OHIO:
• An administrative judge calls for more hearings next month on FirstEnergy’s income-guarantee request. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Supporters of FirstEnergy’s “bailout” request before state regulators include some large industrial users and organized labor. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
NUCLEAR:
• A legislative committee in Wisconsin approves lifting the state’s moratorium on new nuclear plants. (Associated Press)
• Experts say an outdated model of health risks that seeks to block even low-level exposure to radiation is hampering the industry’s growth. (ClimateWire)
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PIPELINE: A federal judge rejects key parts of a lawsuit brought by tribal and environmental groups seeking to block the expansion of a pipeline through northern Minnesota. (Minnesota Public Radio)
ECONOMY: An advanced-energy business leader in Michigan explains how strong clean energy policy leads to economic development. (Midwest Energy News)
SOLAR:
• A Minnesota town will offset 67 percent of its power needs with solar over the 25 years. (Midwest Energy News)
• A public utility in Nebraska is encouraging customers to install solar as a “hedge against uncertainty” with forthcoming regulations. (Lincoln Journal Star)
OIL AND GAS:
• An oil spill in southeast Michigan will cost up to $250,000 to clean up. (MLive)
• A federal bill clears a Senate committee that would designate the Great Lakes a “high consequence” area and subject it to stronger pipeline safety standards. (MLive)
COAL: U.S. taxpayers could be left with multibillion-dollar liabilities if large coal companies are pushed to bankruptcy as part of a practice known as “self-bonding.” (Reuters)
SMART METERS: Ohio regulators delay a decision on whether customers of one utility would have to pay to have smart meters on their properties. (Columbus Business First)
CLIMATE: Secretary of State John Kerry says if an agreement is not reached in Paris, “we will be liable for a collective moral failure of historic consequence.” (Greenwire)
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GENERATION: A bad year financially for independent power producers is ending on a bad note. (EnergyWire)
BIOFUELS: Iowa’s congressional delegation asks House leadership to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard during budget negotiations. (Radio Iowa)