POLLUTION: Governors from eight Northeast states will petition the EPA to crack down on pollution blowing into their region from the Midwest. (New York Times)
POLICY: As a red-state Republican who also acknowledges global warming, South Dakota’s top regulator seeks “safe islands” to move forward on energy policy. (Midwest Energy News)
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OIL: A proposed oil pipeline may conflict with plans to mine copper and nickel in northern Minnesota, and landowners in South Dakota are left with a rezoning puzzle as a refinery plan is abandoned. (Minneapolis Star Tribune, Sioux Falls Argus Leader)
NATURAL GAS: Three companies push to convert Bakken oil field operations from diesel to natural gas. (Bismarck Tribune)
FRACKING: Ohio Republicans unveil a new drilling tax proposal. (Toledo Blade)
WILDLIFE: Ohio energy companies fight a proposal to grant endangered status to the northern long-eared bat, a designation that could slow coal, transmission and fracking development. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
HYDROPOWER: Researchers say in some instances carbon emissions from building new hydropower can offset the clean-energy benefits. (ClimateWire)
WIND: Midwest wind energy is increasingly cost-competitive with fossil fuels, and operators of an Illinois wind farm say storm damage is to blame for two blades breaking off a turbine last month. (Breaking Energy, Associated Press)
PIPELINES: Minnesota faces a propane supply problem as a major pipeline plans to shut down. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
SUSTAINABILITY: Solar-powered trash compactors and garbage trucks that run on natural gas may be the next steps in a Michigan town’s plan to reduce the city’s environmental impact. (Battle Creek Enquirer)
ELECTRIC CARS: Tesla installs EV “Superchargers” in Rapid City, South Dakota. (Rapid City Journal)
COMMENTARY: Why letting the wind production tax credit expire will not “level the playing field.” (Grist)