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2008 Preview and A Look Back
Stay tuned for information about our February Sustainable Business Forum—Our Green City: What Businesses in San Francisco Can Do To Make The City An Ecological Model—featuring representatives from Pacific Gas & Electric Company's ClimateSmart™ Program and The City of San Francisco.
Since April 2007, Hanson Bridgett has offered a series of Sustainable Business Forums to provide regular and ongoing opportunities for those involved in the sustainable business sector to meet like-minded people and learn about the latest developments and trends in the sustainable movement. Read More»
Educating Executives: Sustainability 101
By proactively addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, businesses of all sizes and industries can uncover risks, performance gaps and innovation opportunities to gain competitive advantage and improve relationships with stakeholders.
In fact, two recent reports from the U.N. Global Compact and Goldman Sachs found that corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability practices created additional market gains and higher stock prices. Goldman Sachs looked at six sectors—energy, mining, steel, food, beverages and media—and found that businesses with ESG policies have outperformed the general stock market by 25 percent since August 2005, and that 72 percent outperformed their peers over the same period. Read More»
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Meet the Client:
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
People might be surprised to learn that Hanson Bridgett client Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) wants people to use less, not more energy. As part of this effort to reduce energy usage and benefit the environment, PG&E recently launched a web site at www.letsgreenthiscity.com as a one-stop shop for anyone who wants information on "going green." The energy company's site uses entertaining videos and illustrations to introduce easy and fun ways to cut back on power usage and have a positive impact on the environment. Read More»
Hargreaves, Steve. "Green energy's hottest stocks for 2008." CNNMoney.com 1/9/08.
"Green Plug looks to cut energy waste and cable clutter." InfoWorld 1/8/08.
Dzurilla, Dawn E. "Renewable Energy Firms Strike Gold with Green Employee Benefits." RenewableEnergyAccess.com 1/8/08.
"China Solar Energy Industry Research and Forecast, 2008-2010 Available `Now." Reuters (Business Wire) 1/8/08.
Bradbury, Danny. "Greener networks on the horizon." BusinessGreen 1/8/08.
"HP to Reduce PC Energy Usage by 25 Percent, Leads Industry in EPEAT-Gold Products." Business Wire 1/8/08.
"CleanTech Investing: The Green Gold Rush." GreenBiz.com 1/8/08.
"Archer Daniels Midland to Bury Carbon From Ethanol Plant." GreenBiz.com 1/8/08.
"GE unit funding Calif. SunPower projects." Cleantech.com 1/7/08.
"CES groomed for green." InfoWorld 1/7/08.
Thibodeau, Patrrick. "U.S. to require agencies to buy green PCs, monitors." Computerworld 1/6/08.
"2007 Review / 2008 Outlook." Green Energy News 1/3/08.
"California Sues EPA; Says State Law Greener, Cleaner Than Feds." Wired News (Wired.com) 1/2/08.
"Feds Investigate EPA's Rejection of California's Clean Air Standards." Wired News (Wired.com) 1/2/08.
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| 28–29 | Concentrating Solar Power USA—San Francisco, CA | ||
| 28–29 | Energy Efficiency Finance and Investment Forum—London, United Kingdom |
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| 4–6 | Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008)—Washington, DC | ||
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| 12–14 | World Biofuels Markets '08—Brussels, Belgium | ||
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| 18–19 | American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) Wind & Transmission Workshop—Detroit, MI | ||
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| 31–3 | European Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition (EWEC 2008)—Brussels, Belgium | ||
Federal: New Laws Enacted
12/19/2007 - ENACTED - Became Public Law No: 110-140 - HR 6, Nick Rahall, D-WV - ENERGY INDEPENDENCE & SECURITY
Move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers, to increase the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government. (Note: Formerly the Clean Energy Act of 2007) Details»
Federal: New Bills Introduced
12/19/2007 - INTRODUCED - HR 4893, Louie Gohmert, R-TX - STATE HYPOCRISY REFORM REGARDING OIL & GAS EXPLORATION
Penalize States that prohibit oil and gas exploration within their borders by denying them the use of any oil or natural gas produced domestically elsewhere; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Details»
12/17/2007 - INTRODUCED - HR 4773, Don Young, R-AK - RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSTRUCTION GRANTS
Authorize the Department of Energy to make grants to carry out renewable energy projects; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Details»
12/6/2007 - INTRODUCED - S 2423, Dianne Feinstein, D-CA - EMISSION ALLOWANCE MARKET TRANSPARENCY
Facilitate price transparency in markets for the sale of emission allowances; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Details»
12/6/2007 - INTRODUCED - S 2429, Barbara Boxer, D-CA - LIMIT ON LIABILITY FOR OIL TANKERS & CARGO VESSELS
Amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to equalize the limit on the liability for oil tankers and cargo vessels and to provide for the investment of amounts in the Damage Assessment Restoration Revolving Fund; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Details»
California
1/7/2008 - AMENDED - AB 705
Requires the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources to adopt standards and regulations for geologic carbon sequestration projects to provide regulatory guidance for those performing these projects and to minimize the health and safety risks to the public. Provides the standards and regulations would be applicable to the injection of carbon dioxide and other injectants in allowable geological formations for the purpose of greenhouse gas emission reduction or limitation. NOTE: The amendments to the bill seem to completely change it, according to what's posted. With the amended bill (at link below), it now is: "An act to amend Section 15626 of the Government Code, relating to the State Board of Equalization." Details»
1/7/2008 - AMENDED - AB 1190
Decreases the rate of taxes imposed by the Use Fuel Tax Law and the Diesel Fuel Tax Law for Category 2 fuel. Creates a high-carbon fuel tax for Category 3 fuel. Decreases the combined state and federal tax rate limits, as applicable to each type of fuel. Authorizes the Board of Equalization to adjust the rate of high-carbon fuel tax to ensure that the total amount of revenues derived from the tax rate. Details»
1/7/2008 - AMENDED - AB 1451
Provides a property tax exclusion for an active solar energy system used in the production of electricity that includes equipment used up to the stage of conveyance or use of electricity and is a private energy producer with an electricity purchase agreement to supply specified customers, in which case the system also includes transmission and distribution equipment, poles, towers and structures to convey electricity up to the point of interconnection with the utility transmission or distribution network. Details»
Read more about the following California Legislation...
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| • | 1/7/2008 - AMENDED - AB 1604 | ||
| • | 1/7/2008 - AMENDED - SB 825 | ||
| • | 12/13/2007 - AMENDED - B 1675 | ||
| • | Chaptered in 2006 - CA GHG Emission Cap (AB 32) | ||
| • | Chaptered in 2006 (SB 1368 and CPUC/CEC Rulemakings) | ||
| • | Chaptered in 2006 - California Solar Initiative (SB 1) | ||
| • | SB 1078 Chaptered in 2002 - SB 107 Chaptered in 2006 - CA Renewable Portfolio Standard (SB 1078 and SB 107) | ||
| • | Proceeding R0604009, Filed April 13, 2006, shows as Active | ||
| • | AB 1493 Chaptered in 2002 - CA Tailpipe Emission Standards (AB 1493) | ||
| • | SB 97 Chaptered August 24, 2007 - CA CEQA Guidelines concerning GHG Emissions (SB 97) | ||
| • | SB 1007 Chaptered in 2005 - CA Low Carbon Fuels Standard (AB 32 Discrete Early Action / AB 1007 / Gov. EO) | ||
| • | Western Regional Climate Action Initiative (Gov. EO / Regional MOU) |
Copyright © 2008 Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy, LLP
The above has been sent as a service by the law firm of Hanson Bridgett and may be considered an advertisement or solicitation. The content enclosed is not intended to provide legal advice or to create an attorney-client relationship.