CLIMATE: Scientists say the concentration of carbon dioxide in earth’s atmosphere has permanently exceeded 400 ppm. (ClimateWire)
POLLUTION:
• Industrial air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions are concentrated among a small number of “super polluters,” with the highest concentration found in southwest Indiana, according to new research. (Center for Public Integrity)
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CLEAN POWER PLAN: Opponents’ argument that the federal rules are unachievable “didn’t fare well” this week with federal judges. (ClimateWire)
OIL & GAS: An environmental group launches the first civil suit against Exxon over the company’s climate science, saying it polluted a Massachusetts river and failed to plan for the impacts of climate change at a Boston-area fuel storage terminal that’s at risk of flooding. (The Hill/Associated Press)
ALSO:
• One of Colorado’s biggest oil and gas companies says it will cut more jobs before the end of the year. (Denver Business Journal)
• Over the last decade Exxon’s tar sands reserves have nearly quadrupled, deepening the company’s reliance on the controversial oil source. (InsideClimate News)
• About $520 million will be paid towards seafood industry losses resulting from the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (Associated Press)
COAL: An Arizona coal plant that ranks as the country’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gas – burning 24,000 tons of coal a day – is struggling to stay operational under new and pending environmental regulations. (Arizona Republic)
TECHNOLOGY:
• A solar company unveils a dual-axis tracker system for commercial and industrial rooftop installations that enables each panel to track the sun independently, boosting efficiency by an estimated 30 percent. (Greentech Media)
• Supportive policies could grow the fuel cell business in Ohio, but a lack of fueling stations and parts suppliers poses challenges for the expansion of fuel cell vehicles. (Midwest Energy News)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Ten BP convenience store gas stations in North Carolina will get fast-charging stations that can recharge an electric vehicle in 30 minutes, with Nissan Leaf owners getting free power for two years. (Charlotte Business Journal)
SOLAR:
• A 300-kilowatt solar array at the University of Tulsa is one of the largest rooftop installations in Oklahoma. (The Oklahoman)
• California’s Public Utilities Commission last week rejected an appeal from a utility seeking to lower net-metering rates for solar customers. (The Desert Sun)
• Texas-based solar companies travel to Mexico to explore business opportunities stemming from the country’s goal to reach 50 percent clean energy by 2050. (San Antonio Business Journal)
HYDRO: Researchers say hydroelectric reservoirs account for more than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, releasing methane as submerged organic matter decomposes. (Climate Central)
ACTIVISM: Three protestors are arrested in Washington state for blocking railroad tracks in a demonstration against oil and coal trains, which one protestor called “an abomination to the Lord.” (Spokesman-Review)
COMMENTARY:
• A key component of the legal argument against the Clean Power Plan is “preposterous.” (New York Times)
• New charts released by the Department of Energy prove the cost-effectiveness and scalability of clean energy. (ThinkProgress)