CLEAN POWER PLAN: Michigan announces it will develop a statewide compliance strategy, though officials are “disappointed” that more than half of the state’s renewable generation won’t get credit. (Midwest Energy News)

RENEWABLES: Harvard researchers quantify the public health benefits of clean energy like wind and solar. (Climate Central)

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OHIO:
• A small group of protesters mark the start of this week’s hearings on FirstEnergy’s rate-guarantee request. (Toledo Blade)
• Representatives from manufacturing, education and retail sectors are following the hearings closely. (Columbus Business First)

WISCONSIN: Wind and solar advocates place the blame squarely on Gov. Scott Walker for the lack of renewable development in his state. (Bloomberg)

EFFICIENCY: An Iowa county invests nearly $1 million to upgrade publicly owned facilities. (Sioux City Journal)

MINNESOTA: A Duluth utility tells regulators it will continue moving away from coal to more natural gas and renewables over the next 15 years. (Duluth News Tribune)

POLITICS: Energy companies are the top donors to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s administration’s economic development arm, which helps pay for his travel at home and abroad to attract business. (Associated Press)

STORAGE: Ohio-based AEP will invest $5 million in a battery storage company to help the utility deploy the technology. (Columbus Business First)

COAL:
• Indiana Gov. Mike Pence vows to fight against proposed rules to protect water resources from mining pollution. (Indianapolis Star)
• Ameren is about to start a major cleanup project in an Illinois town with soil contaminated with legacy coal tar. (Belleville News-Democrat)

KANSAS: A university researcher testified against state renewable standards in 2014 shortly after the institute he leads received $40,000 from the Koch brothers. (Topeka Capital Journal)

NUCLEAR: Exelon’s Illinois nuclear fleet, including its struggling Quad-Cities plant, clears PJM’s latest capacity auction, meaning it will be able to sell power into the market until 2017. (Quad-City Business Journal)

OIL AND GAS:
• Gasoline prices would stay the same or drop while profit margins for refiners would get tightened if the export ban is lifted, the EIA reports. (Greenwire)
• AEP founder Aubrey McClendon announces a partnership with former Mexican President Vicente Fox to drill for oil and gas in Mexico. (Columbus Business First)

COMMENTARY:
• By granting requests to extend the life of unprofitable coal plants, “regulators aren’t helping energy companies, their customers or the environment.” (Bloomberg View)
• Despite the “arrogance” of anti-fracking proponents in Youngstown, Ohio, the state Supreme Court should decide whether they can move forward with a fifth ballot proposal. (Youngstown Vindicator)