Today's Climate: March 21-22, 2009

Latest Carbon Auction Raises $117 Million (AP)

The third quarterly auction of CO2 emission allowances raised $117 million for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs in the 10 Northeastern states that are part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Climate Change 'Big Priority' For Energy Commission Chief (Washington Post)

Pres. Obama has named Jon Wellinghoff -- a lawyer who helped write Nevada's renewable electricity standard requiring utilities to increase their use of wind, solar and geothermal power -- as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

EU Energy Companies Get €1B Subsidy for Clean Coal (AP)

Some of Europe's biggest energy companies will get more than €1 billion from the European Union to test out controversial "clean coal" technology under a deal struck by EU leaders.

Maryland Emissions Bill, Considered Flawed but Ambitious, Heads to House (Washington Post)

A bill to cut Maryland's emissions -- while considered ambitious relative to other states -- would put the hardest decisions off until 2012, make smaller reductions than are needed and exempt the state's entire manufacturing sector from its rules.

Feinstein Tries to Halt Solar Projects on Donated Land (The Press-Enterprise)

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is urging the Department of Interior to stop processing applications for more than a dozen solar energy projects sought on Mojave Desert land that was donated to the government by a conservation group.

EU Fails to Commit to Climate Change Aid (AFP)

EU leaders have refused to put a figure on aid for developing nations to cut greenhouse gases, saying they wanted to wait to see what the US, China and others have to offer.

First Solar Cranks Out a Good Gigawatt of Thin Film Solar (Earth2Tech)

First Solar, the thin-film solar darling that has reportedly reached grid parity, has hit another milestone: 1 GW of production.

Alberta Extends Fort Hills Oil Sands Leases (Reuters)

Petro-Canada and partners in its Fort Hills oil sands venture have said they reached a deal with the Alberta government on extending leases, one of the steps needed to move the delayed project ahead.

Word Goof Scuttles Utah Climate Change Measure (Salt Lake Tribune)

A bill in Utah that would have required cost studies for any new climate change policy enacted by the feds passed the State Legislature by a wide margin, but was scuttled because staff accidentally left the word "wholesale" out of the measure.

Critics Question Safety of Storing Coal Slurry (AP)

Regulators in Appalachian states that let coal companies inject slurry into abandoned mines say they are confident the practice is safe, but an AP survey shows they lack data to answer citizens who believe water and their own health are at risk.