Can BlueIndy flop become transit opportunity for city?
Stakeholders tell IBJ they’d like to see the electric-car-sharing service’s infrastructure continue to be used in some fashion.
Energy & Environment
Articles
City-County Council calls for IPL to retire Petersburg coal plant by 2028
This week, the Indianapolis City-County Council passed a special resolution that calls on Indianapolis Power & Light to shut down its largest generating station 14 years sooner than currently planned.
House panel approves bill that would prohibit utilities from shutting down coal-fired plants
The bill’s sponsor said coal mines around the nation are closing at an alarming rate, putting the reliability and stability of the electricity sector in question. Opponents say the measure would put handcuffs on Indiana utiltities, which preparing to shift to cleaner fuel sources.
Hoosier Energy to close Sullivan County power plant in 2023
An energy cooperative announced Tuesday it will close a southwestern Indiana power plant in 2023, affecting 185 workers.
Can a city battle climate change? Indianapolis wants to find out.
A plan drafted by the city’s Office of Sustainability—and a commission the City-County Council is forming—aim to mitigate the effects of climate change on the Circle City.
Trump administration signals compromise on gas mileage rules
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement that it believes the rule, written jointly with the Environmental Protection Agency, will improve gas mileage and reduce emissions from the U.S. fleet of new vehicles.
Carmel startup uses technology developed by NASA in 1960s
Ian Hamilton launched Atlas Energy Systems LLC in 2013, repurposing the space-race technology into thermionic energy converters.
Indianapolis Democrats want to study impact of climate change on city
A City-County Council proposal introduced Friday calls for the creation of a year-long commission to take stock of climate-change effects and make recommendations to address them.
Indiana sets new sulfur dioxide limit for coke plant
Regulators have set proposed new pollution limits for a northwestern Indiana business that’s considered one of the region’s worst polluters.
Skeptics question value of China farm purchases under Trump deal
America’s trade representative says China has agreed to buy $40 billion per year in agricultural products. The president says it’s more than $50 billion. But the text of the deal hasn’t been made available, and China isn’t talking.
Judge allowing lawsuit over Lake Monroe logging to proceed
The ruling by a Monroe County judge rejects an effort by property owner Joe Huff to have a lawsuit filed against him by county officials dismissed.
Indiana utility paying $1 million fine over hiring complaint
A major Indiana utility company has agreed to pay a $1 million fine in settling a federal complaint that it discriminated against some 1,500 female or black job applicants.
Farm, industry groups upset at final EPA ethanol rule
Some farm groups and farm-state lawmakers expressed anger at the Trump administration Thursday over final ethanol rules that they said failed to uphold the president’s promises to the industry.
IPL to retire two of its four remaining coal-fired power units by 2023
The Petersburg Generating Station, about 120 miles southwest of Indianapolis, has been called a “super polluter” by environmental groups, with violations for excess sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide particulate matter and sulfuric mist.
Electricity provider planning more Indiana solar farms
The Indiana Municipal Power Agency said it now has 21 solar farms generating electricity around the state and is building more at it aims to have half of its power coming from renewable sources by 2030.
Trump imposes tariffs on steel, aluminum from Argentina, Brazil
The president on Monday accused the countries of hurting American farmers through currency manipulation and said he’d restore metal tariffs to retaliate.
Feature film ‘Dark Waters’ tells story of Taft lawyer’s 20-year battle against DuPont
With the release of the feature film “Dark Waters” on Tuesday, the law firm Taft Stettinius & Hollister, which has offices in Indianapolis and eight other cities, is about to get the kind of publicity that money can’t buy.
California, 23 other states sue Trump for right to require more fuel-efficient cars
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, marks the latest round in an escalating fight between the White House and California officials over how quickly the nation’s auto fleet must increase its fuel-efficiency.
Indianapolis’ next reservoir ‘an insurance policy’ for dry periods
When completed, the 88-acre project, called Citizens Reservoir, will be able to pump up to 30 million gallons a day of captured rainwater into nearby Geist Reservoir.
Trump administration eases Obama-era rules on coal pollution
Monday’s change would loosen some of the requirements for cleaning up the waste streams from coal-fired power plants and give utilities another two years to comply with some of the rules.