The Daily Climate

Politics

Rick Santorum's Big Coal buddies.

Rick Santorum likes to brag about how he helped a poor local company fight big, bad government regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. But the "local" company Santorum brags about helping was a coal mining giant that gave him tens of thousands of dollars during and after his time in Congress. Mother Jones 12 Jan

Greenhouse gas wars to restart in Texas.

The EPA is hardly backing down. Texas Tribune 12 Jan

China looks at carbon tax, official says in US.

China's lead negotiator on climate change said Wednesday that the world's largest emitter is considering imposing a tax on carbon to reduce the use of dirty energy as its economy grows. Agence France-Presse 12 Jan

White House Chief of Staff resignation: Greens say 'good riddance.'

Bill Daley left plenty of fingerprints on energy policy during his yearlong stint in the White House, but environmentalists will remember him most for undercutting EPA's attempts to set tough new air pollution limits. Politico 10 Jan

Economics

Clean-energy fund fears spread among industry sectors.

Some of Australia's biggest industry sectors have joined the chorus of warnings that the government's $10 billion clean-energy fund could distort markets, as Treasury concedes it has not forecast the budget impact of Julia Gillard's carbon pricing reforms beyond mid-2015. Sydney Australian 04 Jan

White paper warns of power price hit on households.

Energy Minister Martin Ferguson signaled the Gillard government has dumped an election promise to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants. He said the proposed emissions standards had become redundant given Australia was introducing a carbon price. Sydney Morning Herald 14 Dec

Judge blocks a California fuel regulation.

A federal judge on Thursday blocked enforcement of a California regulation favoring producers of gasoline, diesel fuel and biofuels whose methods generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions. New York Times 30 Dec

Big energy measures to slide past 2012.

The roster of unfinished business from this Congress is legion: Lawmakers have failed to pass measures responding to last year’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill — the worst such disaster in U.S. history — or to act on mine safety legislation despite the April 2010 explosion that killed 29 coal miners in West Virginia. Politico 12 Dec

Other News

Targeting methane, black carbon could buy world a little time on climate change.

Mongabay 13 Jan

Pennsylvania near top in US in air pollution.

Allentown Morning Call 13 Jan

AFL-CIO chief urges talks about 'the future of coal.'

Charleston Gazette 13 Jan

Online map shows biggest greenhouse gas emitters.

New York Times 12 Jan

Study: Southern Company plants are 3 biggest greenhouse gas emitters.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution 12 Jan

EPA hopes disclosure leads to greenhouse gas reductions.

Center for Public Integrity 12 Jan

EPA creates website to ID biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.

National Public Radio 12 Jan

EPA: Power plants main global warming culprits.

Associated Press 12 Jan

EPA details the carbon pollution from power plants for the first time.

The Hill 12 Jan

New EPA online database lets you chart greenhouse-gas emissions from home.

Cleveland Plain Dealer 12 Jan

Prayer groups hope prayers protect ridge tops in Tennessee.

Nashville Tennessean 09 Jan

Is mine putting Hoosiers at risk?

Indianapolis Star 08 Jan

Groups spar over Missouri's green energy future.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch 08 Jan

Provinces offered relief on coal phase-out.

Globe and Mail 06 Jan

A rare breath of fresh air in US politics.

Al Jazeera 05 Jan

Boulder, Colo., votes for energy independence – from its utility.

High Country News 04 Jan

Editorials

In defense of clean energy.

After months of standing by as Republicans tried to gut environmental laws and discredit his clean energy initiatives, President Obama blasted Republicans for their single-minded commitment to fossil fuels, argued the case for a diversified energy strategy and dared to talk about climate change. New York Times 28 Jan

How green became Obama's albatross.

Barack Obama may believe a lot of things, but he probably doesn't believe the Sierra Club is key to his re-election. His decision to nix the Keystone XL pipeline will cost him votes but he did it anyway. Wall Street Journal 25 Jan

Cheap, renewable electricity -- but not for California.

Instead of embracing hydroelectricity, right-thinking California environmentalists generally want to tear out dams. But it's absurd to think that dams are as dirty as an old coal plant. Redding Record Searchlight 23 Jan

Time to warm up to this study, if we want to stay cooler.

A study conducted by NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) has some good news for India, particularly about how to improve crop production and reduce premature death caused due to black carbon and methane emission. Mumbai Daily News and Analysis 16 Jan

Clear the air with new emissions regulations.

Who knows how much human potential was lost in the delay to implement new standards for mercury and other toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants? We should demand that Congress not stand in the way of making a healthier world - for our children, and for theirs. Philadelphia Daily News 29 Dec

Governor, be consistent on air quality.

Governor Chris Christie seems to have a peculiar way of judging which environmental programs to support. Vineland Daily Journal 27 Dec

Power grab.

Candidate Barack Obama often told voters he wanted to raise the price of energy to the levels paid by Europeans. Pueblo Chieftain 26 Dec

Toward healthier air.

The Obama administration's final rule requiring power plants to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants is a big victory for environmentalists and scientists who have worked for 20 years to regulate these pollutants — and an even bigger one for the public. New York Times 22 Dec

Opinion

Paul Krugman's toxic shock syndrome: Mercury madness.

The new EPA mercury regulations appear to be but another Obama administration salvo in an unrelenting war against fossil energy in general, coal in particular, where the largest casualties will be businesses, jobs and household electricity budgets. Forbes 03 Feb

A shameful attack on free speech.

If you disagree with the views of a prominent climate scientist, one approach might be to attend his forthcoming lecture at his home campus, Pennsylvania State University, and engage in civil debate when he’s done. Another would be to mount a faceless Facebook campaign. What would you do? New York Times 03 Feb

Exposing seafood industry's junk science.

The seafood industry has an abysmal environmental record. Instead of trying to make sure our seafood has less toxins, it would rather lobby with its front groups to oppose mercury safeguards. It should be making it a priority to protect our health by making seafood healthier and safer. Bucks County Courier Times 30 Jan

Coal-fired pollution hurts children, the elderly.

Recently released data highlight just how dirty PPL’s Colstrip plant is. When it comes to carbon dioxide pollution, PPL’s Colstrip plant is the dirtiest coal-burning power plant in the West. And CO2 is just the start. Add SO2, NO2, and water pollution. Billings Gazette 28 Jan

Clean energy battle in Kentucky: Tilting at windmills?

A Kentucky environmental organization has compiled a long list of the damaging impacts of coal on people and the environment, with the hope it might win over Kentucky lawmakers to pass a renewable energy portfolio standard. Louisville Courier-Journal 25 Jan

Putting his body on the pipeline.

Those of us who reluctantly comprise the climate movement are having to do things we never imagined. We're learning, since we lack the money to match the oil and coal barons, to use passion, spirit, creativity as our tools. Australia ABC News 25 Jan

Use coal to meet pending Australian fuel shortage.

According to a suppressed report, Australia is not meeting its obligation under the International Energy Agency agreement to maintain a strategic petroleum reserve equal to 90 days of prior year's net oil imports. Sydney Daily Telegraph 19 Jan

Exploring the new EPA greenhouse gas emissions database.

Yesterday I told you about an informative new U.S. EPA greenhouse gas emissions database detailing the nation's larger sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Climate Central 17 Jan

Americans gaining energy independence.

The US is the closest it has been in almost 20 years to achieving energy self-sufficiency, a goal the nation has been pursuing since the 1973 Arab oil embargo triggered a recession and led to lines at gasoline stations. But the expansion in oil and natural gas production isn’t without a downside. Bloomberg News 07 Feb

Big Coal attacks Penn State scientist (again).

We've documented the long-term effort to malign Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann here rather extensively. Now a coal-backed group is running a smear campaign targeting an upcoming speaking event Mann is holding on campus. Mother Jones 07 Feb

Minnesota Power files report on coal plants.

Minnesota Power filed a report with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Monday that looks at how the utility might generate electricity into a future with new federal pollution regulations and aging coal-fired generators. Duluth News Tribune 07 Feb

Alpha, Patriot announce coal production cuts.

Alpha Natural Resources announced late Friday that it plans to idle several Appalachian coal mines and reduce work schedules at others, citing reduced coal demand as more electricity utilities move toward using natural gas. Charleston Gazette 04 Feb

Air rules offer lesson for carbon.

Rainforest Action Network

New US limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from coal power plants may prove a back door to carbon emissions cuts and show that environmental controls with more visible, easily understood benefits win more support. Reuters 02 Feb

Romney takes Fla. with variety of weapons, including a climate attack .

Mitt Romney's crushing victory in Florida spoiled Newt Gingrich's southern momentum with a barrage of personal attacks, including one about the former speaker's views on climate change that the son of Ronald Reagan said gives conservatives "cardiac arrest." ClimateWire 02 Feb

Coal magnate appoints climate sceptic to boards.

Gina Rinehart, one of Australia's richest women and an opponent of the government's carbon tax, has appointed controversial climate change sceptic Professor Ian Plimer to the board of several key family companies. Australian Associated Press 01 Feb

Poland eyes changes to renewable support plan.

Coal-reliant Poland aims to increase support for biogas and solar generation through the end of the decade while cutting support for investment in wind and other renewable generation, a government official said on Tuesday. Reuters 01 Feb

Nova Scotia aims for big results from small power projects.

Ontario’s controversial green energy program may get more attention, but Nova Scotia has also embarked on an ambitious plan to wean the province off its dependence on coal-generated electricity. Globe and Mail 30 Jan

U.S. energy supply and demand.

Domestic production of oil, natural gas, and renewable energy in 2035 will exceed today’s levels, but coal use for electricity generation will decline, according to a study released last week by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which is part of the Department of Energy. Chemical & Engineering News 30 Jan

Coal export terminal opposed in Bellingham, WA.

With a musical kickoff from bandZandt singing "No Coal Trains," local activists launched their "Coal-Free Bellingham" campaign for a citizen initiative to outlaw coal trains through a city ordinance. Bellingham Herald 29 Jan

Coal fuels a fight in Oregon.

Northwest residents are pulled between a desire for jobs and environmental concerns. Wall Street Journal 28 Jan

American coal: A burning issue.

nugefishes/Flickr

By some measures, coal is still going strong. It provides more of America’s electricity than any other fuel. Production has fallen off since 2008, but it remains high, as do prices, for which thank the developing world’s appetite. But if the raw numbers look good, the trends tell a different story. Economist 28 Jan

EPA pushes to reduce impacts of huge West Virginia mountaintop mine project.

Michigan Radio/Flickr

The Obama administration has again questioned a huge mountaintop removal mine associated with the King Coal Highway - "among the largest single mining projects ever proposed in Appalachia" - and is pressuring state regulators and CONSOL Energy to reduce the mine's potential impacts. Charleston Gazette 27 Jan

FirstEnergy closing 6 coal-fired power plants.

FirstEnergy Corp. said Thursday that new environmental regulations led to a decision to shut down six older, coal-fired power plants in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland, affecting more than 500 employees. Associated Press 27 Jan

Power plant emissions regulations still far off.

As environmentalists check items off their list of Obama administration victories before this year’s election, one huge item still lingers: curbing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Politico 25 Jan

Home on the range – will it give Perry a chance to 'rethink' emissions stance?

Gov. Rick Perry's failed bid at the Republican nomination for president seems to have cut a once formidable political force down to size in his own state, possibly giving Texas green groups an opportunity they've been looking for. ClimateWire 25 Jan

U.S. CO2 emissions to stay below 2005 levels as coal use shrinks.

U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions will be 7 percent lower than their 2005 level of nearly 6 billion metric tons in 2020 as coal's share of electricity production continues a steady descent over the next two decades, according to new government data. Reuters 25 Jan

Politics: David vs. Goliath or even money? Greens weigh their election-year matchup.

After a week that saw President Obama and a conservative group backed by the Koch brothers trade multimillion-dollar jabs over energy jobs on the airwaves of six states, one thing is clear: The 2012 election's environmental narrative is taking shape fast. E&E Daily 24 Jan

DOE report projects greater coal production drop.

Coal production in Central Appalachia may not decline as sharply over the next five years as previously projected, but the long-term forecast looks even worse, according to a new U.S. Department of Energy report. Charleston Gazette 24 Jan

Low-carbon cement paves a development path (or sidewalk).

Alexander Moseson/Drexel Univ.

Carbon emissions from cement are set to grow explosively as developing countries such as India create a "first-world" infrastructure. Scientists and entrepreneurs are struggling to push alternative technologies out of the lab and onto the street. Daily Climate 23 Jan

Climate change: Coal plants dominate list of big emitters of greenhouse gases.

Fed by a steady stream of coal barges, the aging power plants that loom over Chicago's Little Village and Pilsen neighborhoods are by far the city's largest industrial sources of climate change pollution. Chicago Tribune 21 Jan

Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies 'could provide half of global carbon target'.

Eliminating subsidies for coal, gas and oil could save as much as Germany's annual greenhouse gas emissions each year by 2015, according to one of the world's leading energy experts. The Guardian 20 Jan

Clean coal plants and biomass to lead boom, Minister pledges.

A new generation of environmentally-friendly power stations and vast offshore wind farms will maintain Yorkshire’s role as the UK’s centre of electricity production, the Energy Secretary pledged while on a visit to the region. Yorkshire Post 20 Jan

Fossil fuels are sub-prime assets, Bank of England warned.

The huge reserves of coal, oil and gas are "sub-prime" assets that pose a systemic risk to economic stability, a high-profile coalition of investors, politicians and scientists has warned Bank of England. The Guardian 19 Jan

Environmentalists appeal Coos Bay project that could fuel exports of coal and liquefied natural gas.

Environmental groups Wednesday appealed a state dredging permit that could allow the Port of Coos Bay to export coal and liquefied natural gas to Asia. Portland Oregonian 19 Jan

Honor system for air pollution?

As state regulators prepare to issue a permit for a state-of-the-art “clean coal” plant planned for Taylorville, one environmental group criticizes the proposed permit for not specifically requiring carbon capture technology. Springfield Illinois Times 19 Jan

Two coal companies want to export coal through the Port of St. Helens.

Two big coal-industry players are proposing to export Montana and Wyoming coal through the Port of St. Helens, putting Oregon squarely in the mix as a shipping point to meet growing Asian demand. Portland Oregonian 18 Jan

Database tallies US emissions.

Keeping track of a country’s greenhouse gases is an accounting problem of epic proportions. Now they have a new resource: official data from the companies themselves, collated into a user-friendly online database that was launched on 11 January by the EPA. Nature 18 Jan

Growing doubts in Europe on future of carbon storage.

The European Union’s long-term energy plans to abate global warming while still burning fossil fuels hinge on proposals to capture carbon dioxide emissions and store them underground. Yet weak support for the technology is putting Europe in the rear ranks of its development. New York Times 17 Jan