FRACKING: The oil and gas industry pulls its support from proposed Illinois fracking regulations, and four companies will lead the way in enforcing voluntary drilling standards drafted by industry and environmental groups. (Chicago Tribune, EnergyWire)

FRAC SAND: A new documentary about frac sand mining debuts in Minnesota tonight, as bills to study the impacts of the industry advance in the state legislature. (Midwest Energy News, Minnesota Public Radio)

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KEYSTONE XL: A comparison of documents shows the State Department tried to conceal the fact that the contractor it hired for an assessment of the Keystone XL pipeline had ties to TransCanada. (Mother Jones)

OIL: Enbridge says cleanup costs for the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill may exceed $1 billion, surpassing the limits of its insurance; North Dakota lawmakers reject a measure to lower tax rates for the oil industry; and North Dakota’s governor owns stock in a company that wants to drill near Theodore Roosevelt National Park. (Toronto Globe and Mail, Associated Press, Bismarck Tribune)

SMART GRID: Illinois lawmakers approve a bill to allow rate increases for updating the state’s electrical grid; the governor is expected to veto it. (Chicago Tribune)

WIND: A rush of activity in the wind industry following extension of the production tax credit isn’t expected to last. (New York Times)

POLITICS: Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt wants to put lawmakers on the record as to whether they support a carbon tax. (The Hill)

SOLAR: Wisconsin officials push for solar panels on government buildings, and a decision on a solar project over a Michigan landfill is expected later this month. (Wisconsin State Journal, AnnArbor.com)

TRANSPORTATION: Truckers are reluctant to invest in high-priced natural gas vehicles, Tea Party activists fight transit expansion in Indianapolis, and Illinois takes the lead in purchasing high-speed locomotives. (Reuters, Indianapolis Star, Chicago Tribune)

ECONOMY: A new report warns of a looming labor shortage in the mining and energy sectors. (Associated Press)

EFFICIENCY: A study finds owners of energy-efficient homes are less likely to default on their mortgages. (GreenTech Media)

COMMENTARY: The hard math on carbon emissions, and debunking the perennial “14,000 abandoned wind turbines” myth. (New York Times, Power of Wind)