WIND: A new partnership looks to develop community wind projects in Minnesota, an investment option modeled off community solar. (Midwest Energy News)
OIL AND GAS:
• Ohio officials fine Energy Transfer Partners — the same company building the Dakota Access pipeline — $430,000 for 18 air and water pollution violations related to its Rover gas pipeline project. (Columbus Dispatch)
• The director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency says the company’s response to concerns about the spills has been “dismissive” and “exceptionally disappointing.” (Washington Post)
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SOLAR:
• Michigan researchers say the U.S. military can lead in installing solar-powered microgrid systems to prevent cyberattacks. (Phys.org)
• The bankruptcy of solar manufacturer Suniva is causing uncertainty among companies that fear trade decisions by the Trump administration could slow the industry. (E&E News)
• Another Minnesota town moves forward with a community solar project. (St. Peter Herald)
• A town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula considers plans for a utility-scale solar project. (Escanaba Daily Press)
NUCLEAR:
• Michigan utility regulators are still examining whether Consumers Energy customers would save money through an agreement with Entergy to prematurely close a nuclear plant there. (MLive)
• Exelon is optimistic that courts will uphold state programs that provide zero-emission credits benefiting its nuclear power plants. (RTO Insider)
PIPELINES: The developer of the Keystone XL pipeline says rerouting the project through Nebraska and rebuilding shipper support are still major hurdles to overcome before the project becomes a reality. (SNL)
COAL: Duke Energy unveils plans for disposing nine million tons of coal ash from a former Indiana coal plant. (Indiana Public Media)
CLIMATE:
• The city of Chicago posts on its website the deleted U.S. EPA pages about climate change. (Politico)
• A Michigan State University researcher is among those dismissed by the U.S. EPA from a scientific review board that has weighed in on climate and pollution issues. (New York Times)
EMISSIONS: A Michigan congresswoman says President Trump’s proposed budget would close a laboratory in Ann Arbor that tests vehicle emissions and researches fuel-efficient technologies. (Associated Press)
BIOFUEL:
• The new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture tells a crowd in Iowa “you have nothing to worry about” when it comes to the Trump administration’s support for the ethanol industry. (Waterloo Courier)
• A new automated biodiesel pumping station in western South Dakota makes it easier for trucks to distribute it to sites elsewhere. (Newscenter 1)