Separate trains carrying ethanol, crude oil derail in Wisconsin over the weekend

RAIL: Two train derailments took place in Wisconsin over the weekend, spilling thousands of gallons of ethanol and crude oil. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

EFFICIENCY: While battles over distributed solar have garnered more energy headlines in Wisconsin, advocates say the state is also lagging behind other states in energy efficiency. (Midwest Energy News)

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CLEAN POWER PLAN:
• A former state environmental official says North Dakota’s challenge to stop the rules won’t work because courts have already given the federal government authority to regulate carbon emissions. (Bismarck Tribune)
• A new ad campaign by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg criticizes a small group of attorneys general who are challenging the rules, including those in Michigan and Wisconsin. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

COAL:
• Peabody Energy agrees to make more robust disclosures to investors of the financial risks the company faces from government regulations related to climate change. (New York Times)
• Patriot Coal’s bankruptcy proceedings again treaten the retiree benefits for about 2,000 people in Illinois. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Residents and businesses in west Michigan have mixed emotions over a major coal plant shuttering there. (MLive)
• Watch video of a former Michigan coal plant being imploded. (MLive)

NUCLEAR:
• Federal regulators plan to update inspection and assessment methods for aging nuclear power plants. (EnergyWire)
• While the White House pledges to give more attention to nuclear plants to reduce carbon emissions, the industry is still waiting for action. (E&E Daily)
• Members of Michigan’s congressional delegation ask the Canadian government to reject plans for a proposed waste storage site near Lake Huron. (Associated Press)

OIL AND GAS: Despite low prices, some analysts say now is a good time to be investing in some of the niche areas of the oil industry. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

KEYSTONE XL: Obama’s rejection of the project may lift political pressure off of Canada’s new liberal leader Justin Trudeau. (New York Times)

BUSINESS: Wal-Mart is making good on its renewable energy pledges. (Christian Science Monitor)

EMISSIONS: U.S. and Canadian regulators are significantly expanding vehicle emissions testing from diesel cars out of concerns that cheating could be prevalent across the industry. (New York Times) 

PIPELINES:
• Roughly 1,000 barrels of oil spills from an Oklahoma pipeline. (Associated Press)
• Pipeline safety is a primary topic of discussion at a water policy conference in Ohio. (Toledo Blade)
• Enbridge is mapping a potential route for a new pipeline to carry more crude oil through Wisconsin. (Wisconsin State Journal)

WIND: A southeastern Minnesota couple says a wind project near their home is disrupting their lives. (Associated Press)

COAL ASH: Illinois regulators are asking the state environmental agency to respond to questions about how it would implement new federal rules on coal-ash disposal ponds. (Associated Press)

COMMENTARY: In Minnesota, Xcel Energy has ​“obstructed the roll-out of community solar in a deliberate slow walk.” (Midwest Energy News)