John O'Connor

AP Political Writer
Latest in Regulation
Manufacturing Consultant’s Insights After Hundreds of Projects
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Manufacturing Consultant’s Insights After Hundreds of Projects
January 23, 2025
The snow-covered coastal plain area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is seen, with the Brooks Range at right, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, near Kaktovik, Alaska.
Trump Targets Alaska's Oil, Other Resources
January 22, 2025
Deforestation is visible near the areas of several wood pellet production companies in Pohuwato, Gorontalo province, Indonesia, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.
South Korea to Shrink Biomass Energy Subsidies After Criticism Over Link to Deforestation
January 22, 2025
This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2023.
Residents Ordered to Pay $850,000 Bond to Appeal Ohio Derailment Settlement Vow Not to Give Up
January 22, 2025
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The snow-covered coastal plain area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is seen, with the Brooks Range at right, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, near Kaktovik, Alaska.
Regulation
Trump Targets Alaska's Oil, Other Resources
Eiji Hashimoto, chairman and CEO of Nippon Steel Corporation, attends a press conference at their company headquarters Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Tokyo.
Regulation
Nippon Steel Stands Firm on U.S. Steel Takeover; Denies Risks Cited by Biden
President Joe Biden speaks at a reception for new Democratic members of Congress in the State Dining Room of the White House, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Washington.
Regulation
Biden Issues Ban on Offshore Drilling in Most Federal Waters
Manufacturing Consultant’s Insights After Hundreds of Projects
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Manufacturing Consultant’s Insights After Hundreds of Projects
More from John O'Connor
Industrial Media Unboxing Video
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Industrial Media Unboxing Video
IEN Unboxed is a new show in which our editors unbox new tools on the market and discuss their features.
January 15, 2025
In this Jan. 25, 2011, file photo, is the Boeing Company logo on the property in El Segundo, Calif. Chicago-based aerospace giant Boeing Co. will invest $200 million to manufacture the U.S. Navy’s latest unmanned aircraft at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport.
Product Development
Boeing to Build Navy Aircraft at MidAmerica, Invest $200M
It's called the MQ-25 Stingray.
September 17, 2021
Nuclear Plant
Regulation
2 Nuclear Plants Saved in Energy Plan Go to Governor
The legislation would also close coal-burning plants.
September 14, 2021
Coal Plant
Regulation
Illinois House OKs Zero-Carbon Power Plan, Senate Is Next
A compromise allows two coal-fired plants to remain open until 2045.
September 10, 2021
This undated photo shows the former State Line Generating Plant in Hammond, Ind. In 2018, New York City-based Star America Infrastructure Partners announced a 105,000 square-foot data center on the Lake Michigan site of the shuttered power plant. Illinois Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, helped negotiate a GOP demand that state budget include a package of tax incentives to lure to Illinois large data centers which house information technology equipment and store, manage, and disseminate digital data for companies. Illinois would join 30 other states in offering such inducements.
Operations
IL Hopes to Land Data Centers
Illinois sat up and noticed when Apple announced in 2017 that it would build a $1.4 billion data center west of Des Moines, Iowa.
June 24, 2019
State Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park, right, gets a fist bump from Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights, after delivering his remarks on Senate Bill 1, a bill to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025, during debate on the Senate floor at the Illinois State Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Springfield, Ill.
Operations
IL Senate Backs $15 Minimum Wage
The last statewide bump came in 2010 and brought the hourly rate to $8.25.
February 8, 2019
In this May 16, 2006 file photo, employees and contractors work inside Quad Cities Generating Station at the Exelon Nuclear plant in Cordova, Ill. Exelon Corp. says it will shut two Illinois nuclear plants after the Illinois Legislature declined to act on its request for financial support. The Chicago-based power provider said Thursday June 2, 2016 that it will close the Clinton Power Station in Clinton on June 1, 2017, and the Quad Cities Generating Station in Cordova on June 1, 2018.
Regulation
Exelon Nuclear Plants Lost $800M
The two plants have lost a combined $800 million since 2009, countering consumer groups' complaints of 'bailout.'
June 3, 2016