Environmental brief ~ EC declines to appeal UK CO2 emissions trading scheme News
Environmental brief ~ EC declines to appeal UK CO2 emissions trading scheme

[JURIST] Leading Tuesday's environmental law news, the European Commission (EC) [official website] has announced that it will not be appealing the 2005 European Court of First Instance ruling [PDF text; press release] that held the UK could revise its 2005-07 carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions trading plan without first getting EU approval. The EU emissions trading scheme [backgrounder] provides nations with a way to comply with their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol [text] without actual reductions in domestic emissions. The trade limits are set by national governments, but then must be approved by the EC. Reuters has more. In a related story, UK industry representatives called on the government Monday to clarify the emissions limits to be imposed on industries in 2008-12, the next phase of the EU emissions trading scheme. The UK government has to submit draft plans for that period to the EC by June 2006. Reuters has more.

In other environmental law news…

  • The Australian Senate [official website] has passed the Maritime Legislation Amendment Bill 2005 [text; backgrounder], a bill which increases penalties for maritime pollution and safety breaches in Australian waters. The changes include authorizing mandatory drug tests for ship crews suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, mandating that chemical-bearing ships have emergency plans in case of spills, and increasing the penalty for vandalizing navigational aids from $220 to up to 10 years in prison. The bill has been sent to the House for consideration. AAP has more.
  • The Pacific Gas & Electric Co. [corporate website] has agreed [press release] to pay $295 million to about 1,100 Californians who may have ingested groundwater polluted with chromium (IV) [CDC backgrounder]. The chemical was used by the company to prevent rust in cooling towers from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is believed to cause cancer in humans. The settlement is the second for the company for chromium (IV) contamination. The first case, the inspiration for the "Erin Brockovich" movie, resulted in a $333 million settlement for another group of Californians in 1996. The San Bernardino Sun has more.
THIS DAY @ LAW

Acts of Union creates Great Britain

On May 1, 1707, the two Acts of Union went into effect, implementing the Treaty of Union and thereby uniting the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The Union with Scotland Act was passed by the Parliament of England in 1706, and the Scottish Parliament promulgated the Union with England Act. Learn more about the Acts of Union from the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

First US trade union formed

On May 1, 1794, the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers (shoemakers) was organized in Philadelphia to negotiate wages for its members, becoming the first trade union in the United States.

Learn more about the history of the labor movement in the United States, and visit the website of the AFL-CIO, the federation of America's labor unions, representing more than 13 million workers.