FirstEnergy fined $3.9 million for undisclosed HB6 lobbying

UTILITIES: Ohio utility FirstEnergy agrees to pay a $3.9 million fine for failing to disclose $94 million in House Bill 6 lobbying spending to federal regulators. (Cleveland.com)

ALSO:
• A Cleveland suburb joins a new county electric utility program that local officials say could spur microgrid development and expand access to renewable energy. (Cleveland.com)
• Natural gas bills spike for Kansas City utility customers amid utility rate increases and cold weather driving up costs. (FOX 4)

BUILDINGS: A project that combines energy efficiency, solar power and electrification is part of a Chicago developer’s mission to invest in under-resourced neighborhoods. (Energy News Network)

PIPELINES:
• Environmental groups want more information about the cause of the recent Keystone pipeline spill in Kansas and extent of its cleanup. (Nebraska Examiner)
• An Iowa city council approves a new gas distribution line project connecting the city to three farms producing renewable natural gas. (Sioux Center News)

GRID:
• Widespread winter storms and associated outages last month created new urgency around preparing the grid for extreme weather. (E&E News)
• Ohio regulators say AEP’s controlled outages during extreme weather this summer prevented outages from spreading, though the utility could have better communicated its plan with customers. (Columbus Dispatch)

CLEAN ENERGY: Illinois regulators begin a formal proceeding to create a renewable energy action plan required under the state’s sweeping climate change law. (Alton Telegraph)

SOLAR:
• Michigan utility Consumers Energy agrees to expand the cap on the number of customers who can participate in its distributed generation program. (PV Magazine)
• An Iowa city partners with Alliant Energy to build a solar project on a 32-acre brownfield site. (Solar Industry Magazine)
• Minnesota’s solar energy capacity steadily climbed over the past decade, and more growth is anticipated under local initiatives and state policy, according to a recent state report. (Inforum)

CARBON CAPTURE: Early carbon capture and storage development was among leading energy issues in North Dakota last year. (Bismarck Tribune)

BIOENERGY:
• A U.S. EPA proposal to increase renewable fuel standard requirements reignites a debate over the environmental costs of biofuels. (Grist)
• A local advocacy group calls on Indiana regulators to revoke a key permit for a $600 million facility in Gary that would convert household trash into jet fuel. (The Crusader)

CLIMATE: New state science standards that require more climate education will go into effect in Indiana by the next school year. (Indiana Public Media)