OHIO: State Sen. William Seitz abruptly cancels a vote on a controversial bill to weaken the state’s renewable energy law, and vows to hold hearings on a different bill that would repeal what he calls the “enviro-socialist mandates” altogether. (Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland Plain Dealer)
CLIMATE: At least two dozen major U.S. corporations, including oil companies and utilities, are preparing for a price on carbon; and polls show Americans across the political spectrum support action on climate change. (New York Times, Forbes)
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EFFICIENCY: An Iowa utility’s efficiency plan contains a new suite of energy-saving options, but critics say regulators have set the target too low for benefits to be fully realized. (Midwest Energy News)
ALSO: Rural co-ops will be able to tap a $250 million USDA loan fund starting next year for energy upgrades. (Des Moines Register)
RENEWABLES: President Obama orders federal agencies to increase their use of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020. (Associated Press)
SOLAR: SolarCity will team with Tesla Motors to produce batteries to back up solar power. (New York Times)
BIOENERGY: A Michigan assembly plant will get more than half its energy from landfill gas as part of a $24 million GM initiative. (MLive)
FRACKING: Ohio Republicans offer an alternative to Gov. John Kasich’s failed drilling tax proposal, and a massive West Virginia ethane processing plant is expected to provide economic benefit to Ohioans. (Columbus Business First, Columbus Dispatch)
OIL: North Dakota’s oil spill website is now live, and Enbridge takes landowners to court to gain access to the Kalamazoo River for continued cleanup of a 2010 pipeline spill. (Fargo Forum, WOOD-TV)
COAL: Ameren’s credit is upgraded after unloading five Illinois coal plants. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
MEDIA: Minnesota Public Radio will broadcast a one-hour segment on climate change this morning.
COMMENTARY: Why the wind-energy threat to birds is overblown. (LiveScience)