Saturday, December 31, 2011
US court delays pollution regulation
WASHINGTON
A federal court Friday put on hold a controversial Obama administration regulation aimed at reducing power-plant pollution in 27 states that contributes to unhealthy air downwind.
More than a dozen electric-power companies, municipal power plant operators and states had sought to delay the rules until the litigation plays out. A federal appeals court in Washington approved their request Friday.
The EPA, in a statement, said it was confident that the rule ultimately would be upheld on its merits. But the agency said it was “disappointing” the regulation’s health benefits would be delayed, even if temporarily.
Republicans in Congress have attempted to block the rule using legislation, saying it would shutter some older, coal-fired power plants and kill jobs. While those efforts succeeded in the Republican-controlled House, the Senate — with the help of six Republicans — in November rejected an attempt to stay the regulation. And the White House had threatened to veto it.
Verizon drops $2 bill-payment fee
LOS ANGELES
Verizon Wireless, under fire from consumers and federal regulators, scrapped plans to charge a $2 “convenience fee” for those who pay their phone bills online or by phone with their credit or debit cards.
The decision to cancel the fee was made “in response to customer feedback about the plan, which was designed to improve the efficiency of those transactions,” Verizon said in the statement.
“At Verizon, we take great care to listen to our customers,” said Dan Mead, Verizon Wireless’ president and chief executive. “Based on their input, we believe the best path forward is to encourage customers to take advantage of the best and most efficient options, eliminating the need to institute the fee at this time.”
The $2 fee was supposed to go into effect Jan. 15 and be charged to customers each time they paid their bills with a credit or debit card — unless that customer was enrolled in automatic bill-paying options that can charge credit and debit cards or withdraw money directly from bank accounts on a recurring basis.
Walgreen pushes to reach agreement
INDIANAPOLIS
Walgreen CEO Greg Wasson said Friday that chances are “slim to none” that the drugstore operator will reach an agreement with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts before their current contract ends today.
Walgreen Co. announced that it is taking several steps to help patients covered by an Express Scripts pharmacy network to continue to use Walgreen locations after the agreement ends. It expects to continue working with more than 120 Express Scripts clients, which include employers and health plans.
Express Scripts Inc. pays Walgreen and other drugstore operators to fill prescriptions. The companies have said since June that they were preparing to stop business once their three-year contract ends. Walgreen has said it would rather give up the revenue it gets from Express Scripts, which is based in St. Louis than continue filling unprofitable prescriptions.
From wire services