Energy & Fuel

Quite a few mayors are praising the Energy Department efficiency and conservation block grants authorized under the economic stimulus -- and are seeking to make it permanent.

"The EV Cup -- the world's first circuit race series for zero-emission electric vehicles -- will hold its inaugural season of seven races this summer and fall."

Arch Coal's announcement of a second West Coast shipping terminal signals a trend toward increasing exports of strip-mined western coal to Asian nations like China, where demand outstrips supply. The implications for greenhouse emissions and accounting schemes for controlling them are huge.

A BP deal with the biggest Russian oil company to develop Arctic Oil could have huge geopolitical and environmental repercussions.

"Oil and gas companies drilled fewer new wells on public lands in 2010 than in any other year over the past decade, leaving nearly two-thirds of their drilling permits unused, according to federal records obtained by Greenwire."

"Under pressure from some members of Congress, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is easing up on regulating global warming pollution from facilities that burn biomass for energy."

"The giant merger between the utilities Duke Energy Corp. and Progress Energy Inc. may have a telling impact on the congressional debate over U.S. energy policy during the new session."