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obama administration

The GOP Debate: Don't Bet on Yucca Mountain

October 20, 2011 by Steve Skutnik
with 243 views
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The Obama administration's controversial decision to zero-fund (and effectively cancel) the Yucca Mountain spent fuel repository - in violation of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act - was generally regarded as a decision which would only be reversed by a subsequent administration. (One can argue about whether the 1987 amendment to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act mandating Yucca mountain was a good or fair idea, but it still is the law, bad law as it may be.) [read more]

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Obama Facing Tough Balancing Act as EPA Advances Greenhouse Gas Regulations

December 23, 2010 by Jesse Jenkins
with 1,572 views
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Facing environmental suits and court-imposed obligations, the Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to issue new rules to regulate climate destabilizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from power plants and oil refineries, setting the Obama Administration up for a tough balancing act.“We are following through on our commitment to... [read more]

Holdren dishes out energy advice

October 30, 2010 by Dan Yurman
with 1,066 views
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Common sense prevails until he broadly endorses MIT’s nuclear study John Holdren, President Obama’s Science Advisor, returned to MIT, his alma mater (‘65), Oct 27 to deliver a signature speech (slides) on energy R&D, climate change, and energy policy. (Hat tip to Ken Berard at NEI for the slides) If you want to know what energy... [read more]

The Obama White House Goes Solar

October 5, 2010 by Osha Davidson
with 2,362 views
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The Obama administration has announced plans to install solar panels on the White House. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Council of Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley made the announcement this morning during a federally-sponsored GreenGov Symposium at George Washington University. [read more]

New clean air rule to help tame coal plant monster

July 7, 2010 by Joseph Romm
with 819 views
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Our guest blogger (via WR) is Frank O’Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch. Yesterday, the Obama administration proposed a sweeping plan to reduce power plant emissions that cross state lines and kill tens of thousands of Americans every year. The proposed Clean Air Transport Rule replaces the Bush administration’s so-called “clean... [read more]

Fannie and Freddie derail PACE solar financing program

July 1, 2010 by Todd Woody
with 1,152 views
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photo: Sonoma County In Thursday’s New York Times, I write about how government-chartered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are derailing an innovative program called Property Assessed Clean Energy. PACE programs finance the installation of solar panels and energy efficiency upgrades and let homeowners repay the loans through a... [read more]

Gulf Marine Life: Lots of Economic Power, Not Much Political Clout

May 26, 2010 by Frances Beinecke
with 196 views
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For five weeks now, we have watched the Deepwater Horizon disaster spew oil and toxic dispersants into the Gulf of Mexico. This isn’t a simple spill on surface water. It is an ongoing, deepwater catastrophe occurring in one of the most productive marine environments in the world. Yet the Obama Administration’s response hasn’t matched... [read more]

Axelrod: Oil spill adds urgency to passing energy and climate bill - Reid: “Weaning ourselves off of oil is a hard fact for us to face."

May 24, 2010 by Joseph Romm
with 202 views
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White House senior advisor David Axelrod has not been viewed as a friend to climate legislation by enviros. Indeed, I’ve been told by multiple sources he is one of the reasons why high-level administration figures so rarely talk about the threat of global warming.  Sadly, he is among those who have been duped by bad polling... [read more]

President Obama, Give the Spill Investigation the Right Mandate

May 22, 2010 by Frances Beinecke
with 148 views
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I am pleased the Obama Administration has announced that two experienced and fair-minded figures will head up his independent commission to investigate the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. On May 4, we sent a letter to the President urging him to take launch an investigation, and I appreciate that he has responded. Former Senator Bob... [read more]

We need an independent commission to investigate the BP disaster

May 4, 2010 by Joseph Romm
with 162 views
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Presidents Carter and Reagan—after the Three Mile Island near-nuclear meltdown and the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion, respectively—appointed independent commissions of high-profile public officials and experts to thoroughly investigate the causes of these events and make recommendations to prevent future tragedies.... [read more]

Three Steps Obama Should Take to Prevent Future Oil Disasters

May 4, 2010 by Frances Beinecke
with 196 views
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As tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico continues to unfold in painful and unpredictable ways, Americans are wondering what we can do to prevent another offshore oil disaster in the future. I have just sent a letter to President Obama outlining NRDC’s recommendations for how we can protect marine life and coastal communities from similar... [read more]

Oil Spill Hits Louisiana Shoreline, White House Suspends New Drilling

April 30, 2010 by Matt Dernoga
with 170 views
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This is looking like its going to be a complete disaster.  Check out this article in the Washington Post about the oil spill hitting the Louisiana shoreline. I think Grist’s Tom Philpott puts in fine words how valuable of an ecosystem is being harmed by this spill: “The Gulf of Mexico is a magnificent resource: a... [read more]

Is Nuclear Green? A Question for Earth Day

April 20, 2010 by Senator Lamar Alexander
with 654 views
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Forty years ago, we chose this day in April to express our concern for the state of the planet.   At the time, people were worried about air pollution, water pollution and the threat that the “population explosion” was going to overrun the planet’s resources.  Where energy was concerned, we worried instead about fouling... [read more]

World Bank nixes nuclear energy

April 11, 2010 by Dan Yurman
with 4,169 views
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South Africa gets loan for massive new coal plant The World Bank is getting roasted by significant political heat over its decision to grant a $3.75 billion loan to South Africa to build a 4,800 MW coal-fired power plant. Missing from dramatic protests about the climate impacts from the Medupi coal plant is the answer to the question of... [read more]

Larry Summers and Carol Browner say Obama won’t budge on placing a price on global warming pollution - Summers: Comprehensive bill "is an absolutely crucial priority for the president" in 2010

April 6, 2010 by Joseph Romm
with 183 views
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White House aides Larry Summers and Carol Browner insisted that the administration was willing to bend on several key issues, including the mechanism for pricing carbon and increased domestic energy exploration. But both said the president would not budge when it comes to placing a first-ever price on domestic greenhouse gas... [read more]