CLEAN POWER PLAN: All but one state — Oklahoma — are preparing to comply with the Clean Power Plan, even as some sue to block it. (InsideClimate News)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Minnesota’s largest co-op will let electric vehicle owners charge up with wind power at no additional cost. (Midwest Energy News)
***SPONSORED LINK: Learn about the latest in renewable energy and sustainability in Central Wisconsin at The Energy Fair, June 19-21. Features include keynote speaker Jon Wellinghoff, workshops, exhibitors, entertainment, and more.***
SUSTAINABILITY:
• As Rochester, Minnesota seeks to dramatically transform its downtown, advocates say the city’s reliance on fossil fuels could be a liability. (Midwest Energy News)
• Ohio University seeks a consultant to help it reach its 20 percent renewable energy goal. (Athens News)
TRANSMISSION: Wisconsin regulators reject a request for a new hearing on a recently approved transmission line. (Wisconsin State Journal)
WIND: Ohio’s restrictions on wind energy are making it more difficult to attract large data centers. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
PIPELINES: Minnesota regulators hear arguments from protesters and state agencies raising concerns about the route of a proposed pipeline, a decision is expected Friday. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
OIL AND GAS:
• A new project maps natural gas leaks throughout Chicago. (Chicago Tribune)
• North Dakota officials increase well inspections, and shut some sites down, ahead of anticipated flooding this weekend. (Associated Press)
• A study correlates proximity to fracking sites with lower birth weights. (Columbus Dispatch)
ETHANOL: Why both the oil and ethanol industries are upset over the EPA’s handling of renewable fuel targets. (Greenwire)
COAL: A coal miners union plans to sue the EPA over pollution rules. (The Hill)
EFFICIENCY: LED bulbs are increasingly competitive with compact fluorescents on price. (New York Times)
WASTE-TO-ENERGY: Officials consider a trash-to-energy plant in the same Wisconsin county where a similar project by the Oneida tribe is under dispute. (Green Bay Press-Gazette)
***SPONSORED LINK: The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association presents its annual Michigan Renewable Energy Fair June 26-27. Features include an electric vehicle showcase, workshops, renewable energy demonstrations, kids’ activities, and much more! ***
UTILITIES: Local officials push back against the Lansing mayor’s proposal to privatize the city’s utility. (Lansing City Pulse)
COMMENTARY: Many states that are trying to block the Clean Power Plan are already on track to comply. (Union of Concerned Scientists)