Wisconsin clean energy funding at stake, advocates say

CLEAN ENERGY: Wisconsin environmental groups urge voters to reject two proposed state constitution amendments that would allow the Republican-controlled legislature to interfere with the distribution of federal funds in the state as it is poised to receive millions in federal clean energy funding. (Inside Climate News)

OIL & GAS: The pace of remediating orphaned U.S. oil and gas wells is slowing after an initial influx of federal funding, as state officials say they are struggling to comply with endangered species and historic preservation rules. (Grist)

POLITICS: The clean energy transition and the future of Line 5 will feature prominently in a congressional race to represent Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and most of northern Lower Peninsula. (Interlochen Public Radio)

WIND: Leaders and residents in a small southeastern Minnesota town grow frustrated as used wind turbine blades pile up on a vacant lot, reflecting broader challenges with recycling the large components. (Star Tribune)

COAL: AES Indiana announces plans to invest $1.1 billion to transition a coal plant to run on natural gas and add 250 MW of solar and 180 MW of storage. (Inside Indiana Business)

SOLAR:

• A Kansas county considers new regulations that would limit commercial solar projects to 1,280 acres and ban projects around areas that are expected to grow, which one developer says would jeopardize a project. (KPR)
• An Omaha, Nebraska company receives $30 million in federal funding to build eight solar projects across the state. (Journal Star)

NUCLEAR: The Nebraska Public Power District is preparing a more in-depth study of potential sites for future small modular nuclear reactors. (NTV)

PIPELINES:

• More than 60 residents attend a meeting hosted by the Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club opposing plans for the second phase of a carbon pipeline developer’s proposed project. (KDLS)
• South Dakota elected officials urge residents to vote no in an upcoming election to decide the fate of a state law that critics say benefits carbon pipeline developers over landowner interests. (Daily Leader)

GRID: As hundreds of thousands of Ohio residents remain without power after strong storms this week, a recent report ranked the state among the top in the country for power outages per capita. (Cleveland.com)

COMMENTARY: Analysts say the spike in prices in grid operator PJM’s recent capacity auction is the result of poor planning and will reward fossil fuel plant operators over clean energy development. (Inside Climate News)