Midwest GOP districts at most risk from clean energy program

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

CLEAN ENERGY

• Ongoing delays and disruptions to a federal program that helps farmers save on clean energy projects, including by installing solar, could disproportionately harm Midwest states and Republican congressional districts. (Canary Media)

NUCLEAR

• Missouri leaders and utility executives hold a Missouri Nuclear Summit to explore ways to build new nuclear plants to meet rising power demand forecasts and attract business. (St. Louis Public Radio)

GRID

• Policy changes are needed to prevent the proliferation of data centers from causing all ratepayers’ bills to rise under typical pricing structures that socialize the costs of new grid infrastructure, experts say. (States Newsroom)

PIPELINES

• What started as Indigenous-led protests against the Dakota Access pipeline construction in 2016 soon mushroomed into large demonstrations that attracted major environmental groups, including Greenpeace, and led to national scrutiny and major law enforcement involvement. (Grist)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Some congressional Republicans are raising concerns about a $1 billion provision in President Trump’s ​“big, beautiful” budget law that’s aimed at boosting fossil fuel production, citing a lack of clarity in how the funding would be used. (E&E News)

UTILITIES

• Missouri households are projected to face the highest increase in utility bills over the next decade under the ​“big, beautiful” Republican budget law that claws back clean energy incentives, according to an Energy Innovation analysis. (FOX 2)

COAL

• Environmental groups urge Iowa regulators to deny a wastewater permit requested for a coal plant that critics say would avoid federal guidelines for coal combustion leachate discharges. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

SOLAR

• Southern Illinois county officials reject a rezoning request for a 20-acre solar project despite the plan having initial support from local boards for meeting setback requirements. (The Telegraph)

• A University of Illinois team takes home a gold medal at an annual race of vehicles powered entirely by solar energy. (WCIA)

• U.S. solar panel manufacturers file petitions seeking steep new duties on cells and panels imported from Laos, Indonesia, and India that they say are hindering efforts to build a domestic supply chain. (E&E News)

COMMENTARY

• Ohio regulators must demand transparency from FirstEnergy as they investigate whether recent grid outages were preventable reliability failings or one-off events, an editorial board writes. (Cleveland.com)