CLIMATE: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sues major fossil fuel companies, claiming they have deceived consumers for decades about climate change through fraud, trade practices and false statements in advertising. (Star Tribune)
ALSO: Recent heavy rains that caused two Michigan dams to fail signal the need for more renewable energy in the state, climate activists say. (Midland Daily News)
***SPONSORED LINK: Center Out: A Strategy for Climate Success will be hosted by the Great Plains Institute on June 25. Join the conversation about how the Midwest can lead the clean energy transformation. Click here for more and to RSVP.***
EFFICIENCY: Clean energy advocates are optimistic that Kansas City, Missouri, officials will adopt the strongest building codes in the country that includes new energy efficiency standards. (Energy News Network)
NUCLEAR:
• A Canadian nuclear power company formally withdraws its plan for an underground nuclear waste storage facility near Lake Huron. (Detroit Free Press)
• The head of a major nuclear power lobbying group says she is optimistic about the industry’s future, which will likely include more investments in modular reactors. (Toledo Blade)
PIPELINES:
• Michigan’s Democratic congressional delegation joins calls for the temporary shutdown of Line 5 until more details emerge about a damaged anchor support. (Bridge Magazine)
• Northern Minnesota mayors ask the Walz administration to not appeal a ruling from state regulators today if it’s in favor of the Line 3 pipeline replacement and expansion. (Brainerd Dispatch)
UTILITIES: Indiana’s moratorium on utility disconnections expires July 1, leaving uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of residents who are more than two months behind on their bills. (Indianapolis Star)
CARBON CAPTURE: The IRS proposed regulations last month on using federal tax incentives for carbon capture and storage, which may help projects along in states like North Dakota. (New York Times)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Startup EV manufacturer Rivian plans to move most of its engineering and product development staff from metro Detroit to California. (Automotive News, subscription)
• Columbus, Ohio, makes a successful push on electric vehicle adoption after being selected for tens of millions of dollars in federal and foundation funding. (Ars Technica)
• An Indiana school district receives the first all-electric school bus in the state. (School Transportation News)
• Toyota is recalling roughly 750,000 gas-electric hybrid vehicles worldwide because the engines can lose power and stall. (Associated Press)
SOLAR: A northern Wisconsin farm will be able to offset nearly 20% of its power usage with a new solar installation. (WQOW)
WIND: A 200 MW wind project is now operational in eastern Kansas. (North American Windpower)
OIL & GAS: North Dakota oil tax revenue has plunged 81% due to the coronavirus but the overall state budget remains healthy. (Bismarck Tribune)
COMMENTARY: Some Minnesota power cooperatives are taking action to address unnecessary costs for running uneconomic coal plants, analysts say. (Union of Concerned Scientists)