Environmental Law
Climate Law Update 
News on how climate change issues impact business.
Post Frequency: 1/day Last Entry: October 29, 2008 at 16:39:11 Recent Entries: 264
By Dennis Pfaff and Kevin Livingston, Editors
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In The News (October 29)
Posted on October 29, 2008Growing acceptance of environmental challenges is making commodity-linked "cleantech" investing a hot spot, something to which "long-view investors might want to pay heed," according to this Barron's article. The Goldman Sachs Group and Blue Source LLC have created a strategic alliance to market "verified emissions reductions" resulting from certain greenhouse gas reduction projects in Blue Source's portfolio, reports Clean Edge News...
Thelen LLP to Disappear; Climate Law Update Loses Corporate Home
Posted on October 29, 2008Thelen LLP, whose attorneys provided the legal know-how to build such iconic Western projects as the Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam, recently announced that it will likely close its doors Dec. 1, a victim of "recessionary pressures" and other factors...
Pennsylvania Moves to Boost Energy Efficiency
Posted on October 28, 2008Pennsylvania, it seems, is making some pretty significant moves to improve energy efficiency in that state, and also to promote alternative energy use and development. In the past few weeks, the state's Democratic Gov. Edward G. Rendell (pictured) has signed legislation that he said would help save Pennsylvanians save $500 million in the next five years by prodding utilities to increase energy efficiency...
In The News (October 28)
Posted on October 28, 2008The Environmental Protection Agency is working on a new rule that would weaken pollution regulations for power plants, allowing them to increase emissions without adding controls, with officials on a fast track to meet a Saturday deadline, reports McClatchy Newspapers...
Clean Energy Technologies Investment Outlook: Partly Cloudy
Posted on October 27, 2008Anyone who can figure out the economy is probably too rich to be reading this, anyway, but a recent survey of reports conducted by a U.S. Department of Energy publication suggests the puzzling, if not downright contradictory nature of the situation, as it faces the clean energy industry...
In The News (October 27)
Posted on October 27, 2008British scientists report the Arctic ice cap is now shrinking at record rates in the winter as well as summer, adding to evidence of disastrous melting, reports The Times of London. It would cost trillions of dollars, but the world could eliminate fossil fuel use by 2090 by turning to renewable energy, according to a new report from renewable energy advocates and environmentalists, according to this Reuters dispatch...
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Going the Wrong Way -- Up
Posted on October 24, 2008Some newly released data suggests just how difficult will be the battle to control emissions of gases believed to contribute to climate change. A new analysis from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that despite widespread concern about climate change, annual carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels and manufacturing cement have grown 38 percent since 1992...
In The News (October 24)
Posted on October 24, 2008In North Carolina, Duke Energy has halved a $100 million plan to place solar panels on hundreds of rooftops after consumer advocates for the state's utility regulators called the proposal too aggressive and expensive, reports the Charlotte Observer...
Wind Up, Wind Down, Wind Over There
Posted on October 23, 2008A series of recent reports and business developments serves to illustrate both the promise and turbulent nature of the renewable energy industry in today's challenging economy. First, for the promise. The American Wind Energy Association this week reported that the United States is on track to install about 7,500 megawatts worth of new turbines this year...
In The News (October 23)
Posted on October 23, 2008Huge areas of federal land in the West would be open to geothermal energy development under a plan released by the U.S. Interior Department, which identifies acreage nearly twice the size of California for potential development, according to the Los Angeles Times...
Military Goes Green?
Posted on October 22, 2008"Eco-friendly" might not be the first term that comes to mind when thinking of the United States military, which is, after all, an institution well-supplied with things that explode and are otherwise capable of creating an environmental mess...
In The News (October 22)
Posted on October 22, 2008Wind energy goes local, with word that the city of Flagstaff, Arizona, is moving forward on an an ordinance that could allow wind turbines standing nearly 100 feet tall in commercial and industrial areas, according to the Arizona Daily Sun. Britain will boost the generation of power from wind farms by a third next year as part of efforts to hit renewable energy targets, says a government minister in this Reuters report...
Nations Must Spend Big on Carbon Capture, International Body Says
Posted on October 21, 2008An international advisory agency is urging the world's wealthiest countries to pony up as much as $20 billion to support testing of technologies to capture and store carbon, including the emissions from coal-fired power plants. According to an executive summary of the new report from the International Energy Agency, a major stumbling block to the research has come in the form of rising costs over the past few years...
In The News (October 21)
Posted on October 21, 2008'Tis the season for politics and here's another take on the similarities and differences between Barack Obama and John McCain on energy policy, from a report that says the two candidates share similar goals -- but different approaches, as analyzed by McClatchy Newspapers...
California Energy Policies Boost Jobs, Economy, Study Says
Posted on October 20, 2008California's energy efficiency policies enacted since the 1970s have served to boost the state's economy by hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars, according to a new study released Monday. The analysis, produced by a researcher at the Center for Energy, Resources and Economic Sustainability at the University of California-Berkeley, also found economic benefits from policies to enact California's groundbreaking climate change law, AB 32...
In The News (October 20)
Posted on October 20, 2008Opportunities in the renewable energy technology sector are becoming more diverse as regulatory support extends to technologies other than wind farms, according to a venture capitalist cited in this dispatch from Reuters. Here's a possible consequence of climate change that it's likely not a lot of folks saw coming: tigers are attacking people in some parts of India with more frequency, a development experts think might be related to habitat loss from an altered climate, reports Reuters...
Reasons for Economic Optimism in a Greener World: Reports
Posted on October 17, 2008In a world that has sent lots of frightening and contradictory financial signals lately, there remain trillions of reasons to be hopeful that moving toward a lower-carbon future can also provide enormous economic benefits, as gleaned from some recent reports...
In The News (October 17)
Posted on October 17, 2008California utility and energy regulators have approved a set of recommendations for how the state should comply with its legal mandates to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; the list includes urging that utilities ramp up their renewable power sources to 33 percent of their supply, and that at least some carbon emissions permits be sold at auction when a cap-and-trade program gets going; from a joint statement issued by the California Public Utilties Commission and the California Energy Commission...
California Reports Record Solar Installations
Posted on October 16, 2008Sunny California, indeed. Utility regulators in The Golden State reported recently that 93 megawatts of grid-connected rooftop photovoltaic solar panels had been installed during the first nine months of the year under the California Solar Initiative...
In The News (October 16)
Posted on October 16, 2008Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell has signed into law an energy conservation bill that proponents say will save consumers $500 million over the next decade by encouraging utilities to buy cheaper energy sources and mandating reductions in energy use, reports the Morning Call...
California Officials Release Revised Climate Change Plan
Posted on October 15, 2008California officials on Wednesday released a revised blueprint for meeting the state's ambitious greenhouse gas reductions required by its landmark anti-global warming law, AB 32. Among other new elements, the plan revealed that officials are thinking about imposing some new fees on certain types of greenhouse gases, and on all water connections...
In The News (October 15)
Posted on October 15, 2008Further evidence, as if any is needed, that the issues surrounding renewable energy -- particularly how to get it from one place to another -- are complicated comes from a new environmental impact statement in California that gives low marks to plans for a 150-mile transmission line linking a San Diego utility with wind, solar and geothermal projects; the Wall Street Journal's Environmental Capital takes a look at the document, which gives a higher ranking to the construction of new gas-fired plants...
Economic Uncertainty Prompts Calls to Stay the Green Course
Posted on October 14, 2008As the worldwide economy does its frightening impression of a bungee jumper who might -- or might not -- be attached to an actual bungee cord, it's probably no wonder there are a lot of different ideas of what this is all going to mean for renewable energy and efforts to tackle climate change...
In The News (October 14)
Posted on October 14, 2008All 10 states in the East Coast and mid-Atlantic carbon market are expected to offer allowances for emissions from power plants in the next auction scheduled for December, with the bidding process now open, according to a statement from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative...
Solar Environmental Study Elicits Positive Comments, Caution
Posted on October 13, 2008An effort by federal agencies to analyze the environmental impacts of large-scale solar energy projects on public lands in the West has generated a mostly positive response from individuals and groups so far, according to a summary of the comments released Monday...
In The News (October 13)
Posted on October 13, 2008Here's another journalistic take on the possible disconnect between the world's financial woes and efforts to deal with climate change, with environmentalists worried that economy trumps the green movement, from the San Francisco Chronicle...
Locking Up California's Inmates Behind Green Walls
Posted on October 10, 2008It might not make the residents any happier, but the institutions housing some of California's criminals are on their way to becoming a lot more earth-friendly. That became apparent recently when state officials and utilities formally unveiled a program to green the state's enormous prison system with energy efficient building retrofits and renewable power installations...
In The News (October 10)
Posted on October 10, 2008The ongoing debate over the economic impacts of environmental protection emerges again with France, Germany and Austria calling for an easing of European Union efforts to curb climate change and green groups saying that cutting fossil fuel use would buffer rising energy prices, says this Reuters dispatch...
U.S. Has Vast Untapped Geothermal Resources, Government Says
Posted on October 09, 2008The United States has huge untapped geothermal reserves, which if developed could nearly triple the amount of power now coming from the renewable resource, according to a recently released government report. Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, the document estimated that the country's geothermal resources that could produce about 9,000 megawatts of power...
In The News (October 9)
Posted on October 09, 2008An immediate focus by the United States on curbing climate change and making the transition to clean energy could start the economic engine needed to pull the world back from the financial brink, a top climate policy expert tells Reuters. At the same time, there might be pushback from some sectors, with leaders of European Union countries planning to use the global financial crisis as an excuse to go back on climate change commitments, according to sources cited by the U...
States: California Tops Efficiency List; Michigan Adopts Renewable Goals
Posted on October 08, 2008Michigan and California have won praise recently from energy efficiency advocates for their efforts to save electricity. Michigan gained its notoriety by enacting SB 213 a bill that not only pushes utilities to improve efficiency but also mandates that they supply some of their electricity from renewable sources by 2015...
In The News (October 8)
Posted on October 08, 2008Nuclear power is getting a lot of attention from both major presidential candidates in this election year but voters still don't seem to be sold on it, reports the Wall Street Journal's Environmental Capital blog. And here's an attempt to parse some of the energy-related statements made by Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain in their debate, from Dot Earth at The New York Times...
Biofuels: Feds Release New Plan, U.N. Raises Food Concerns
Posted on October 07, 2008U.S. government officials Tuesday released a new "action plan" for developing a sustainable biofuels industry, including a heavy emphasis on coming up with non-food sources of the energy supply. The document emerged at the same time that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization released its own cautionary assessment, warning that the increasing global demand for biofuels is putting pressure on food prices and may not do much to reduce greenhouse gas emissions...
In The News (October 7)
Posted on October 07, 2008Solyndra, a California startup, emerges from "stealth mode" with $600 million in venture capital, $1.2 billion in customer contracts and a radically different approach to solar that involves skinny black tubes -- one that the company says results in much reduced installation costs, reports the San Francisco Chronicle...
Pacific Northwest Seen as Gaining from Renewable Energy Industry
Posted on October 06, 2008With the world's financial system seemingly in full retreat, it's difficult to find economic good news but a new report outlining the potential opportunities in the Pacific Northwest offers one place to start. The study, a product of Clean Edge, a West Coast research and publishing firm, and Climate Solutions, a Washington state nonprofit, concluded that Oregon and Washington together could generate more than 60,000 new jobs by 2025 in renewable energy-related businesses...
In The News (October 6)
Posted on October 06, 2008Federal officials have agreed to a June 2009 deadline for determining "critical habitat" for polar bears, which were declared "threatened" earlier this year because of melting sea ice; the date is contained in a court agreement with environmentalists who sued seeking the animals' protection...
Congress -- Finally -- Gives Renewable Energy Breathing Room
Posted on October 03, 2008The renewable energy industry Friday finally got what it wanted from Congress, an extension of federal tax incentives considered vital to the future of wind, solar and other sources of power -- even though some parts of the industry seemed to be a little more equal than others...
In The News (October 3)
Posted on October 03, 2008Automakers want European authorities to reconsider proposed limits on carbon dioxide emissions from cars, citing the current financial crisis, which they say is going to make it hard to meet the standards at a time when sales are tanking, according to a Reuters dispatch...
Renewable Tax Credit Extensions in Senate Bailout Await House Vote
Posted on October 02, 2008There were some signs Thursday that the huge bill that gained approval in the U.S. Senate the day before to fix the nation's financial mess -- and, by the way, to extend those long-stalled renewable energy tax credits -- might be headed for passage in the House...
In The News (October 2)
Posted on October 02, 2008The nuclear industry is asking for big loan guarantees from the federal government, with 17 companies submitting 19 so-called Part I applications to support the construction of 14 nuclear power plants; the companies are asking for $122 billion in guarantees, far exceeding the $18...
Scwharzenegger, Enviros, Builders Laud Anti-Sprawl Bill
Posted on October 01, 2008California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger knows something about sequels and the former movie action hero Wednesday touted one he said was bigger than all the others -- a bill that backers believe could curtail urban sprawl in the name of cutting greenhouse gas emissions...
In The News (October 1)
Posted on October 01, 2008Efforts by Congress to tackle the nation's financial crisis could breathe new life into renewable energy tax credits, as a huge economic bailout plan heading for a Senate vote also included an extension of the energy incentives, according to The New York Times...
Schwarzenegger, Enviros, Builders Laud Anti-Sprawl Bill
Posted on October 01, 2008California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger knows something about sequels and the former movie action hero Wednesday touted one he said was bigger than all the others -- a bill that backers believe could curtail urban sprawl in the name of cutting greenhouse gas emissions...
Business Group Outlines Energy Agenda
Posted on September 30, 2008One of the nation's most well-known business groups, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has unveiled a new set of recommendations for how the next president and Congress should deal with the country's energy problems. The "Blueprint for Securing America's Energy Future" runs more than 70 pages and includes recommendations that even some in the environmental community might support...
In The News (September 30)
Posted on September 30, 2008California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed what is believed to be the nation's first bill intended to curb greenhouse gas emissions via improved land-use planning to combat urban sprawl, according to a statement from the governor...
RGGI Auction Results Released -- Demand High, Prices Not So Much
Posted on September 29, 2008The nation's first auction of mandatory carbon dioxide emissions permits brought high demand from buyers but prices were less than spectacular, coming in at $3.07 per ton -- somewhat lower than they reportedly had been bringing on futures markets. In a statement Monday, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Inc...
In The News (September 29)
Posted on September 29, 2008Federal wildlife officials have launched an extensive environmental analysis of wind energy in the Great Plains region, an area that has caught the eye of lots of wind developers; the project will take about two years and center on the Dakotas, the Omaha World-Herald reports...
Congress Bats Renewable Tax Breaks Back and Forth -- No End in Sight
Posted on September 26, 2008Congress continued its high-stakes game of tax policy ping-pong Friday and despite the passage of another bill appeared little closer to actually extending federal incentives for renewable energy. The House took the latest swing at the issue, approving on a 257-166 vote a $60 billion tax relief bill (see summary) that included $15 billion for renewable energy, carbon capture, energy efficiency and conservation projects...
Schwarzenegger: Next Stop, the World
Posted on September 26, 2008Love him or not, no one could really accuse California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of thinking small. Schwarzenegger, answering questions before a friendly audience at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on Friday, was asked by moderator Greg Dalton for his thoughts on how the recent development of regional market-based systems to control greenhouse gas emissions might translate into a national program...
In The News (September 26)
Posted on September 26, 2008Alternative energy technologies will create millions of new jobs in the next two decades, including 11 million alone in biofuels, says a new United Nations report, according to the Boston Globe's The Green Blog. Here's an summary of the report, and the full study...
Nation's First Mandatory Carbon Emissions Auction Happens
Posted on September 25, 2008The country's first auction of mandatory permits to allow for the emission of carbon dioxide -- the initial step in a hoped-for market-based solution to global warming -- took place Thursday. According to a statement from the 10-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the auction began with a bell-ringing ceremony at the New York Mercantile Exchange in Manhattan, located, ironically, in a state that is not yet fully participating in the regional market...
In The News (September 25)
Posted on September 25, 2008The battle to curb heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere just keeps getting tougher, it seems, with the release of a study showing that global carbon emissions rose rapidly in 2007, from a Reuters dispatch. The news agency also produced a fact box displaying information from the study...
Renewable Tax Credit Extensions Still Pending
Posted on September 24, 2008A day after legislation was overwhelmingly passed by the U.S. Senate to extend federal tax credits for wind, solar and other renewable energy sources the House had yet to act and it appeared the chamber would take yet another new look at the issue...
In The News (September 24)
Posted on September 24, 2008Congressional Democrats, bowing to political pressure, have agreed to let the ban on offshore oil drilling expire, a decision that could allow exploration just three miles off the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, reports the Washington Post...
Western Climate Consortium Unveils Cap-and-Trade Design
Posted on September 23, 2008The Western Climate Initiative, a partnership of American states and Canadian provinces representing a significant chunk of each country's economies, Tuesday unveiled its design for a market-based system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions...
In The News (September 23)
Posted on September 23, 2008The U.S. Senate Tuesday overwhelmingly passed legislation extending federal tax credits for wind, solar and other renewable energy sources in what could be a major breakthrough for the incentives. According to Bloomberg, the bill -- extending for eight years an investment-tax credit for solar projects and for one year a tax break for wind, and two years for some other alternative energy sources -- could go to the House for action as early as Wednesday...
American Companies Lag in Planning Emissions Cuts, Report Says
Posted on September 22, 2008Big companies in the United States lag far behind others around the globe in trying to reduce the amount of heat-trapping gases they're responsible for spewing into the atmosphere, according to data released by a group that tracks corporate performance in the area...
In The News (September 22)
Posted on September 22, 2008The Amish are tapping into "God's grid," embracing solar power, in this intriguing look at the phenomenon, from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mountain top removal coal mining, a particularly controversial way of getting at the fossil fuel, has made its way into the presidential campaign, with both major candidates saying they think the practice should be halted, reports The Charleston (W...
Renewable Tax Credits Still Un-Extended; Wait Until After Election?
Posted on September 19, 2008Another week in Washington has ended without Congress extending tax incentives for wind, solar and other renewable energy sources, amid new reports that the 11th hour may actually occur no earlier than the 11th month. The Hill, a newspaper that closely covers the government, reported late in the week that a new version of a controversial compromise -- but one that has drawn support from an influential group of lawmakers from both parties -- probably will not be introduced in the Senate until after the November general election...
In The News (September 19)
Posted on September 19, 2008A California state appeals court has rejected a challenge by environmentalists to the operations of wind farms in that state, but the ruling was more narrow than a lower court's earlier decision also throwing out the case. In contrast to the trial court, the 1st District Court of Appeal held that private groups do have the right to sue to protect wildlife, such as birds, under the "public trust" doctrine but that such cases should be brought against the responsible government agencies, including the county...
California Utility Regulators Adopt Sweeping Energy Efficiency Blueprint
Posted on September 18, 2008The California Public Utilities Commission Thursday adopted a sweeping blueprint for promoting energy efficiency across the state, including setting aggressive goals for reducing the amount of power drawn residential and commercial buildings draw from the grid...
In The News (September 18)
Posted on September 18, 2008Michigan lawmakers approve a sweeping change in the way that state regulates electric utilities and prods the development of alternative energy such as wind power, reports the Detroit Free Press. Fallout from that big vote in the House the other day on energy and, by the way, offshore oil drilling, includes the creation of divisions among environmentalists, an issue examined by the Washington Post...
CA Economy, Health to Benefit from Greenhouse Gas Cuts -- Reports
Posted on September 17, 2008California air regulators Wednesday issued two reports on the economic and health impacts of complying with the state's aggressive plans for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, suggesting both could benefit at least to some extent from the effort...
In The News (September 17)
Posted on September 17, 2008Support for offshore drilling may not be as deep as has been previously thought, at least in the West, suggests a new poll, reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. Google and General Electric say that they will collaborate on developing geothermal power as well as technology to enable plug-in vehicles to return electricity to the grid, according to Green Wombat, a blog produced by Fortune...
Congress Clashes -- Again -- Over Energy, Renewable Tax Credits
Posted on September 16, 2008The U.S. House on Tuesday scuffled over the nation's energy policy, an issue in which the sides sometimes have appeared to grow farther apart the longer the debate goes on. However, late in the day majority Democrats in the House muscled through a massive bill that would allow for some expansion of offshore oil drilling, as well as extend federal tax credits for renewable energy considered vital to the industry...
In The News (September 16)
Posted on September 16, 2008General Motors Corp. has unveiled the production version of an electric car that's designed to go 40 miles without recharging and also carries a gas tank for longer trips; it's called the Volt, from a Reuters dispatch. But at the same time, a scientist looking at the issue of electric cars says lead-footed drivers blasting the air conditioning could significantly cut the battery range of the vehicles -- although that's not necessarily always a bad thing, according to another Reuters report...
California Energy Officials Move Toward Bigger Renewable Goal, Carbon Auction
Posted on September 15, 2008California's utility and energy regulatory bodies are moving toward urging that the state adopt an aggressive renewable energy goal, and that a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gases ultimately auction all of the credits needed to cover the emissions...
In The News (September 15)
Posted on September 15, 2008Wall Street's woes spilled over into the European carbon market, as carbon futures dropped 4 percent on Monday and Lehman Brothers shut down its carbon desk after the bank went into bankruptcy protection, Reuters reports...
'Cellulosic' Ethanol Looks to be Growing Industry
Posted on September 12, 2008While there remains a lot of controversy over the use of grain crops for ethanol, another form of the fuel, which generally uses as its raw material stuff like wood chips, agricultural wastes and similar biomass, appears to be gaining some ground...
Economic Forces Combining to Encourage Energy Efficient Industrial Remodels
Posted on September 10, 2008A combination of factors, including high energy prices that are making shipping more expensive and slower, are also creating an extremely rare chance to improve energy efficiency in the industrial sector, a new report suggests...
International Geothermal Effort Launched
Posted on September 08, 2008Even as interest in domestic geothermal energy production appears to be increasing, a far-flung new international effort has begun to promote new means of exploiting the planet's own heat sources. The U.S. Department of Energy the other day announced it had entered into a pact with Iceland and Australia that appeared to be primarily intended to promote development of what's called "enhanced geothermal" technology...
Wind Hits a Milestone -- But Big Speed Bumps Loom
Posted on September 05, 2008The wind power industry took a moment the other day to note a milestone in the energy source's development in the United States, and to issue a familiar warning. First, the milestone: Wind capacity has for the first time exceeded 20,000 megawatts, according to the American Wind Energy Association...
In The News (September 5)
Posted on September 05, 2008California's trend-setting energy and environmental laws are a noble but risky effort, according to a commentator who writes that while the statutes are serving to create a new economy, the rules may also be hamstringing some utilities and businesses -- from EnergyBiz...
New York City Says: 'Shut That Door!'
Posted on September 04, 2008Anyone whose parents have told them to shut the door "or you'll let all the heat (or cold) out" can relate to a new piece of legislation going into effect in New York City. Simply put, the bill signed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg this week requires many businesses to shut their outer doors when using air conditioning...
In The News (September 4)
Posted on September 04, 2008Here's a breakdown of the energy policies offered by the presidential candidates: Democrat Barack Obama is a big supporter of renewable energy, while Republican John McCain would rein in the role of government on energy policy, as reported by C/Net's Green Tech from an analysis by researchers at New Energy Finance...
Government Authorizing Coal Projects -- Illegally -- Environmental Group Says
Posted on September 03, 2008Despite acting earlier this year to withdraw direct support for coal-fired power plants, an influential government agency is continuing to indirectly authorize billions of dollars of new investments in such projects, and doing so illegally, an environmental group has charged...
Food-Fuel Battle Rages on with Dueling Estimates, Little Consensus
Posted on June 13, 2008The continuing conflict over ethanol, particularly the kind that comes from commodities such as corn, has been stirred up again with both the federal government and the food industry trading much differing assessments of the economic impact of the fuel additive...
In Other News (June 13)
Posted on June 13, 2008Representatives from 170 nations meeting in Germany have failed to come up with proposals on how to slow global warming, heightening the differences between wealthy and developing countries, Bloomberg reports. Europe's biodiesel producers complaining about 'unfair' United States subsidies are seeking punitive duties on American imports of the fuel, according to The Guardian...
Connecticut, New Hampshire, Join States' Parade to Curb Greenhouse Gases
Posted on June 12, 2008Connecticut and New Hampshire have become two of the latest states to move forward on their own to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Recently, Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed HB 5600, a bill that sets a goal of dramatically slashing the output of the heat-trapping gases by 2050...
In Other News (June 12)
Posted on June 12, 2008Here's the "poop" on a new solar-and-biomass plant that can operate day and night in California's Central Valley and will use manure for part of its fuel mix, as related by the San Francisco Chronicle. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has chosen a pair of institutes in Alaska and New Jersey that foster collaboration between government agencies and noted universities to join in conducting research on climate change, greenhouse gases, and changes to Arctic ice coverage, according to a statement from NOAA...
Energy Efficiency, Green Building Standards, Get International Notice
Posted on June 11, 2008Interest in energy efficiency, including green buildings, seems to be on the increase as other efforts to combat climate change run up against opposition targeted primarily at their costs.By contrast, a recently released study from a pro-green building and appliance group, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, suggests that boosting energy efficiency would actually result in a net benefit for the American economy...
Despite Setback for Renewable Bill, Senator Vows to Keep Pushing
Posted on June 11, 2008The U.S. Senate, fresh from dealing a blow to an effort to extend renewable energy tax incentives, might not be done with the issue just yet.Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (pictured) Wednesday touted the backing of hundreds of businesses for legislation along the lines of that which ran off the rails the other day in the Senate when backers could not muster the 60 votes needed to end a Republican-led filibuster...
In Other News (June 11)
Posted on June 11, 2008In one more indication that China has big hopes for wind power, here's word that the country plans to triple its wind capacity within 2 years, as reported by Inter Press Service in a dispatch carried by Power Engineering International. Meanwhile, the shares of American Superconductor Corp...
Renewable Tax Credits Hit Snag in Senate
Posted on June 10, 2008Efforts to extend renewable energy tax credits, which advocates have contended are needed in order to sustain boom times in alternative generation, hit a snag when the Senate could not muster enough votes to overcome a Republican filibuster...
In Other News (June 10)
Posted on June 10, 2008Scientific academies are urging humanity to act to curb threats including that posed by global warming by starting the transition toward a low-carbon economy, according to The New York Times environmental blog Dot Earth. The 'green' job market is booming, with the number jobs specific to climate change nearly tripling in the past year, despite economic problems elsewhere, environmental recruiters say, according to this Reuters report...
State and Regional Climate Efforts Could Help Prod National Action
Posted on June 09, 2008Congress may have its problems moving ahead with climate change legislation, as evidenced by the failure of the Lieberman-Warner bill to advance last week, but officials in states and Canadian provinces have been laying the groundwork for regional efforts to establish greenhouse gas curbs and a carbon market...
In Other News (June 9)
Posted on June 09, 2008Companies that burn coal would like to cut carbon emissions, they just don't want to be the first to do it, according to this analysis by The New York Times. Hard times for coal, brought on by concerns over global warming, are chronicled by the Chicago Tribune...
U.S. Climate Bill Stalls While World Experts Seek Energy 'Revolution'
Posted on June 06, 2008World experts Friday sought an "energy revolution," one that might require a multi-trillion dollar financial commitment, to ward off global warming.The call for action came even as the U.S. Senate failed to advance a massive climate change bill Friday...
In Other News (June 6)
Posted on June 06, 2008Reports of the death of the SUV may be premature -- but not by much, according to this near-obituary of the beloved gas-guzzler appearing in U.S. News & World Report. Some big companies, including Dell and Lenovo, are joining together with cities and nonprofit groups to launch a campaign called Together to promote energy-saving products, services and initiatives, according to ChannelWeb...
Lawmakers Seek to Reduce Tariffs on Imported Ethanol
Posted on June 05, 2008Two senators have moved to drop the United States' tariff on imported ethanol as at least one way of reducing skyrocketing gasoline prices.The legislation, which drew praise from critics of current government policies favoring domestic ethanol, was proposed by U...
In Other News (June 5)
Posted on June 05, 2008A giant in the wind energy industry has proposed to build hundreds of wind turbines in New York as part of its attempt to gain approval from state regulators in its lengthy battle to purchase a power company, reports The New York Times. Kiribati, a low-lying Pacific atoll nation, already may be doomed by climate change, according to the country's president, who contends communities have already been resettled and crops destroyed by seawater, says this report carried by news...
Western Transmission, Solar Environmental Impacts, on Feds' To-Do List
Posted on June 04, 2008Federal energy and land management officials have launched an effort to assess environmental impacts associated with booming solar developments in the Western United States.While that's going on new applications for projects located on the Bureau of Land Management's vast holdings will not be accepted until after the process is completed, the government announced recently...
In Other News (June 4)
Posted on June 04, 2008Republican lawmakers were trying to scuttle the Lieberman-Warner climate change bill, warning of a huge new bureaucracy and other ills, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Meanwhile, environmentalists chastised the GOP for forcing Senate clerks to read aloud the entire lengthy measure Federal energy officials have applied for a license to build a long-planned radioactive waste dump in Nevada that would serve the nation's nuclear power reactors, but leaders from the state vow renewed efforts to block it, according to this story from the Los Angeles Times...
Fighting Climate Change Could Boost Jobs, Say Enviros, Unions
Posted on June 03, 2008With much of the debate over efforts to control climate change focusing on potential economic impacts, environmental and labor organizations Tuesday floated a new report that they portrayed as boosting the notion that green, particularly green energy, is good for workers...
In Other News (June 3)
Posted on June 03, 2008NASA Officials "reduced, marginalized or mischaracterized climate change science" information made available to the general public but an agency investigation finds such policies have been changed, reports The New York Times...
Lieberman-Warner Day: Maybe Next Year?
Posted on June 02, 2008The U.S. Senate Monday began tackling legislation to curtail the nation's heavy carbon footprint but signs pointed toward a tough go for the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (see also a summary of the bill). One of those negative signs: A veto threat from President Bush...
In Other News (June 2)
Posted on June 02, 2008Beetles are bad for trees and as the climate changes, the insects may thrive and alter Canada's forests forever, according to a story in the Ottawa Sun. Ethanol, once viewed as a "license to print money," now appears to be at a crossroads, as a result of rising corn prices and jitters among government officials and Wall Street, reports the Chicago Tribune...
Energy Department Says U.S. Saw Big Growth in Wind Power
Posted on May 30, 2008There have been consistent indications that wind power is taking off in a big way in the United States and elsewhere. But a new assessment produced by the U.S. Department of Energy still came up with some impressive statistics showing the extent of the wind rush...
In Other News (May 30)
Posted on May 30, 2008In California, the California Public Utilities Commission has named Frank Rich Lindh, an attorney with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, as the agency's new general counsel. In the past, Lindh had served as general counsel for a gas pipeline company and as an appellate attorney for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission...
Climate Change Effect, Cause Evidence Compiled in Exhaustive Report
Posted on May 29, 2008The newest in a recent series of federal reports on the potential effects of climate change is perhaps the most comprehensive to date, and predicts wide-ranging challenges for human society and natural systems, including the spread of certain diseases...
In Other News (May 29)
Posted on May 29, 2008The nation's first comprehensive ocean planning law, which among other things will regulate the placement of renewable energy projects such as wind farms, has been signed by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, reports the Boston Globe. Representatives of the five countries bordering the Arctic Ocean have adopted a declaration intended to reduce tensions over the likelihood that global warming will open northern waters to shipping, energy extraction and other activities, reports The New York Times...
Rep. Markey, House Climate Leader, Introduces New Bill
Posted on May 28, 2008There's a (sort of) new climate change player on Capitol Hill.U.S. Rep. Edward J. Markey (pictured), a leading voice for some time in Washington on the subject of greenhouse gas reductions, announced Wednesday he would introduce a "revolutionary" climate change bill that appears to be the most aggressive measure yet put before Congress...
In Other News (May 28)
Posted on May 28, 2008Global warming poses a serious threat to the Great Lakes and Congress needs to pay for restoring the huge bodies of fresh water now, says a new report cited by the Detroit Free Press. The "circus" that is the Exxon Mobil shareholders meeting includes consideration of shareholder proposals, including one that would set limits on greenhouse gases, as reported by the Wall Street Journal's Environmental Capital...
Government Reports See Climate Change, Carbon Effects Ongoing
Posted on May 27, 2008A sobering new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts the future of a warming planet where crops are more likely to fail, but weeds might thrive, livestock would perish in the summer heat, and droughts would become more frequent in parts of the country...
In Other News (May 27)
Posted on May 27, 2008The updated version of the Lieberman-Warner bill to curtail United States greenhouse gas emissions is scheduled to hit the floor of the Senate on June 2, although it is unlikely to become law this year, according to this look at the legislation from Reuters...
Offshore Energy Research Projects Could Get Green Light Soon
Posted on May 23, 2008The power of the ocean likely will draw millions of people to the beaches this Memorial Day weekend and beyond, some of them perhaps thinking of power in a literal sense. Those would be the folks interested in the potential development of the marine environment as an energy source and they may soon see some new action from the federal government...
In Other News (May 23)
Posted on May 23, 2008A federal rule exempting oil and gas projects from certain federal water pollution requirements was struck down by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a split decision Friday. The Natural Resources Defense Council, which sued over the regulation, asserted the decision would protect thousands of streams and waterways...
Ignoring Climate Change Carries a High Price, Environmental Group Says
Posted on May 22, 2008There's been lots of debate on how much society would have to pay to combat the effects of climate change. Now, a new report puts a very big price tag on the potential cost of inaction.According to researchers at Tufts University, in a study commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the United States economy could suffer a 3...
In Other News (May 22)
Posted on May 22, 2008Climate change legislation such as the Lieberman-Warner bill could be helping to drive interest in companies such as Calpine Corp., a big energy supplier that doesn't burn coal -- and which just received an unsolicited $11 billion bid from NRG Energy, says the Wall Street Journal's Environmental Capital...
Bay Area Air Pollution Regulators Approve First-of-its-Kind GHG Fee
Posted on May 21, 2008Air pollution regulators in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved what is believed to be the first set of fees of their kind on greenhouse gas emissions, over the objections of oil industry and other business groups...
In Other News (May 21)
Posted on May 21, 2008The House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to override President Bush’s veto of the $307 billion farm bill, which contains provisions relating to alternative fuels, reports The New York Times. The House Wednesday passed a measure extending tax credits for wind, solar and other alternative energy sources on a 263-260 vote, says this statement from the House Ways and Means Committee...
Hoisting a Brew to Greener Businesses
Posted on May 20, 2008Now, how about some news with relevance to the fight against global warming and other environmental ills that might be good enough to, say, warrant cracking open a celebratory cold one?On Tuesday, the Environmental Defense Fund, joining with the top executives of some companies with notable ideas on how to both save money and the planet, tried to inject some optimism into what can be a pretty ponderous (and sometimes scary and depressing) subject...
In Other News (May 20)
Posted on May 20, 2008Environmental Protection Agency chief Stephen Johnson originally backed California's effort to set the nation's toughest limits on global warming-related vehicle emissions but backed off under pressure from the White House, according to a new congressional report cited by the San Francisco Chronicle...
Bear's 'Threatened' Designation Generates Heat from Polar Opposites
Posted on May 19, 2008As far as Climate Law Update knows, no one has yet polled the polar bears on the U.S. Interior Department's decision last week to list them as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. But lots of other interested parties seem less than enamored with the action, and prepared to go to court -- albeit for quite different reasons...
In Other News (May 19)
Posted on May 19, 2008Global warming is not to blame for a recent increase in hurricanes, according to a top scientist who previously warned about the meteorological impact of climate change, reports the UK's Telegraph. President Bush has signed a one-week extension keeping agriculture programs running, even as he has vowed to veto a farm bill passed by Congress last week, according to this Reuters report...
Enviros Strike Back on 'Deficient' Polar Bear Listing
Posted on May 16, 2008Disgruntled environmental groups late Friday filed a flurry of new legal papers seeking to beef up what they characterized as the federal government's "legally deficient" protections for the polar bear announced earlier this week.The organizations -- the same groups that successfully pressured the Bush administration to list the animal as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act -- filed an updated federal court lawsuit, as well as other documents that could lead to even more legal claims in the future...
Minnesota Establishes 20 Percent Biodiesel Requirement
Posted on May 16, 2008Midwestern states, including Minnesota and Missouri, are looking at different ways of boosting renewable energy use within their borders.Minnesota, under legislation recently signed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty (pictured), is generally requiring that all diesel sold in the state for use as engine fuel contain no less than 20 percent biodiesel by spring 2015...
In Other News (May 16)
Posted on May 16, 2008Legislation that would renew billions of dollars in tax breaks for solar, wind, biomass and other renewable energy sources and extend a proposed new tax credit for ethanol fuels not produced from corn is advancing in the U.S. House, according to Reuters...
Catching the Wind: California Approves One of Nation's Biggest Contracts
Posted on May 15, 2008California utility regulators Thursday approved what ranks as perhaps the biggest wind energy contract in the nation's history, a 1,500-megawatt deal involving Southern California Edison Company.The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to approve the agreement between Edison and Australia's Alta Windpower Development LLC that will sprout new capacity in the already active generating region in the Tehachapi area of Southern California (see PUC press release here; formal approval document here)...
In Other News (May 15)
Posted on May 15, 2008A climate-change bill heading to the U.S. Senate could easily generate $3 trillion in value in the country by 2050, sparking a "wonky" debate over its particulars, reports Fortune magazine in an article picked up by CNN Money...
Federal Government Calls Polar Bear Threatened but Limits Impact
Posted on May 14, 2008U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, under pressure from the federal courts and environmentalists, Wednesday declared the polar bear threatened because of loss of its sea ice habitat. But he also acted to make sure the move wouldn't trigger broader efforts to aimed at tackling global warming...
In Other News (May 14)
Posted on May 14, 2008The U.S. House of Representatives passes a new five-year farm bill, including provisions relating to renewable fuels tax credits, by enough votes to overcome a presidential veto, reports Bloomberg. A committee of Nigeria's Senate is set to open debate on a bill to establish a National Climate Commission that would have responsibility for the strategic planning and co-ordination of national policies in the field of climate, according to Lagos' This Day...
DOE Report Finds Big Future for Wind, Cites Challenges
Posted on May 13, 2008A new U.S. Department of Energy report finds that wind power could supply up to one-fifth of the nation's electricity by 2030 but not without overcoming challenges such as improving the nation's transmission system.The news media found lots to note in the report...
In Other News (May 13)
Posted on May 13, 2008Kennecott Utah Copper and Kennecott Land Co. have donated $210,000 to help The Nature Conservancy establish a research center as part of the group's cliimate change efforts, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The global credit crunch actually could help in the effort to contain the climate crisis, as investors look for sure returns, or so reports Reuters in a story carried by the UK's Guardian newspaper...
State Officials Contemplate Big Changes in California Livin'
Posted on May 12, 2008California, where automobiles go to be worshiped, might have to change its ways in a big way to accommodate the state's plans to reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases.That was demonstrated by the recent issuance of a set of recommendations to regulators who are trying to figure out how to get California on track to meet the goals of its innovative AB 32...
In Other News (May 12)
Posted on May 12, 2008Sen. John McCain sought to distance himself from President Bush on Monday as he called for a mandatory limit on greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, the New York Times reports. Progress Energy today released its second report on global climate change, detailing the company's actions to confront the challenges of supplying reliable power to growing communities while addressing climate change Austalian agricultural production could double by 2050 despite the threat of climate change...
Farm Bill Confrontation Looms as President Balks at Legislation
Posted on May 09, 2008Prospects for a new farm bill that, among other arguably more controversial provisions, trims the federal subsidies for some forms of ethanol, remained uncertain at week's end because of continued criticism from President Bush.That was despite support from a variety of leading lawmakers and interest groups ranging from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the American Farm Bureau Federation...
California: Our Standards are Better Than the Feds'
Posted on May 09, 2008California's approaches to cleaning up automobile greenhouse gas emissions are better than those recently proposed by the federal government -- according to California.The California Air Resources Board this week released a new study that it said "conclusively demonstrates" that the state's mandate for cutting tailpipe emissions believed to contribute to global warming achieved more than 40 percent greater reductions than new federal mileage standards announced last month (see press statement here; full report here)...
In Other News (May 9)
Posted on May 09, 2008What is arguably the world's cutest animal, the koala, faces threats to its existence from climate change, according to Australia's Science Daily. California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi warns that global warming could push water levels high enough to inundate the Central Valley town of Stockton, the Stockton Record reports...
Wind Installations Up, Industry Group Says Subsidies Needed to Sustain Progress
Posted on May 08, 2008Wind power developers in the United States built new installations at a fast rate during the first quarter of 2008, according to an industry group. But the American Wind Energy Association, which issued the report, also warned that the boom could go bust if Congress doesn't move to renew tax credits...
In Other News (May 8)
Posted on May 08, 2008Businesses in the United Kingdom will not back the case for high levels of environmental taxation, such as those placed on emissions auctions, if the money goes towards meeting other public spending commitments, argues Independent business columnist Jeremy Warner...
Energy Department Pours Money into Carbon Sequestration, 'Clean Coal'
Posted on May 07, 2008Coal may be a fossil but apparently it isn't dead.The U.S. Department of Energy looks to be backing carbon sequestration projects and clean coal in a big way, despite some setbacks for the fuel in recent months (see Climate Law Update stories here and here)...
In Other News (May 7)
Posted on May 07, 2008Who finds it easy -- or good business -- being green? The San Francisco Chronicle, citing a report from a New Hampshire nonprofit group, gives an accounting of climate-friendly companies. It's mercury, not climate issues, driving the opposition, but the Sierra Club is threatening to sue to block a number of coal-fired power plants, according to Reuters...
New Lawsuit Challenges Arctic Seismic Oil Exploration
Posted on May 06, 2008A new lawsuit filed by environmentalists challenges Arctic oil and gas exploration efforts the groups contend threaten marine mammals such as whales.Plaintiffs include organizations that have already sought to force new federal protections for polar bears and other animals because of alleged threats from climate change, a move that could also have implications for oil development in the region...
In Other News (May 6)
Posted on May 06, 2008European and Japanese investors have bought slightly over half of London-based Climate Change Capital, which invests in projects to cut carbon emissions in the developing world among other enterprises, Reuters reports. Efforts to address the transportation industry's carbon footprint, particularly that from air travel, are examined in a recent article in the New York Times...
Ohio Governor Signs 'Alternative' Portfolio Bill
Posted on May 05, 2008Gov. Ted Strickland of coal-heavy Ohio has signed a bill pushing his state's electric distribution utilities to make sure that 25 percent of the power they sell comes from "alternative" resources by 2025.Under Senate Bill 221, that would include juice coming from such renewable sources as wind and solar, to other forms of generation, including "clean" coal, fuel cells and advanced nuclear, according to a statement by Strickland (see statement here; bill text here) and a report in the Toledo Blade (see story here)...
In Other News (May 5)
Posted on May 05, 2008The Asian Development Bank's head announces a new fund to combat damage caused by climate change, writes The Economic Times of India. Scientists suggest species living in the tropics may be in more serious danger than those living near the Arctic, reports the CBC...
Winners, Losers in Cap-and-Trade Scenarios Seen in New Report
Posted on May 02, 2008This saving the planet stuff just isn't complicated enough, it seems.Underscoring the importance of the finer points involved in establishing a market-based approach to controlling greenhouse gas emissions, a new report (accessible here) sponsored by a fascinating collection of interests shows how huge sums are at stake depending on how such a program is structured...
In Other News (May 2)
Posted on May 02, 2008The Arctic and the Antarctic experience similar greenhouse gas levels and solar radiation but are responding in dramatically different ways, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which reported on a new study soon to be published in EOS, a publication of the American Geophysical Union...
Maryland Governor Signs Energy Bills, Including New Portfolio Standards
Posted on May 01, 2008Maryland's Gov. Martin O'Malley has signed a package of energy bills to among other things beef up renewable portfolio standards in that state, set goals for reducing energy consumption and funnel proceeds from the sale of greenhouse gas credits to clean energy projects...
In Other News (May 1)
Posted on May 01, 2008Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company and the Environmental Defense Fund are entering a partnership in which the advocacy group will help improve the environmental performance of the buyout firm's companies, including areas of greenhouse gas emissions, reports the New York Times...
New Economic Impact Report on Lieberman-Warner Fails to Settle Debate
Posted on April 30, 2008A new federal economic analysis of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act shows that the measure wouldn't impede strong growth in the United States; whereas a new federal study of the bill forecasts a gloomy future of higher energy prices and problems for industry...
In Other News (April 30)
Posted on April 30, 2008Methane coming from a landfill near San Francisco could soon fuel the garbage trucks serving the site, under a plan to be announced by Waste Management, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. European leaders on climate change say they do not expect much from President Bush on the issue but they have hopes a new administration will be different, writes Reuters...
Judge Orders Feds to Act on Polar Bear Protections
Posted on April 29, 2008A federal judge in California late Monday gave the federal government barely two weeks to make a final decision on protecting the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act, a move that could have significant implications for regulatory efforts to combat climate change...
Farm Bill Faces Uncertainty, Would Cut Ethanol Subsidies
Posted on April 29, 2008A compromise farm bill that reportedly includes some sharp reductions in subsidies for some forms of ethanol underwent heavy criticism Tuesday from President Bush. At a news conference, he called the overall multi-billion-dollar measure a “massive, bloated” bill that would do little to solve the problem of rising food prices (see White House transcript here)...
Polar Bear Ruling Sparks Reaction
Posted on April 29, 2008The U.S. Department of Interior had only a muted reaction to Monday's federal court ruling demanding a quick decision on whether to protect the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act because of global warming. But that didn't keep the department's critics from weighing in...
In Other News (April 29)
Posted on April 29, 2008The X Prize Foundation, which has previously handed out millions of dollars to stimulate developments in such fields as space travel, has announced it will distribute $100 million in awards for innovations in alternatives to fossil fuels, Business Week reports...
China May Be Planning Big Boost For Wind Power, As Greenhouse Gases Build
Posted on April 28, 2008Chinese government officials may have produced a startling new goal for wind power in the giant country -- 100,000 megawatts by 2020. That represents a big step beyond more near-term figures the country floated just earlier this year (see Climate Law Update story here)...
In Other News (April 28)
Posted on April 28, 2008Descendants of John D. Rockefeller will call for a shakeup at the top of ExxonMobil, the successor to the Standard Oil giant Rockefeller founded, amid concerns the company has been slow to acknowledge climate change, The Times of London reported...
California Views on US Fuel Efficiency Plan Sour
Posted on April 25, 2008California officials have quickly soured on the Bush administration's new rules to boost motor vehicle fuel economy standards. They see it as an attack on efforts in the state and elsewhere to limit tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases...
Earth Day Green -- The Color of Money
Posted on April 22, 2008On Earth Day, attention naturally turns to all things green – as in money.Pocketbook issues are at the center of a number of new reports that assess the impact of efforts to combat climate change and promote the development of renewable sources of energy...
In Other News (April 22)
Posted on April 22, 2008The federal government is moving to increase motor vehicle fuel efficiency standards, even as Chinese leaders pressure that country's auto industry to do the same thing, according to the New York Times. State mandates, such as those in California, that utilities boost the amount of renewable power they supply are fueling a demand for wind, solar and biomass, the Washington Post reports...
FERC Approves Request Related to West Coast Renewable Transmission Project
Posted on April 21, 2008The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has partially approved Pacific Gas and Electric Company's request that allows the company to recover from customers at least some of the costs related to a 1,000-mile transmission project intended to deliver power from renewable sources...
In Other News (April 21)
Posted on April 21, 2008Widespread concerns are surfacing that Africa, despite being less culpable for climate change than other regions, could be among the worst affected, reports Voice of America. Industrial companies fear that European efforts to combat climate change could drive them from doing business there, Reuters discloses in a story in the International Herald Tribune...
Feds Want More Time to Study Polar Bear Listing; Enviros Say It's All About the Oil
Posted on April 18, 2008Attorneys for the Interior Department have asked a federal judge to give officials until June 30 to make a final decision on whether to protect the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act because of climate change.Environmentalists immediately accused government bureaucrats of dragging their feet to avoid any interference with oil explorations planned for the bears’ habitat...
In Other News (April 18)
Posted on April 18, 2008The San Francisco Chronicle's urban design writer examines the effect climate change is having on the thinking of government planners, as they look ahead to a future where ocean front property is a lot further inland. The Chronicle's politics blog reports on the political odd couple of Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican, getting together to shoot a TV commercial urging leaders to take immediate action on climate change...
California Incentives Boost Solar Installations, Regulators Report
Posted on April 17, 2008A new report published by the California Public Utilities Commission suggests a robust beginning for a state program to provide incentives for residential and commercial solar projects.The document, issued this week, reported that the California Solar Initiative, launched in January 2007, has received more than 10,000 applications...
In Other News (April 17)
Posted on April 17, 2008Congressional Quarterly writes about a new package of tax incentives, including some for energy programs, sponsored by Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. The statement from Baucus and Grassley notes the package includes extending credits for renewable electricity and refined coal production (see text here)...
Bush Weighs in on Greenhouse Gas Reductions, Critics Rip Effort
Posted on April 16, 2008President Bush Wednesday set a goal of halting the increase in the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, a significantly less ambitious objective than that established by some of the states, including California.But in a speech in the White House Rose Garden, Bush also opened the door to a binding international agreement on cutting emissions...
In Other News (April 16)
Posted on April 16, 2008John Doerr, Silicon Valley venture capitalist, explains why cleantech is "the biggest economic opportunity of the century" and his four steps for solving global warming. China is ramping up polysilicon production, but will remain a small player for some time, according to THT Research...
EPA Issues Final Inventory of Greenhouse Emissions, Still Shows Reductions
Posted on April 16, 2008Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States dropped by a somewhat lower fraction than earlier reported, according to final estimates released this week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.However, the annual Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks still showed a 1...
Legislative Response to Brown A Win for Attorney General, Thelen Lawyer Writes
Posted on April 15, 2008A California lawyer who has closely followed California's energy regulation, and once was part of it, has concluded that state lawmakers handed Attorney General Jerry Brown a victory last year when they passed a new law in reaction to his controversial greenhouse gas litigation...
'Values Clashes' Seen as Challenge to Renewables, Other Climate Efforts
Posted on April 14, 2008Global warming is bad, and developing renewable energy to help solve the problem is good, right? While that might be a popular view, the reality is a bit more complicated, as experts in the field have begun noting with some frequency lately.Talk of what UCLA School of Law Professor Ann Carlson (pictured) calls “localized environmental values clashes” over renewable projects was in the air at a recent conference at the University of California-Berkeley’s law school, Boalt Hall...
California Utility Regulators OK $600M Customer-funded GHG Research Effort
Posted on April 11, 2008California utility regulators have voted to commit more than a half-billion dollars – paid for by the ratepayers of the state’s privately owned utilities -- to a research and development effort devoted to finding new technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and getting them to market...
Senate Passes Extensions for Renewable Incentives; House Future Uncertain
Posted on April 10, 2008The U.S. Senate Thursday moved forward with its version of an extension of tax credits for renewable energy. But it did so without identifying how to pay for the estimated $6 billion in incentives for wind, solar and other projects.Introduced by Sens...
IPCC Expert Sees Need, As Do Others, for Government Backing of Energy Research
Posted on April 09, 2008A key member of the international body that has done much to warn the world of the dangers of climate change says that a needed part of the solution – government support for research into new technologies – is falling ominously short...
British Columbia Moves Toward Cap-and-Trade Amid Larger Auction Debates
Posted on April 08, 2008British Columbia is moving forward with a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gases, laying the groundwork for the province's involvement in a Western North American regional trading system.The development occurs as one new report strikes a cautionary note about how to establish a market, warning that free allocation of emissions credits has helped produce large windfall profits in Europe (see full document here)...
Ethanol Takes a Media Hit, Industry Punches Back; Algae, Wind, Solar Soar
Posted on April 07, 2008By any measure, it’s been a tough few weeks in the spotlight for biofuels such as corn-based ethanol and other alternative sources for transportation energy, including hydrogen.A Time Magazine cover story not-so-subtly titled: “The Clean Energy Scam,” set the tone for the criticism...
Lawmakers Take Aim at EPA Greenhouse Delay, California Auto Decision
Posted on April 03, 2008At least U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, presumably, still has friends in the executive branch. Because he’s facing some opposition in the other two arenas of government.The EPA, which this week landed in court action because of Johnson’s decision to take his time to study whether to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, could find itself getting new marching orders from Congress...
Senators Introduce New Renewable, Energy Efficiency Tax Credit Bill
Posted on April 03, 2008Legislation extending tax credits for renewable energy including wind, geothermal and solar for at least a year was introduced Thursday in the U.S. Senate by a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The move drew immediate praise from the solar industry...
States, Environmental Groups Sue EPA to Trigger Greenhouse Regs
Posted on April 02, 2008A legal action led by Massachusetts and supported by 17 other states and nearly a dozen environmental organizations was launched Wednesday to force the Environmental Protection Agency to issue a critical document that would trigger nationwide regulation of greenhouse gases...
States, Enviros to Take Legal Action Against EPA over Greenhouse Delay
Posted on April 01, 2008No surprise in this, except perhaps for the quick timing, but last week’s decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to go slow on regulating greenhouse gases looks like it's landing the agency back in court.California Attorney General Jerry Brown, along with attorneys representing the state of Massachusetts, the Sierra Club and others are expected to announce Wednesday new legal action to force the EPA to move forward...
Seal Listing Could Draw Fed Fisheries Agency Closer to Global Warming Issue
Posted on March 31, 2008An attorney for one environmental group that has actively sought to bring the tools of endangered species protections into the fight against global warming says the tactic could have multiple effects.Brendan Cummings, a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity, suggested in an interview with Climate Law Update that the organization’s recent success in getting the National Marine Fisheries Service to examine climate-related endangered species protection for several species of seals could produce impacts both locally and much broader in scope...
Federal Officials Begin Complying With Greenhouse Emissions Ruling For Vehicles
Posted on March 28, 2008U.S. Transportation Department officials Friday formally took steps to begin complying with a federal appellate court ruling last year that, among other things, required the agency to consider global warming when setting fuel economy standards for certain motor vehicles...
Manufacturers Agree with EPA Go-Slow Approach
Posted on March 28, 2008Stephen L. Johnson, the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, might be feeling a bit besieged after the reaction to his decision to go slow on regulating greenhouse gases. But he’s still got friends in the industrial community and elsewhere...
EPA Avoids 'Rush to Judgment' on Greenhouse Gases, Sparks Court Threats
Posted on March 27, 2008U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, declaring that he wanted to avoid “rushing to judgment on a single issue,” informed lawmakers Thursday he'll be taking additional time to study the critical issue of whether to regulate greenhouse gas emissions...
Law, Water, Earthquakes, Sun and Wind -- Barriers to Nuclear Plants in California
Posted on March 26, 2008This Commentary was written by Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner attorneys Peter V. Allen and Richard M. Shapiro:With the recent increase in concern about global warming and energy security, supporters of nuclear power are arguing that it is now time to restart the construction of nuclear power plants in the US...
Coal Wars Heat Up: Kansas, Utah Become Battlegrounds
Posted on March 25, 2008The coal war, it seems, is heating up by the day. And the battlegrounds are not always in places commonly associated with aggressive environmentalismTake Kansas and Utah, for instance.The Kansas City star reports that lawmakers are trying to revive a modified version of a bill vetoed last week by Kansas Gov...
Power Plant CO2 Emissions Rise; Utility Carbon Cost Estimates Questioned
Posted on March 24, 2008Despite all the talk about greenhouse gas reductions and the means to achieve them, including establishing new trading schemes for carbon, a pair of new studies suggests the nation has a ways to go.One of the documents, in which a former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official has parsed the latest government data, shows that carbon dioxide emissions from power plants appear to be back on the rise (see press release and report and appendices)...
Western States Take New Steps on Greenhouse Gas, Vehicle Miles and Renewables
Posted on March 21, 2008Led by Washington state, where the governor just signed a new law charting a path to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, Western states have made several recent moves on the climate change and renewable energy fronts.Oregon and South Dakota put in place new laws to boost the renewable energy industry...
California On A Carbon Diet: Denser Cities, Less Windshield Time
Posted on March 20, 2008Top California officials Thursday laid out a vision of a reduced-carbon future that included some very un-California-sounding notions, such as denser cities and cars driven fewer miles.“I’m not even sure this is politically helpful to you,” California Attorney General Jerry Brown told about 200 local government officials and planning experts at a gathering in Oakland...
Groups Bring Challenges to Federal Transmission Corridor Designations
Posted on March 19, 2008Environmental groups are pursuing a slew of lawsuits against a U.S. Department of Energy determination that large areas in the Southwest and Mid-Atlantic states could suffer from electric transmission congestion. The energy department action opens the regions to a process under which federal regulators can approve new transmission lines, even if states object...
World Demand for Renewables May Test Needed Components
Posted on March 18, 2008Recent reports originating in Europe and Asia suggest the worldwide extent of the booming interest in renewable energy. One consequence, according to experts and observers, could be new pressure on critical supplies needed by the industry...
Some Companies Push for American Action On Global Warming
Posted on March 18, 2008Even during a period of scary economic headlines, some experts see efforts to control climate change through market mechanisms as a green light at the end of a dark tunnel.The green lobbying group Environmental Defense Action Fund has enlisted top officials from manufacturing companies Deere & Co...
Report Assesses Transmission Access Future for Renewables
Posted on March 17, 2008It’s not billed as picking winners and losers but a new report issued by consultants to a multi-agency effort planning California’s transmission infrastructure gives some idea of what types of renewable energy projects have a bright future, at least when it comes to getting access to the grid...
Costs of Congress' Greenhouse Gas Bill Debated
Posted on March 14, 2008Legislation in Congress to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions might carry a hefty economic price tag, according to a new analysis released Friday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But sponsors of the bill, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn...
CA Energy Regulators Okay Recommendations for Greenhouse Gas Cuts
Posted on March 13, 2008Utility and power plant regulators in California this week agreed on basic approaches, including implementing a cap-and-trade system, for reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. But they left some critical decisions until later in the year...
Big Boosts Seen in Renewable Revenues, Investments
Posted on March 12, 2008A flurry of new reports from consultants, industry officials and scientists paint a decidedly upbeat picture for renewable energy -- with the startling possible exception of electricity from Hoover Dam. The overall conclusion: Government policies and larger market trends are boosting the fortunes of non-traditional energy, even in the face of a stressed economy...
Department of Energy and EPRI Team Up to Study Efficiency
Posted on March 11, 2008The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced it had worked out a cooperative arrangement with the Electric Power Research Institute, a nonprofit whose research is supported by electric utilities, to look at ways to promote energy efficiency...
Enviros Prod Feds On Polar Bears, See Way To Attack Global Warming
Posted on March 10, 2008Environmental groups Monday (March 10) sued to prod the federal government into listing polar bears as threatened due to the climate change-related loss of sea ice, which is vital to the animals' survival. Such a move could have far-reaching regulatory implications beyond the fact that the iconic bear would be the first mammal receiving Endangered Species Act protection because of global warming...
Government Sees Slight Decline In Greenhouse Gases -- Cites Renewables
Posted on March 07, 2008Emissions of greenhouse gases in the United States dropped a small but eye-catching 1.5 percent between 2005 and 2006, according to a new inventory (which can be accessed here) put forward by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA cited a number of reasons for the decrease -- which saw the first drop in carbon dioxide emissions since 2001 -- including greater reliance on renewable power generation...
New Mexico Governor Signs Energy Efficiency Law
Posted on March 06, 2008New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, himself a former secretary of energy, has signed legislation in that state requiring electric and natural gas utilities to beef up their efforts to improve energy efficiency. Under HB 305, by 2014, utilities must achieve a minimum of 5 percent energy efficiency savings compared to 2005, and 10 percent by 2020...
Government Support For Coal Plants Erodes, Environmentalists Claim Victory
Posted on March 04, 2008Environmentalists are claiming victory in their efforts to at least temporarily shelve federal financial support for rural coal-fired power plants the critics believe contribute to climate change. An official of the Rural Utilities Service, an arm of the U...
SF Bay Area Regulators Propose Four-Cent Per Ton Greenhouse Gas Fee
Posted on March 03, 2008Officials of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in San Francisco are pursuing what they believe to be the first regulatory fee on greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.The new fee, which would be set at 4.2 cents per metric ton, would generate an estimated $1 million annually, according to a district spokeswoman, Karen Schkolnick...
EPA Chief Lists Reasons for California Waiver Denial
Posted on February 29, 2008U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson, who has been under fire from environmentalists, politicians and even some agency staffers for his decision last year to deny California's greenhouse emissions standards for cars, issued his formal reasoning for the rejection Friday (Feb...
House Passes Renewable Energy Tax Credit Bill, Future Uncertain
Posted on February 28, 2008The U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday (Feb. 27) approved a bill that would extend tax credits for renewable energy projects while reducing breaks for petroleum production. Under the measure, the tax credit for production of electricity from renewable resources would be extended through 2011 and a credit for solar energy and fuel cell projects through 2016...
Carbon Conference Draws Major Financial Players
Posted on February 28, 2008Recession around the corner? There was no sign of that at a recent conference in San Francisco dedicated to examining issues pertaining to the brave new world of greenhouse gas emissions markets. Instead, around one corner of the vast Moscone Center was JP Morgan and around another Deutsche Bank...
Accountability: Utility Buys 'Verifiable' Carbon Offset Forest Credits While Groups Move to Boost Trust
Posted on February 26, 2008Northern California utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company on Tuesday (Feb. 26) announced it had entered into a large carbon offset deal amounting to 214,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. A Wall Street Journal Web site reported the company was spending more than $2 million on the initiative, or about $10 per ton...
Energy Guru Predicts Bright Future for Renewables, 'Clean' Power
Posted on February 25, 2008Daniel Yergin, a widely known energy expert who closely advises the oil and gas industry, is predicting a rosy future for renewable energy, and other "clean" technologies such as nuclear and hydropower, partly as a result of public concern over global warming and driven by subsidies and government mandates...
Businesses Seek Congressional Extension of Renewable Energy Credit
Posted on February 21, 2008Renewable energy advocates are prodding Congress to extend tax credits, the loss of which they warned could threaten 42,000 megawatts of planned developments and put billions of dollars of potential investments at risk.As part of the lobbying campaign, in a letter to congressional leaders of both parties, the American Council On Renewable Energy, a nonprofit representing hundreds of companies and groups involved in or advocating the development of wind, solar and other forms of sustainable energy, demanded quick action on investment and production tax credits...
California Regulators Approve Renewable Energy Pricing
Posted on February 21, 2008For some time, countries such as Germany have adopted "feed-in tariffs" as a way of providing an incentive to develop new renewable generation. Renewable energy advocates have pushed for a similar boost in the United States for some time...
"Environmental Justice" Opposition to Cap-and-Trade Emerges
Posted on February 20, 2008The notion that a cap-and-trade program provides the best way of forcing and/or encouraging reductions in greenhouse gas emissions appears to be running into some opposition from one sector of the environmental community. The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday (Feb...
Wall Street Journal: Johnson A Target For Rejecting CA Greenhouse Plan
Posted on February 20, 2008The Wall Street Journal (Feb. 19) recounts the saga of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson (pictured at left), whom it calls a "a rare breed of Washington career" bureaucrat who survived multiple administrations but who now finds himself a target of the Democrats...
Maryland May Adopt Tough Greenhouse Limits, Paper Says
Posted on February 19, 2008Maryland's Gov. Martin O'Malley will support a bill that would impose some of the nation's toughest limits on global warming pollution, according to administration and legislative sources, the Baltimore Sun reported Feb. 18. The measure, SB 309, now under consideration in the state Legislature, would impose a 25 percent cut in greenhouse gases from all industries in Maryland by 2020 and a 90 percent cut by 2050...
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