Vermont Senate Votes to Close Nuke Plant in 2012 (AP)
The Vermont Senate has voted to block the state’s only nuclear plant from operating after its license expires in 2012. The move is at least a temporary setback for nuclear power a week after Pres. Obama announced loan guarantees for two reactors in Georgia.
Curbing Smokestack Emissions Tops EPA’s 2011-2013 Enforcement Goals (Greenwire)
Slashing smokestack pollution from coal plants and other large sources will rank among U.S. EPA’s top enforcement priorities from 2011 to 2013, the agency said.
Groups ID Toxic Coal Ash Sites in 14 States, Demand Regulations (ENN)
A new report has identified 31 sites in 14 states contaminated with coal-ash waste containing arsenic, cadmium, lead, selenium and other toxic metals that can cause cancer and neurological damage to humans and poison fish and wildlife.
GM to Close Hummer After Sale Fails (New York Times)
GM said on Wednesday that it would shut down Hummer, the brand of big sport utility vehicles that became synonymous with the term gas guzzler, after a deal to sell it to a Chinese manufacturer fell apart.
U.S., China at Odds Over Climate Talks in 2010 (Reuters)
The U.S. is at odds with China and other developing nations by favoring the Copenhagen Accord as the blueprint in 2010 for a stronger deal to fight global warming, documents have shown.
China Says No Emissions Cap for Now (AFP)
China’s top climate negotiator has said the world’s biggest carbon polluter has no intention of capping greenhouse gas emissions for the time being, state media reported Thursday.
World’s Temperature Record To Be Re-analyzed (The Independent)
The whole of the world’s instrumental temperature record – millions of observations dating back more than 150 years – is to be re-analyzed by the UK Met Office in an attempt to remove doubts about the reality of global warming.
Poor Nations Could Be Paid to Preserve Marine CO2: UN (Reuters)
Developing countries could in the future earn money from reducing carbon emissions by protecting oceans and marine ecosystems, the head of the UNEP said on Thursday.
Italy Delays Solar Incentive Plan, Again (BusinessGreen)
The Italian government on Wednesday revealed that it had delayed the unveiling of a much-anticipated solar incentive scheme for a second time, stoking fears that the uncertainty could derail the country’s booming solar industry.
India’s Power Ministry Said to Oppose Taxes on China Turbines (Bloomberg)
India’s power ministry is opposing a proposal to double taxes on imported turbines and boilers because it will raise costs for electricity producers and delay capacity addition needed to curb blackouts, according to two officials at the ministry.
Iberdrola to Focus on U.S. for Growth (Financial Times)
Setting out its investment plans for 2010-12, Spanish energy giant Iberdrola said almost 40% of its $24 billion capital spending over the period would go into the U.S., primarily into wind farms and electricity transmission and distribution.
Slow Recovery Deters Voluntary Carbon Investors (Reuters)
The slow recovery of the voluntary carbon market is frustrating investors as trading remains sporadic and buyers focus on either high-quality credits or large volumes of lower-quality ones.
UK: Biofuel Power Plant Plan Refused (BBC News)
An application to build a biofuel power station at Avonmouth in the UK, fueled initially by palm oil and capable of powering 25,000 homes, has been refused by city councilors.
