POLITICS: Jurors are expected to start deliberating today after hearing closing arguments in the “ComEd Four” trial involving bribery charges against former ComEd officials and political operatives close to former House Speaker Michael Madigan. (Chicago Sun-Times)
ALSO:
• Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly allows a GOP-backed bill to become law that prohibits environmental, social and governance strategies when investing public funds or deciding who receives government contracts. (Associated Press)
• A similar anti-ESG bill in Indiana heads to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk. (Associated Press)
CLEAN ENERGY: Michigan is poised to add 13,000 jobs and attract more than $20 billion in clean energy investments from 14 companies, mostly in the electric vehicle and battery space. (Michigan Radio)
NUCLEAR: Local officials say independent tests confirm that a Minnesota city’s drinking water remains safe following a contaminated water spill at a nearby nuclear plant. (MPR)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: General Motors and Samsung plan to invest $3 billion in a new U.S. battery cell manufacturing plant, though they did not disclose its location. (WDIV)
GRID:
• State utility regulators urge grid operator PJM to speed up the interconnection process for new generation as coal plants are slated to come offline. (Utility Dive)
• Michigan regulators form a new work group aimed at improving grid reliability by holding utilities financially accountable for the number and duration of outages. (Michigan Radio)
CARBON CAPTURE: Environmental groups say Illinois is unprepared and unprotected from the risks of a potential expansion of carbon capture and storage projects. (WAND)
OIL & GAS:
• Ohio environmental groups want the state to strengthen the public comment and notification process when companies seek to drill for oil and gas on publicly owned land. (Cleveland Scene)
• Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to sign a bill that would require petroleum refiners to hire more highly trained contractors after workers raised safety concerns at a Twin Cities-area facility. (Minnesota Reformer)
COAL: Local officials raise concerns about redevelopment options after an individual investor bought several parcels around a shuttered southwestern Ohio coal plant. (WCPO)
SOLAR:
• A Nebraska city will invest $8.4 million to expand an existing solar project at a municipal airport. (Hastings Tribune)
• A coalition of Michigan faith-based and clean energy groups launch an initiative to help places of worship install solar projects. (FOX 17)
UTILITIES: Residents in an Ohio county will vote next week on whether to join electric and gas aggregation programs in an effort to secure lower energy rates. (Marietta Times)
COMMENTARY: A national community solar advocate says a proposed bill in Minnesota to restructure the state’s community solar program is misguided and lacks consumer benefits. (Minnesota Reformer)
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