Archive

  • Congressional fix for CSAPR fiasco seen a long-shot

    10 January 2012

    The dramatic suspension of the US Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) programme could refocus attention on Congressional efforts to address the regulatory morass around emissions – but their prospects are dim in an election year, experts said.

  • US emissions markets 'in flux' as CSAPR put on hold

    04 January 2012

    Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) allowances came under substantial pressure in very light volumes on Tuesday due to a federal court's decision to temporarily stop the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing the programme.

  • Court puts new US emissions markets in deep-freeze

    04 January 2012

    The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) emissions allowance market could be dead for 2012, following a somewhat surprising decision by a federal court to temporarily prevent the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing the rule, according to some experts.

  • EPA puts cap on toxic power plant emissions

    22 December 2011

    The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set limits on mercury and other dangerous emissions from power plants, much to the chagrin of industry officials and Republican legislators who wanted the agency to stand down.

  • Rand Paul fails to bring down US emissions markets

    14 November 2011

    An attempt to bar the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing its Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) quickly collapsed in the US Senate.

  • FirstEnergy SOx, NOx auction to 'shake up' emissions markets

    08 November 2011

    Utility FirstEnergy's upcoming auction of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) allowances is set to shake up the new Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) markets, according to one analyst.

  • CSAPR allowances allocated, but emitters remain wary

    19 October 2011

    Emitters across 28 US states received their first allowances under the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) new sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrous oxide (NOx) trading programme yesterday – but a deluge of legal challenges and unhappy precedents continue to discourage trading.

  • Industry pressure and politics blamed for Obama's smog rule delay

    07 September 2011

    The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will abandon its pursuit of stricter smog standards at the direction of President Barack Obama and in what environmentalists and some legislators decried as a cave-in to industry.

  • First trades complete in replacement SO2 and NOx market

    05 September 2011

    The new sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions markets started humming last week, with the first trades brokered under the replacement programme established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

  • Japan edges towards renewables feed-in tariff

    23 August 2011

    A renewable energy bill which would introduce feed-in tariffs has today been waved through by the lower house of Japan's parliament, and is expected to pass the upper house by Friday.