Today's Climate

Sen. Boxer Sets Hearings Starting Next Week on Climate (National Journal)

Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer has scheduled a four-pack of hearings in the next two weeks to draft climate legislation this summer and continue an ambitious Democratic push to get a plan through Congress this year.

Southern Co. Dominates Climate Lobbying (Center for Public Integrity)

Southern Company, the nation’s largest electric power generator, also had the largest force of lobbyists among the hundreds of businesses and interest groups that were seeking to influence the landmark climate change legislation that just passed the House.

Records Show Exxon Continued Funding Climate Deniers (Guardian)

ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil company, continued to fund lobby groups that question the reality of global warming, despite a public pledge to cut support for such climate change denial, a new analysis shows.

UN, WTO Call for Trade Shift to Slow Climate Change (EurActiv)

More open trade could lead to growing greenhouse gas emissions if nothing is done to shift "business as usual" trade practices and encourage the exchange of new low-carbon technologies, the WTO and UNEP said in a joint report.

Mayor’s Goal: Coal-Free Los Angeles by 2020 (Mercury News)

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, sworn in for a second term, said he would attempt to eliminate the city’s reliance on coal—which provides 40 percent of its power—by 2020.

Kerry: Senate Could Pass Climate Bill But Reject Treaty (Bloomberg)

Even if the Senate approves climate legislation, it might not have the 67 votes needed to ratify an international accord incorporating the U.S. commitments, Sen. John Kerry told Bloomberg.

U.S., California to Reduce Ship Emissions (Los Angeles Times)

Federal and California regulators are targeting one of the biggest sources of air pollution, big diesel-powered ships. Ocean-going vessels that enter California ports must now switch to fuel with lower sulfur content, and EPA proposed similar rules for U.S.-flagged ships.

WWF: US, Canada Last Among G8 in Curbing Warming (Boston Globe)

With only five months left before a summit on climate change, none of the Group of Eight nations is doing enough to curb global warming, WWF says.

Obama's Climate Leadership Faces Test at G8 Forum (Reuters)

President Obama faces a foreign test on Climate policy next week at a forum that could boost the chances for a UN pact this year. The U.S. president chairs a meeting of the world's top greenhouse gas emitters at the G8 summit July 9.

Colorado Drilling Rigs Near '60s Nuke Site (Denver Post)

After decades of controversy, natural-gas drilling rigs are popping up around the 1969 Rulison atomic blast site south of Rifle — a failed experiment in using a nuclear bomb to boost natural-gas production. A DOE proposal would allow them closer to town.

Exelon Delays Texas Nuclear Plant (AP)

Power generator Exelon Corp. says it has called off plans for now to build a new nuclear plant in Texas because of worries over the economy and the limited availability of federal loan guarantees.

Cleantech Industry Emerging in U.S. South (Cleantech Group)

The South is growing a cleantech industry, with deals including billion-dollar polysilicon plants and stealthy new university spin offs. Tennessee's governor, Georgia Tech and Oak Ridge National Lab are a few of the reasons.

Handful of Players Seen Ruling Solar Roost (Reuters)

Solar panel makers from California to China are gearing up to capture a slice of the growing U.S. market for utility-scale solar power plants, but just a handful of players are expected to snap up most of the business in the coming years. A Look at the list.

Financial Woes Chill Iceland's Hydrogen Economy (New York Times)

The financial crisis that brought Iceland to the brink of bankruptcy has postponed this volcanic island's ambitious dream of ditching fossil fuels and transforming itself into the world's first hydrogen-based economy.

From the Sewage Plant,
The Promise of Biofuel (Yale Environment 360)

Researchers throughout the world are working to produce biofuel from algae. But a few are trying a decidedly novel approach: Using an abundant and freely available source — human waste — to make the fuel of the future while also treating sewage.

Rep. Waxman in LA Hospital, But ‘Feeling Much Better’ (CQ Politics)

Rep. Henry Waxman, the California Democrat at the center of the climate bill battle, was admitted to an L.A. hospital for tests after falling ill shortly after the House passed his ACES bill, staff members say.

India Will Reject Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets (Reuters)

India will not set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will instead focus on fighting poverty and boosting economic growth, the environment minister says.

Salazar: 13 Solar Plants On Public Land By 2010 (Red, Green & Blue)

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar set a goal of 13 “commercial-scale” solar projects under construction on public land in the West by the end of 2010, and a production goal of 100,000 megawatts of solar electricity.

Ontario Nuclear Plans Suffer from Sticker Shock (Globe & Mail)

The Ontario government is suspending its bidding for a new nuclear power plant over something everyone who has made a big purchase eventually confronts: sticker shock.

Sweden To Lead Climate Change Fight as EU President (Radio Free Europe)

As Sweden takes over the EU presidency today, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt says Stockholm's top priority will be to curb carbon dioxide emissions.

Amnesty Int’l Documents Big Oil Damage in Niger Delta (Guardian)

A report from Amnesty International quotes sources suggesting that in the last 50 years at least 9 million barrels worth of oil have leaked into land and rivers of the Niger Delta. It singles out Royal Dutch Shell and blames the oil industry the region’s upheaval.

Green Tech Venture Capital Stages a Comeback (Greentech)

More than $1.2 billion in venture capital investments in 85 startups during the second quarter of 2009 signals a recovery in the green tech sector. A look at the deals.

Coal India Seeks Faster Approvals for Production (Bloomberg)

Coal India Ltd., the world’s biggest coal producer, wants mining approvals sped up to help it boost production. The country aims to add 13,000 megawatts of new electric capacity annually.

Yahoo! Abandons Carbon Offsets in Favor of Efficiency (GreenBiz)

Yahoo! announces that it is abandoning its plans to go carbon neutral by purchasing carbon offsets and will instead focus its climate strategy on reducing the energy used by its data centers.

Massachusetts Draws Zones for Coastal Wind Farms (Boston Globe)

Dozens of wind turbines could sprout within sight of the Massachusetts shoreline under a first-of-its-kind state blueprint being released today that holds the promise of generating both electricity and controversy.

California Solar Program on Track for '09 (Mercury News)

Despite the worst economic downturn in decades, California's multibillion-dollar program to expand solar power production — the country's largest — remains on track to install as much new energy this year as last, the California PUC says.

Utility Plans to Trade Golf Course for Solar Arrays (Atlantic City Press)

RC Cape May, the owners of B.L. England power plant, wants to build one of New Jersey's largest solar arrays on what is now its nine-hole golf course.

New Material Could Improve Carbon Capture (Scientific American)

To capture the carbon dioxide generated by coal plants, chemical companies like Dow Chemical Co. and energy giants like Alstom SA have been betting big on liquid solvents like amine, a corrosive derivative of ammonia that has a thirst for binding with CO2.

Conservatives: ACES Supporters Betrayed GOP Principles (New York Times)

Conservative commentators are blasting the eight Republican House members who voted yes on the climate bill, calling them betrayers of GOP principles.

Bingaman on Energizing the Senate Climate Bill (Politico)

As the fight over climate and energy legislation moves to the Senate, the political climate is heating up for New Mexico Democrat Jeff Bingaman. Politico interviews the senator about his expectations.

Greens denounce 'Knight of the Chainsaw' (London Times)

Environmental groups are demanding that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth withdraw the award of a knighthood to a Malaysian tycoon accused of making his fortune from the destruction of tropical rainforests.

Friedman on Climate Bill: Just Do It (New York Times)

Thomas Friedman writes of the climate bill: “It stinks. It’s a mess. I detest it. Now let’s get it passed in the Senate and make it law.” Even a weak price on carbon will make a difference, Friedman writes.

Chaos, Arm-Twisting Gave Pelosi a Climate Bill Win (Politico)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gambled big with a close vote on the climate bill and pulled off one of the most important legislative victories of her career, a win she views as a personal vindication.

EPA Proposes New Air Quality Standards for NO2 (Green Car Congress)

EPA has proposed revisions to the nitrogen dioxide air quality standard, the first adjustment since 1971. The proposed changes reflect the latest science on the health effects of exposure to NO2, formed by vehicle and factory emissions and can lead to respiratory disease.

US Works to Speed Solar Development in Southwest (AP)

The U.S. will fast-track efforts to build solar power facilities on public land in six Western states, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says. He signed an order setting aside more than 1,000 square miles for study to determine where solar power stations should be built.

Report: Shell Becoming Most CO2-Intensive Oil Co. (Dow Jones)

Royal Dutch Shell is on track to become the most carbon intensive international oil company because of its focus on unconventional oil resources like Canadian tar sands, according to a study published by a coalition of environmental groups.

What Energy Companies Wants from a Climate Bill (Morning Call)

With the climate bill past the U.S. House, PPL and other energy companies are focusing on the Senate in hopes of easing provisions that call for expanded use of renewable energies and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions – while keeping their free allocations.

New Renewable Energy Agency HQ Goes to Abu Dhabi (RTT)

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates was chosen as the headquarters for the new International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), despite criticism of its high carbon footprint.

Green Groups to Sue Over RBS Investments (Financial Times)

UK environmental groups launched what could be a landmark lawsuit against the Treasury to force it to ensure that taxpayers’ money invested in the Royal Bank of Scotland supports only projects that satisfy minimum green and human rights standards.

Obama Toughens Rules for Some Lighting (Washington Post)

The Energy Department issued new standards for lighting that would save $4 billion a year in energy by boosting the efficiency of fluorescent tubes common in office buildings and reflector lamps used in recessed fixtures.

Republican Rep. Explains His Yes Vote on ACES (Mark Kirk)

As a Navy veteran, I think is time to set America’s policy towards defunding Middle Eastern dictatorships by cutting our foreign oil bill, giving our troops less to worry about, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk writes in explaining his yes vote on the climate bill.

UK Prime Minister: 1 Million Green Jobs by 2017 (Guardian)

Prime Minister Gordon Brown proposed an additional 400,000 green jobs and highlighted carbon capture demonstration plants and a commitment to build 1,000 wind turbines.

Developing Economies Get Serious About Energy Efficiency (Wall Street Journal)

A few developments suggest some of the world’s most inefficient energy users are tightening up how they use their resources, with important implications for keeping a brake on crude prices down the road.

Rice: Carbon Tax Better than Cap-and-Trade (CleanTech)

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice advocated in favor of a carbon tax over the cap-and-trade system proposed in America's energy and climate bill.

Souter Departs Supreme Court With Solid Environmental Legacy (New York Times)

When Justice David Souter retired from the Supreme Court, environmental interests lost one of their most dependable votes.

Study: Seagrass Loss Reveals Global Coastal Crisis (Reuters)

Mounting loss of seagrass in the world's oceans, vital for the survival of endangered marine life, commercial fisheries and the fight against climate change, reveals a major crisis in coastal ecosystems, a report says.

Scientists: Higher CO2 Makes Some Crops Toxic (Reuters)

Staples such as cassava on which millions of people depend become more toxic and produce much smaller yields in a world with higher carbon dioxide levels and more drought, Australian scientists say.

Is Drilling To Blame For Texas Quakes? (NPR)

People in North Texas worry about tornadoes, not earthquakes. That's not the case in Cleburne, just south of Fort Worth. So far this month, they have had six quakes; some wonder if they're related to drilling of a recently discovered natural gas deposit.

Obama Warns on Climate Bill Tariffs (Baltimore Sun)

President Obama praised the House climate bill vote but expressed reservations about a provision that would slap tariffs on imports from countries that do not similarly crack down on greenhouse gas emissions.

Nuclear Industry Trying to Hijack Clean Energy Forum? (Guardian)

The nuclear power industry has been accused of trying to muscle in on plans to establish a global body to represent the renewable energy industry at a key meeting in Egypt today.

Browner's Husband Lobbied for Florida Oil Drilling (Sarasota Herald-Tribune)

Carol Browner's role as Obama's top adviser on major environmental issues could be clouded by her husband's role last year as chief lobbyist for the group behind the latest push for more oil drilling off Florida's coast.

Scientists: UK Energy Bills 'Too Low' to Combat Climate Change (Guardian)

Consumers will need to pay more for energy if the UK is to have any chance of developing the technologies needed to tackle climate change, a group of leading scientists and engineers write in a Royal Society study to be published today.

Back to Petroleum: BP Shutters Alternative Energy HQ (Guardian)

BP has shut down its alternative energy headquarters in London, accepted the resignation of its clean energy boss and imposed budget cuts in moves likely to be seen by environmental critics as further signs of the oil group moving "back to petroleum."

Murky, Expensive Future for Coal Ash Disposal (Chattanooga Times)

The cost of cleaning up the TVA's massive ash spill has averaged $1 million a day and will continue for months, but the costs in health, lost property value and a necessary shift to more expensive ash-storage methods has yet to be tallied.

Clash Over Drilling in the Allegheny National Forest (Erie News-Times)

A controversy of who controls how, when, where, and if oil and gas wells may be drilled on land in the Allegheny National Forest is poised to blow like the oil gushers that first drew speculators to the region.

Australia’s Opposition Leader Backs Off on Emissions Vote (Canberra Times)

The Government's controversial emissions trading scheme could win parliamentary support this year, after opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull appeared to back down on demands debate be put off until next year.

Land Hunger Eats Into Kenya’s Fragile Forest (Financial Times)

Kenya’s Mau forest, a drainage basin at the country’s ecological heart, is being destroyed by subsistence farmers, starving cash crops that are crucial to Kenya’s long-term viability.

Sri Lanka To Develop Renewable Energy (Bernama)

The Sri Lankan government says it has designed a national energy plan for the development of wind and biomass to meet 10 percent of the island's energy needs with renewable energy by 2016.

Algae Farm Aims to Turn CO2 Into Fuel (New York Times)

Dow Chemical and Algenol Biofuels, a start-up company, are set to announce Monday that they will build a demonstration plant that, if successful, would use algae to turn carbon dioxide into ethanol as a vehicle fuel or an ingredient in plastics.

Krugman: Elected Leaders Betraying the Planet (New York Times)

Paul Krugman writes of the House climate bill debate last week: "As I watched the deniers make their arguments, I couldn’t help thinking that I was watching a form of treason — treason against the planet."

Why President Obama Must Visit Appalachia (Huffington Post)

It is time for President Barack Obama and CEQ chief Nancy Sutley to make their first visit to a mountaintop removal moonscape and coal slurry impoundment and bear witness to the impact the administration's regulatory strip-mining policies have on coalfield residents.

Obama Implores Senate to Pass Climate Bill (AP)

Pres. Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to make an urgent plea to senators to pass the ACES climate bill, which narrowly won approval in the House Friday night.

China Welcomes U.S. Climate Bill, Says More Needed (Reuters)

China's top climate change official welcomed the House global warming bill but said it still did not meet international expectations for U.S. action.

Australian PM Hails U.S. Greenhouse Bill Passage (Reuters)

Australian PM Kevin Rudd hailed as an example to Australia the House passage of climate legislation, as he struggles to get his own carbon trading scheme approved by parliament.

Lobbying Cash Paved Climate Bill's Road to House Floor (Greenwire)

Industries and companies with a stake in the ACES bill poured money into lobbying early this year, many at a pace that could shatter previous spending records.

Peabody Energy Downplays Exodus of 2 Companies in FutureGen (AP)

Peabody Energy, a leading player in efforts to build the experimental FutureGen "clean coal" plant in Illinois, said the recent defections of utilities AEP and Southern Co. won't slow the project.

Rhode Island Law Mandates Renewable Energy Use (Reuters)

Rhode Island's governor has signed a law that requires the state's largest electric utility to buy power from clean energy producers, a move intended to smooth the way for what could be America's first offshore wind farm. 

India Seeks More Talks on Contentious Climate Draft (Reuters)

Indian negotiators have played down a proposal for major economies to consider setting a goal of halving CO2 emissions by 2050, saying there was no consensus over the draft text.

Gordon Brown Puts $100 Billion Price Tag on Climate Adaptation (Guardian)

British PM Gordon Brown Friday called on rich countries to hand over $100 billion each year by 2020 to help the developing world cope with the effects of global warming.

Growth of Global CO2 Emissions Halved in 2008, Say Dutch Researchers (Business Green)

The growth of CO2 emissions fell by half in 2008, according to data released by a Dutch agency. The recession and high oil prices were the main drivers behind the drop, while the increase in renewable energy was only partly responsible.

GE to Build $100M Energy, Smart Grid Innovation Center in Michigan (Earth2Tech)

GE announced a new $100-million center to develop advanced manufacturing technology, including tech for the smart grid. The facility will create 1,200 jobs over the next few years.

U.S. May Become Largest Green Market (Reuters)

The U.S. may become the largest market for renewables for E.ON, the world's largest utility by sales, within six years, the head of the company's green energy unit said.

Brazil Approves Controversial Land Tenure Law (AP)

Brazilian Pres. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has approved a law that could legalize landholdings by some 1 million squatters occupying a Texas-sized chunk of the Amazon rain forest, despite fears it will accelerate deforestation.

Biofuels Could Clean up Chernobyl 'Badlands' (New Scientist)

Belarus, the country affected by much of the Chernobyl fallout, is planning to grow biofuel crops on the contaminated land to suck up the radioactive isotopes and make the soil fit to grow food again.

Spreading Desertification Affecting Mediterranean (ANSA)

The Sahara Desert is crossing the Mediterranean, according to Italian environmental group Legambiente, which warns that the livelihoods of 6.5 million people living along its shores could be at risk.

Ozone Hole Trims Polar Water's CO2-Absorbing Power (Science News)

A new scientific study has found that oceans surrounding Antarctica aren't absorbing nearly as much planet-warming CO2 from the atmosphere as they did in previous decades.

Barroso: EU Wants US Climate Bill to Succeed (AP)

The Europe Union wants a U.S. climate change bill to succeed so the United States can move swiftly to curb greenhouse gas emissions, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said today.

Brown: US, UK Must Show More Ambition in Climate Fight (Guardian)

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown will outline Britain's blueprint for a new international deal on global warming, and he is expected to call on all developed countries, including Britain and the US, to show greater ambition in the fight against climate change.

Obama, Merkel Talk Climate (Bloomberg)

President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed how to fix the global economy and fight climate change in a White House meeting today. Merkel said the vote in the House “really points to the fact that the United States is very serious on climate.”

Japan Backpedals on Emissions Targets (Wall Street Journal)

Who says peer pressure doesn’t work? After getting slammed by the international community two weeks ago for setting what were perceived as unambitious emission reduction targets, Japan is backpedaling.

China May Block Hummer Takeover (BBC)

A Chinese firm's bid to buy the gas-guzzling Hummer car brand from General Motors will be blocked on environmental grounds, according to Chinese state radio.

A Rough Supreme Court Term for Environmentalists (New York Times)

Environmental interests were trounced in the Supreme Court term that ends Monday. In five major cases, the justices overturned decisions that favored environmentalists.

Anatomy of a TVA Coal Ash Spill (Knoxville News)

A report on the December spill cites a combination of factors, including a previously undetected layer of unstable ash sludge, called a slime, construction of retaining walls atop ash, ash saturation and pressure that created “a perfect storm.”

Low Natural Gas Prices Cut NE Carbon Emissions 10% (Guardian)

Power plants in the U.S. Northeast slashed carbon dioxide emissions by about 10 percent during the first quarter of 2009, largely due to switch to clean, cheaper natural gas rather than coal, according to report from Environment Northeast.

Senate Hears Science, Emotion of Mountaintop Mining (Charleston Gazette)

Mountaintop removal coal mining is causing "immense and irreversible" damage to Appalachia’s hills, streams and forests, members of a U.S. Senate subcommittee heard in the first Congressional hearing on mountaintop mining in decades.

EPA: Monsanto Mine Violates Law (AP)

Federal regulators say an Idaho mine that Monsanto Co. depends on to make its Roundup weed killer has violated federal and state water quality laws almost since it opened, sending selenium and other heavy metals into the region's waterways.

US Could Support $250B in Renewables Projects (Environmental Finance)

With the distressed capital markets currently reluctant to provide extensive funds for renewable energy projects, the Department of Energy is committed to temporarily providing financial support for mature technologies.

Clean Tech Frets as Power of Federal Purse Grows (New York Times)

Having scrambled for a government lifeline in the wake of the financial crisis, some "clean energy" developers and technology companies are now urging Washington to help lure back private financing.

Riverstone Buys Babcock & Brown Wind Unit (Reuters)

Energy and power-focused private equity firm Riverstone Holdings has acquired Babcock & Brown's North American wind energy group and its development pipeline for an undisclosed amount. It promises to commit $400 million to the unit.

California Landfills Must Capture Methane (ClimateBiz)

The California Air Resources Board adopted a new regulation that will force more than a dozen landfills to install equipment that captures methane gas from decomposing solid waste to reduce greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

California Adopts Cooler Cars Regulations (Green Car Congress)

New cars sold in California starting in 2012 will have to have windows that reflect or absorb heat, under a new California regulation. The goal is to help keep cars cooler, increase their fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

How Climate Policies Impact European Companies (Climate Wire)

Climate change and related regulations have influenced some major European companies, with energy efficiency measures the main options pursued and new hires being avoided by retraining or "greening" existing employees, a new study finds.

US Poll: Majority Say Regulate GHGs, Even If Prices Rise (Washington Post)

Three-quarters of Americans think the government should regulate greenhouse gases to reduce global warming, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds. That support dips slightly to 62 percent when asked if they were willing to pay higher costs.

Not Easy Being Green: 14 House Moderates Under Pressure (Politico)

House moderates are under intense pressure from all sides and stuck in a “treacherous vote” on the climate bill tomorrow. Here’s a look at 14 members who would probably most like to crawl under a lilypad.

Scotland Agrees to World’s Toughest 2020 Climate Goal (Reuters)

Scottish lawmakers backed a binding goal to cut greenhouse gases by 42 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels, edging Germany into second place in a ranking of the most ambitious developed world targets.

Study: Coal Industry Costs Kentucky Government (Lexington Herald-Leader)

The coal industry takes $115 million more from Kentucky's state government annually in services and programs than it contributes in taxes, according to a study to be released today by the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development.

AEP, Southern Dropping Out of FutureGen (Tulsa World/Bloomberg)

American Electric Power and Southern Co. say they are withdrawing from the FutureGen carbon capture and storage project.

EU Drive for CCS Stumbles in Germany, UK Steps Ahead (Reuters)

Europe's push for pioneering carbon capture and storage has suffered a setback in Germany, Europe's top greenhouse gas emitter, which put back a plan to create a legal framework for the technology.

Sweden Seeks to Steer EU onto Energy-Efficient Path (EurActiv)

Sweden plans to step up Europe's energy-efficiency legislation as it takes over the rotating six-month EU presidency at the beginning of July.

ForestEthics Asks Clinton to Block Tar Sands Pipelines (Reuters)

ForestEthics asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to deny permits for pipelines that would bring oil from Canada's tar sands to the U.S., arguing that the tar sands’ greenhouse gas emissions conflict with President Obama's pledge to tackle global warming.

Oregon Senate Approves Low Carbon Fuel Standard (Salem News)

The Oregon Senate last night approved the governor’s proposal to authorize a Low Carbon Fuel Standard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.

California Weighs Global Warming Fees on Producers (AP)

California air regulators today will consider leveling the nation's first statewide carbon fee on utilities, oil refineries and other industries as a way to pay for the state's landmark greenhouse gas emissions law.

First Solar Sees Costs Dropping by a Third in 5 years (Reuters)

First Solar says it expected to cut manufacturing costs by a third or more over the next five years, from 93 cents per watt to as little as 52 cents, mainly by making its solar panels more efficient at transforming sunlight into electricity.

France: US, Canada Emissions Plans Too Weak (Reuters)

The United States and Canada must do more than currently proposed to tackle greenhouse gases, France says in a position paper ahead of the Copenhagen summit. It also makes the first concrete suggestions on how to tackle aviation emissions.

Michigan Campus Cancels Coal Plant Plan (Michigan Messenger)

Northern Michigan University canceled its permit to build a 10 MW coal plant at its Marquette campus, saying it would instead apply for permits to build a planet fueled by biomass. Two more coal applications are under consideration by the state.

Ohio Patrol Cruisers Go Green with Solar Panels (Marietta Times)

The Ohio Highway Patrol is equipping its fleet of 1,150 cruisers with solar panels this week in an effort to boost battery performance and conserve fuel.

Sears Tower to Be Revamped to Produce Most of Its Own Power (New York Times)

The nation’s tallest skyscraper will soon have wind turbines sprouting from its recessed rooftops in a plan to reduce external electricity consumption by 80 percent over five years. The new owners plan more upgrades inside.