The Biden administration proposed a series of highly-anticipated rules, providing some clarity on how it will implement Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provisions that restrict which electric vehicles (EV) are eligible for tax credits.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new guidance on how it will interpret President Joe Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), leaving the door open for European automakers to cash in on the bill’s subsidies.

Fewer new electric vehicles will qualify for a full $7,500 federal tax credit later this year, and many will get only half that, under rules proposed Friday by the U.S. Treasury Department.

The rules, required under last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, are likely to slow consumer acceptance of electric vehicles and could delay President Joe Biden’s ambitious goal that half of new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. run on electricity by 2030.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday unveiled stricter electric vehicle tax rules that will reduce or cut tax credits on some zero-emission models but grant buyers another two weeks before the new requirements take effect.

The rules are aimed at weaning the United States off dependence on China for EV battery supply chains and part of President Joe Biden's effort to make 50% of U.S. new vehicle sales by 2030 EVs or plug-in hybrids.

A growing chorus of interest groups is calling for a pause in offshore wind activities to allow further assessment of the sector’s impacts on the marine ecosystem.

Congressman Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, a Republican, introduced a congressional resolution on March 21 to halt work on east-coast offshore wind projects until investigations into its possible impact on marine mammals can be done.

Fishing groups and local residents have filed five lawsuits against proposed or under-construction wind projects along the Atlantic seaboard.

A bill in California's state assembly takes aim at paper receipts and if passed, would ban businesses from handing customers receipts unless they specifically ask for it. In the new "Skip the Slip" bill, businesses would be charged up to $300 if they continue to pass out paper receipts.

Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, introduced Assembly Bill 161 , and shared that his bill is an easy way to reduce paper waste in the state while addressing consumers’ frustrations with excessively long receipts.

"Clean energy" seems irresistible. Could you oppose energy that doesn’t pollute?

But the term’s imprecision leaves it open to interpretation — and sometimes manipulation.

Wind and solar are "clean," right? 

But is natural gas clean — or at least less dirty?

Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future, a group backed by the natural gas industry, is trying to sway public opinion, particularly among Democrats. The group doesn’t call natural gas "clean energy," but casts it as a companion.

Florida lawmakers convened in Tallahassee last week to weigh a proposed tax on electric vehicle owners to have them pay for their share of road maintenance. 

The fees would vary according to what type of EV is being driven. Battery-only cars, for instance, would have higher fees than a hybrid vehicle, which relies on both a battery and an internal combustion engine. 

Florida pays for road maintenance via an excise tax on gasoline and diesel at the gas pump. EV’s are subject to a registration fee. 

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) appropriated $369 billion toward cutting U.S. carbon emissions 40 percent by 2030, including tax credits for purchasing electric vehicles (EVs).

But good luck qualifying for them.

Since 2010, a U.S. taxpayer purchasing an electric car could claim a nonrefundable tax credit of up to $7,500. However, only 200,000 credits could be claimed per automaker. Tesla, General Motors, and Toyota have all reached the limit.

The Christmas tree in your home was grown with a purpose. It was planted and nurtured until it had matured enough for sale. It was then cut down and hauled to town, where families scowled over it in search of the perfect sapling for this year’s holiday season celebration. 

Then comes the decorating, the gifts beneath its boughs, and joyous moments near its gentle light.

But when the ornaments leave the branches, its purpose ends there. Like torn gift-wrapping paper, the tree then departs for the final leg of its journey, which in some cases is a landfill.