Obama awards $2.3B in clean energy credits
It said in a statement the credit, from funds earmarked under an emergency $787 billion stimulus package Obama signed in February 2009, would create 17,000 new U.S. jobs and would be matched by an additional $5 billion in private capital.
High unemployment is one Obama's most pressing domestic challenges and a monthly payroll report released earlier served a reminder that labor market conditions are still grim. U.S. unemployment remained stuck at 10 percent in December, while businesses unexpectedly shed 85,000 jobs.
"The Recovery Act awards I am announcing will help close the clean energy gap that has grown between America and other nations while creating good jobs, reducing our carbon emissions and increasing our energy security," Obama said.
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Victims of California's mega-fire will sue electricity company
LOS ANGELES - Victims of California's most destructive wildfire have filed a lawsuit accusing Pacific Gas & Electric Co. of causing the massive blaze.
The suit filed on Tuesday in state court in California accuses the utility of failing to maintain its infrastructure and properly inspect and manage its power transmission lines.
The utility's president said earlier the company doesn't know what caused the fire, but is cooperating with the investigation by state agencies.
PG&E told state regulators last week that it experienced a problem with a transmission line in the area of the fire just before the blaze erupted.
A landowner near where…