Californians weigh the economic impact of climate change laws; oil prices rebound; and critics offer a mixed reception to NYC’s ambitious windpower proposal.

Climate Costs - California Businesses Campaign Against Green Push: There’s some pushback to California’s draft climate change laws starting to find its way into the mainstream media. The noise is being generated by a group calling itself the AB32 Implementation Group (named for the proposed legislation). Unsurprisingly, it’s a coalition of about 160 business interests who would face higher taxation and more paperwork under the AB32 rules. The Wall Street Journal Environmental Capital blog examines the way questions were parsed in a survey commissioned by the group highlighting consumer fears about the cost of AB32. As with all survey instruments, responses can be guided by the way you ask a question. (WSJ.com)

Oil Sparked All Over Again: The oil price roller coaster continues. After a short retreat, oil is beginning to rebound. The price of sweet, light crude shot up a full $5 a barrel Thursday as tensions between the U.S. and Russia escalate. Part of the trouble stems from American intentions to place a missile shield in Poland, but it’s also about energy. Russia this week offered to broker all of Azerbaijan natural gas exports. With renewed Russian pressure on Georgia — a major petroleum transit point between Azerbaijan and Europe — Russia is setting itself up to dominate European energy supplies for the immediate future. (Forbes)

Critics Dismiss NYC’s Plan for Wind Turbines: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s new proposal to tie the city to windpower is meeting sharp criticism. Engineers say the turbines proposed to dot New York’s skyline are too small to be effective, and skyscrapers may require extensive renovation to accommodate the vibration and wind loading of the new structures. Instead, some are proposing the city put more emphasis on solar panels. Solar introduces fewer engineering challenges and is less likely to raise aesthetic concerns. Rather than invest in offshore windfarms, critics counter that solar thermal may provide a more cost-effective industrial scale alternative energy solution. (Environmental Leader)

Automotive 2020: Clarity beyond the chaos: Driving a hybrid yet? You probably will be by 2020, according to IBM. That’s right: IBM, the computer and software giant. The company has just released a whitepaper on the future of the auto industry. Part of the findings, gathered from anonymous auto executive comments: hybrids will be largely ubiquitous by 2020. The report also picks cellulosic ethanol over hydrogen as a market player. The full document is downloadable here (340 KB PDF).

Is a Yaris cheaper to own and operate than a Prius?: In terms of total cost of ownership, which of Toyota’s gas misers is king? The record-selling Prius hybrid is certainly the out-and-out winner in fuel economy. But if you want to save money, it’s the Yaris. It weighs in with respectable fuel performance, and at $8,000 cheaper than the Prius, it’s a bargain. Of course, you’ve got to be able to live with its smaller size and clunkier styling. (Autoblog Green)

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