KANSAS: State lawmakers reject another attempt to repeal the state’s renewable energy standard. (Wichita Eagle)

OHIO: Gov. John Kasich is at odds with legislative leaders over a bill to freeze the state’s energy standards, and has reportedly threatened a veto. (Columbus Dispatch)

***SPONSORED LINK: Register for the Midwest Solar Expo today! Join the solar industry in advancing the Midwest solar market on May 16 at the Hilton Minneapolis. Network with strategic players and learn about solar opportunities in your area.***

EFFICIENCY: Small towns and counties compete for a $5 million energy efficiency prize, start-ups develop new lighting technologies, and Chrysler cuts energy use 22 percent at a Michigan facility. (Midwest Energy News, New York Times)

ELECTRIC CARS: After three years, Chicago’s network of EV charging stations is in “shambles”; a Kansas City EV manufacturer suspends production; and electric cars come to a Sioux City suburb. (Chicago Tribune, Kansas City Star, Sioux City Journal)

OIL: A crude-oil train that caught fire in Virginia was using new “safer” tanker cars, North Dakota officials may allow increased use of oilfield wastewater to control dust on roads, and a leak leads to increased scrutiny of tar sands production in Canada. (Sightline Daily, Associated Press, New York Times)

FRACKING: Despite warnings the U.S. shale boom will be short-lived, industry insiders see no end in sight; and a study finds wastewater injection wells could cause earthquakes more than 30 miles away. (Forbes, Columbus Business First)

CLIMATE: The National Climate Assessment, to be released tomorrow, warns that climate change is a present danger rather than a distant threat; and President Obama sees climate action as a key part of his legacy: “This is personal for him.” (The Guardian, Washington Post)

HYDRO: A new Department of Energy report says the U.S. could double its hydropower capacity. (Climate Central)

COAL: North Dakota officials warn Minnesota’s plan to reassess the external costs of coal energy could lead to a “breach” of earlier agreements. (Prairie Public News)

WIND: A new Nebraska transmission line is intended to help expand the state’s wind energy resources, and a proposed wind farm raises wildlife concerns in Missouri. (Omaha World-Herald, Kansas City Star)

SOLAR: A panel led by Michigan regulators is expected to call for more solar power in the state, and an investor sues an Ohio solar company. (Crain’s Detroit Business, Toledo Blade)

UTILITIES: Clean energy advocates follow DTE Energy shareholders to a private meeting at a Pennsylvania resort. (Crain’s Detroit Business)

***SPONSORED LINK: Register today ($15/individual) for the 15th Anniversary Conference of Wisconsin Interfaith Power & Light “Climate Stewardship: Sustainability, Eco-Justice and Well-Being” on May 18 in Milwaukee. Keynote, workshops, exhibits and more. Be a sponsor, $100-$1,000.***

WASTE-TO-ENERGY: Iowa City decides to hold off on a proposal to convert municipal waste to biofuel. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)

COMMENTARY: What the lessons of Chernobyl mean for nuclear power today. (New York Times)

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.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.