NOTE TO READERS: Midwest Energy News is taking a break for Labor Day. The email digest will return on Tuesday, September 6.
PIPELINES: Enbridge is no longer pursuing its proposed Sandpiper pipeline in Minnesota, saying the project is no longer needed. (Minnesota Public Radio)
ALSO:
• A federal judge refuses to stop work on the Dakota Access pipeline amid challenges from the Three Affiliated Tribes. (Associated Press)
• The Dakota Access project was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers despite objections from multiple federal agencies. (InsideClimate News)
• Iowa’s governor says farmers are getting fair compensation in exchange for eminent domain being used to acquire right-of-way for the project. (KCRG)
• Jane Kleeb, an activist who played a prominent role in the fight against Keystone XL, turns her organization’s attention to Dakota Access. (Bloomberg)
• Despite claims that the Dakota Access pipeline will be “100%” for domestic consumption, regulator filings suggest at least some of the oil may be destined for export. (The Intercept)
• Opponents of an Ohio natural gas pipeline say someone is sending fake letters in support of the project to federal regulators. (Fox 8)
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OIL AND GAS:
• In Ohio, natural gas production is increasing while oil is falling. (Columbus Dispatch)
• A Chicago-area refinery celebrates 90 years in business. (Chicago Tribune)
• Akron’s transit agency opens a compressed natural gas fueling station. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• A dispute over a 2015 Ohio Supreme Court decision on county charters could affect local oversight of drilling operations. (Athens Messenger)
• An oil field waste landfill is under review for having tons of illegal radioactive material at its site in North Dakota. (Bismarck Tribune)
SOLAR:
• A Twin Cities apartment developer is making a major investment in solar power, hoping it will save money and attract new tenants. (Midwest Energy News)
• An Illinois college will install solar panels as part of a $1 billion revolving fund for clean energy investment. (Chicago Tribune)
• A 5 MW solar array goes online in Indiana. (WANE)
ELECTRIC CARS: Tesla Motors cannot bypass dealerships and sell vehicles directly to Missouri customers, according to a recent court ruling. (Associated Press)
NUCLEAR: Chicago-based Exelon Corp. bets big on nuclear energy, which accounts for 64 percent of the company’s energy portfolio. (Power)
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HYDRO: A Nebraska city is pursuing a state grant for a turbine that will be powered by currents from the Missouri River. (Sioux City Journal)
COMMENTARY:
• “There are a few lessons we can learn from the heartland” on large-scale deployment of renewable energy. (Slate)
• Despite a lack of support at the state level, “local governments and the utilities that serve them in Wisconsin are moving in the right direction” on clean energy. (Union of Concerned Scientists)