Chicago bioenergy facility brings community benefits

BIOENERGY: An anaerobic digester in a South Side Chicago neighborhood helps convert tons of food waste into compost while developers also hope to offer clean energy workforce development opportunities. (Energy News Network)

OIL & GAS:
• Ohio Senate Republicans pass a bill redefining natural gas as ​“green energy” and opening state parks and other public land to oil and gas drilling, sending the bill to the state House for consideration. (Cleveland.com)
• Gov. Doug Burgum proposes the largest state budget in North Dakota’s history amid higher-than-expected oil tax collections. (Inforum)
• A proposal to ban natural gas connections for new construction projects in Ann Arbor, Michigan, faces pushback from building industry groups. (MLive)
• An Ohio state representative proposes a series of incentives to promote the buildout of natural gas pipelines in certain parts of the state. (WTAP)

PIPELINES:
• An emergency shutdown of the Keystone pipeline occurred on Wednesday night following an oil release into a Nebraska creek. (Reuters)
• Southwestern Iowa county officials adopt an ordinance regulating the siting of carbon capture pipelines while acknowledging that developers could still potentially use eminent domain for a project. (Radio Iowa)

UTILITIES: Inflation, high natural gas prices and slow economic growth are contributing to a deteriorating financial outlook for public and cooperative utilities, according to a credit ratings agency. (Utility Dive)

CLIMATE: An international organization recognizes improved climate programs in Kansas City, where new young local officials are plotting more aggressive environmental goals. (Flatland)

COAL:
• Multiple southern Indiana and northern Kentucky coal ash storage facilities are cited in a recent report for unsafe pollution levels. (Evansville Courier & Press)
• Coal supplies heading into the winter in grid operator MISO’s territory are stronger than last year, which could help stem upward pressure on power prices. (S&P Global)

SOLAR: A Nebraska county will take more time to consider proposed commercial solar siting regulations following public concerns over setback distances and decommissioning requirements. (News Channel Nebraska)

EFFICIENCY: Illinois ranks 16th nationally in a new energy efficiency scorecard behind Midwest top performers Minnesota and Michigan. (Chicago Tribune)

GRID: Indiana Michigan Power plans to invest $17 million to upgrade northern Indiana transmission lines that date back more than 60 years. (WSBT)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota buys its first electric vehicle as it considers more options to electrify its fleet. (Dakota News Now)

ADVOCACY: Four environmental advocates across the Great Lakes region say equity should be at the forefront of the climate movement. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

COMMENTARY: A Wisconsin climate activist says Line 5 should be retired to reduce long-term dependence on fossil fuels. (Superior Telegram)