OHIO: A case before the Ohio Supreme Court could leave the state’s ratepayers with no recourse if utilities charge too much for fuel. (Midwest Energy News)
ALSO: Ohio legislative leaders consider a proposal that would “freeze” the state’s renewable and efficiency laws while they are studied further, as renewable projects face “a gauntlet of little roadblocks” at the local level. (Columbus Dispatch)
***SPONSORED LINK: The 2014 Clean Energy Challenge business plan competition on April 3 awards $500,000 in prizes to innovative Midwest clean tech startups! Hear keynote speakers David Crane and Tom Steyer. Use code “MEN_Newsletter” & register today! ***
CLIMATE: “The polar bear is us“: A new report warns of the human impact of climate change; a proposed EPA budget would give states a leading role in enforcing climate rules; and Gina McCarthy tours the U.S. to promote the Obama administration’s climate plan. (Associated Press, Greenwire, New York Times)
FRACKING: While geologists haven’t determined a link between fracking and earthquakes in Ohio, neighbors say they have little doubt. (Columbus Dispatch)
OIL:
• Reports find current methods would be “inadequate” to clean up tar sands crude from the Great Lakes. (Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism)
• Workers contain about 34,000 gallons of crude from a North Dakota pipeline spill. (Bismarck Tribune)
• Repairs begin on a pipeline that spill oil into an Ohio nature preserve. (Columbus Dispatch)
• A worker is killed in an accident at a North Dakota drilling site. (Bismarck Tribune)
• A Michigan university says as much as 200 million barrels of oil in the state could be recovered through CO2 injection. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
• Supporters and critics are evenly divided at pipeline hearings in northern Minnesota. (Duluth News Tribune)
KANSAS: A Senate panel advances a bill to repeal the state’s renewable energy standard. (Wichita Eagle)
SOLAR: The municipal utility in Lincoln, Nebraska announces a new net metering plan. (Lincoln Journal Star)
WIND: A group of 144 members of Congress write a letter urging renewal of the production tax credit. (The Hill)
EFFICIENCY: A Wisconsin developer introduces a new smartphone app to help track energy use, and Kansas officials conduct energy audits on rural grocery stores. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Topeka Capital-Journal)
NUCLEAR: Federal regulators will investigate a small fire at a Michigan nuclear plant, and environmental groups oppose extending a Missouri plant’s operating license. (Toledo Blade, Fulton Sun)
HYDROPOWER: Ohio regulators say a Pennsylvania dam should not qualify as “renewable” under state law. (Platts)
***SPONSORED LINK: Attend “Solar Powering Illinois” on April 8. Sessions on shared solar, IL RPS, solar in municipal aggregation and more. Keynotes include Dr. Elaine Ulrich, U.S. DOE, and Mike Hornitschek, StraightUp Solar. NABCEP credits provided.***
UTILITIES: Wisconsin struggles with regulatory questions around small, private generators. (Daily Reporter)
COMMENTARY: FERC Order 1000 has its day in court. (NRDC Switchboard)