsung will hold an open house this week to answer questions about its plans for an 800-acre solar project near Dayton, Ohio. (Canton Repository)
OIL & GAS:
• Despite claims by gas pipeline owner Spire, advocates say customers could have been supplied by other pipelines if federal regulators ordered it to shut down its St. Louis-area pipeline this winter. (Grist)
• Ohio ranks sixth among U.S. states for marketed production of natural gas, which has steadily climbed over the past decade. (Cleveland.com)
WIND: A North Dakota city’s plan to expand its legal authority beyond its typical boundaries, known as an Extra Territorial Zone, could affect the development of a planned wind project. (KXNET)
CLEAN TECH: An Illinois clean tech hub focused on advancing clean energy is in the running for $100 million in federal pandemic relief grants. (Chicago Tribune)
CLIMATE: Students, faculty and community members call on University of Wisconsin-La Crosse officials to take more aggressive action on climate change. (WEAU)