OHIO: As state lawmakers repeal portions of the scandal-tainted HB 6, the law continues to favor fossil fuel interests and utilities over clean energy development, critics say. (Energy News Network/Eye on Ohio)

ALSO: Despite transparency pledges from FirstEnergy officials, the company still has not provided full details about its contributions to dark money advocacy groups. (Energy News Network/Eye on Ohio)

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PIPELINES:
• Documents shed new light on the level of cooperation between Enbridge and Minnesota public safety officials, including oversight of an escrow account to reimburse local departments for costs related to policing protests. (The Intercept)
• A Minnesota sheriff’s office is reimbursed $170,000 for training and equipment the department purchased related to the Line 3 pipeline. (Lakeland PBS)
• A Kansas law that takes effect July 1 will make it a misdemeanor to trespass near oil and gas pipelines, which critics say unfairly targets Native American protesters. (Associated Press)
• Enbridge settles a lawsuit with a shipping firm that damaged the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac in 2018. (MLive)

CLEAN ENERGY: Zero-carbon electricity from renewables and nuclear generated 55% of Minnesota’s power last year, up from 48% in 2019. (Star Tribune)

COAL:
• North Dakota lawmakers consider multiple bills that would provide tax incentives and other relief for the state’s coal industry. (Devils Lake Journal)
• Environmental groups widely praise new coal ash cleanup rules adopted for Illinois storage sites. (Associated Press)

CLIMATE: Michigan officials seek public input this week on how the state can achieve a carbon neutral target by 2050. (Michigan Radio)

SOLAR:
• Developers seek to build a 1 MW community solar project near a wastewater treatment plant in southwestern Minnesota. (Pipestone County Star)
• A Texas-based developer proposes plans for a 1,500-acre solar project near Dayton, Ohio. (Dayton Daily News)

UTILITIES: Illinois lawmakers have yet to propose new ethics guidelines in response to the ComEd bribery scandal that led to multiple indictments and the resignation of former House Speaker Michael Madigan. (WBEZ)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Publicly available charging stations are still minimal in the Quad Cities region as a growing number of drivers seek electric vehicles. (Quad-City Times)
• Tesla vehicle deliveries in 2019 helped lead to a spike in electric vehicle ownership in the Dayton, Ohio region. (Dayton.com)
• Rivian is preparing to start electric vehicle production in June at a former auto plant in central Illinois. (Chicago Tribune)
• Michigan officials hope to spur more investments in electric vehicle charging stations in the state’s Upper Peninsula. (Capital News Service)

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BIOFUELS:
• An Iowa congresswoman calls on the Biden administration to include biofuel infrastructure funding in its $2.2 trillion infrastructure plan. (Radio Iowa)
• Wisconsin biofuel groups will help the city of Madison retrofit 20 fleet vehicles to run on nearly 100% biodiesel fuel. (Wisconsin State Farmer)

COMMENTARY: North Dakota officials should take advantage of higher-than-predicted oil tax revenue following a turbulent year for oil prices, an editorial board says. (Grand Forks Herald)