OIL AND GAS:
• The leaking storage well in California is now the state’s largest single contributor to climate change. (The Guardian)
• While strongly opposing President Obama’s energy policies, the oil and gas industry has thrived during his presidency. (Bloomberg Business)
• A diverse group of advocates builds opposition to what would be the largest natural gas plant in New England. (Providence Journal)
• Some lawmakers are concerned federal regulators are suspending too many oil and gas leases on federal lands. (The Hill)
• An industry executive says lifting the crude-oil export ban is already working to keep prices low. (Associated Press)

CLIMATE: A new survey shows 70 percent of Americans believe climate change is happening. (The Hill)

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CARBON: Regions across North America are trying various techniques for keeping carbon emissions from energy production out of the atmosphere. (National Public Radio)

WIND: A $200 million investment in a New York-based startup is a vote of confidence in the nascent small-scale wind industry. (Reuters)

PIPELINES:
• Opposition groups are dealt a setback in their attempt to block a proposed natural gas pipeline connecting Texas and Mexico. (Texas Tribune)
• South Dakota regulators again approve a permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline through the state as the developer maintains the project could be revived under a new president. (Associated Press)

SOLAR:
• A group-buying program meant to reduce the cost of installing solar for businesses and homeowners is spreading across the Midwest. (Midwest Energy News)
• The solar-plus-storage industry needs improved inverter technology in order to grow in the coming years. (Greentech Media) 

NUCLEAR:
• Nuclear plants along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers are not expected to be negatively impacted by recent extreme flooding. (Reuters)
• Advocates say they have unearthed new information showing that a Michigan nuclear plant needs extensive upgrades to be able to operate safely. (SNL)

HYDRO: Federal regulators reject plans for a 1,000 megawatt pumped storage facility in Kentucky. (Utility Dive)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A new manufacturer unveils its first product — a concept car that looks built for a racetrack — though questions remain about the product as well as the company. (Greentech Media)

POLITICS: Energy policy is shaping up to be a major issue on the campaign trail this year, particularly in Pennsylvania. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

VOLKSWAGEN SCANDAL: The Obama administration files a federal lawsuit in Detroit accusing the German automaker of violating pollution laws by using emissions-cheating software in its engines. (Washington Post)

COAL:
• Peabody Energy agrees to pay $75 million into a health care fund for coal-mining retirees affected by a recent bankruptcy proceeding, though many see it as a temporary fix. (St. Louis Business Journal)
• Murray Energy CEO Robert Murray continues his fight against the federal government as the “last of the old-time coal barons.” (Bloomberg)

EFFICIENCY: Commonwealth Edison partners with a St. Louis-based startup on a pilot program that helps customers more easily monitor their energy use. (Utility Dive)