[JURIST] In Thursday's environmental law news, the Canadian government [official website] has revealed its plan [text,PDF] to reduce greenhouse emissions in accordance with the Kyoto protocol. The plan, called Project Green[official website], aims at reducing Canada's greenhouse emissions by 270 megatonnes a year by 2012. Critics say the plan is too costly and may not necessarily result in cleaner air in Canada. It includes steps such as: buying greenhouse gas reductions from farmers, businesses, communities, and other countries; new infrastructure projects such as an east-west power grid; tougher emission regulations for oil and gas, electric generation, mining and manufacturing industries; increased automobile emissions controls; and more money on voluntary energy reduction programs and education. Canadian Press has more.

In other news,

• The European Parliament [official website] approved rules [EU press release] Wednesday that will require computers, stereo systems, washing machines, lights, air conditioning and boilers to be designed with a focus on conserving energy. The new rules come after discussions between legislators and various manufacturers of the household appliances, and will take effect across the EU in 2007. Reuters has the full story.
• The Washington State Senate [official website] has passed a bill [text] that would impose tighter restrictions on emissions of toxic and smog-causing chemicals from new cars and would force fuel-efficiency improvements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new cars sold in Washington state starting in 2009. The bill adopts many of the new California rules of automobile emissions, but unlike the CA rules does not impose a sales quota on clean or hybrid cars for auto dealers. The Seattle Times has the full story.
• The California State Assembly's Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee [official website] has approved a bill (AB 289) [text] that would require manufacturers to provide the state with the analytical methods for detecting their chemicals in air, water, soil, and the human body. Currently, manufacturers may put chemicals on the market before detection methods have been developed, and government agencies are forced to develop these methods themselves. The bill now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Environment California has a press release.