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Rural Minnesota counties cooperate on clean energy development

By Andy Balaskovitz

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CLEAN ENERGY: A decades-long local government collaboration in southwestern Minnesota helps 18 counties manage clean energy development and avoid the kinds of controversies and misinformation that have affected projects in other parts of the country. (Energy News Network)

GRID: Questions remain over whether the Trump administration and a GOP-led Congress will support efforts to build a more robust U.S. transmission network despite bipartisan support for its economic benefits. (Canary Media)

EMISSIONS: Blue states are preparing for a legal battle with the Trump administration over whether they will be allowed to continue to adopt California’s more stringent regulations on tailpipe emissions. (Stateline)

NUCLEAR: State lawmakers in a newly divided Minnesota Legislature may seek bipartisan support for overturning the state’s moratorium on new nuclear plants, lawmakers say. (MPR News)

COAL: The owner of a 1,000 MW Indiana coal plant is nearing a long-term deal to sell a majority of the plant’s output to a data center operator. (Power Engineering)

SOLAR: Opponents urge the Ohio Supreme Court to block construction on a proposed 130 MW solar project that has local support based on several conditions to provide public benefits. (Toledo Blade)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

  • Wisconsin’s first three federally funded fast-charging electric vehicle stations come online, with 50 more expected through the first half of 2026. (Wisconsin Public Radio)
  • Honda announces plans to mass produce two new electric vehicle models at an Ohio plant that underwent a $700 million expansion in 2022. (WCMH)
  • Illinois will begin offering $4,000 rebates this month for electric vehicle purchases under the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. (WTVO)

PIPELINES: The future of the controversial Line 5 pipeline through the Straits of Mackinac remains uncertain as a key court date looms, Trump takes office and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau steps down. (Detroit News, subscription)

MATERIALS: Opponents of a proposed copper mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula distribute a Northern Michigan University letter from last year withdrawing its support for the project over environmental concerns. (Michigan Advance)

RENEWABLES: A Michigan township attempts to codify new regulations over wind and solar siting as a new state law giving state regulators more oversight authority is challenged in court. (CBS Detroit)

OVERSIGHT:

  • U.S. Senate Democrats say Republicans are rushing to confirm former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as interior secretary without the necessary background checks and paperwork. (States Newsroom)
  • The North Dakota Public Service Commission breaks with tradition and will keep the same chairperson instead of rotating the position, as supporters say experience is valuable to the post. (North Dakota Monitor)

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