Federal judge approves $180M FirstEnergy settlement

UTILITIES: A federal judge gives preliminary approval for a $180 million settlement between FirstEnergy executives and shareholders involving the power plant bailout law scandal. (Cleveland.com)

PIPELINES:
• Enbridge asks a federal court to deny a tribe’s effort to shut down the Line 5 pipeline over potential threats to the Bad River Reservation in Wisconsin, which tribal leaders have said would be an ​“act of cultural genocide” if permitted. (E&E News, subscription; Michigan Advance)
• Five North Dakota counties have now issued formal yet non-binding opposition to the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. (Minot Daily News)

SOLAR:
• A Minnesota oil refinery operator is moving forward with a $75 million onsite solar project despite turbulence in the solar market. (Star Tribune)
• Eastern Michigan local officials say a developer pursuing a utility-scale rural solar project is misinterpreting local regulations on the amount of solar development allowed on farmland. (WNEM)

TRANSMISSION: Missouri lawmakers pass legislation that increases landowner protections and benefits when companies use eminent domain to build future transmission lines. (Missouri Independent)

EFFICIENCY: Home energy efficiency retrofits are gaining steam in Wisconsin as the state pursues more climate change action. (PBS Wisconsin)

WIND: A proposed 260 MW wind project in southeastern Minnesota that promises roughly $1 million a year in new revenue to local governments receives pushback from neighboring landowners. (KTTC)

GRID: North Dakota regulators express concerns to state lawmakers about the potential for rolling outages this summer. (KFYR)

COAL:
• Illinois environmental groups plan to appeal a state pollution discharge permit that was approved for a downstate coal mine. (Southern Illinoisan)
• A former Iowa coal plant that closed in late 2021 is set to resume operations powered solely by natural gas. (The Hawk Eye)
• CenterPoint energy asks Indiana regulators to approve a securitization plan for a former coal plant that could deliver $60 million in savings for customers. (WEHT)

EMISSIONS: A Michigan startup is developing a device that would attach to large diesel trucks to capture carbon emissions that would be resold to various end users. (Bridge Michigan)

OVERSIGHT: A Nebraska mayor will unseat a longtime member of the state’s Public Service Commission who represents 31 counties in eastern Nebraska. (Hastings Tribune)

COMMENTARY: ComEd customers in Illinois are set to receive $1 billion in electric bill savings based on negotiations to bail out three nuclear plants last year — a rare victory for customers amid rising energy costs, an editorial board writes. (Chicago Sun-Times)