Indiana judge tosses lawsuit seeking legislator’s correspondence with utilities

TECHNOLOGY: After struggling to find its footing a few years ago, Michigan has emerged as a leader in advanced battery storage systems. (Midwest Energy News)

OPEN RECORDS: An Indiana judge has thrown out an environmental group’s lawsuit that sought correspondence between a top-ranking legislator and utilities in connection with a proposed net-metering bill. (Indiana Public Media)

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GASOLINE: Problems at a BP refinery in Indiana are causing gas prices to rise throughout the Great Lakes area. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

COAL: A bad gamble on metallurgical coal at the peak of the market, rather than environmental rules, is to blame for pushing some coal companies into bankruptcy. (SNL)

PIPELINE SAFETY: Enbridge is partnering with Michigan researchers to better monitor water currents as a safety precaution in the Straits of Mackinac. (MLive)

OIL AND GAS: An Ohio judge rejects an energy pipeline company’s request for a temporary restraining order to access properties for survey work along the proposed route. Additional landowners file suit claiming the company’s surveyors damaged their property. (Medina Gazette)

EMISSIONS: Seventeen states sue the EPA over a recent rule that changes the way states are required to address air pollution during plant startups and shutdowns. (Greenwire)

CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• Under standards developed after the first draft of the plan was released, coal states say they are being unfairly burdened with stricter goals. (EnergyWire)
• PJM says the pace at which plant retirements must be made could impact grid reliability. (UtilityDive)

KEYSTONE XL: An analysis of the federal pipeline approval process shows a decision on Keystone XL is taking far longer than normal. (Associated Press)

EFFICIENCY: Advocacy groups are pushing St. Louis County officials to maintain building codes that promote less energy usage. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

WIND:
• Local officials approve plans by a Minnesota company to start testing sites in South Dakota for a new wind farm. (The Daily Republic)
• State regulators are still deciding whether to approve a $900 million Iowa project. (KCCI-TV)

BIOFUELS: Two U.S. senators from Illinois express support for additional federal funding to support the state’s biofuels industry. (Biofuels Digest)

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ELECTRIC CARS: A Ford Motor Co. survey of 10,000 electric vehicle owners shows 90 percent of them have no plans to return to a gasoline-burning car. (Gas2)

COMMENTARY:
• DTE Energy is ignoring the benefits that deregulation can bring to Michigan ratepayers. (Detroit News)
• Proposed federal ozone rules could cost Michigan thousands of jobs. (Detroit News)