[JURIST] Leading Friday's environmental law news, representatives from countries surrounding the Barents Sea have held a meeting in Norway to discuss global warming and the Kyoto Protocol [text]. The Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) [official website] consists of representatives from Russia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and the European Commission. The BEAC adopted a number of resolutions [DOC text] on environmental issues, including calling for the development of bioenergy and other renewable energy sources, combating illegal logging, adopting best available technology standards for industry, and reducing pollution in the region. AFP has more.

In other environmental law news…

• The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) [official website] announced it will postpone a recommendation to the state Board of Environmental Quality on whether the state should opt-in to the federal "cap and trade" program that seeks to decrease mercury emissions from coal fired power plants. The DEQ had planned to make its recommendation on November 16, 2005, but has decided to postpone it until the US Environmental Protection Agency [official website] concludes its review of the new Clean Air Mercury Rules [EPA backgrounder]. The Idaho Mountain Express has more.
• The US Bureau of Land Management in Colorado [official website] sold 72,428 acres of public land during its quarterly oil and gas lease auction [official backgrounder] Thursday. A number of groups have notified the agency that they intend to sue over some of the leases, claiming that the land should be listed as wilderness or that endangered species will be threatened. Under terms of the sale, protest issues will be settled before the leases are dispensed. The Daily Sentinel has more.
• India's Central Pollution Control Board [official website] has issued a regulation conditioning approval of health care centers on their separation of mercury contaminated biowaste. The India government is also undertaking a project to study the emissions from incinerators burning hazardous materials, and will develop techniques and procedures to limit the emissions of mercury and other hazardous materials from health care centers into the environment. The Hindu has more.