POLITICS: Climate policy experts and political observers say Ohio’s gerrymandered legislative districts, dark money political contributions and voter suppression tactics insulate policymakers and limit the public’s ability to support climate action. (Energy News Network)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
- Ohio lawmakers advance a bill that would prohibit state and local governments from restricting the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles. (Cleveland.com)
- LG Energy Solution will invest an additional $3 billion in western Michigan under a new contract to produce batteries for Toyota. (Detroit Free Press)
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SOLAR:
- Consumers Energy plans to build an 85 MW solar project at a recently closed coal plant in eastern Michigan. (MLive)
- WEC Energy turns to alternative supplies of solar panels to complete a large Wisconsin project after its original order became the subject of a U.S. investigation into whether they were produced in China with forced labor. (Wisconsin State Journal)
- Loyola University in Chicago will source all of its power from a major central Illinois solar project set to come online in 2025. (Loyola Phoenix)
- A northern Wisconsin municipal utility opens its first community solar project, which is fully subscribed with 80 customers. (WDIO)
- A new Dayton, Ohio, solar cooperative will help dozens of local businesses and nonprofits install solar at lower costs. (WDTN)
BIOGAS: A new southern Indiana facility marks the start of oil giant BP’s $4.1 billion plan to build out modular renewable natural gas facilities. (Bloomberg)
RENEWABLES: Local officials begin public hearings on proposals to block commercial solar and wind projects in an eastern Ohio county’s last three townships that haven’t already blocked renewable energy development. (The Review)
MINING: A company whose effort to mine near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters was blocked by the federal government now wants to drill exploratory wells for nickel and copper at a nearby site. (Star Tribune)
CARBON CAPTURE:
- Iowa regulators’ review of Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed carbon pipeline may not resume until next month as opposing sides blame each other for ongoing delays. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)
- Iowa regulators grant Navigator CO2’s request to pause development of the company’s project as it awaits regulatory action in Illinois. (Des Moines Register)
- A public attorney says an Illinois county has limited authority to regulate carbon sequestration wells, saying it could consider special use permits but it can’t prohibit the activity. (WGLT)
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CLIMATE: Indiana University’s recently adopted climate action plan calls for carbon neutrality by 2040 through renewable energy and efficiency. (Indianapolis Star)
EMISSIONS: Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers, will help its 1,600 farms reduce emissions as part of the company’s 2050 carbon neutral goal. (WUWM)
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