WIND: Local officials in northwest Ohio line up behind a plan that gives more local control in permitting wind projects, which they see as a way around restrictive state rules. (Columbus Dispatch)
UTILITIES: Madison, Wisconsin’s utility announces plans to reach 30 percent renewables by 2030. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
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STORAGE: A former coal plant in Ohio is being upgraded with 2 megawatts of battery storage capability, helping manage the flow of electricity on PJM’s grid. (Bloomberg Business)
COAL:
• Responding to community concerns, We Energies will monitor the air quality at one of its Wisconsin coal plants after expanding storage piles there. (Racine Journal Times)
• Officials from three Michigan counties join others for an event in West Virginia meant to help coal-reliant communities transition to more resilient local economies. (MLive)
RATES: Ohio regulators rule that power suppliers can’t change fixed charges in the middle of contracts, which observers say could lead to more disclosure in the way contracts are advertised. (Columbus Dispatch)
SOLAR: Kansas City Power & Light is planning to build a new solar project large enough to power 440 homes. (Kansas City Business Journal)
DEREGULATION: A watchdog group says shopping for lower natural-gas rates in Chicago’s competitive market is “a gamble you’re far too likely to lose.” (Chicago Tribune)
TRANSPORTATION:
• Minnesota lawmakers debate whether to continue funding light rail as self-driving cars become more common. (CBS Minnesota)
• The U.S. Department of Transportation announces it will install 500 electric-vehicle charging stations at its buildings nationwide. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
KEYSTONE XL: Despite withdrawing its application in Nebraska, developers of Keystone XL say the company is still committed to completing the project. (Associated Press)
OIL AND GAS:
• A new study is one of the most exhaustive looks at the economic development potential in the Utica and Marcellus shales. (Columbus Business First)
• Company officials say an upcoming auction on oil and gas equipment is a good sign of development to come, not an ominous one. (Bismarck Tribune)
• Researchers in North Dakota are developing technology that could detect corrosion in oil pipelines and notify companies when repairs are needed. (Minnesota Public Radio)
CLIMATE:
• St. Louis, Missouri joins a pact among cities that are committed to taking action on climate change. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Researchers say political will at the local level is just as important as technical capabilities when cities adopt adaptation policies. (ClimateWire)
CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• A U.S. House committee passes a similar resolution as the Senate did in attempting to block the new federal emissions rules. (Bismarck Tribune)
• Officials representing the electric co-op industry say the plan does not address concerns that they will be hit harder than other suppliers. (Transmission & Distribution World)
COMMENTARY: Michigan’s U.S. senators propose a series of regulations aimed at limiting the damage of a Great Lakes oil spill. (MLive)