CleanTech OC Daily - 9/21/12

U.S. approves California bullet train construction

Yesterday, the Obama administration gave the first formal regulatory approval to the California High-Speed Rail Authority's plan to construct a bullet train between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The approval was the first major legal hurdle to starting the project in the Central Valley.

California businesses want changes to cap-and-trade market

Some heavyweight business groups are protesting against California's new cap-and-trade carbon market. Manufacturers, oil refiners and others are lining up to testify today before the California Air Resources Board with a goal of having the Air Resources Board to reduce the costs of participating in the market.

US DOT Announces $59.3M for Clean Energy Transit Projects

The US Dept. of Transportation will be granting almost $60 million in new funding to help transit agencies purchase and support cleaner vehicles. The funds will be used to power 27 different transit projects across the nation with an emphasis on securing cleaner, greener buses. The projects to receive funding were believed to be most in need of upgrading, or those where use of alternative fuel vehicles will have the most impact on the budget and environmental health.