Did confusing ballot language uphold an Ohio renewables ban?

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RENEWABLES

• Confusing ballot language may have led voters to uphold a ban on renewable energy in an Ohio county’s referendum, as early exit polling results find a majority of voters likely supported overturning the restrictions. (Canary Media)

SOLAR

• Backers of an Illinois bill to facilitate balcony solar have ended their push for now, after the state’s powerful electrical workers union raised safety concerns with the systems. (Canary Media)

• Officials mark the opening of a microgrid powered by solar with battery storage for a school and community center on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota. (Inforum)

GRID

• A $1.2 billion transmission project spanning four Midwest states faces pushback from southeastern Minnesota farmers concerned about negative impacts to farm operations. (Ag Week)

COAL

• Michigan officials consider Consumers Energy’s proposal to drill two injection wells to dispose of coal ash wastewater and other liquids generated during site cleanup at a coal plant along Lake Michigan. (MLive)

MINING

• A company abruptly withdraws plans for a graphite mining project on sacred tribal land in the Black Hills of South Dakota, as opponents and tribes remain on guard over a rise in drilling interest in the region. (The Guardian)

PIPELINES

• The U.S. government and state of North Dakota expect to settle a dispute over nearly $28 million in costs related to Dakota Access pipeline protest costs nearly a decade ago. (North Dakota Monitor)

EFFICIENCY

• A recent federal inspection report found that Indiana’s state-run energy efficiency program lacks proper oversight over administering home energy rebates. (WISH)

DATA CENTERS

• Indiana environmental advocates worry about rising air pollution as data centers rise across the state and rely on diesel backup generators. (Indianapolis Star)

• Google says it would pay for 2.7 GW of solar, grid batteries, and demand response to cover power demand from its proposed hyperscale data center in Michigan. (MLive)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Minnesota’s Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison calls the Trump administration’s recent attempt to stop his climate lawsuit against the fossil fuel industry frivolous and unlikely to succeed. (Minnesota Reformer)

• The U.S. Energy Department backs a $157 million project to develop new enhanced oil recovery technologies to boost the output of the Bakken oil field. (North Dakota Monitor)

• Two Evergy utilities cancel plans to add 2.4 GW of wind energy and significantly cut planned solar projects while increasing investments in natural gas to meet rising demand from data centers. (Utility Dive)