Gas is ​‘green’ energy under new Ohio law

OHIO:
• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signs legislation that designates natural gas as ​“green energy” and opens state parkland to oil and gas drilling. (Ohio Capital Journal)
• A survey of state policies shows that Ohio’s House Bill 6 left it with the least-stringent clean energy requirements of any state. (Cleveland.com)

POLICY: Indiana environmental groups’ legislative priorities include creating a statewide climate action plan, increasing coal ash storage oversight, and supporting community solar development. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

PIPELINES: Iowa’s House speaker says residents can expect lawmakers to debate carbon pipeline legislation in the upcoming session as interest in regulations grows. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

SOLAR:
• An Indiana lawmaker introduces a bill that would require the state to fund a study examining the need for regulations on solar panel disposal as projects are decommissioned. (The Republic)
• Kenosha, Wisconsin, receives $3 million in federal funding to support a solar-powered street-lighting project. (Kenosha News)
• An Ohio village considers including a solar installation at a planned wastewater treatment facility to help hold down electricity rates and overall costs of the project. (Telegraph Forum)

GRID: AEP Ohio requests permission from state regulators to spend $2.2 billion on grid infrastructure upgrades to improve reliability. (WOWK)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Accessing federal funding to replace diesel school buses with electric models can be a barrier for financially struggling districts that don’t own their own buses. (Inside Climate News)
• Michigan is among three states expected to be a dominant player in electric vehicle battery manufacturing by 2030. (CNBC)
• Foxconn plans to create an innovation hub near its electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Lordstown, Ohio, to bring global supply chain partners closer together. (The Review)

UTILITIES: Chicago-based gas utility Peoples Gas files a $195 million rate increase with state regulators to continue funding an $8 billion pipeline replacement program. (Chicago Tribune)

COMMENTARY: A Minnesota environmental advocate marks the two-year anniversary of protests against the Line 3 pipeline expansion. (Duluth News Tribune)