Another setback for multi-state carbon pipeline

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PIPELINES

• South Dakota regulators again deny a permit application for a multi-state carbon pipeline, creating uncertainty for the project as the developer pledges to refile a plan with a reduced scope. (South Dakota Searchlight)

• Iowa Democrats and Republicans are blaming the opposing party for the lack of movement on House-passed carbon pipeline legislation, including a measure to restrict the use of eminent domain for projects. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

NATURAL GAS

• A coalition of construction groups and natural gas companies sue a Chicago suburb over its ordinance that bans gas hookups in new homes and buildings. (CBS Chicago)

• Evergy’s plan to build two new natural gas plants in Kansas faces pushback from industrial and commercial energy users concerned about higher costs while state regulatory staff say the capacity is needed for reliability. (Kansas Reflector)

COAL

• A western Michigan county board votes against a plan to file a lawsuit in hopes of stopping the upcoming closure of a large coal plant, with opponents calling it imprudent, impulsive and ​“not in the best interests of the county.” (MLive)

• Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signs an executive order to create a council around efforts to extract and reuse metals from coal ash waste. (Indiana Public Radio)

RENEWABLES

• Lawmakers in the GOP-led Michigan House advance bills that would repeal a law giving state regulators more zoning authority over large wind and solar projects. (WMMT)

BIOFUELS

• Midwest states that opted into year-round sales of E15 ethanol could face higher gas prices and face supply disruptions this summer as a result of a federal patchwork approach to biofuel sales, Minnesota’s largest refiner says. (Star Tribune)

CLIMATE

• Michigan’s Democratic lieutenant governor pushes back against climate denialism at the federal level and announces a new multimillion-dollar grant program for clean energy competitions. (Michigan Advance)

NUCLEAR

• Indiana lawmakers send a bill to Gov. Mike Braun that would create a 20% tax credit for the development of small modular nuclear reactors. (StatehouseFile.com)

• About 10% of a $1.52 billion Biden-era federal loan to reopen a Michigan nuclear plant has now been released after the Trump administration disburses another $47 million. (Reuters)

POLITICS

• A Chinese company’s U.S. subsidiary that’s planning a $2.36 billion battery plant in Michigan donated $1 million to President Trump’s inaugural committee, after the company faced a barrage of attacks from Trump and many other Republicans for its alleged ties to China. (Detroit News)

SOLAR

• Construction continues on a 600 MW, nearly 4,000-acre Illinois solar project that will offset 70% of the power use of Chicago’s municipal buildings. (WLS)