OIL: Submerged oil remains a threat in the Kalamazoo River three years after a major pipeline spill, and a Michigan brewery sues Enbridge over dredging plans. (InsideClimate News, MLive.com)

EFFICIENCY: How a growing demand response industry helped keep the lights on in the PJM Interconnection during a recent East Coast heat wave, and Republicans attack industry-approved efficiency standards for ceiling fans. (Greenwire, Greentech Media)

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COAL: Dynegy seeks a pollution waiver for five Illinois coal plants it recently purchased from Ameren, and a Michigan utility disputes an environmental group’s report that its coal plants are harming waterways. (St. Louis Business Journal, MLive.com)

ALSO: Why Germany is still building coal plants amid its renewable energy revolution. (InsideClimate News)

WIND: Xcel Energy ends its purchase agreement with a controversial proposed wind farm in Minnesota, state regulators may pull the project’s permit later this month. (Minnesota Public Radio)

NATURAL GAS: A blowout and fire on a natural gas rig in the Gulf of Mexico has renewed calls for restrictions on offshore drilling. (Associated Press, The Hill)

POLITICS: Congressional letters of support for Keystone XL contain language from industry lobbyists, an increasingly common practice; and a new poll finds three-fourths of young voters consider some Republicans’ rejection of climate science “ignorant, out of touch or crazy.” (Bloomberg, The Guardian)

ELECTRIC CARS: Competing charging standards, reminiscent of the VHS vs. Betamax fight, place electric car investments at risk; and a Michigan car show highlights 125 years of electric vehicles. (ClimateWire, Detroit Free Press)

SOLAR: The Missouri solar industry says a fraudulent installer may have caused a premature cutoff in the state’s rebate program. (Greentech Media)

MINNEAPOLIS: Xcel Energy says it is working more aggressively than the city of Minneapolis to address climate change, and setting up a municipal utility wouldn’t be in the city’s best interest. (Minnesota Public Radio)

ETHANOL: Subpar growing conditions along with increased production at ethanol plants mean Iowa will have to import corn this year to meet demand. (Des Moines Register)

COMMENTARY: A Wisconsin bill to restrict stray voltage lawsuits would place an additional burden on farmers. (LaCrosse Tribune)

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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