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Employers cut 533K jobs in Nov., most in 34 years- Skittish employers slashed 533,000 jobs in November, the most in 34 years, catapulting the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent, dramatic proof the country is careening deeper into recession.
- News of a rapidly weakening job sent stocks falling Friday as investors feared that the recession will be deeper and more prolonged than many have expected. The major indexes were all down more than 1 percent and the Dow Jones industrials fell more than 150 points.
AP IMPACT: Some bailout holdings down $9 billion- Stock intended to eventually earn taxpayers a profit as part of the Bush administration's massive bank bailout has lost a third of its value - about $9 billion - in barely one month, according to an Associated Press analysis. Shares in virtually every bank that received federal money have remained below the prices the government negotiated.
- A security pact that sets a timetable for troops to leave Iraq requires a shift in how the U.S. carries out combat missions during its remaining time in the country, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq said Friday.
Hill leader says jobs report argues for car rescue- The chairman of the House Financial Services Committee says the new bleak unemployment figures makes helping the nation's beleaguered auto industry even more urgent.
- Barack Obama, who rewrote the book on presidential fundraising, amassed more than $745 million during his marathon campaign, more than twice the amount obtained by his rival, Republican John McCain.
AP Enterprise: Deaths loom over self-defense laws- A convenience store clerk chased down a man and shot him dead over a case of beer this summer and was charged with murder. A week later, a clerk at another Jackson convenience store followed and fatally shot a man he said tried to rob him, and authorities let him go without charges.
- Paul Benedict, the actor who played the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the sitcom "The Jeffersons," has died. He was 70.
Giants' Pierce to meet with NYC investigators- Antonio Pierce is finally going to talk to investigators about what he did on the night Plaxico Burress shot himself.
PA Governor Rendell Says Largest Solar Power Facility in Eastern U.S. Will Be Built in Bucks County
Growing PA Alternative Energy Industry Will Provide Consumers, Businesses With Choice; Economic Savings
FALLS TOWNSHIP, Pa.,
"This major announcement shows that affordable, secure and alternative sources of power are available now and will result in a cleaner environment, competitive energy prices and the reduction of our dependence on foreign fuel," said Governor Rendell. "In the next few years, consumers and businesses across the state are expected to encounter dramatic energy cost increases. In order to avoid economic hardship on our families and businesses and we must act now.
"With the introduction of new, reliable alternative energy choices for Pennsylvania's consumers, we will empower our citizens and businesses to take control of escalating utility bills by adjusting usage to take advantage of lower, off-peak rates; encourage energy efficiency; use new, clean electricity generation and invest in Pennsylvania's home-grown energy," the Governor said.
Speaking today at the project site, Governor Rendell announced that Exelon Generation Company LLC has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for the energy produced at a new solar energy generation plant with EPURON LLC, a subsidiary the world's largest solar integration company Conergy AG. Plans call for more than 16,500 solar panels to be built on 16.5-acres, adjacent to Waste Management's GROWS Landfill, capturing the sun's rays and converting them into electricity.
Upon completion, the plant will produce approximately 3,700 megawatt hours of power, enough to meet the annual energy requirements of 300-350 homes. At this output, emission levels of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide that directly contribute to pollution and acid rain will be reduced by the equivalent benefit of planting 33 acres of trees every year.
"Not only are projects like this good for the environment, but they are creating new economic opportunities, creating thousands of new jobs in every corner of the state and putting Pennsylvania on the forefront of the developing renewable energy industry," said Governor Rendell.
Pennsylvania's aggressive energy policies attracted Conergy to the commonwealth, spurring the company to invest
Since enacting the Governor's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act in 2004, Pennsylvania has become a leading international destination for projects that are helping to meet our energy demands in ways that also protect the environment. The energy portfolio ensures that 18 percent of all energy generated in the state comes from clean, efficient sources by 2021.
In July, Governor Rendell and the General Assembly took steps to strengthen the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, clarifying the amount of clean, solar energy that must be produced and sold in Pennsylvania. This requirement means that by 2021, another 850 megawatts of solar power will be generated in Pennsylvania.
EPURON GmbH, headquartered in
"EPURON is excited about this landmark photovoltaic project," said Arndt E. Lutz, EPURON general manager. This project will launch utility-scale solar power plants in Pennsylvania and the entire Eastern U.S. The array will be one of the largest in the country and is the result of a successful partnership between Exelon Generation, Waste Management and the EPURON / SunTechnics team, and a major step toward energy independence and greenhouse gas reduction."
"This agreement adds another element to Exelon's renewable energy portfolio," said
"Today's announcement is another step toward the development of Pennsylvania's renewable energy sector and expansion of the state's energy production," said Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty. "With the passage of the Governor's proposed Energy Independence Strategy, projects like this will become a reality in communities across the state."
Governor Rendell's Energy Independence Strategy will provide Pennsylvania's energy consumers with the opportunity to collectively save
Governor Rendell has called for a special session of the legislature beginning on
For more information on Governor Rendell's Energy Independence Strategy, visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us.
The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us.
Contact: Barry Ciccocioppo, 717-783-1116 or
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