Michigan AG says ​‘thugs’ attacked his home during pipeline protest

OIL AND GAS:
• Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette says dozens of ​“thugs” attacked his home while calling for the oil pipeline running beneath the Straits of Mackinac to be shut down; one group claimed responsibility for the protest but denies approaching the house. (Detroit News)
• Local officials unanimously approve zoning plans for a new refinery near a national park in western North Dakota, though regulatory hurdles remain. (Bismarck Tribune)

CLIMATE: Author and climate scientist Michael Mann discusses his forthcoming book — a satire on climate denial — as well as the Midwest’s role in leading on clean energy. (Midwest Energy News)

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COAL:
• Ohio-based Murray Energy is working with lenders to keep the coal company solvent as it avoids filing for bankruptcy within two months. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Industry groups from Ohio and Illinois argue that the conviction of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship ​“could unfairly expose” other executives to criminal conspiracy charges. (Associated Press)

OIL BY RAIL:
• Milwaukee residents want oil trains rerouted away from neighborhoods. (WISN-TV)
• Advocates across the U.S. continue to pressure officials to shut down oil trains. (Grist)

WIND: North Dakota regulators unanimously approve plans for a $250 million, 100 megawatt wind project, clearing the way for construction to start. (Associated Press)

CLEAN POWER PLAN: North Dakota’s top oil regulator says the Clean Power Plan would ultimately increase natural gas flaring in the state. (Forum News Service)

SMART METERS: The Michigan Court of Appeals rules Consumers Energy can proceed with rolling out smart meters across its customer base. (Associated Press)

SOLAR:
• The number of community solar arrays planned in one southern Minnesota county continues to grow. (Mankato Free Press)
• Local officials seek more information on the tax implications for a planned solar array at Bowling Green State University. (Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune)

NUCLEAR: A steam line ruptured at a southwest Michigan nuclear plant, though officials say it has not impacted the reactor or public safety. (MLive)

RENEWABLES: The economics of developing renewable energy is ​“growing more attractive for states across the political divide.” (The Atlantic)

UTILITIES: Energy companies are in the midst of a vocabulary project that emphasizes words customers can more easily understand rather than industry jargon. (EnergyWire)

GRID: Updating the U.S. power grid to accommodate new technology is an ambitious, daunting undertaking that would cost hundreds of billions of dollars. (ClimateWire)

REGULATION: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder appoints an independent to the state Public Service Commission to fill a vacancy. (Crain’s Detroit Business)

COMMENTARY: Amid a string of coal company bankruptcies, ​“Responsible leadership would have long ago advocated for industry-government-community partnerships to look out for coal-industry employees.” (Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis)