COAL: Mississippi Power says the Kemper “clean coal” plant will be cheaper to run on natural gas unless gas prices go higher. (Associated Press)

ALSO:
• Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoes a bill that would have reinstated tax credits for coal companies. (Roanoke Times)
• West Virginia mine operators hope a resurgence in steel demand can revive their industry. (WV Metro News)

COAL ASH:
• A Virginia lawmaker says coal ash legislation was “completely neutered” by his colleagues. (Capital News Service)
• In a series of public meetings, Duke Energy hears concerns from neighbors of coal ash facilities. (North Carolina Health News)

POLITICS:
• Virginia Rep. Dave Brat is booed at a town hall meeting for what some considered to be flippant answers on clean air and climate change. (Greenwire)
• A constituent confronts Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell at a town hall meeting: “These coal jobs are not coming back.” (Business Insider)
• Ivy Main, a prominent Virginia clean energy advocate, discusses the evolving state of energy politics in the state. (Southeast Energy News)

POLLUTION: West Virginia lawmakers advance a bill that would allow more pollution to be discharged into streams from coal mines and other facilities. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

SOLAR:
• A report identifies 15 sites in West Virginia that could host large-scale solar projects. (Beckley Register-Herald)
• A firm established by two former Marines has financed 36 solar projects in North Carolina, amounting to 10% of the state’s capacity. (Fortune)
• A Virginia bill is expected to make it easier for public entities to install solar. (Roanoke Times)

PIPELINES:
• West Virginia landowners fight eminent domain claims for the Rover pipeline as advocates seek other avenues to oppose the project. (The Intelligencer, Livingston Daily Press & Argus)
• More than 100 people file comments on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline at a public meeting in Virginia. (Nelson County Times)
• Two protesters are arrested after being pulled from inside the Sabal Trail pipeline in Florida. (Ocala Star Banner)

OIL AND GAS: Researchers find wastewater from fracking at a West Virginia site altered microbes downstream, raising concerns about broader environmental impact. (Phys.org)

UTILITIES:
• Virginia’s House and Senate approve a bill allowing some utility projects to bypass local zoning. (Roanoke Times)
• Four bills in Florida aim to cut energy costs for consumers. (Orlando Sun-Sentinel)
• Losses on the Kemper and Vogtle projects cut into Southern Co.’s profit. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

GRID: North Carolina regulatory staff recommend approval of a proposed Duke Energy microgrid in the Great Smoky Mountains. (Microgrid Knowledge)

CLIMATE: A new climatologist at the University of Alabama has a warning for coastal communities. (AL.com)

COMMENTARY:
• North Carolina counties can ban wind and solar, but not fracking. (Greensboro News & Record)
• A North Carolina Nissan Leaf owner reports on his experience after 3 1/2 years with the car. (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
• An advocate argues Virginia’s governor has an obligation to thoroughly scrutinize pipeline projects. (Roanoke Times)

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.