POLICY: An Oregon bill establishing a 50 percent renewable standard passes its final vote in the legislature and goes to Gov. Kate Brown, who has indicated support for the measure. (Portland Herald)

AUBREY McCLENDON:
• A day after being indicted on federal charges, former Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon dies in a one-car crash in Oklahoma City. (Politico)
• McClendon is remembered for his contribution to America’s “stunning energy renaissance.” (Texas Tribune)

GRID: A study finds the U.S. energy storage market more than doubled last year. (Greentech Media)

EPA: The White House says a Supreme Court delay of EPA mercury rules “would harm the public interest.” (The Hill)

CLEAN POWER PLAN: Virginia’s governor vetoes a bill that would have given lawmakers the final say in the state’s implementation of the plan. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

SUPREME COURT:
• A potential Obama Supreme Court nominee has a history of dealing with a variety of energy and conservation cases. (Greenwire)
A White House senior advisor who helped negotiate the Paris climate accord is leading the team responsible for filling the Supreme Court vacancy. (ClimateWire)

CLIMATE: The Justice Department refers two congressmen’s request for a federal investigation to the FBI. (InsideClimate News)

SOLAR:
• Solar now employs more people in Utah than the state’s coal industry. (Deseret News)
• An industry study submitted in an Arizona case found rooftop solar benefits other utility customers. (Arizona Republic)
• A California utility suspends subscriptions to its net metering program. (Palm Springs Desert Sun)
• Maryland’s community solar pilot program is expected to launch in May. (Public News Service)

WIND:
• Participants in a Boston conference have high hopes for an offshore wind boom in the U.S.: “there’s a palpable sense that it’s finally happening.” (Associated Press)
• Proposed legislation in South Dakota would spread tax revenue from wind projects across the entire state instead of just local communities, diminishing a key selling point to landowners. (Midwest Energy News)

COAL:
• Montana representatives push back on a moratorium on federal coal leasing. (Billings Gazette)
• Eastern Kentucky has lost an average 900 mining jobs each year since 1979, says a new report. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

OIL AND GAS: The drilling bust in two Utah counties provides a counterpoint to the state’s otherwise booming economy. (Deseret News)

EFFICIENCY: Colorado officials expect PACE financing to spread to more counties in the state. (Colorado Public Radio)

COMMENTARY:
• Utilities are using dirty political tricks to fight rooftop solar. (Utility Dive)
• Why Leonardo DiCaprio is not a hypocrite for speaking out on climate change despite owning a yacht. (Vox)

Ken is the director of the Energy News Network at Fresh Energy and is a founding editor of both Midwest Energy News and Southeast Energy News. Prior to joining Fresh Energy, he was the managing editor for online news at Minnesota Public Radio. He started his journalism career in 2002 as a copy editor for the Duluth News Tribune before spending five years at the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a copy editor, online producer, features editor and night city editor. A Nebraska native, Ken has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

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