PredictIQ-Today’s Climate: June 30, 2010

Dems Seek to Salvage Climate Provisions After White House Meeting (The PredictIQHill)

A much-hyped White House meeting Tuesday between President Obama and a bipartisan group of senators produced no breakthrough as the political sands continue to run out on passing a climate bill this year.

EPA Finalizes CO2 Rule on Mines, Landfills (Reuters)

The U.S. EPA on Tuesday finalized rules requiring facilities like underground coal mines and landfills to report greenhouse gas emissions, which could make it easier for regulators to fight emissions if Congress does not pass a climate bill.

Hurricane Alex Disrupts Oil Spill Cleanup (AFP)

Hurricane Alex picked up strength in the western Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, heading towards northeastern Mexico and Texas and disrupting oil cleanup operations off the coast of Louisiana.

U.S. Accepts International Assistance for Gulf Spill (AP)

The U.S. is accepting help from 12 countries and international organizations in dealing with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the State Department said Tuesday.

Salazar May Give Congress More Details on Deepwater Drill Ban (Bloomberg)

U.S. Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar, who has promised a new ban on deepwater oil drilling after an initial one was ruled illegal, has hinted what a revised moratorium might look like and may provide more details when questioned by members of Congress today.

Goodbye MMS: Oil Regulating Agency Gets Makeover (AP)

The name of the troubled Mineral Minerals Management Service has been changed to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement to emphasize regulatory and enforcement responsibilities of the agency.

EPA Gives Tentative OK to Logan Mine Permit (Charleston Gazette)

The Obama administration has given its tentative approval to a new mountaintop removal permit, provided the Logan County operation makes changes federal regulators say are needed to protect downstream water quality.

Wis. Company Hopes Obama Intervenes in India Deal (AP)

The chief executive of manufacturer Bucyrus International Inc. said Tuesday that he hopes President Obama will intervene to save a $600 million coal plant deal in India that was put in jeopardy by a Congress-funded bank.

Energy Dept. Cannot Drop Nuclear Waste Plan (New York Times)

In a setback for the Obama administration, a panel of judges at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ruled on Tuesday that the Energy Department could not withdraw its application to open a nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.

PGE Doesn’t Like Options for Closing Coal Plant (AP)

State environmental regulators gave the owners of Oregon’s only coal-fired power plant three new options Monday for shutting it down or improving pollution controls to meet federal requirements for less smog in the Columbia Gorge.

UK Will Miss Carbon Emissions Targets ‘Unless Government Takes Urgent Action’ (Guardian)

The new coalition government must introduce a string of climate policies over the next twelve months or risk Britain missing its legally binding targets to cut carbon emissions, ministers were warned yesterday.

Tesla Shares Leap 40.5% in Nasdaq Debut (Earth2Tech)

Tesla Motors’ shares ended their first day of trading on Wednesday up 40.5 percent over their $17 offering price, at $23.89.

China OKs BYD, 15 Others for Green-Car Subsidies (Reuters)

China has approved cars made by Warren Buffett-backed BYD and 15 other Chinese automakers and joint ventures to receive fuel-efficiency subsidies of $441 per vehicle, a top government agency said on Wednesday.

Spanish Solar Firms Accept Aid Cap For Some Producing Plants (Wall Street Journal)

Spanish solar producers in a new proposal said they may accept a cap on subsidies for some already producing solar installations, a measure they previously had strongly rejected calling it a "retroactive" subsidy cut.

Vestas Wins 250 MW Colorado Turbine Order (Reuters)

Danish wind turbine maker Vestas has won an order from Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES) for turbines with capacity of 250 megawatts for a project in the U.S. state of Colorado, Vestas said on Wednesday.