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Why I’m (Still) An Optimist

January 2, 2012 by Marc Gunther
with 441 views
7

Happy New Year! And good riddance to 2011, a year during which we made little or no progress on some of the issues that I care most about: climate change, the long-term federal debt, social mobility (aka the American dream), and our dysfunctional Congress. Yet I remain an optimist. Texas drought 2011 I could write many words about our... [read more]

5 Things US Congressional Representatives Need to Hear About the Smart Grid

December 28, 2011 by Christine Hertzog
with 205 views
0

As the US Congressional representatives head home to their respective districts, some of which defy all logic in terms of that contortionist geography called gerrymandering, it’s a perfect opportunity to attend their town hall meetings to offer advice in support of Smart Grid initiatives.   Support a national energy policy... [read more]

Americans Want Renewable Energy. What's Stopping Them?

December 21, 2011 by Nathanael Greene
with 418 views
0

Everyone loves renewable energy – even Grover Norquist, who writes in an otherwise completely inaccurate opinion piece that:  Opposition to renewable energy mandates should not be misinterpreted as an aversion to renewable energy. In fact, renewable sources could play a significant role in the future. I totally agree Grover!  ... [read more]

NRC's Chairman Gregory Jaczko Presses His Case For 2012 Budget

December 8, 2011 by Dan Yurman
with 438 views
0

In an end of year meeting with reporters the Chairman explains what the agency plans to do next year(Note to readers - this blog post has been updated to indicate the budget being discussed is the FY 2012 federal budget which began 10/01/11)NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko sat down with reporters from the mainstream media and the major wire... [read more]

The Upcoming Brawl Over Energy Subsidies

June 29, 2011 by Alex Trembath
with 253 views
3

While Republicans hold the national debt increase hostage, Congress is deciding what to cut and what to gut (expansion or creation of new programs is largely off the table). Energy subsidies are already falling under the knife. Mark Muro at Brookings figures that if we're going to they're going after energy subsidies anyway, now is the... [read more]

Congress: Don't Stop Europe From Controlling Aviation Carbon Pollution

June 3, 2011 by Jake Schmidt
with 236 views
0

Why would a reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have anything to say about the steps that Europe is taking to reduce carbon pollution from aviation?  The answer should be nothing.  But unfortunately the US Senate is considering language passed by the House of Representatives that would signal... [read more]

Comprehensive Energy Legislation Unlikely, But Opportunities for Individual Measures May Be on the Horizon

May 5, 2011 by Steve Nadel
with 243 views
0

In an earlier blog post I noted that June was likely to be a critical month for possible federal energy legislation. It now looks like June will be consumed with work on the long-term federal budget and raising the federal debt ceiling, crowding out other issues. Earlier hopes that the debt ceiling issue would be resolved in May when we... [read more]

Ryan's Budget Proposes Cuts to Energy Innovation Investments

April 10, 2011 by Breakthrough Institute
with 235 views
0

Last Tuesday, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan released his fiscal year 2012 budget proposal, a plan that would strip federal funding for energy innovation. If enacted, the budget would seriously threaten the country's clean energy competitiveness and damage innovation, the engine of economic growth. The following is excerpted... [read more]

Congress Defers to EPA on Climate Policy

April 8, 2011 by Geoffrey Styles
with 219 views
3

The confrontation over climate policy that was teed up by the results of last November's mid-term election culminated with the House of Representatives voting overwhelmingly yesterday to strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its power to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. However, the more crucial votes took place... [read more]

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Business to Congress: Let The EPA Do Its Job

March 30, 2011 by Nicole Lederer
with 237 views
0

A vocal group in Congress is attacking the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through the Clean Air Act. These lawmakers say leaving the EPA in charge of large polluters is bad for business.If they were truly interested in helping to turn our economy and getting Americans back to work, they... [read more]

Oil Spill Commission's Recommendations: Who's Started Adopting Them, Who Hasn't

March 30, 2011 by Frances Beinecke
with 132 views
0

This month marked the official end of the National Commission on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. After months of investigation, we delivered our recommendations in January on how to prevent another oil spill tragedy in the future, and now we are closing up shop. Ten months after the commission started and nearly... [read more]

Sen. Bingaman On Gasoline Prices: “We become less vulnerable by using less oil”

March 23, 2011 by Joseph Romm
with 112 views
0

BINGAMAN:  The starting point for the [Senate briefing by oil experts] was one fundamental truth: the primary driver of the price for gasoline at the pump is the price of crude oil.  This chart [above] was one of the key ones used by EIA Administrator Newell.  It shows the price trends since 2005 for gasoline (in... [read more]

How Japan Should Impact the US Nuclear Debate

March 16, 2011 by Alex Trembath
with 197 views
4

My thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be with the people of Japan. Their suffering is both a tragedy and testimony to the fragility of even the most developed infrastructure. It is also a reminder of the sometimes alarming ubiquity of our energy supply system. Almost a year after the Deepwater oil spill began in the... [read more]

Barriers to High Speed Rail in the US

March 15, 2011 by Hugh Bartling
with 114 views
1

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]

Comments from the Congressional Hearings on Climate

March 8, 2011 by Michael Tobis
with 312 views
2

So at the invitation of Andrew Freedman of Climate Central, I've been attending to the congressional hearings about climate this morning. I still think it something of a pointless charade; I doubt a lot of opinions are swayed, and the quality of discourse swings between awful and bizarre. But it provides a rich vein of ore for quote... [read more]