California Construction Trucking Association (CCTA)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Conservative activists backing a ballot initiative that would repeal four environmental laws in California -- including the state's climate change measure -- were authorized to start gathering signatures yesterday by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen.

The New Mexico Supreme Court has been asked to weigh in on a legal battle brewing over an effort by an environmental group to establish a cap on greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico.

The New Mexico Environmental Law Center has filed a petition with the court, asking it to order a state judge in Lovington to reverse an earlier decision.

The judge had granted a preliminary injunction in April that prohibited a state regulatory panel from continuing proceedings on New Energy Economy's petition for the emissions cap.

New Mexico's largest utility, four state lawmakers and other groups had sued in January to stop the panel from considering the petition.

Petition supporters argue that if allowed to stand, the judge's ruling would cripple state agencies' ability to carry out their appointed responsibilities.

Associated Press/Business Week – May 19, 2010

The recession helped Europe trim more than 11 percent off its climate-warming emissions from heavy industry last year.

Emissions from the more than 12,600 installations regulated by its Emission Trading System (ETS) fell by 11.6 percent to 1.873 billion tons during 2009 as the downturn slowed industrial activity, the European Union's executive said yesterday.

The Folsom-based California Independent System Operator Corp. said Tuesday it projects adequate power supplies to meet summer peak demand, thanks in part to construction of new power plants.

By this summer, 1,760 megawatts will have come online since the summer of 2009, ISO said. More than 80 megawatts of that total is renewable generation.

ISO also said the recession has dampened California's appetite for electricity. The 2010 peak demand forecast is 47,139 megawatts, 2.9 percent above last summer's peak of 45,809 megawatts but well below the record peak demand of 50,270 megawatts set in July 2006.

California ISO manages the flow of electricity across high-voltage power lines that make up the state's power grid, serving 30 million Californians.

Mark Glover – Sacramento Bee --  May 19, 2010