COAL: A Department of Energy environmental analysis finds the FutureGen project in Illinois would not significantly impact surrounding counties, and We Energies submits a plan to convert a Milwaukee coal plant to natural gas. (Springfield State Journal-Register, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
SOLAR: The founders of a new website hope to create a Yelp-like review service, specifically tailored for solar power. (Midwest Energy News)
***SPONSORED LINK: Join RETECH, the 5th Annual Renewable Energy Technology Conference & Exhibition, this September in Washington, DC to address today’s most pressing energy issues. Midwest Energy News readers receive 10% off with VIP code: MEN10 – register today! ***
FRAC SAND: 35 people are arrested at frac sand protests in southeast Minnesota. (Winona Daily News)
PIPELINES: More than a month after the Arkansas oil spill, basic questions about the pipeline rupture remain unanswered. (InsideClimate News)
ALSO: Ohio’s EPA calls slurry spills from pipeline construction “unacceptable,” Enbridge is suspected of causing as much as $1 million in damage to roads and utilities during expansion of a Michigan oil pipeline, and Keystone XL prompts a lobbying bonanza. (Columbus Dispatch, Livingston Daily Press & Argus, Bloomberg)
FRACKING: PolitiFact gives a “Pants on Fire” rating to an industry claim that fracking has created 40,000 jobs in Ohio, and drilling companies use an obscure Ohio statute to force property owners to allow drilling. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Youngstown Vindicator)
MORE COAL: Wisconsin’s DNR confirms coal residue that washed up on a Lake Michigan shoreline last year is not from a nearby power plant, and a byproduct from burning coal could prove useful in reducing algae levels on Lake Erie. (Racine Journal Times, Great Lakes Echo)
EFFICIENCY: GM’s assembly plants in Flint, Michigan are recognized for their energy-saving efforts. (MLive.com)
TRANSPORTATION: A summit in Minneapolis examines solutions for making cycling safer. (Minnesota Public Radio)
COMMENTARY: Why do some conservatives take pride in wasting energy? (Grist)