Today’s Climate: June 4, 2010

Reid Pushes to Move Energy Bill in July (The Hill)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) alerted Senate committee chairmen Thursday that he plans to move comprehensive energy legislation in July.

Cap Placed Atop Gulf Well; Oil Still Spewing (AP)

A cap was seated atop a blown-out Gulf well but the volcano of oil obscured it from view early Friday making it impossible to tell if BP’s latest attempt to curtail the nation’s worst spill was having any success.

Obama Cancels Asia Trip as Concern on Spill Mounts (New York Times)

Pres. Obama canceled his trip to Australia, Indonesia and Guam late Thursday night as oil continued to stream into the Gulf of Mexico in what he has called the worst environmental disaster in American history.

Graham: Spill Panel Would Have Subpoena Power (AP)

A leader of the presidential commission investigating the Gulf oil spill said Thursday he has been told his panel will have subpoena power to get a full accounting of the disaster.

Interior Department Dismisses Drilling Agency E-mail on Shallow-Water Ban (The Hill)

The Interior Department found itself in a public dispute on Thursday with one of its own agencies – the Minerals Management Service – after an MMS official sent an email contradicting the administration’s policy allowing drilling in shallow waters. That message was later dismissed as false.

Obama’s Drill Ban to Trigger Job Losses, Slow Employment Gains (Bloomberg)

Pres. Obama’s six-month ban on new offshore drilling while a commission investigates the oil spill may slow employment gains after U.S. payrolls in April had the biggest surge in four years.

Massey Urges Congress to Hold off Safety Reforms (Coal Tattoo)

The PR firm hired by Massey Energy to help the company after the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster is pushing the idea that federal lawmakers should hold off any reform legislation until the entire investigation is completed — which could be a year or more from now.

EPA Adopts Tighter Standards for Sulfur Dioxide Levels (AP)

For the first time in nearly 40 years, the EPA on Thursday issued standards that lower the acceptable levels of sulfur dioxide emissions and increase the intervals the gas is monitored.

India Asks UN to Take Tough Stand Sgainst Protectionism (Times of India)

India has demanded that the UN prevent any green protectionism by developed countries and include a statement in the opening charter of any new deal to block carbon-based taxes being imposed on exports from developing countries.

German Upper House Delays Solar Subsidies Cuts (Wall Street Journal)

The German upper house of parliament Friday delayed cuts to solar subsidies that were planned to come into force in July by sending a bill on renewable energy to a conciliation committee.

Significant Fuel Savings Possible for Cars, SUVs (AP)

A prestigious research panel has concluded that technology already widely available could significantly cut fuel consumption by cars and light trucks without sacrificing safety or performance.

Rescuing Ecosystems Can Save Trillions of Dollars: U.N. (Reuters)

A few million dollars invested by governments in restoring nature could prevent far greater losses of the free services that ecosystems provide to people around the world, a UN report said on Thursday.

ZeaChem Breaks Ground On Next-Gen Ethanol Plant (Earth2Tech)

A start-up that’s using a microbe found in termite guts and soil to break down trees and plants into next-generation ethanol, has broken ground on its first demonstration plant.

Leroy Stick – The Man Behind @BPGlobalPR (StreetGiant)

Leroy Stick, the man behind @BPGlobalPR, has finally revealed himself to the media, saying he started his rapidly growing twitter "community" a few weeks back "because the oil spill had been going on for almost a month and all BP had to offer were bullshit PR statements."