Stacy Feldman's Climate Chronicles

Houston-based Dynegy has decided to dissolve its joint venture with LS Power and yank the plug on five of its seven proposed coal-fired plants. The reason is that pending federal carbon regulation will continue to force investment away from dirty and increasingly expensive coal.

According to Dynegy’s press release of January 2, the landscape for new coal development has "changed substantially" since the company linked up with LS Power. Today's market, it wrote, is "increasingly marked by barriers to entry including external credit and regulatory factors that make development much more uncertain."

The Dynegy-LS Power alliance was formed only in 2006, an indication of how fast things are moving in the world of fossil fuels -- and in the right direction.

Tennessee: Early Warnings on Coal Ash Pond Leaks (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

The Tennessee Valley Authority knew for the past decade of leaks at the fly ash retention pond that ruptured two weeks ago, TVA and state inspection reports have revealed.

Judge: Duke Energy Misled Jurors about Witness (Chicago Tribune)

Lawyers for Duke Energy misled jurors about a witness who testified during a trial over whether the utility broke federal clean air laws at power plants in Indiana and Ohio, a federal judge has ruled.

Sempra Solar Energy Project Makes Advances in Costs (Los Angeles Times)

California-based Sempra Generation has unveiled a new 10-MW solar farm in Nevada. An analyst claims the facility can produce power at a cost of 7.5 cents a kilowatt-hour -- less than the 9-cent benchmark for conventional electricity.

Japan Geothermal Projects Pick Up After 20 Years: Report (Reuters)

Several Japanese firms will kick off new projects to build geothermal power plans this year for the first time in nearly two decades, the Nikkei business daily has reported.

Obama Sketches Out Recovery Plan (CNNMoney)

President-elect Obama on Saturday offered the most detailed statement yet of his economic recovery package. It includes plans to double renewable energy production and make public buildings more energy efficient.

U.S. Forest Policy Is Set to Change, Aiding Developer (Washington Post)

The Bush administration appears poised to push through a change in US Forest Service agreements that would make it easier for mountain forests to be converted to housing subdivisions.

Big Solar Power Plant Planned for Northwest China (Reuters)

Two Chinese companies have announced plans to build a solar power plant in northwestern China that could one day be the largest photovoltaic solar project in the world.

Mass. Launches Effort to Protect Coast Residents (The Boston Globe)

Massachusetts has kicked off an innovative pilot program to defend the state's 78 coastal communities against rising sea levels and fiercer storms brought on by global warming.

Minn. Lawmakers Going to the Source of Dirty Car Emissions: Fuel (Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Minnesota State Legislature will consider a bill to implement a low carbon fuel standard that would force the petroleum industry to cut the carbon content of its fuels by 10% over 10 years.

Tests Show High Levels of Arsenic from Coal Ash Spill (Knoxville News Sentinel)

A coalition of environmental groups said yesterday that water quality tests near the spot where 1.1 billion gallons of coal fly ash spilled into Tennessee's Emory River have turned up levels of heavy metals up to 300 times higher than regulatory limits.

NASA Climate Expert Makes Personal Appeal to Obama (Guardian)

NASA climate scientist James Hansen has written a new year appeal to Barack and Michelle Obama, warning of the "profound disconnect" between public policy on climate change and the magnitude of the problem.

Czechs Take Presidency of Europe (Reuters)

The Czech Republic has assumed the rotating presidency of the EU. Member nations have expressed concerns over how well its president, Vaclav Klaus, could follow France’s tenure, in which Pres. Sarkozy tackled a wide array of issues, including climate change.

Coral Growth in Decline at Great Barrier Reef (MSNBC)

The rate at which corals absorb calcium from seawater to calcify their hard skeletons -- and thus grow -- has declined dramatically in the last 20 years. Signs point to climate change as the culprit, according to a study of samples from Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Maryland Utilities to Add Conservation Fees (Baltimore Sun)

Maryland consumers will begin paying small monthly fees on electric bills this year to subsidize an ambitious energy-efficiency initiative, under plans approved by regulators this week.

It’s official: New coal lost its luster in 2008.

According to the Sierra Club, two dozen proposed new coal-fired power plants were defeated or abandoned this past year, "laying the groundwork to fundamentally change the way the U.S. rebuilds and repowers itself."

Global warming was a significant factor.

Investors yanked money out of the sector amid concerns that coming carbon regulation would add to already soaring costs of new coal facilities. States refused permits for failing to address CO2 pollution concerns.

The full highlights of the "year in coal" are here (pdf). They include:

Bush May Be Giving Obama Breathing Room to Fight Global Warming (Los Angeles Times)

Recent moves by lame-duck officials, though frustrating to environmentalists, offer Obama time and political cover to deliberately craft rules on CO2 emissions, some energy lobbyists have said.

Tenn. Gov. Promises More Oversight of Ash Ponds (AP)

Tennessee's governor has promised greater oversight of coal ash retention ponds after viewing damage from a spill that released more than a billion gallons of ashy sludge.

Duke Energy's Solar Panel Plan Approved (Charlotte Observer)

The North Carolina State Utilities Commission has approved Duke Energy's $30 million plan to place solar panels at up to 425 sites to generate some 8 megawatts of electricity -- or enough to power 1,300 homes.

Environmentalists Challenge SC Coal Plant Permit (AP)

A coalition of green groups is challenging a state-issued air pollution permit for a coal-fired power plant in Florence County, South Carolina, lawyers for the Southern Environmental Law Center have said.

Electricity Study Embraces Energy Efficiency for Texas (Houston Chronicle)

Texas could reduce its peak electric usage by more than 23% in the next 7 years if utilities would invest more in efficiency programs, according to a study released by the Public Utility Commission.

Calif. Sues Federal Government over Changes in Endangered Species Act (Los Angeles Times)

California has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, charging that a recent rule change by the Bush administration illegally gutted provisions of the Endangered Species Act, essentially quashing the role of science in decisions made by federal agencies.

Developer Sues TVA for $165 Million in Tennessee Sludge Spill (CNN)

A real estate developer has filed a $165 million lawsuit against TVA, the nation's largest public utility, claiming damages from a massive coal sludge spill that dumped more than a billion gallons of waste into central Tennessee.

2009 To Be One of Warmest Years on Record (Reuters)

The average global temperature for 2009 is expected to be more than 0.4 degrees celsius above the long-term average. This would make it one of the top-five warmest years on record, British climate scientists have said.

In San Francisco, 'Congestion Pricing' is Something They're Sneezing At (Los Angeles Times)

San Francisco is considering a congestion pricing scheme that would charge motorists $3 to drive into downtown during peak commute hours and another $3 to leave. The reaction has ranged from lukewarm to downright hostile.

Feds Approve Gas Drilling Plan for Montana (AP)

The Bush administration has approved a plan that could allow more than 18,000 natural gas wells to be drilled on 1.5 million acres of federal land in Montana's remote Powder River Basin over the next two decades.

It was a bad year for US carmakers, corn ethanol and EPA rollbacks. But not for wind.

For the nation's most promising clean energy source, it was another record-breaking 12 months, says the American Wind Energy Association, in its take on the industry's 2008 accomplishments.

America surged past the 20,000-megawatt installed capacity milestone in the summer months. It struck the 21,000 megawatt-mark by September's end. And it closed the year with a sprint to the finish, beating out Germany to become the largest generator of wind energy in the world.

What did the boom bring?

High Level of Arsenic Found at TVA Spill Site (The Tennessean)

A high level of arsenic has been found in a waterway next to TVA's Kingston coal plant where a dike break last week released a billion gallons of polluting coal ash sludge.

Insurers' Natural Disaster Losses Rise in 2008 (AP)

Insurers' losses from natural disasters rose by about 50% in 2008, with Caribbean hurricanes Ike and Gustav powering the increase and climate change increasingly a factor, a leading reinsurer has said.

Kirk Kerkorian Sells Remaining Ford Shares (Los Angeles Times)

A spokeswoman for Tracinda Corp., Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's investment company, has confirmed that it has dumped its remaining stock holdings in struggling Ford Motor Co.

Record Number of Californians Installing Solar Panels in December (Environmental Leader)

The number of Californians installing solar panels hit their highest level ever in December, thanks to state subsidies and rebates.

BLM Increases Acreage for Geothermal Development (Sustainable Business)

The US Bureau of Land Management has leased another 146,339 acres of land for geothermal power development, adding to the 244,000 acres already leased for this purpose in the past 18 months. The most recent tracts are in Utah, Oregon and Idaho.

A First Hand Account of the TVA Coal Ash Disaster in Tennessee (Huffington Post)

The TVA disaster is now estimated at 5.3 million cubic yards of coal ash -- twice as large as the 2.8 million cubic yards generated by the World Trade Center collapse. Worse yet, coal ash contains heavy metals like mercury and arsenic and is said to be more radioactive than nuclear waste.

Californians Shape Up as Force on Environmental Policy (Los Angeles Times)

In both Congress and the new White House, Californians are now in key positions to write climate change laws, promote renewables and shape the nation's energy and environmental future.

Texas Legislature Could Be Going 'Green' (Houston Chronicle)

Texas lawmakers have long been cool to global warming, but the upcoming legislative session could be different, with lawmakers from both sides already talking about clean energy, efficiency and green jobs as priorities.

Drillers Eye Oil Reserves off California Coast (San Francisco Chronicle)

The federal government is taking steps that may open California's fabled coast to oil drilling in as few as three years.