The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) plan to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is being challenged in court--again. The most recent suit was filed Thursday by more than 90 companies and trade associations which are questioning the EPA's finding that GHGs endanger public health.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the suit alleges that "EPA violated its statutory duty" and made a "sweeping judgment" about carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions without independent scientific review. Additionally:

• Politico reports that the White House is stalling the release of EPA's guidance on how large companies including refiners and power plants are supposed to reduce GHG emissions. According to the report, some officials want to cap the costs on pollution controls against EPA's will.
• A report... more »

On this blog, we strive to provide an informative, timely and fair discussion about a variety of energy-related topics. In the spirit of those ideals, I recently came across another energy discussion forum on Chevron's website--willyoujoinus.com.

Since launching the discussion area in September, willyoujoinus.com is now hosting eight different energy discussion areas that range from access to alternative energy, providing an outlet for everyone to discuss these important issues.

For example, user "jgotthold" offered this information about alternative energy projects to the discussion:

"On almost a daily basis, scientists announce some nanotechnology breakthrough which has the potential to improve fuel cells, hydrogen storage, wind power development, tidal wave development and all the oth... more »

Few issues are as complicated and perplexing as Peak Oil. The study of this concept crosses into several disciplines--geology, sociology, engineering, and physics to name a few--and each is able to address only a part of the global dilemma that could be caused by rapidly dwindling oil supplies.

Presenters representing these disciplines and more discussed their findings on Peak Oil yesterday at the 2010 Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas (ASPO-USA) in Washington. Although they took different approaches in their research, they arrived at similar conclusions: Demand for oil is rising sharply in developing countries; global oil supplies aren't keeping pace with demand; and the consequences could be dire.

Here are a few of the observations offered by speakers at the ASPO conference:

• A... more »

The theory of Peak Oil is one of the most widely discussed--and intriguing--energy topics in the blogosphere. Simply put, the theory refers to the widely-held concept that oil is finite and production inevitably will decline, forcing major changes to our way of life, our economy, as well as the fate of humankind worldwide. The theory is attributed to M. King Hubbert, an oil company geologist, who created a graph called Hubbert's Curve predicting a sharp decline in oil production near the beginning of the 21st Century.

Hubbert's theory has captured the attention--and the concern--of people around the world who recognize the importance of oil to our daily lives.

In addition to heating and cooling, cooking and growing our food, and providing personal mobility, oil's chemical properties are u... more »

Cuba appears to be preparing for an oil boom just south of the Florida coast.

According to newspaper articles and government reports, state-owned oil companies from several countries are interested in drilling in the island nation's territorial waters. The Wall Street Journal reports that Spanish-owned Repsol is planning to drill several wells about 50 miles from the Florida Keys next year. The Miami Herald says a rig will drill in about 5,600 feet of water about 22 miles north of Havana, and about 65 miles south of Florida's Marquesa Keys.

Cuba's northern waters could have significant undiscovered oil resources. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), an estimated 4.6 billion barrels of oil could exist in the North Cub... more »