Rivian to produce electric SUVs in central Illinois

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Rivian receives $827 million in state incentives to build the company’s mid-sized electric SUV in Normal, Illinois, and add at least 550 jobs over the next five years. (WIFR)

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ALSO: North Dakota’s two U.S. senators sponsor legislation to eliminate federal tax incentives for electric vehicles. (North Dakota Monitor)

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RENEWABLES:

• Missouri lawmakers advance legislation to ban eminent domain for wind and solar projects, even though the practice for seizing property has never been used to build renewable energy projects. (Missouri Independent)
• The Michigan Senate passes a bill that would expand the state’s prevailing wage law by mandating union-level pay on renewable energy projects bigger than 2 MW. (Michigan Advance)

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CLIMATE: A public speaker, podcast host and environmental justice advocate discusses creating a bigger Black, Brown and Indigenous presence in the climate movement at a recent event in Chicago. (Energy News Network)

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COAL:

• Five years after Illinois passed a law to clean up coal ash storage pits, the toxic byproduct of burning coal still lingers in Waukegan while the state finalizes permits for the site. (Grist)
• New federal rules to speed up the remediation of toxic coal ash sites will affect multiple properties in Northwest Indiana. (Post-Tribune)

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SOLAR:

• Twenty states now have community solar laws that require utilities to credit the electricity bills of subscribers to third-party owned projects, while another 10 states are considering similar bills. (Stateline)
• More than 300 customers are subscribed to a 4.5 MW community solar project hosted by Alliant Energy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (CBS 2)
• Missouri’s largest solar project is expected to be operational one year from now. (KTVO)

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UTILITIES:

• Former FirstEnergy executives argue in court that the utility can’t portray itself as a victim in a state criminal case after admitting to being a conspirator in a massive bribery scheme in federal court. (Toledo Blade)
• A sentencing date is still unscheduled one year after an Illinois jury convicted two former ComEd executives of bribery conspiracy. (Center Square)

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BIOFUELS: Updated federal guidance on a biofuel carbon credits program could provide a path to profitability for the developer of a large sustainable jet fuel plant in South Dakota. (South Dakota Searchlight)

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MANUFACTURING: The developer of a low-emissions aluminum plant receiving $500,000 in federal funding is considering sites in Kentucky and surrounding states, which could mean a huge influx of jobs and nearby renewable energy development. (Grist)

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WIND: Ameren shuts down a northeastern Missouri wind project to determine why a turbine broke apart and fell to the ground last week. (KTVO)

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OIL & GAS: A pipeline leak releases about 10 barrels of oil into nearby waterways in western North Dakota. (Dickinson Press)

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