RENEWABLES: A bill in Congress would allow renewable energy producers to take advantage of a tax loophole long enjoyed by the oil and gas industry. Will it make a difference? (Midwest Energy News)

POLITICS: A new poll finds inaction on climate change could become a liability for political leaders. (Discovery News)

*** SPONSORED LINK: Dr. James Hansen will keynote the Sustainability Summit & Exposition, March 6-8, 2013 in Milwaukee. Register today! ***

COAL: The coal industry sees a bright future ahead, with a focus on expanding mining on public lands and exporting coal to Asia: “There’s not one corner of the Congress where we don’t have strong friends.” (Politico)

ALSO: A Saskatchewan utility plans to have a commercial-scale carbon capture project running at one of its coal plants by 2014. (Reuters)

WIND: A Minnesota company will develop a wind farm for an Ohio Honda plant, an Ohio firm develops software that helps automate wind turbine siting, and an opposition group forms to fight an Indiana wind farm. (Columbus Dispatch, Daily Energy Report, Kokomo Tribune)

NATURAL GAS: GOP governors and industry groups push for expanding natural gas exports, and an Ohio utility will spend $1.5 billion updating pipelines in the state. (The Hill, Columbus Business First)

OIL: The South Dakota senate votes to approve a bill blocking North Dakota oil waste from being disposed of in the state. (Mitchell Daily Republic)

TRANSPORTATION: Ford, Daimler and Nissan collaborate on hydrogen vehicles; Indianapolis Power & Light will provide charging stations to support the city’s green car fleet; a study finds most utilities are prepared for electric cars; and high-speed rail backers continue to push for “bringing the cities of the Midwest closer together.” (New York Times, Indianapolis Star, Forbes, KMOX)

NUCLEAR: A federal study finds we’re at least 20 years away from recycling spent nuclear fuel. (Forbes)

EFFICIENCY: The Minneapolis city council approves rules requiring commercial buildings to be issued public ratings on their energy consumption. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

COMMENTARY: Stephen Colbert on climate change: “get used to it.” (Comedy Central)

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy, and has led the project from its inception as Midwest Energy News in 2009. 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 held a variety of editing, production, and leadership roles, and played a key role in the newspaper's transition to digital-first publishing. 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.

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