OIL AND GAS: A new study says agriculture, not the oil and gas boom, is responsible for spiking methane levels. (ClimateWire)

ALSO:
• The number of drilling rigs in the U.S. has fallen to its lowest level since the 1940s. (Reuters)
• Drilling activity plummets in Colorado. (Denver Post)
• Federal regulators reject a proposed natural gas export terminal in Oregon. (Oregonian)
• Colorado lawmakers advance a bill that would let homeowners sue for earthquake damage related to oil and gas activity. (Colorado Public Radio)
• Researchers try to track down more than 200,000 abandoned wells in Pennsylvania dating to the 1860s. (Pittsburgh Tribune)
• An Ohio court rejects legal arguments for community “bill of rights” laws used to restrict drilling. (Athens News)

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CLIMATE: Scientists say they can now confidently assess the role of climate change in extreme weather events. (InsideClimate News)

SOLAR:
• Why Maine will be a key solar battleground state. (Bloomberg)
• Nevada’s net metering changes are “devastating” the state’s solar industry. (NPR)
• Upcoming decisions in Arizona could have a major impact on solar growth. (Arizona Daily Sun)

GRID: Duke Energy begins testing a battery storage system in North Carolina. (Solar Novus)

COAL:
• While Utah lawmakers are allocating public funds for a West Coast coal export terminal, officials in the Bay Area are still studying the impacts. (Contra Costa Times)
• Researchers say Illinois coal mines could provide a cleaner energy source by accelerating natural methane production. (Midwest Energy News)

COAL ASH: An environmental coalition says the TVA’s plan to keep coal ash in place in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee poses a threat to groundwater. (Associated Press)

POLLUTION:
• The EPA says 11 states have failed to submit plans for sulfur dioxide reductions. (The Hill)
• Citing the Flint water crisis, advocates in Michigan push the state’s attorney general to drop a legal action opposing EPA mercury rules. (Midwest Energy News)

BIOFUELS: United Airlines will run a Los Angeles-San Francisco flight on a 30 percent biofuel blend. (Los Angeles Times)

***SPONSORED LINK: The Advancing Renewables in the Midwest Conference, April 11-12 in Columbia, Missouri focuses on programs, policies, and projects that enhance the use of renewable energy resources in the Midwest for the economic benefit of the region. Register today!***

TRANSPORTATION: Seven cities are finalists for a $50 million “smart streets” grant. (Oregonian)

COMMENTARY:
• How to expand solar power to low-income households. (CityLab)
• What the U.S. can learn from Denmark’s energy policies. (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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