renewable

Wind turbines in Hardin County, Ohio, on Feb. 3, 2023. (Photo by Robert Zullo/ States Newsroom)

Across the country, a big backlash to new renewables is mounting 

BY: - February 16, 2023

BUCYRUS, Ohio — In four terms as a county elected official in northern Ohio, it was the most contentious issue Doug Weisenauer had ever seen. The state legislature had newly empowered county governments to drastically restrict wind and solar power development, a process formerly overseen by the Ohio Power Siting Board, and the meetings of […]

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas) speaks at a House Republican news conference on energy policy at the U.S. Capitol in March 2022. Westerman is the new chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

New U.S. House Natural Resources chair opposes limits on fossil fuel development

BY: - January 30, 2023

The incoming chairman of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee wants to allow more mining and believes technology — not limitations on fossil fuel production — is the best way to address climate change. As part of their organization of the chamber they now control, U.S. House Republicans selected Arkansas’ Bruce Westerman to lead the […]

Closeup photo of a man refueling a vehicle. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Big oil supports bills to make sales of 15% ethanol blends year-round

BY: - December 5, 2022

LINCOLN — The U.S. Senate, with volatile gasoline prices top of mind, is inching toward a bipartisan solution to a years-long push for year-round sales of ethanol blends of 15% or more. Bills to codify the change have shared support from agricultural organizations and biofuels boosters, including the congressional delegations from ag states like Nebraska, […]

As utilities spend billions on transmission, support builds for independent monitoring  

BY: - November 21, 2022

An aging electric grid, fossil fuel power plant retirements and a massive renewable electricity buildout are all contributing to a boom in transmission and distribution wire projects by electric utilities across the country.  In 2020, investor-owned electric utilities spent $25 billion on transmission, up from $23.7 billion in 2019, figures that the Edison Electric Institute, […]