Energy, EPA nominees expected to address climate change

EPA, ENERGY: As anticipated, President Obama nominated Gina McCarthy to lead the EPA and Ernest Moniz to head the Department of Energy. Obama pledges the nominees will ensure ​“that we’re doing everything that we can to combat the threat of climate change.” (New York Times)

ALSO: Both nominees are expected to be supporters of expanding the natural gas industry. (Bloomberg)

***SPONSORED LINK: Register Now for the 2013 Sustainability Summit & Exposition, March 6-8 in Milwaukee. Keynote speakers include Will Allen, Ed Begley, Jr., Dr. James Hansen and Michael Mann. (Read more about the event in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) ***

KEYSTONE XL: Environmental activists say a recent State Department review is inadequate and erroneously underestimates the carbon impact of oil sands mining. (EnergyWire)

TRANSMISSION: How utilities are dealing with the challenge of adding more distributed energy to the grid. (Midwest Energy News)

WIND: The countdown resumes for the expiration of the federal production tax credit, and proposed tax breaks for wind development in Nebraska run into political opposition. (Politico, Omaha World-Herald)

FRAC SAND: Nearly a fifth of Wisconsin’s frac sand mining operations were cited for environmental infractions last year. (Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism)

FRACKING: A company plans to help meet water demand for drilling operations in Ohio by purifying wastewater from coal mines. (Columbus Business First)

CLIMATE: Great Lakes communities ponder an ice-free future, and climate science makes inroads into school curriculum. (ClimateWire, InsideClimate News)

BIOMASS: A bill in the Minnesota Legislature would require Xcel Energy to pay more for energy from two biomass plants in the northern part of the state. (Duluth News Tribune)

COMMENTARY: Ending the energy ​“Stone Age,” and other lessons from this year’s ARPA-E conference. (Midwest Energy News)