SOLAR: A central Illinois feed mill installs a 3 MW onsite solar project to lower its electricity bills, which had been exceeding grain costs as its largest operating expense. (Energy News Network)
NUCLEAR: The U.S. Energy Department denies a request for grant funding to reopen a southwestern Michigan nuclear plant despite support from the owner and state officials. (Detroit News)
PIPELINES:
• Iowa regulators deny the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s request for an environmental impact study of a planned carbon capture pipeline that would run near tribal land. (Sioux City Journal)
• Two lawsuits filed last week by a carbon pipeline developer seeking to void local ordinances are part of a broader dispute between project backers and opponents. (E&E News, subscription)
• A Nebraska group that helped lead opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline is now fighting plans for Midwest carbon capture pipelines. (KMAland)
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Michigan and Minnesota lead the Midwest in addressing environmental justice issues by taking state-level measures to ensure equity in communities, according to a recent report. (Inside Climate News)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota will be key states to watch for the equitable deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure funding as Democrats take over legislative and executive branches there. (Inside Climate News)
• General Motors will invest $45 million to support the expanded production of electric vehicle components at an Indiana plant. (Indianapolis Business Journal)
WIND: Opponents of a recently approved Illinois wind project may sue to stop the project, alleging an inadequate local review process. (WAND)
ADVOCACY: The incoming leader of the Hoosier Environmental Council says unregulated coal ash storage pits are among the top environmental concerns in the state. (WFYI)
GRID:
• Kansas and western Missouri should have sufficient power supplies this winter, though the St. Louis area could be at risk for outages during extreme weather, a new report finds. (Kansas Reflector)
• Michigan regulators approve a $30.5 million rate increase for DTE Energy, just a fraction of the utility’s requested amount, to pay for grid infrastructure improvements. (Detroit News)
EFFICIENCY: U.S. utilities are spending more on energy efficiency programs for low-income customers, though advocates say more work is needed to reach more households. (Utility Dive)
COMMENTARY:
• An ethanol advocate and company board chairman says a proposed carbon capture pipeline through Iowa “will ensure that ethanol can continue as an economic pillar for decades.” (Globe Gazette)
• U.S. lawmakers should pass permanent mining protections for northern Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness similar to protections created in 2019 for other areas, an editorial board writes. (Star Tribune)
• Enbridge executives dispute claims from Indigenous advocates that Line 5 violates treaty rights in Wisconsin and Michigan. (Toronto Star)
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