** Pennsylvania’s attorney general announced the filing of criminal charges against pipeline operator Sunoco for last year’s spill of thousands of gallons of drilling fluid. Energy Transfer, Sunoco’s owner, faces 48 criminal charges, most of them for illegally releasing industrial waste at 22 sites in 11 counties across the state.
** The U.S. Coast Guard joined the investigation into whether a ship’s anchor caused the California oil pipeline rupture last weekend, resulting in 144,000 gallons of oil flowing into the ocean and washing up on the shore around Los Angeles.
** General Motors said Wednesday it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with General Electric for the supply of rare earth materials, the kind used to manufacture electric vehicles and clean energy equipment.
** An estimated 20% of the gas stations in London ran dry this week as the nation’s fuel shortage continues.
** Oil giant BP says it plans to invest $269 million in a Washington state refinery to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and increase biofuel production capacity.
** Rocky Mountain Power plans to invest $50 million to install 100 extreme fast electric vehicle chargers in 20 to 25 Utah locations.
** General Motors announces plans for an electric vehicle battery research and development center in southeastern Michigan as part of the company’s strategy to reduce electric vehicle and battery costs.
** South Dakota landowners argue before the state Supreme Court that regulators should not have granted a wind project permit without first requiring easements from non-participating property owners.
** An investigation is ongoing into a spill of more than 9,000 gallons of produced water at a North Dakota saltwater disposal facility.
** The retired general who was commander of the joint task force for Hurricane Katrina calls for corporations to clean up 4,000 abandoned oil wells in Louisiana.
