Chicago advocates call for gas ban in most new buildings

BUILDINGS: Chicago environmental and consumer advocates call on city officials to pass a clean buildings ordinance that would effectively ban gas connections in most new buildings. (Chicago Tribune)

OHIO:
• Former House Speaker Larry Householder goes on trial next week, two and a half years after his arrest in connection with what prosecutors call the largest corruption case in the state’s history. (Associated Press)
• Energy News Network reporter Kathiann Kowalski participates in an Ohio panel discussion about dark money influence in politics ahead of Householder’s trial. (Ohio Capital Journal)

POLICY:
• A Minnesota House committee advances a bill that would speed up the state’s carbon-free electricity target by 10 years to 2040. (MPR News)
• Indiana lawmakers introduce several environmental bills ranging from climate solutions to potentially slowing clean energy adoption. (Indianapolis Star)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Advocates will be watching closely this year to ensure $60 billion in environmental justice funding from the Inflation Reduction Act benefits communities that are most in need. (Inside Climate News)

COAL:
• Energy Harbor notifies Ohio officials of plans to lay off 140 workers by July as it sets a closure date for a major coal plant along the Ohio River. (Cleveland.com)
• Vistra is decommissioning the large Edwards coal plant in Illinois in preparation for $47 million in battery storage at the site. (25 News Now)

RENEWABLES: Kansas City utility Evergy issues a request for proposals for up to 1,240 MW of renewable energy projects to help meet its long-term emission-reduction target. (KCTV)

PIPELINES:
• The Keystone pipeline operator says it has cleaned up about 85% of the 14,000 barrels of crude oil that spilled in northern Kansas last month. (KCUR)
• South Dakota regulators will consider a developer’s carbon pipeline permit application in June, roughly three months ahead of a separate multi-state proposal. (Mitchell Republic)
• A proposed carbon pipeline spurs the introduction of eight bills in North Dakota related to voluntary easements, private property access by surveyors and underground storage. (Inforum)
• Dozens of landowners meet with South Dakota legislators, urging them to prevent the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines. (South Dakota Searchlight)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A central Illinois transit agency secures $15.8 million in federal funding to begin transitioning about half of its bus fleet to electric models by 2024. (WMBD)

STORAGE: A developer contracts with a Michigan-based energy storage systems manufacturer for 646 megawatt-hours that will be installed in southern California. (PV Magazine)

GRID: AES Ohio will invest $100 million into transmission and distribution infrastructure to support the operations of a forthcoming electric vehicle manufacturing plant. (News-Sun)

COMMENTARY: A Michigan consumer advocate says adopting electric heating technologies and relying more on clean energy and storage will shield ratepayers from volatile gas price spikes. (Detroit News)