Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
In this edition: Upstate New Yorker anglers oppose offshore wind turbines in Lake Erie, Enbridge is preparing to replace a section of its Line 5 oil pipeline and what’s the outlook for renewable energy in Michigan and Minnesota.
Proposals to build wind powered energy turbines in Lake Erie have drawn intense criticism from anglers in upstate New York who fish along the waters. Of primary concern is the impact the towers could have on fish spawning populations.
- Enbridge prepping to replace pipeline under St. Clair River – Blackburn News
Enbridge crews are doing preparation work this week, as the company moves to replace a section of its Line 5 pipeline running beneath the St. Clair River. The first phase of the project involves getting the area ready for construction activities.
- Multiple Paths to Achieve Clean Energy in Michigan a Renewable Energy Law Levels off Next Year – Energy News Network
In 2008, Michigan set a target for 10 percent of its energy grid to come from renewable energy, which was later increased in a sweeping energy reform bill passed in 2016, pushing the target to 15 percent by 2021. Next year, this renewable energy law is expected to level off, raising questions on what paths Michigan will take to meet higher renewable energy standards over the next couple decades.
Leaders in the Minnesota House, which has a DFL majority, and the Senate, which has a GOP majority, have promised to try to compromise on energy policy this year after a 2019 session that produced little. But key committee leaders remain sharply divided and some have already begun making their case for change in the November election to break a stalemate.
Featured Image: Middelgrunden offshore wind farm, Photo by Kim Hansen via wikimedia cc 3.0
