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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

IL: Energy Policy

With a grant award from the Illinois Power Association, the Green Energy Justice Cooperative plans to build community-level solar power projects to cut costs and give low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods a financial stake in the program. (Wikimedia Commons)
IL co-op to develop solar projects for low-income, BIPOC communities

By Lydia Larsen for Inside Climate News.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Netwo…

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The Illinois Department of Agriculture says the state's farmland covers 27 million acres, or about 75% of Illinois' total land area. (Adobe Stock)
IL farm group wants improved safety measures for pipelines

A pipeline project to transport carbon dioxide captured from ethanol and fertilizer production to a permanent storage site in Illinois is raising conc…

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According to the website 'Illinois.gov,' the state has around 29,000 school buses operating as part of public school districts. (Adobe Stock)
Yellow school bus: From energy consumer to energy asset

What started as a school project for students in one Illinois district has led to the successful changeover to more energy efficient school buses…

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Between August 2022 and July 2023, more than $270 billion in capital investment was announced for utility-scale clean=energy projects and manufacturing facilities in the United States, according to American Clean Power. (Adobe Stock)
IRA investments crucial for clean energy, national security

Military veterans and lawmakers say investing in the clean-energy economy with Inflation Reduction Act funds is the way forward to combat climate chan…

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The solar power market in Illinois is valued at $3.7 billion and growing, with a total capital investment in wind, solar, and energy storage projects exceeding $17 billion. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Illinois leads Midwest in building 'clean power' capacity

A new report ranks Illinois first among 11 Midwestern states for the amount of clean power capacity under construction, and second for new clean …

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The solar power sector added more than 12,000 workers in 2022. (Adobe Stock)
Report Shows Clean-Energy Job Gains in Illinois

A new look at clean-energy jobs in the U.S. shows growth in Illinois and the prospect of greater gains in the future. The Department of Energy …

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Illinois is the third-largest consumer of coal in the country, using more than 39 million tons a year to generate electricity. (Wikimedia Commons)
Proposed EPA Rule Limits Toxic Emissions from Coal Plants

The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening rules to limit emissions of mercury and other harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants…

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A new study shows that, by upgrading appliances and adding insulation, the energy costs for homes like these in Chicago's Logan Run neighborhood decrease by more than $1,000 a year. (Adobe Stock)
Study: Chicago Homes' Energy Upgrades Cut Power Bills – and Pollution

A new study finds projected energy upgrades on a sampling of homes across the Chicago area produced significant savings in energy costs, as well as …

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Storage batteries hidden behind this Bronzeville mural will be part of a microgrid system that will render the entire Chicago neighborhood energy-independent. (ComEd)
Chicago's Bronzeville Neighborhood Gets Its Own Power Microgrid

By Francesca Mathewes for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journal…

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About 6% of all cars sold in the United States in 2022 were battery-electric powered, but officials say the number of EVs is expected to grow to 25% by 2030. (ake1150/Adobe Stock)
Report: EVs Could Impact Future Highway-Maintenance Funding

Most experts agree that putting more electric vehicles on the road is a positive step toward fighting climate change, but a new report warns that …

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Analysts predict Illinois families could pay between 44% to 59% more for natural gas to heat their homes this winter. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)
Winter Forecast: Illinois Families Prep for High Winter Gas Bills

Forecasters are predicting another season of cold, wet weather for Illinois and the upper Midwest this winter, which could bring some high energy …

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The Environmental Protection Agency reports the transportation sector is the largest single contributor to America's annual greenhouse-gas emissions, comprising 27% of the total. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Diesel Engines Major Air Polluters in Illinois

Pollution from diesel engines can cause a variety of health issues, and a new report reveals some Illinois communities face higher risks from diesel …

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