The Associated Press via MSNBC (or is it the other way around?) announced yesterday the results of the first ever carbon cap-and-trade auction in the United States, which took place last Thursday, and raised $38.5 million.   The byline of the article is Albany, New York, so I’m going to go ahead and say that’s where the auction took place.

The money raised will be filtered back to the ten states that took part in the auction, to be spent on renewable energies and technologies.   Financially speaking, the auction was a success, as

Energy, financial and environmental interests paid $3.07 per allotted ton of emissions, about 65 percent more than the minimum set price of $1.86.

Though this is the very first auction of its type in the United States, but there are plans to make these quarterly events, the next of which is to be held December 17.  I’m almost positive there was a better way to word that last clause, but I’m going to just let it go.

There were 12.5 million credits up for grabs, and the AP reports

All 12.5 million allowances were sold to 59 bidders representing a myriad of industries.

I blockquoted that from the AP because I want to point something out.   There’s no such thing as “a myriad of industries.”  Come on, Associated Press, you know better than that.   “A myriad of” is not correct.   Just, “myriad industries.”  Though myriad can be a noun, if you’re using it to modify “industries” it’s an adjective, and thus no “a…of” is needed.   We wouldn’t say “basketball is played by a tall of people,” would we?  Let’s get on the ball, AP.  We don’t pay you by the error.

Sorry.   End rant.   takepart to read a Cap and Trade 101 from the Center for American Progress.   And please remember to footnote your comments in traditional APA format.   We have rules of grammar, people, and I expect you to use them.