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ILLINOIS: Advocates say Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposal to slash a state efficiency program and move the money to the general fund may be illegal. (Midwest Energy News)

***SPONSORED LINK: Today is the last day to pre-register for the CERTs 2015 Conference: Community-Driven Clean Energy on March 10-11 in St. Cloud. Join hundreds of Minnesotans to help build our clean energy future! ***

OHIO: While Ohio regulators last week rejected one utility’s plan to guarantee income for its power plants – characterized by critics as a “bailout” – the decision left the door open for similar proposals in the future. (Midwest Energy News)

WISCONSIN: Gov. Scott Walker seeks to eliminate funding for a state energy research program. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

COAL: The $1 sale of an Upper Peninsula coal plant could come at a much higher cost for ratepayers, and Illinois officials are expected to announce a decision this week on a proposed coal mine. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Associated Press)

KEYSTONE XL: A pair of injunctions in Nebraska courts halt eminent domain proceedings for the Keystone XL pipeline. (Omaha World-Herald)

OIL AND GAS:
• An Ohio Supreme Court justice decries the role of industry money in state policy-making. (Columbus Dispatch)
• A Wisconsin company says its portable generator can cut down on natural gas flaring in Bakken oil fields. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• The groups that run the FracFocus database pledge to make the site more accurate and easier to use. (EnergyWire)
• An Illinois natural gas pipeline could be converted to carry crude oil. (Carbondale Southern Illinoisan)

EPA: An Ohio coal company claims EPA carbon rules are already harming the industry, as coal groups launch a PR offensive against the plan. (The Hill, Greenwire)

ETHANOL: Small, older plans struggle to compete as ethanol production scales up. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

NUCLEAR: Federal regulators will increase oversight of a Michigan nuclear plant following safety violations. (MLive)

SOLAR: As a proposed solar array at the Ann Arbor airport stalls, nearby Ypsilanti says it has a site ready to go. (MLive)

***SPONSORED LINK: Join Wind on the Wires March 19 for the “Energizing the Future” gala featuring former FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff & former Congressman Bob Inglis. Reduced rates for NGOs.***

TRANSMISSION: Illinois opponents of a wind-energy transmission line say they’ve formed a legal entity to fight the project. (Jacksonville Journal-Courier)

COMMENTARY: Michigan’s efficiency program is working, “don’t screw it up.” (Lansing State Journal)

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Ken Paulman

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. 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 worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. 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. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

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