CLIMATE: 
• In a Q&A with InsideClimate News, scientist Michael Mann says investigations into ExxonMobils efforts to cast doubt on climate science “confirmed things that we had long suspected.”
• New York’s settlement requiring Peabody Energy to disclose climate risks to investors could be expanded to other industries. (Reuters)

CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• A Nevada official says the state is “well positioned” to comply with the Clean Power Plan. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• The governor of Montana, which faces steeper emissions cuts than any other state, forms an advisory panel to develop the state’s response to federal carbon rules. (Associated Press)

SOLAR:
• The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds rooftop solar systems boost their resale value by an average $15,000 in the six states studied. (Greentech Media)
• Critics say Utah regulators approach to determining the value of solar to the grid ignores key benefits. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Solar advocates say they are being vastly outgunned by utilities as the Massachusetts legislature takes up a net metering bill next week. (MassLive)
• A judge upholds New Jersey regulators’ rejection of a solar farm, saying the site – a former apple orchard – doesn’t qualify as a “brownfield.” (NJ Spotlight)
• Advocates say ending federal tax credits for solar installations would leave Midwest states particularly hard hit. (Midwest Energy News)
• Prices for a key component of solar panels have dropped to a record low level. (Bloomberg)

WIND:
• Wind energy is challenging coal in its biggest market – the Great Plains. (Bloomberg)
• Why a Danish company may be in a position to succeed in developing offshore wind in the U.S. (Boston Globe)

NATURAL GAS: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rejects a proposed natural gas port, which would have been the state’s first, citing environmental and terrorism concerns. (New York Times)

EFFICIENCY: A leading clean-energy lender has issued more than $1 billion in home improvement loans. (Los Angeles Times)

REGULATION: A federal judge rules EPA chief Gina McCarthy must give a deposition in a lawsuit filed by Murray Energy over the Clean Air Act’s projected impact on jobs. (Associated Press)

UTILITIES:
• A Minnesota utility announces a new green-pricing program in targeted at large commercial users that want to invest in renewables. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• Consumer advocates in Washington D.C. are calling for an ethics investigation into the mayor’s about-face to support Pepco’s merging with Chicago-based Exelon. (Washington Post)
• A report outlines where utilities want regulatory processes to be prioritized as the grid continues to evolve. (Breaking Energy)

PIPELINES: A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators pushes a bill to improve pipeline safety. (The Hill)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A new life-cycle analysis finds electric cars are cleaner than gasoline-powered cars in most of the U.S. (Los Angeles Times)

TRANSPORTATION: A study finds improved bicycle infrastructure could significantly reduce carbon emissions while saving trillions of dollars in transportation costs globally. (Climate Central)

COMMENTARY: How New York’s rejection of a natural gas terminal helps clear the way for offshore wind. (NRDC Switchboard)

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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