OHIO: State Sen. Bill Seitz, an ALEC board member, says “it is a little ridiculous” to suggest ALEC is influencing efforts to repeal the state’s renewable energy standard. (Columbus Dispatch)
ALSO: An Ohio ballot measure calling for a $13 billion clean energy fund controlled by an out-of-state board is rejected due to lack of valid signatures, and manufacturers see fuel cells as a catalyst to economic growth in the state. (Columbus Dispatch, Midwest Energy News)
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EPA: The EPA releases new rules requiring power plants that withdraw cooling water to minimize impact on aquatic life, and a new report says Wisconsin is well-positioned to comply with new EPA pollution rules. (Associated Press, Wisconsin State Journal)
BAKKEN: A new natural gas processing plant is expected to significantly reduce flaring in North Dakota’s oil patch. (Forum News Service)
SOLAR: A 400-acre brownfield site in East St. Louis is being cleared for a planned 20 MW solar project, but a bill to authorize the project is languishing in the Illinois legislature. (Belleville News Democrat)
NUCLEAR: Michigan lawmakers introduce resolutions opposing a proposed Canadian nuclear waste storage facility on Lake Huron. (Detroit Free Press)
TRANSPORTATION: Indianapolis begins unveiling its new all-electric car sharing service, a Wisconsin board rejects a train manufacturer’s claim for damages over the state’s rejection of high-speed rail, and small aircraft remain the last major source of lead pollution in the U.S. (Indianapolis Star, Associated Press, Chicago Tribune)
WIND: A South Dakota plane crash involving a wind turbine last month was a rare incident — only the second one on record, according to federal data. (Associated Press)
ETHANOL: The corn ethanol industry is seeing record profits as the EPA considers lowering the renewable fuel standard. (Associated Press)
UTILITIES: A Kansas utility considers allowing smart-meter customers to prepay for electricity, and Ohio regulators want FERC to audit utilities’ abilities to prevent weather-related outages. (Wichita Eagle, Columbus Business First)
TRANSMISSION: Illinois landowners file a lawsuit objecting to the proposed route of an Ameren transmission line. (Alton Telegraph)
COMMENTARY: If energy efficiency “is good enough for the U.S. military, Ohio lawmakers ought to explain why it’s not good enough for the rest of us.” (Cincinnati Enquirer)