COAL: In an agreement with the EPA, owners of the S.S. Badger will face tougher penalties if they fail to meet a deadline for dumping coal ash into Lake Michigan. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

ALSO: As demand softens in Europe and China, U.S. coal companies cut back their export projections. (New York Times)

***SPONSORED LINK: The Inspiring Efficiency Awards recognize Midwest leaders who deliver groundbreaking advancements in energy efficiency. Apply or provide a nomination today.***

TRANSPORTATION: A research project in Minnesota seeks the best ways to improve fuel efficiency in buses; Ann Arbor, Michigan seeks to add more electric vehicle charging stations amid growing demand; suburban sprawl sees a resurgence, though likely a temporary one; and a conference in North Dakota promotes natural gas vehicles. (Midwest Energy News, Ann Arbor News, New York Times, Bismarck Tribune)

ETHANOL: How Wall Street speculators caused a price spike in renewable fuel credits. (New York Times)

OIL: An expanded Enbridge pipeline will run 14 feet from a Michigan man’s home, a sign of how property owners are increasingly powerless to influence pipeline projects. (InsideClimate News)

WIND: Tribes join the fight against eagle “take” permits, and an Illinois county increases setbacks to 12 times the turbine rotor diameter, or nearly 4,000 feet in some cases. (Greenwire, Champaign/Urbana News Gazette)

GRID: Why storage might make sense for solar power, but not for wind. (Futurity)

OHIO: Further details in an Ohio EPA official’s dismissal reveal the tension between coal companies and state governments over enforcement of EPA regulations. (Columbus Dispatch)

SOLAR: An effort to install 1,000 rooftop solar panels in Ypsilanti, Michigan moves forward; and a Minnesota Wisconsin co-op cuts its solar incentives amid objections from some members. (MLive, Hudson Star-Observer)

CLIMATE: Conservative and business groups step up attacks on the social cost of carbon metric, a House hearing on climate policy will only feature two witnesses, and a group of state attorneys general accuse the EPA of overstepping its authority on emissions. (The Hill)

SMART METERS: Siting privacy concerns, a bill in Wisconsin would prohibit utilities from installing smart meters if customers object. (Wisconsin State Journal)

***SPONSORED LINK: On September 24, join Shayle Kann, vice president of research for Greentech Media, and a panel of experts at the Science Museum of Minnesota for Power Breakfast: Solar means business in Minnesota. Buy your tickets today! ***

EFFICIENCY: A Missouri school district saves $16,000 a year through voluntary energy-saving measures. (Springfield News-Leader)

COMMENTARY: Does coal mean electric cars are bad? Actually, it’s the other way around. (Christian Science Monitor)

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Ken Paulman

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

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