Indiana makes progress on plugging oil and gas wells

OIL & GAS: Since receiving $25 million in federal infrastructure funding last year, Indiana has plugged 200 orphan oil and gas wells compared to roughly 15 to 20 wells a year previously. (WFYI)

NUCLEAR: The owner of a shuttered Michigan nuclear plant seeks guidance from federal regulators on how to proceed with permits to build a small reactor on the site. (Michigan Radio)

CARBON CAPTURE:

• A CEO says a proposed $1 billion sustainable aviation fuel plant in South Dakota is at risk unless state regulators reverse course and support carbon capture pipelines. (KELO)
• Summit Carbon Solutions submits an amended route plan for a proposed carbon pipeline through North Dakota in an effort to win support from state regulators. (AgWeek)
• A North Dakota ethanol plant brings online a carbon capture and storage facility that’s one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. (KXNET)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The UAW’s deals to secure higher wages for electric vehicle and battery workers come as consumers balk at electric vehicle prices and automakers slow EV investments. (E&E News)

GRID: Wisconsin lawmakers advance legislation with bipartisan support that would give in-state transmission companies first rights to build interstate transmission projects. (Wisconsin Examiner)

EFFICIENCY: Detroit-based DTE Energy reaches an agreement with environmental groups that will speed up energy efficiency investments in low-income neighborhoods. (Michigan Advance)

HYDROGEN: A researcher expresses optimism about recently funded, multi-state hubs that can deploy hydrogen as both a clean energy and energy storage technology. (MinnPost)

UTILITIES:

• Michigan’s largest municipal utility switches all customers to time of use rates in what officials call industry best practices to avoid straining the power grid during peak demand periods. (WILX)
• Minnesota’s two largest natural gas providers request nearly 10% rate increases from state regulators to pay for infrastructure upgrades and offset inflation. (Star Tribune)

CLIMATE: An Iowa county’s first sustainability director will resign later this year after three years in the role in which she helped craft a citywide sustainability plan, update a greenhouse gas inventory and deploy resiliency hubs. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)

COMMENTARY: The superintendent of a central Michigan school district says local wind energy development in just two years has generated $1.5 million in revenue for the district that’s going back into services. (Bridge)