EFFICIENCY:
• A Texas utility is offering free electricity at night — coupled with slightly higher rates during the day — as a way to change consumption patterns. (New York Times)
• While battles over distributed solar have garnered more energy headlines in Wisconsin, advocates say the state is also lagging behind other states in energy efficiency. (Midwest Energy News)

CLIMATE CHANGE:
• The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reach new heights, according to a new report, triggering fears over climate impacts. (Washington Post)
The World Bank says climate change could push 100 million people worldwide into extreme poverty by 2030 by disrupting agriculture and spreading diseases. (Associated Press)

CLEAN POWER PLAN: A new ad campaign by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg criticizes a small group of attorneys general who are challenging the rules. (The Hill)

FRACKING: A new study says the U.S. fracking boom has led to big economic benefits to local economies. (Deseret News)

COAL:
• 
Peabody Energy agrees to make more robust disclosures to investors of the financial risks the company faces from government regulations related to climate change. (New York Times)
Global coal consumption is poised for its biggest decline in history. (Bloomberg)

OIL AND GAS: Activists allege in a new lawsuit that the city of Los Angeles applied a regulatory system for oil drilling in a discriminatory fashion against low-income minorities. (Reuters)

CARBON: The United Nations quietly raises the ceiling at which greenhouse gases must peak to avoid dangerous climate change. (Associated Press)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A low-profile company is surveying states where it wants to build a $1 billion electric vehicle manufacturing plant. (Associated Press)

NUCLEAR:
• Federal regulators plan to update inspection and assessment methods for aging nuclear power plants. (EnergyWire)
While the White House pledges to give more attention to nuclear plants to reduce carbon emissions, the industry is still waiting for action. (E&E Daily)

UTILITIES: A new report outlines how utilities can prosper without controversial fixed charges(Greentech Media)

KEYSTONE XL: Obama’s rejection of the project may lift political pressure off of Canada’s new liberal leader Justin Trudeau. (New York Times)

POLITICS: Republicans in Kentucky are using President Obama’s “war on coal” as a big reason to support them at the polls. (Associated Press)

BUSINESS: Wal-Mart is making good on its renewable energy pledges. (Christian Science Monitor)

2010 GULF OIL SPILL: A former BP engineer accused of deleting text messages after the Gulf oil spill pleads guilty to lesser charges. (Associated Press)

DIESEL VEHICLES: U.S. and Canadian regulators are significantly expanding vehicle emissions testing from diesel cars out of concerns that cheating could be prevalent across the industry. (New York Times) 

COMMENTARY: Critics of the climate activists who successfully fought Keystone XL fail to understand the basic premise of the campaign. (Vox)

Andy compiles the Midwest Energy News digest and was a journalism fellow for Midwest Energy News from 2014-2020. He is managing editor of MiBiz in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was formerly a reporter and editor at City Pulse, Lansing’s alternative newsweekly.

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