states

State-level clean energy funds (CEFs) are a growing source of investment in nascent clean energy markets, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution Project on State and Metropolitan Innovation. The paper, co-authored by Post-Partisan Power collaborator Mark Muro and the Clean Energy Group's Lew Milford, highlights the...[read more]

This guest post comes from the eloquent and thoughtful Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse. After DC failed to enact comprehensive climate change legislation, it was good to see states take the lead on regional cap-and-trade programs. We now have 3 regional initiatives to address greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) involving more than 30...[read more]

Since the 1980s, energy efficiency appliance standards have been saving consumers money and creating jobs throughout the U.S. These standards translate into savings when new, energy-efficient equipment is purchased, reducing utility bills for consumers and businesses. This in turn creates a net increase in jobs and wages due to the fact...[read more]

State renewable energy standards have gained momentum over the past decade with 29 states having put in place various types of standard mandates and five more having implemented voluntary standards (34 total). Now the federal government is looking to get into the game with a bi-partisan bill (S. 3813) aiming to set a minimum national standard. Renewable energy standards certainly feel good, but do they really provide the best path for achieving their goals? The existing renewable energy standards are savvy in finding a way to reduce fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions while simultaneously being politically palatable to a broad array of people. But they are a bit silly in their formulation.[read more]

Peter Lehner, Executive Director, New York City Tuesday the Supreme Court heard oral argument in American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut. In the case, six states and several other plaintiffs claimed that the nation’s five largest greenhouse gas polluters were contributing to a nuisance and that the court should order them to reduce...[read more]

The New York Times had an interesting article over the weekend on the state of Florida’s recent rejection of federal money to build a high speed rail line between Orlando and Tampa. This comes on the heels of gubernatorial elections in Wisconsin and Ohio where anti-rail governors who were elected last year similarly rejected federal...[read more]

I admit it. I have been a very good customer to the oil companies over the years. During the 35 years since obtaining that ticket to freedom called a "drivers license", I have averaged about 20,000 - 30,000 miles per year behind the wheel. (The low years were those in which I spent 6 months of the year under water, not buying much at all...[read more]

One year ago, the right-wing media machine smeared climate scientists with the “Climategate” conspiracy theory, even as the climate itself continued to get hotter and more destructive. Although the National Academies of Science says “the U.S. should act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop a national strategy to adapt...[read more]

Guest blogger Mike Livermore is executive director of NYU’s Institute for Policy Integrity. The scent of burning rubber is already in the air as Congress skids towards utter climate gridlock. And now, as EPA starts to unroll it’s next round of greenhouse gas controls, several legislators have promised to do everything in their power to...[read more]

Experience varies widely What’s a state legislature to do? The President earlier this month went to Maryland, which already had two nuclear reactors and is planning a third, to announce he’s granting an $8.3 billion loan guarantee to two more new nuclear reactors in Georgia. That’s two states down, 48 to go. Don’t hold your breath...[read more]

The following is the text of a letter sent to key U.S. senators, by the attorneys general of several states. The letter expresses generalized support for the House version of the climate bill (aka: Waxman-Markey) but also calls on the Senate to take several steps to strengthen it: August 31, 2009 The Honorable Harry Reid, Majority...[read more]

From the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) comes a new report, Fighting Oil Addiction: America’s addiction to oil continues to threaten not only our national security and global environmental health, but also our economic viability. NRDC analyzed how heavily drivers in each state are affected by increases in oil prices and...[read more]

No comments on anything today (is something going on with something called "clunkers"?) for reasons best explained in this post. But, you might enjoy this from the inbox:IMPACTS OF CLIMATE AND ENERGY POLICY ACROSS THE STATESAugust 3, 2009 – Researchers at the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts...[read more]