COAL: The U.S. EPA proposes to deny requests by three coal plants in Indiana, Ohio and Iowa to continue dumping coal ash in unlined surface impoundments, which could lead to the plants’ early retirement. (Utility Dive)
ALSO:
• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says he opposes ongoing state subsidies for coal plants in Ohio and Indiana and pledges to no longer accept political contributions from FirstEnergy. (Cleveland.com)
• A municipal utility along the western Michigan lakeshore is at odds with a state agency over the remediation of coal ash storage sites at a recently demolished coal plant. (Grand Haven Tribune)
PIPELINES:
• Enbridge has paid more than $4.8 million to cover policing and public safety costs related to Line 3 construction in Minnesota while county courts are clogged with hundreds of cases involving protesters. (Star Tribune)
• An Illinois appeals court vacates state regulators’ approval to expand the Dakota Access pipeline’s capacity, requiring additional consideration. (Reuters)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Illinois lawmakers advance a bill that would require new and renovated residential or commercial buildings to set aside parking spaces that would accommodate electric vehicle charging. (Kankakee Daily Journal)
• Members of a U.S. House panel raise doubts about electric vehicle reliability in rural areas despite automakers’ pledges to make more powerful batteries and help expand charging infrastructure. (E&E News)
SOLAR:
• Solar is poised for significant growth in the Upper Midwest, where the sector until now has lagged behind other states. (Grand Forks Herald)
• Indiana lawmakers pursue bills to expand solar access, including requiring community solar projects from utilities and barring “unreasonable limitations” from homeowners associations. (Indiana Public Media)
• Local officials hold a meeting to receive public input on a proposed 400 MW solar project in central Ohio, which township trustees have already indicated they oppose. (Circleville Herald)
• An Iowa agricultural products producer plans to restore 34 acres of native prairie habitat and install a 1.5 MW solar project. (KIMT)
• Local officials in southwestern Ohio consider installing solar panels on multiple city properties that would earn a return on investment over the life of the projects. (Journal-News)
WIND:
• Wind energy opponents in Michigan increasingly claim that low-frequency “infrasound” harms human health despite no scientific evidence to back up the claims. (Checks and Balances Project)
• Xcel Energy brings online 300 MW of new wind capacity in northeastern South Dakota. (KELO)
RENEWABLES: Local officials in Ohio want to further examine their options and development potential for utility-scale wind and solar projects after a state law took effect last year giving residents more options to limit projects. (Akron.com)
EFFICIENCY: The University of Michigan announces a series of energy conservation measures across multiple campuses that are meant to help the school reach its carbon neutrality goal. (Michigan Daily)