Judge Determines Illinois Cannot Deny Wte Subsidies
A Cook County Circuit Court judge has ruled that Illinois can no longer deny subsidies for a trio of bond-financed waste-to-energy incinerators in the state. The ruling may allow the incinerators to seek monetary damages against the state and an electric utility. The judge ruled that a 1996 Illinois law that halted the subsidy cannot be retroactively applied to projects that were already under way at the time the law was enacted. The ruling came more than six years after incinerator developers filed their lawsuits challenging the state Legislature's repeal of the Retail Rate Act. The act had enabled incinerators to sell electricity they generated to Commonwealth Edison at a higher-than-market rate. The incinerator developers had largely depended on the higher rates to pay off nearly $500 million of unrated, tax-exempt revenue bonds...Read More »
Sen. Jeffords Criticizes Bush on Environmental Issues
Sen. James Jeffords (I-Vt.), the outgoing chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, criticized President Bush last Saturday for moving backward on the environment, contending he is putting special interests above clean air, clean water and public health. Jeffords, who will give up the chairmanship when Republicans take over the Senate in January, said Bush is rolling back protections for clean air and water, cutting Superfund site cleanups, and clearing new oil and gas drilling on national lands. "Unfortunately, on environmental issues our president is moving us backward instead of leading us forward," Jeffords said, delivering the weekly radio address on behalf of Democrats...Read More »
Kazakh Court Fines ChevronTexaco $71 Million
A court in Kazakhstan has fined the ChevronTexaco (NYSE: CVX)-led oil venture Tengizchevroil (TCO) 11 billion tenge ($71 million) for "ecological damage" caused by storing millions of tons of sulphur at its Tengiz field. The fine is the latest in a series of problems for TCO, the highest-profile joint venture in Kazakhstan, a nation whose energy-based economy depends heavily on foreign investment. TCO is a 40-year, multi-billion project. But a regional Kazakh court ruled that Tengizchevroil lacked permission to store some six million tons of sulphur at the site. TCO said it viewed sulphur as a product, not a waste, and "the materials temporarily stored at Tengizchevroil facilities, including sulphur, are stored and handled in accordance with Kazakhstan's state standards and international standards."...Read More »
Allied Announces Appointments To, Resignation From Board Of Directors
Allied Waste Industries, Inc. (NYSE: AW) has announced the appointment of James W. Crownover and Lawrence V. Jackson to its Board of Directors as of January 1, 2003. Separately, Roger A. Ramsey has announced his retirement from the Allied Waste Board. The Allied board will be comprised of 12 members as of January 2, 2003. The company has an ongoing search for one additional independent board member...Read More »
Safety-Kleen Files Plans With Bankruptcy Court
Safety-Kleen Corp. has filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, a proposed joint plan of reorganization and disclosure statement for the company and the majority of its subsidiaries. Safety-Kleen voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 protection on June 9, 2000. The plan of reorganization and disclosures is subject to Bankruptcy Court approval and, if approved, could become effective early in 2003. The plan may change during the course of the bankruptcy process...Read More »
Indiana Commission Approves Nipsco Compliance Costs
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has approved the mechanisms necessary to permit Northern Indiana Public Service Company to recover costs for compliance with federal and state Nitrogen Oxide emissions standards. NIPSCO has achieved a 30% reduction in the NOx emissions rate in the past three years. NIPSCO, with headquarters in Merrillville, Ind., is one of the 10 energy distribution companies of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI), and is the largest natural gas distribution company in the state...Read More »
Earthshell Receives Notice of Nasdaq Review
EarthShell Corporation (Nasdaq: ERTH), producers of environmentally based food service packaging, has received notice from Nasdaq regarding noncompliance with certain market rules. The company's stock price is not in compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid requirements, and the company's stockholder's equity is just below the $10 million required minimum. The company has requested an appeal, but may have its shares listed on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market...Read More »
Marcal Honors Staples With Environmental Excellence Award
Marcal Paper Mills Inc. is awarding Staples, Inc. with the 2002 Marcal Environmental Marketing Excellence Award for outstanding marketing of recycled content products. Marcal's annual award recognizes outstanding marketers of recycled and environmentally responsible products. Including Marcal's innovative recycled-content products, Staples currently offers about 1,000 recycled content products, including copy paper, corrugated storage boxes, and remanufactured ink cartridges...Read More »
Sign up to receive our free Weekly News Bulletin