Rep. Waxman Under Pressure on Climate Plan (Politico)
As the clock ticks on a self-imposed deadline, Rep. Henry Waxman is facing fire from all sides over his climate bill. He still doesn’t have a deal that moderates will support, and he had to back off a threat to skip a key subcommittee vote.
Rep. Doyle: Most Emissions Credits to Be Free (Reuters)
Most of the pollution emission permits that industry would need under a climate change bill being negotiated in House will be given to companies instead of sold for the first 10 to 15 years, Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) said.
EPA Official says Coal Ash Could Be Regulated (AP)
An EPA official told energy industry reps to expect regulations on ash from coal-fired power plants that could include classifying coal ash as hazardous waste.
Ag Committee Chair Lashes Out Over Ethanol Rule (Bloomberg)
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), angry about the EPA’s biofuel plan, vowed to oppose any climate-change legislation that Congress may consider.
Pew Study: Small Impact on Industry from Cap and Trade (Financial Times)
A new Pew Center analysis suggests the impact of cap-and-trade on energy-intensive manufacturers would be small.
UNEP Chief ‘Stunned’ by Scale of Bail-Out (BBC)
The huge industry bailouts are passing the bill to the next generation, and they will be “a terrible waste of money” if extra investment is not found to tackle climate change, UNEP chief Achim Steiner says in an interview.
Sacks: UN Climate Deal Will Fail Without Aid Money (Reuters)
The world will fail to agree to control emissions of global warming pollution this year in Copenhagen unless rich countries fund billions of dollars in annual climate aid to poor nations, a U.N. adviser says.
Montana Governor Signs CO2 Storage Bill (Helena IR)
Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed into law a much-amended bill that lays the groundwork for carbon storage in Montana.
Ohio Gov. Pushes Alternative Energy at Windpower Conference (Plain Dealer)
Count Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland green, extremely green. He wants to make the Ohio Turnpike an advanced energy corridor and has endorsed a 25 percent federal renewable electricity standard.
Ford to Retool Mich. SUV Plant for EVs (Detroit News)
Ford announced it will retool a Michigan SUV plant to build the compact European version of the Ford Focus starting next year, and an electric version of the Focus in 2011.
Dutch Would ‘Pay a Price’ for Scrapping CCS Plan (Bloomberg)
Citizens of the Netherlands may pay more for new energy technologies if a carbon capture and storage project planned in the town of Barendrecht is canceled, a top European Union official warns.
Italy to Triple Solar Capacity by 2010 (Reuters)
Abundant sunshine, the highest power prices in Europe and a sharp fall in PV module prices due to global oversupply, should help Italy reach grid parity next year, sector executives say.
Shell Shifts Alaska Oil Exploration Plan (New York Times)
After battling native communities and environmental groups on Alaska’s North Slope over its offshore drilling plans, Shell says it is scaling back its exploration program in the Beaufort Sea.
Climate Plan Debate Heats up Berkeley (Mercury News)
After two years of debate on an ambitious and controversial plan to curb global warming, Berkeley’s city council approved a water down climate plan that no longer requires an energy audit of every home.
Investors Back Energy Efficiency, But What About Customers? (Earth2Tech)
A survey of business leaders found increasing interest in energy efficiency but little follow through. The leaders said a turnaround could hinge on more incentives and legislation.
