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Ethanol producers dominate South Dakota ballot measure spending

By Andy Balaskovitz

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PIPELINES: Campaign spending by ethanol producers related to a South Dakota carbon pipeline ballot measure far outweighs spending by farming interests and climate advocates ahead of the Nov. 5 vote. (South Dakota Searchlight)

SOLAR: An Ohio county board appeals state regulators’ approval of an 800 MW solar project with battery storage, as critics say they want the land to stay agricultural despite a developer’s plans for agrivoltaics. (WYSO)

COAL:

  • Iowa natural resources officials are about three years into a project to reclaim a former coal mining site in a state wildlife area that will restore ecological diversity and activity. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)
  • Indiana consumer advocates say calls by Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, who is also the frontrunner for governor, to halt a coal plant’s conversion to natural gas are inappropriate and unnecessary. (E&E New, subscription)

CLEAN ENERGY: An analysis of MIT data shows congressional districts that went for Trump in the 2020 election received three times as much clean energy investments under the Inflation Reduction Act than districts that leaned toward Biden. (Washington Post)

CLIMATE: A clear majority of young Americans between ages 16 and 25 are either very or extremely worried about climate change, according to a researcher’s new survey of 16,000 people. (Inside Climate News)

CARBON CAPTURE:

  • A North Dakota landowners group asks the state Supreme Court to reconsider a lawsuit involving property rights and the use of pore space for carbon storage projects (North Dakota Monitor)
  • A Michigan researcher recently landed a $5 million federal grant to create a ​“roadmap” for carbon capture and storage potential across the state. (Crain’s Grand Rapids, subscription)

WIND: A northwestern Iowa county enacts a moratorium on wind development for at least three months as planning officials work on new setback restrictions. (Radio Iowa)

GEOTHERMAL: Emerging fracking technology that can drill down as far as 6 miles below the Earth’s surface and into hot zones could open far more potential for geothermal energy, researchers say. (Living on Earth)

GRID: Iowa State University researchers receive federal funding to lead projects that use AI and machine learning to detect cyberattacks on renewable energy projects. (Daily Iowan)

OVERSIGHT: The GOP incumbent running to keep a seat on the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has far outspent her opponents with the help of industry players who could have business before the agency. (South Dakota Searchlight)

COMMENTARY: Continued clean energy job growth shows Iowa is poised to be a national leader and well-positioned to benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act, an editorial board writes. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)

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