OHIO:
• Environmental groups are divided over a proposed settlement agreement for American Electric Power’s income guarantees for power plants. (Midwest Energy News)
• A prominent state lawmaker says AEP’s proposal to install 900 megawatts of wind and solar as part of its income guarantee request is “a direct thumbing of the nose to a legislative decision” to freeze renewable standards in the state. (Columbus Dispatch)
Carolers protest outside of FirstEnergy’s headquarters in Ohio against its proposed “bailout” plan. (Akron Beacon Journal)

RENEWABLE TAX CREDITS:
• The House minority leader says she may not have enough votes for more than a two-year extension of tax credits for solar and wind energy. (Greentech Media)
Extending federal tax credits will have greater impact on some renewable sectors than on others. (New York Times)

***SPONSORED LINK: Rocky Mountain Institute’s e-Lab Accelerator is calling on America’s most innovative teams at the forefront of the electricity transformation looking to take projects to the next level. See if your project is eligible for this invitation-only event April 24—27. ***

EFFICIENCY: A Minnesota entrepreneur lobbies the White House to focus more attention on energy efficiency as a key tactic in meeting emissions goals. (Midwest Energy News)

OIL AND GAS:
• A North Dakota lawsuit could open the doors for mineral rights owners to sue companies over flared natural gas. (Bismarck Tribune)
A plan to repeal the crude oil export ban has been in the works among some lawmakers for over a year. (E&E Daily)

COAL:
• Despite protests, an Illinois Wisconsin plant will continue burning coal indefinitely. (Chicago Tribune)
• An Ohio company receives federal funding for a coal demonstration plant that would produce fewer emissions. (Akron Beacon Journal)

CLEAN POWER PLAN: EPA opponents believe a federal court ruling on mercury emissions will bolster their case against the Clean Power Plan. (Greenwire)

SOLAR:
• Two neighboring landowners speak out against a planned 20 megawatt installation in Michigan. (Lansing State Journal)
• Experts say there is still plenty of room for the industry to grow by making technology more efficient and cheaper. (ClimateWire)

PIPELINES: Minnesota regulators resume the permitting process for the Sandpiper project, but also order an environmental review. (Forum News Service)

NUCLEAR: Officials are still unclear why a nuclear reactor in Minnesota automatically shut down. (Associated Press)

EMISSIONS: A Minnesota power plant completes an upgrade that will reduce mercury emissions by 90 percent. (Hometown Focus)

BATTERIES: A major energy storage company plans to buy 1 gigawatt’s worth of batteries to supply customers for grid storage. (Fortune)

***SPONSORED LINK: The Grid Modernization Forum, January 19-20 in Chicago, is a focused industry conference examining the integration of renewables, energy storage, microgrids, engaging the customer, and key regulatory issues.  Enter “ME-News” when registering for 10% off.  ***

ETHANOL: A rail company says there have been no adverse environmental impacts following an ethanol train derailment in Wisconsin. (Associated Press)

COMMENTARY:
• 2015 was a “banner year for prudent, forward-thinking utility commissioners” who largely rejected fixed fee increases. (NRDC Switchboard)
Ohio has the manufacturing base to be a leader in wind energy production. (Huffington Post)

Andy compiles the Midwest Energy News digest and was a journalism fellow for Midwest Energy News from 2014-2020. He is managing editor of MiBiz in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was formerly a reporter and editor at City Pulse, Lansing’s alternative newsweekly.

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