CLIMATE: President Obama will announce new climate initiatives today at a UN summit today. (CNN)
ALSO:
• Scientists warn that by 2030, global CO2 will reach a level ensuring a 2 degree temperature rise. (ClimateWire)
• Treasury Secretary Jack Lew says climate change will have broad economic impacts. (The Hill)
• Google drops support for ALEC over the organization’s climate change politics. (The Hill)
• Ikea, Mars and other major corporations pledge to run on 100 percent renewable power by the end of the decade. (International Business Times)
• An international climate summit will be held in Minneapolis in 2015. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
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EFFICIENCY: A unique Minnesota data project gives cities a more detailed picture of their energy use, USDA grants will help rural businesses cut energy use, and green building catches on in Detroit. (Midwest Energy News, Des Moines Register, Model D Media)
ENERGY STORAGE: Three battery storage projects near Chicago with a combined capacity of 60 MW — the largest project of its kind in North America — are expected to go online this spring. (Chicago Tribune)
COAL: Murray Energy’s CEO blames “the insane, regal administration of King Obama” for coal industry struggles, and We Energies plans to spend $62 million expanding coal storage capacity at a power plant near Milwaukee. (Columbus Dispatch, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
SOLAR: Local officials approve a 10 MW solar project near Sioux Falls, and Des Moines plans to cut red tape for solar installers. (Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Des Moines Register)
OIL AND GAS: The GAO says oil and gas production is outpacing infrastructure and regulation, and legal experts say North Dakota’s constitution prevents that state’s residents from getting Alaska-style dividend checks for oil production. (Columbus Business First, Forum News Service)
WIND: Developers of a proposed Missouri wind farm will look for another location to avoid conflicts with nearby wildlife areas. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
GRID: American Electric Power defends its $31/month fee for customers who refuse smart meters. (Columbus Business First)
DIVESTMENT: The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, build on the Standard Oil empire, will divest from fossil fuels; and National Journal looks at the broader impact of divestment strategies. (New York Times, National Journal)
PROPANE: Michigan’s attorney general sues a propane dealer over alleged price-gouging. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY: Why local policymakers need to pay attention to global climate protests. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)