New lawsuit targets Wisconsin transmission line

GRID: Conservation groups file a new lawsuit seeking to halt construction on a nearly completed $650 million transmission line that would cross a national wildlife refuge across the Mississippi River. (WPR)

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ALSO:

• Regional grid operator MISO’s plan for up to $23 billion in new transmission projects comes as Wisconsin lawmakers debate legislation over which utilities should have first rights to build such projects. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• Advocates say grid-enhancing technologies can help squeeze more capacity out of existing U.S. transmission lines and reduce bottlenecks as more clean energy comes online. (States Newsroom)
• North Dakota receives nearly $150 million in federal funding for grid infrastructure projects that improve rural reliability. (KXNET)

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TRANSPORTATION: The founder of an electric bike-sharing company is determined to make the operation successful in Youngstown, Ohio, by scaling appropriately and focusing on community needs. (Energy News Network)

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PIPELINES:

• A North Dakota county will file a lawsuit challenging state regulators’ ruling that state law trumps local ordinances on pipeline routes. (North Dakota Monitor)
• A law enforcement consultant testifies during a trial in North Dakota that it was unusual for federal authorities to not provide support to local agencies during Dakota Access pipeline protests. (KFYR)

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CLEAN ENERGY:

• Minnesota regulators approve a cooperative power wholesaler’s plan for 90% of its electricity sales to be carbon-free by 2035 by replacing a major coal contract with renewables and storage. (Star Tribune)
• Stakeholders seek guidance from Michigan regulators on how local governments can craft clean energy siting regulations ahead of a new law taking effect this year that gives the state more siting authority. (Bridge)

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SOLAR: A Detroit neighborhood is removed from consideration for a series of city-backed solar projects amid local opposition. (Planet Detroit)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: EV startup Rivian pauses construction on a $5 billion manufacturing plant in Georgia to instead produce a new model at an existing plant in Illinois. (Associated Press)

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COAL: Republican lawmakers in four Midwest states are part of a movement to pass legislation that props up retiring coal plants, even though ratepayers may foot the bill as coal fails to compete on price with clean energy. (E&E News)

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EFFICIENCY: Seven years after buying a dilapidated Detroit duplex for $1,700, a homeowner completes a $275,000 renovation into a net-zero home for low-income renters. (Planet Detroit)

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COMMENTARY: Michigan State University researchers say Detroit residents are more likely to support solar projects in the city if they can benefit financially. (The Conversation)

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