PIPELINES: Michigan approves adding oil pipeline supports in the Straits of Mackinac, but the state did not grant the pipeline owner’s full request after concerns raised by the public, local tribes and environmental groups. (Detroit Free Press)
ALSO:
• A three-judge federal appeals court panel is set to hear a dispute over whether construction should continue to be halted on the Dakota Access pipeline. (Associated Press)
• A Dakota Access protester is accused of terrorizing a police officer after allegedly charging at the officer while on horseback. (Associated Press)
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RENEWABLES:
• A South Dakota county extends a moratorium on permits for wind and solar projects as officials develop local regulations. (Rapid City Journal)
• While a new Pew Research Center poll finds Americans are still divided on climate change, over 80 percent of respondents support more wind and solar. (New York Times, Grist)
BIOFUELS: The U.S. EPA and Department of Justice reach a $6 million settlement with an Iowa biodiesel company over alleged violations of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. (Farm Futures)
TRANSPORTATION:
• General Motors and the U.S. Army are partnering on the development of a fuel-cell powered off-road vehicle that can also provide electricity when needed in remote areas. (MLive)
• Electric and hybrid vehicles are expected to make up 6 percent of U.S. auto sales by 2025, according to the Energy Information Administration. (Utility Dive)
OIL AND GAS:
• A natural gas line ruptured during construction at a nearby hangar at the airport in Des Moines, Iowa. (WHO-TV)
• A fifth defendant receives three years’ probation for his role in dumping oil-field waste into an Ohio river tributary. (Youngstown Vindicator)
• North Dakota officials order the closure of a facility that recycles oil-contaminated waste into reusable materials after a “history of violations.” (Associated Press)
NUCLEAR: A $250 million maintenance and refueling project will close a reactor at a southwest Michigan nuclear plant for the rest of the year. (St. Joseph Herald-Palladium)
UTILITIES: The chairman and CEO of Great Plains Energy says the biggest challenge with acquiring Westar Energy will be merging the two companies’ cultures. (Kansas City Business Journal)
COMMENTARY: A Detroit advocacy group says the Clean Power Plan will amplify the benefits of transitioning from coal in the city’s low-income neighborhoods. (Detroit News)