WIND: Is a recent Wisconsin study the smoking gun that proves wind turbine noise causes health problems? It depends on whom you ask, and more importantly, whether that person is qualified to answer the question. (Midwest Energy News)
ALSO: The city and school district in Ann Arbor, Michigan, plan to partner on a $1.4 million wind project to be built on school property. (AnnArbor.com)
*** SPONSORED LINK: Join over 500 private- and public-sector thought leaders from around the nation at the 2013 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference taking place January 16-18 in Chicago. Register today! ***
COAL: In an EPA settlement announced Friday, Wisconsin Public Service Corp. will stop burning coal at two power plants and spend $300 million upgrading others. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
OIL: New State Department leadership and changing attitudes on climate change mean Keystone XL’s future is still up in the air, a study finds high levels of carcinogens in lakes near Canada’s Oil Sands, and a North Dakota tribe erases $110 million in debt in two years thanks to oil and gas revenue. (InsideClimate News, New York Times, Minot Daily News)
SMART METERS: Detroit Edison seeks to have testimony about alleged health impacts from smart meters removed from a state review of its proposed opt-out program. (AnnArbor.com)
POLITICS: Chuck Hagel is expected to be the first Secretary of Defense nominee to face questions about the department’s energy use during confirmation hearings. (Greenwire)
TRANSPORTATION: The Department of Transportation wants electric and hybrid cars to make more noise to ensure safety for pedestrians and cyclists. (The Hill)
COMMENTARY: Why natural gas isn’t a “bridge” to clean energy, and what we learned about energy and climate in 2012. (Grist, Climate Progress)