POLITICS: Utilities have spent more than $1.6 million in Michigan over the past year to influence legislators and the public as the state overhauls its energy policy. (MLive)

BALLOT INITIATIVES:
• Based on strong public polling, advocates in Missouri are crafting a clean-energy ballot initiative for the 2016 election. (Midwest Energy News)
• Ohio election officials are looking at whether a planned clean-energy constitutional amendment would run afoul of a new “anti-monopoly” amendment just passed by state voters. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

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EFFICIENCY: The latest report from Minnesota’s Commerce Department says the state’s energy efficiency program generates at least $4 in benefits for every dollar invested. (Utility Dive)

SOLAR: Advocates protest at Xcel Energy’s headquarters against what they say are stall tactics as the utility unrolls its community solar program. (CBS Minnesota)

ILLINOIS: The state’s attorney general is calling for a review of whether the former company behind a major natural gas infrastructure project in Illinois intentionally misled customers about its cost. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

COAL: A southern Illinois community braces for another coal bust cycle cycle as one of two large mines is scheduled to close within six months. (Southern Illinoisan)

DERAILMENTS:
• Company crews continue to clean up after a train derailment spilled more than 18,000 gallons of ethanol into Mississippi River backwaters. Environmental impacts are not yet known. (Winona Daily News)
• Federal officials are still investigating what caused two train derailments carrying ethanol and crude oil in Wisconsin over the weekend. (Minnesota Public Radio)

CLIMATE CHANGE: A top agriculture official says climate change poses a serious threat to Midwest agriculture. (Kansas City Business Journal)

CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• Most states that have joined the lawsuit against the federal rules are also mulling how they might comply, including Indiana’s once-defiant governor. (ClimateWire)
• Michigan’s governor and attorney general are on a parallel track to “comply and resist” the rules. (MiBiz)

COAL ASH: An annual environmental event in Indiana this year will focus on coal ash storage rules. (Indiana Public Media)

KEYSTONE XL: Analysts say President Obama’s rejection of the project may eventually boost rail shipments out of Alberta. (EnergyWire)

OIL AND GAS: The IEA says oil prices will likely stay low for the next five years. (Associated Press)

UTILITIES: AEP of Ohio says it will invest $13 billion through 2018 mostly on its regulated businesses and transmission upgrades. (Columbus Business First)

VOLKSWAGEN: The automaker hands out $1,000 in gift cards and vouchers to owners of nearly 500,000 of its diesel vehicles in the U.S. as part of the emissions scandal fallout. (Associated Press)

COMMENTARY:
• Minnesotans “should be pleased” the state attorney general is fighting in court to support the Clean Power Plan. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• A proposed clean-energy amendment in Ohio “sure sounds like what the state constitution now bars.” (Akron Beacon Journal)
• Consumers Energy says it’s “critical” that state lawmakers act on new energy policy before the end of the year. (Lansing State Journal)