COAL: As Indiana regulators consider whether to approve a proposed settlement clearing the way for Duke Energy’s nearly-complete 618 MW coal gasification plant in Edwardsport to move forward, opponents of the project continue to push back. (Midwest Energy News)
ALSO: A provision inserted into a Coast Guard authorization bill would allow the S.S. Badger to dump coal ash into Lake Michigan indefinitely, and activists say an Illinois coal company’s past pollution violations should prevent permits for a new mine. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Peoria Journal Star)
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CLIMATE: A report finds most nations’ plans to reduce emissions are inadequate, Senate Democrats say climate change deniers “are just plain dead wrong” in a hearing on the impacts of Hurricane Sandy, and Republican lawmakers seek a resolution declaring a carbon tax to be economically harmful. (Reuters, Politico, The Hill)
POLITICS: North Dakota Rep. Kevin Cramer says “it would be immoral” to leave coal and oil in the ground, because “God put it there for us.” (E&E Daily)
FLASHBACK: The fossil-fuels-as-divine-gift argument also came up in a Minnesota House debate on state renewable energy laws last year. (Midwest Energy News)
KEYSTONE XL: Environmentalists are calling on potential Secretary of State contender Susan Hill to dump her oil sands stock if she’s nominated. (The Hill)
NATURAL GAS: Wisconsin regulators temporarily deny a utility’s request to enter the compressed natural gas fueling market. (LaCrosse Tribune)
OIL: Enbridge officials say they’re experiencing unprecedented opposition as they seek to expand the Line 6B pipeline in Michigan. (Lansing State Journal)
TECHNOLOGY: Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois is selected by the Department of Energy to be a central hub in advanced battery development. (Chicago Tribune)
COMMENTARY: Why our cognitive biases leave us poorly equipped to manage the risks from climate change. (Climate Progress)