ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Minnesota lawmakers are considering bills that would add an $85 to $125 annual fee for electric vehicles due to concern over the loss of tax revenue from gas receipts. (Midwest Energy News)
EMISSIONS: “Once a leader,” Wisconsin is now lagging behind other states in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal plants, even as the cost of renewable energy declines. (Wisconsin State Journal)
***SPONSORED LINK: Stay current on the newest developments in the energy economy by attending the Advancing Renewables in the Midwest Conference this coming April 24th & 25th in Columbia, MO. For registration and details: www.AdvancingRenewables.org.***
SOLAR:
• Minnesota solar advocates are “anxiously watching” to see whether Gov. Dayton signs a bill allowing electric cooperatives to set their own distributed generation fee structures without state oversight. (PV Magazine)
• A 21-acre, 2.3-megawatt solar project is a northeast Nebraska town’s latest effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Sioux City Journal)
• U.S. farmers’ growing interest in developing solar on their property is leading to concerns over how much farmland is being replaced by panels. (Civil Eats)
• An Indiana county designates nearly 30 acres of property as an economic development revitalization zone for an 8.2-megawatt solar project. (Anderson Herald-Bulletin)
FRAC SAND: Pro-frac sand groups file a lawsuit against a Minnesota county that enacted a frac sand mining ban in November. (Winona Daily News)
PIPELINES:
• A federal appeals court rejects two tribes’ request for an emergency order to stop oil from flowing through the Dakota Access pipeline. (Associated Press)
• A judge combines the lawsuits from four Sioux tribes that are looking to block the Dakota Access pipeline on grounds that it threatens cultural sites and the Missouri River. (Associated Press)
TRANSPORTATION: A new coalition is formed to promote adequate alternative-fuel options along the Interstate 94 corridor from eastern Michigan to Montana. (Wisconsin State Journal)
UTILITIES: The new CEO of Wisconsin-based Madison Gas & Electric Co. brings an increased focus on renewable energy and cutting carbon emissions. (Wisconsin State Journal)
COAL:
• St. Louis-based Peabody Energy plans to emerge from bankruptcy next month under a plan that eliminates $5 billion in debt. (St. Louis Business Journal)
• Local officials in Ohio and Kentucky prepare their opposition to Dayton Power & Light’s plan to close two nearby coal plants next year. (Maysville Ledger Independent)
CLEAN POWER PLAN: Grid operators PJM and MISO find lessons in regional collaboration in a recent study about the Clean Power Plan, even though the rules will likely be withdrawn by the Trump administration. (RTO Insider)
OIL AND GAS: South Dakota will seize $130,000 from a failed oil-drilling company while also recognizing that an open borehole left at a site could be polluting groundwater. (Rapid City Journal)
***SPONSORED LINK: The 2nd Grid Modernization Forum, April 3-5 in Chicago, examines key lessons from top utilities including Eversource, Alliant Energy, Con Edison, National Grid, Ameren and many others. Enter MWEN when registering for 20% off.***
GRID: A power agency and a transmission company based in Michigan reach a settlement over the cost of grid upgrades made in recent years, which could save member communities up to $3 million a year. (Hillsdale Daily News)
COMMENTARY:
• Advocates say Minnesota’s clean energy transition is “fostering the creation of high-paying jobs while increasing our energy productivity and competitiveness through cheaper energy bills.” (MinnPost)
• A Forbes columnist says President Trump’s budget proposal to revive licensing activities for permanent nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain seems to “instigate maximum conflict.”