Daily Roundup: January 21, 2010

Murkowski vs. EPA: Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski told the Senate that she would use an obscure and rarely used measure to wrestle away the EPA's power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Murkowski claims the EPA is trying to impose back-door climate regulations. Guardian

Climate Deal Melting Away: Yvo de Boer, secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said yesterday that the tentative and nonbinding climate change bill agreed upon by world leaders in Copenhagen may come undone. A January 31 deadline was set for countries to submit plans for reducing emissions. So far, less than two-dozen countries have sent letters saying they agree to the accord. New York Times

Asian Impact: A new study in today's issue of Nature says ozone blowing in from Asia is raising background levels of a major smog ingredient over California, Oregon, Washington, and other western states. The levels are small, but have been rising since 1995. Msnbc

Samsung Expansion: Samsung and the Ontario government have finalized a $6.6 billion investment deal that will allow the company to build 2,500 megawatts of wind and solar power in the Canadian province. They will also prop up factories to build the equipment. New York Times

Hurricanes Rising: A study published in this week's issue of Science correlates the rise in the number of hurricanes in the western Atlantic to increased greenhouse gas emissions. The study projects a 30 percent rise in the amount of hurricane damage by the end of the century. New York Times

--Nicholas Mukhar