COAL: Congress dumps legislation that would have exempted the S.S. Badger from pollution rules, and a Clean Air Act lawsuit in Minnesota targets the state’s largest coal plant. (Chicago Tribune, Minneapolis Star Tribune)

NUCLEAR: Seventy years after the birth of atomic energy, nuclear opponents gather in Chicago to shape their message for the modern energy landscape. (Midwest Energy News)

***SPONSORED LINK: Early Bird registration extended until December 7 for the Midwest Energy Solutions Conference, January 16-18, 2013 in Chicago. Use code MWEN25off to receive an additional $25 off early bird rates.***

CHICAGO: Details of a city plan for bulk purchases of electricity show savings for ratepayers will likely be short-lived. (Chicago Tribune)

CLIMATE: Rejection by the U.S. Senate of a disability rights treaty on “sovereignty” grounds doesn’t bode well for the fate of a potential international climate agreement. (Greenwire)

NATURAL GAS: An Energy Department study finds the economic benefits of exporting natural gas would outweigh the cost to U.S. consumers; and Holland, Michigan approves a new $182 million natural gas plant. (New York Times, Grand Rapids Press)

CONGRESS: A North Dakota representative who says it’s “immoral” not to use fossil fuels because God gave them to us is named to the House science and natural resources committees, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers launches a caucus to promote performance-based energy efficiency contracts. (The Hill)

KEYSTONE XL: Hundreds pack a public hearing on the Keystone XL pipeline in Nebraska. (Beatrice Daily Sun)

WIND: A coalition of business and environmental groups in Michigan call for extension of the wind tax credit, and Iowa State University’s regents approve the country’s first Ph.D program in wind energy. (Crain’s Detroit Business, Omaha World-Herald)

FRAC SAND: Police are summoned to a frac sand hearing in Winona, Minnesota as speakers refused to stay on topic. (Winona Daily News)

SOLAR: The Milwaukee Brewing Company plans a 28-panel solar system to preheat water used in the brewery. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

COMMENTARY: Why the Doha climate talks still matter. (Washington Post)

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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