States, cities angle for $5B in federal climate funding

CLIMATE: State and local governments, including those in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, are preparing applications for a $5 billion federal grant program to implement big ideas in climate action plans. (Energy News Network)

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EFFICIENCY: The home builder lobby is mobilizing members to fight stronger energy-efficient building standards, inflating upfront costs and ignoring how efficiency measures could quickly pay for themselves through lower energy bills. (Washington Post)

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UTILITIES:

• Ohio utility regulators will resume investigations related to FirstEnergy and HB 6 and whether ratepayer funding was used for political spending. (Crain’s Cleveland Business, subscription)
• A forthcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling related to Illinois’ bribery statute could upend the convictions of four former ComEd executives, according to defense attorneys. (Center Square)

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GRID:

• Ann Arbor, Michigan, officials prepare to ask voters whether to approve a Sustainable Energy Utility that would deploy microgrids connecting solar, geothermal and battery storage across the city. (Michigan Public)
• Just months after receiving a $368 million rate increase, DTE Energy appears poised to request another increase this spring for grid infrastructure investments. (Planet Detroit)
• Four electric grid operators call on federal regulators to improve natural gas networks and market rules to avoid energy emergencies recently seen in Texas and the Northeast. (E&E News)

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CARBON CAPTURE: A North Dakota environmental group says a $300,000 public contract to a consultant to educate residents about carbon capture is essentially lobbying for the practice. (North Dakota Monitor)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• President Biden’s push for electric vehicle adoption divides unionized auto workers in Michigan, a crucial swing state where concerns remain about long-term job losses tied to the transition. (New York Times, Politico)
• Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian will lay off 10% of its salaried workers amid recent quarterly losses and growing market competition. (CNN)

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SOLAR: A developer begins early siting work for a planned 1,400-acre solar project in southwestern Indiana. (WEVV)

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COMMENTARY: A retired Michigan minister and columnist says state lawmakers should pass a pair of bipartisan bills that would open community solar in the state. (Holland Sentinel)

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