Top 5 Energy Stories of 2009

Posted by Sonja Ebron

This year has been a watershed for the U.S. energy industry. The environment and the economy have become linked to energy production and use like never before, and there’s no going back. Here, in no particular order, is my list of biggest energy-related stories this year:

The EPA finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health, which would negate the need for climate change legislation and give the agency regulatory authority over every aspect of the economy
New techniques for extracting natural gas found to threaten fresh water supplies
The failure of U.S. oil companies to win bids on any Iraqi oil contracts, while countries opposed to the U.S. invasion met Iraq on its own terms
The oil/economy merry-go-round that spun us from recession (due to high oil prices) to relief (lower oil prices due to slowing economy) back to recession (higher oil prices due to rising economy)
Coal ash stored at the nation’s electric power plants labeled hazardous waste after dams broke at two separate ponds and released toxic sludge into nearby waterways

Next year promises to be even more exciting. See my 2010 energy trends in this month’s Atlanta Tribune, on newsstands now. Happy New Year!