FRACKING: An ambitious project by the Environmental Defense Fund and nine major natural gas companies hopes to resolve the polarizing question of whether the climate benefits of natural gas are negated by methane emissions. (EnergyWire)
SOLAR: A new report predicts 180 solar companies will go out of business by 2015 as falling panel prices continue to shake out the industry. (Forbes)
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POLITICS: A group of Ohio coal miners held a rally last week saying an Obama campaign ad contains “absolute lies” about their participation in a pro-Romney rally in August, saying “we voluntarily and enthusiastically attended the event.” (Steubenville Herald-Star, Human Events)
HOWEVER: Murray Energy CFO Rob Moore acknowledged at the time that managers “communicated to our workforce that the attendance at the Romney event was mandatory,” but also said the company didn’t penalize anyone for not showing up. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
ALSO: Koch Industries says a letter to employees warning of “consequences” if Republicans aren’t elected in November was not intended to push workers to vote for particular candidates. (The Hill)
COAL: A recent report finds the coal industry would be declining even without tougher EPA regulations, and the operators of the coal-fired S.S. Badger want a five-year extension to continue dumping ash into Lake Michigan. (Washington Post, Chicago Tribune)
WIND: Concerns about the production tax credit put a Minnesota wind farm on hold, and Nebraska’s governor will attend a dedication today of a 50-turbine wind project in the central part of the state. (Austin Daily Herald, Lincoln Journal Star)
OIL: An environmental group raises concerns about an Enbridge proposal to pump more oil through a pipeline that crosses the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan. (Great Lakes Echo)
BIOFUELS: Minnesota pulp mills could supply 10 percent of the state’s diesel fuel through a biofuel technology being developed at the University of Minnesota. (Finance & Commerce)
TRANSPORTATION: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood criticize the Michigan legislature for not moving quickly enough on an overhaul of Detroit’s transit system. (Detroit Free Press)
COMMENTARY: What would it mean if we treated climate change like a national security threat? (Grist)