President: Budget Cuts "Can't Sacrifice Our Future In The Process"

Feb 14: President Obama announced the release of his FY 2012 budget proposal at the Parkville Middle School and Center for Technology in Baltimore, Maryland.

 

    He said, ". . .when I was sworn in as President, I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term. The budget I'm proposing today meets that pledge -- and puts us on a path to pay for what we spend by the middle of the decade. We do this in part by eliminating waste and cutting whatever spending we can do without. . . I've called for a freeze on annual domestic spending over the next five years. This freeze would cut the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, bringing this kind of spending -- domestic discretionary spending -- to its lowest share of our economy since Dwight Eisenhower was President. . .

 

    "And when it comes to programs we do need, we're making them work better by demanding accountability.  Instead of spending first, and asking questions later, we're rewarding folks inside and outside government who deliver results.  And to make sure that special interests aren't larding up legislation with pet projects, I've pledged to veto any bill that contains earmarks. Still, even as we cut waste and inefficiency, this budget freeze will require some tough choices.  It will mean cutting things that I care deeply about. . . So what we've done here is make a down payment, but there's going to be more work that needs to be done, and it's going to require Democrats and Republicans coming together to make it happen.

    "We've begun to do some of this with $78 billion in cuts in the Defense Department's budget plan, by ending tax breaks for oil and gas companies, and through billions of dollars in savings from wasteful health spending -– savings we'll use to make sure doctors don't see their reimbursements slashed and that they stay in the system seeing patients. But here's the thing.  While it's absolutely essential to live within our means, while we are absolutely committed to working with Democrats and Republicans to find further savings and to look at the whole range of budget issues, we can't sacrifice our future in the process. Even as we cut out things that we can afford to do without, we have a responsibility to invest in those areas that will have the biggest impact in our future -– and that's especially true when it comes to education. . ."   

    Based on information released by House Republicans on Friday regarding their proposal for the FY 2011 Continuing Resolution and their complete opposition to the FY 2012 budget proposal [See related articles below which you can read by clicking o the link below] it remains to be seen how these major differences between the parties can be resolved.

 

    According to a fact sheet on the U.S. EPA FY 2012 budget it will include $9 billion -- a decrease of $1.3 billion. The White House indicates that funding is maintained for core priorities, such as enforcement of environment and public health protections. As part of a government-wide effort to reduce spending, savings are achieved through reductions in funding for the State Revolving Funds, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and water infrastructure earmarks. Highlights released indicate the proposed EPA budget:

• Supports the 2012 implementation of a historic national program to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) from cars and trucks by about 21 percent by 2030, saving an estimated 1.8 billion barrels of oil.
• Supports restoration of the Gulf Coast ecosystem following the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  The Administration is working with the Gulf States to restore the area's natural resources to pre-spill conditions.  A portion of civil penalties obtained from parties responsible for the oil spill, if approved by Congress to be dedicated to the Gulf Coast restoration, will be an important resource for funding additional critical ecosystem activities.
• Supports restoration of the Chesapeake Bay with an investment of $67 million to support implementation of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order and help Bay watershed States reduce nutrient and sediment pollution and restore this economically important ecosystem. 
• Provides $350 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a $125 million reduction from 2010, but a level that allows for continued ecosystem restoration efforts.
• Stimulates economic growth in areas stymied by Brownfields with $125.4 million for technical assistance and integration of sustainable community development with environmental remediation activities. 
• Eliminates about $160 million in water infrastructure earmarks.
• Reduces funding for State Revolving Funds by $947 million, consistent with the long-term SRF goal of implementing a Sustainable Water Infrastructure Policy that focuses on working with states and communities to enhance technical, managerial, and financial capacity.  Important to the technical capacity will be enhancing alternatives analysis to expand "green infrastructure" options and their multiple benefits.  Future year budgets gradually adjust, taking into account repayments through 2016 with the goal of providing, on average, about 5 percent of water infrastructure spending annually.  When coupled with increasing repayments from loans made in past years by states the annual funding will allow the SRFs to finance a significant percentage in clean water and drinking water infrastructure.  Federal dollars provided through the SRFs will act as a catalyst for efficient system-wide planning and ongoing management of sustainable water infrastructure.  Overall, the Administration requests a combined $2.5 billion for the SRFs. 
• Using $621 million in funds, the budget provides additional funding that strengthens enforcement and compliance efforts by targeting activities more effectively and enhancing monitoring and electronic reporting capabilities.
• Ensures clean air and water for American families and enables States and Tribes to implement their environmental programs with $1.2 billion in funding, an increase of $85 million.
• Promotes chemical safety by increasing the Agency's pace in developing hazard assessments for highly produced industrial chemicals, and improving information management and transparency.
• Improves air quality in America's communities by establishing, updating, and implementing risk-based standards for air toxics.
• Increases the number and frequency of inspections at oil and chemical facilities with an increase of $4.5 million for the Oil Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response program and $1.3 million for the State and Local Prevention and Preparedness program
• Increases funding for the Office of Children's Health Protection by $3.7 million to ensure that children's environmental health impacts are carefully considered in EPA program implementation, science policy, and regulatory development.

    For the Department of Energy, the President's 2012 Budget provides $29.5 billion for DOE to support this mission, a 12 percent increase over the 2010 level. While funding has been increased in these critical areas, the Administration is also committed to putting the nation on a sustainable fiscal path and has identified areas for savings, such as inefficient fossil energy programs where industry has the resources to move forward without Federal assistance. As promised in his SOTU message, the budget eliminates what the White House says are "inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that impede investment in clean energy sources and undermine efforts to address the threat of climate change. These terminations free up resources to invest in clean energy development and production, which is critical to the Nation's long-term economic growth and competitiveness."  

    Access the President's speech (click here). Access a release from EPA on the budget (click here). Access the 6-page summary of details for EPA (click here). Access the detailed 128-page budget summary for EPA (click here). Access a release from DOE on the budget (click here). Access links to more EPA FY12 budget documents (click here). Access a fact sheet for each department (click here). Access a fact sheet on Creating the Clean Energy of Tomorrow and Protecting the Environment and Natural Resources (click here). Access links to the complete Federal budget and related details on Terminations, Reductions, and Savings; Analytical Perspectives; Historical Tables; Supplemental Materials; Appendix; and more related information (click here).

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- Republican Leaders Totally Oppose President's FY12 Budget
- Republicans Re-propose CR FY 2011 Cuts Of $100 Billion
- Enviros Have Concerns With USDA Forest Planning Rule
- SAB Releases Draft Review Of Dioxin Reassessment
- tate Department Releases Report On Keystone XL Project
- Groups Will Establish Competitive Urban Watershed Subaward Program

(Click here for details)

Polling Indicates Support For U.S. EPA In Rep. Upton's District

Feb 10: The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released polling data indicating that sixty-two percent of House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton's constituents (i.e. Michigan 6th Congressional District) oppose a bill he is sponsoring -- the Energy Tax Prevention Act -- which NRDC says would "dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to reduce carbon dioxide and other pollutants." The 6th Congressional District is in southwest Michigan and consists of all of Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren, counties, and includes most of southern and eastern Allegan and a portion of western Calhoun counties. According to Wikipedia the 6th Congressional District is approximately 58% urban, 42 % rural; has a median income of $40,943; and is approximately 86.0% white.

    The Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey, conducted for NRDC, turned up similar findings in the home districts of eight other key committee members including: Reps. Mary Bono Mack, R-CA; Cory Gardner, R-CO; Adam Kinzinger, R-IL; Charlie Bass, R-NH; Leonard Lance, R-NJ; Mike Doyle, D-PA; Charles A. Gonzalez, D-TX; and Gene Green, D-TX.

    The survey also found that 67 percent of Upton's constituents -- including 60 percent of Republicans -- agreed with the statement that "Congress should let the EPA do its job," as opposed to the minority who believe that "Congress should decide" what actions are taken to curb carbon pollution. The PPP survey of 595 registered voters in the Michigan 6th Congressional District was conducted February 4-5, 2011, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.

    Pete Altman, Climate Campaign director at NRDC said, "The bottom line is now clearer than ever: Democrats, Republicans and Independents across America want politicians to protect the health of America's children rather than the profit-driven agenda of big polluters. Chairman Upton and other members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will now be hard-pressed to ignore the fact that their constituents want Congress to let the EPA do its job of safeguarding the health of American families." Tom Jensen, director, Public Policy Polling said, "What we see in the findings across the board is a strikingly consistent affirmation by Americans that they support the EPA and its anti-pollution, pro-public health role. Whether they are in rural or urban districts, Americans clearly believe that Congress should be doing what's best for public health, not polluters."

    On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a hearing on Upton's bill and the chairman has indicated that he plans to move the legislation forward as quickly as possible [See WIMS 2/9/11]. Other key PPP survey findings from Chairman Upton's Michigan 6th Congressional District include the following: 61 percent say that "EPA needs to do more to hold polluters accountable and protect the air and water." [and] 57 percent favor "the EPA setting new standards with stricter limits on air pollution."

    NRDC said that more than 125 U.S. House Members -- including Reps. Mack, Gardner, and Kinzinger -- have sponsored, co-sponsored or publicly indicated their support for one or more of the pending bills that "put the agendas of polluters first at the expense of 24 million Americans with asthma, including seven million children."

    On February 9, EPA Administrator Jackson testified that, "Chairman Upton's bill would, in its own words, "repeal' that scientific finding [i.e. greenhouse gas emissions threaten the health and welfare of the American people]. Politicians overruling scientists on a scientific question-- that would become part of this Committee's legacy. . . Chairman Upton's bill would block President Obama's plan to follow up with Clean Air Act standards for cars and light trucks of Model Years 2017 through 2025. Removing the Clean Air Act from the equation would forfeit pollution reductions and oil savings on a massive scale, increasing America's debilitating oil dependence. . ." She also said the bill would block a "reasonable approach" for limiting carbon pollution and would hamper the growth of the clean energy sector of the U.S. economy. She said, the bill "would have additional negative impacts that its drafters might not have intended. For example, it would prohibit EPA from taking further actions to implement the Renewable Fuels Program, which promotes the domestic production of advanced bio-fuels."   

    The survey within Representative Upton's district included eight questions. The following two Q&As are included as an example:

• Question #1: Some people say that the EPA needs to do more to hold polluters accountable and protect the air and water. Others say that the EPA does too much and places too many costly restrictions on businesses and individuals. Which point of view do you agree with more? EPA needs to do more to hold polluters accountable and protect the air and water ...61%; EPA does too much and places too many costly restrictions on businesses and individuals ...39%
• Question #4: Michigan Congressman Fred Upton is promoting a proposal that would block the EPA from limiting carbon dioxide pollution. Some, like the National Association of Manufacturers, say Congress should block the EPA because "EPA's overregulation threatens manufacturers, businesses and jobs throughout America. Its actions will increase manufacturers' energy costs and make it more difficult to compete." Others, like the American Lung Association, say Congress should not block the EPA because doing so "would strip away Clean Air Act protections that safeguard Americans and their families from air pollution that puts their lives at risk." Knowing these two points of view, would you support or oppose Congress blocking the EPA? If you would support Congress blocking the EPA, press 1. If you would oppose it, press 2. 38% Support & 62% Oppose.

    In releasing the draft Energy Tax Prevention Act, Rep. Upton along with Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee, and Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said in a joint release that, "(1) Congress, not EPA bureaucrats, should be in charge of setting America's climate change policy. . . With this draft proposal, we are initiating a deliberative, transparent process that we hope will prevent EPA from imposing by regulation the massive cap-and-trade tax that Congress rejected last year.  We firmly believe federal bureaucrats should not be unilaterally setting national climate change policy, and with good reason: EPA's cap-and-trade tax agenda will cost jobs, undermine the competitiveness of America's manufacturers, and, as EPA has conceded, will have no meaningful impact on climate.  In other words, all cost with no benefit.  America's consumers, large and small businesses, farmers, and entrepreneurs should not carry this burden.  We look forward to working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and the Obama Administration, to pass and sign into law legislation that stops EPA, puts Congress in charge, and helps get our economy growing again." [See WIMS 2/3/11].

    Access a release from NRDC that includes links to the polling results, other district results, additional information and an audio of the news briefing  (click here). Access the polling questions and results for Rep. Upton's district (click here).

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- EPA & Coast Guard Sign Important MOU
- EPA Releases 15 Coal Ash Action Plans & 69 Assessment Reports
- Business Roundtable Position On Regulatory Reform
- House Hearing On BP Oil Spill & Commission Recommendations
- Using A Risk Management Framework To Address Climate Change
- Goodspeed Airport LLC v. Department of Environmental Protection  

(Click here for details)

Another Contentious House Hearing On Energy Independence

Feb 10: Following yesterday's contentious hearing on the Republican's Energy Tax Prevention Act to prohibit U.S. EPA from regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [See WIMS 2/9/11], the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Power, Chaired by Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY), held another hearing today to examine the effects of Middle East events on U.S. energy markets. Today's hearing proved equally contentious as Republicans argued for greater productions of domestic oil and gas resources and Democrats pushed for energy efficiency and reduced consumption through programs being implemented by the current Administration.

 

    The hearing announcement indicated that recent events in Egypt have highlighted dynamics in global energy markets and underscored the nation's vulnerabilities to price spikes and overall energy security. Witnesses testifying at the hearing included representatives from: U.S. Energy Information Administration; Province of Alberta; Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association; Apollo Alliance; Citizens for Affordable Energy; and Deutsche Bank AG.

 

    Rep. Whitfield said in opening remarks, "We convene today's hearing to have a discussion on recent developments in the Middle East and North Africa and their effect on world energy markets. Violent protests and political uncertainty in Egypt two weeks ago caused a sudden spike in oil prices that, over the past few days, has gradually subsided. The price increase was driven by investor fears over the possible shutdown of the Suez Canal and Sumed Pipeline, which transport up to 3 million barrels of oil per day. These events provide a catalyst for deeper examination of the economic and geopolitical factors that contribute to the pricing of oil. 

 

    "Events in the Middle East also demonstrate a number of facts: One:  Oil is a globally-traded commodity, the price of which is influenced by basic laws of supply and demand; Two:  Political events can play a major role in influencing the price of oil; Three:  Half the world's oil is produced in OPEC member states and Russia.  Some of these nations are politically and economically unstable. In a tightening market, unreliable sources of oil will prove increasingly detrimental to price stability and international security. 

 

    "With these facts in mind, we should turn our attention to the current state of international energy markets. We have booming demand for oil in China. We have seen, in 2008, how OPEC spare capacity can reach dangerously low levels during periods of high global demand. We have new frontiers of oil production ranging from the Arctic to enhanced recovery technologies here in the U.S. Additionally, we have restricted vast supplies here in North America by government action, or, in many cases, government inaction. . .

 

    "The National Petroleum Council estimates we have upwards of 40 billion barrels of oil locked away in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, on- and offshore Alaska, that are currently off-limits for production.  These 40 billion barrels are double the proven reserves of the U.S. today. . . Any barrel we do not produce here in the U.S. or Canada will have to be produced in a remarkably less safe, less regulated, and more environmentally damaging manner in Nigeria, Venezuela, Angola, and other states where environmental quality is a depressingly low priority. . ."

 

    Full Committee Chairman, Representative Fred Upton (R-MI) also delivered an opening statement and said, "America's single greatest source of oil imports is our great ally Canada. Of course, any additional oil production helps keep prices down, but production that comes from a reliable source like Canada also serves as a calming influence on world markets. According to a recent study conducted for the Department of Energy, the Keystone Pipeline project could 'very substantially reduce U.S. dependency on non-Canadian foreign oil, including from the Middle East.' And construction of the pipeline would create jobs to boot. Unfortunately, a number of environmental organizations are pressuring the administration to say no to a project most of us consider a no-brainer. . .

 

    "There is a role for renewable energy and alternative vehicles, but we have to be realistic, and especially realistic about the timeframes involved. Developing technologically and economically viable alternatives capable of taking significant market share away from petroleum derived fuels and internal combustion powered vehicles is a long term project. Put another way, the age of petroleum is going to be with us for a while longer, so we need to take steps to ensure that supplies are as plentiful, reliable, and affordable as possible. How to achieve that is the focus of today's hearing."

 

    Full Committee Ranking Member Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) also delivered an opening statement indicating that, "By requiring improvements in how efficiently we use oil, the Administration has reversed a dangerous trend." He said, "In 2008, the Energy Information Agency predicted an ever growing need for petroleum imports through 2030. In 2011, the Energy Information Agency now predicts that petroleum imports as a percentage of supply will fall significantly by 2030, largely due to the efforts of the Obama Administration." He said the hearing was used by the Republican majority in Congress to discusses its opposition to these new trends that offer hope for an energy independent America." Waxman presented Supporting Charts indicating Petroleum Import Dependency and Petroleum Consumption.

 

    Waxman said, "More U.S. production is never going to be enough to appreciably reduce global oil prices or U.S. imports of foreign oil. We use 25% of the world's oil, but we only have 2% of the world's oil reserves. So we could double or even triple domestic production and it's simply not going to affect global oil prices much. The key to making progress is to focus on how much oil we use. Reducing our share of global oil consumption from 25% can have a real impact -- both on global oil prices and on imports." He said, "The new motor vehicle standards promulgated by the Obama Administration are exhibit A for benefits of greater efficiency. . . This national program is projected to save 1.8 billion barrels of oil [emphasis in original]. . . Incredibly, the new Republican majority in Congress is opposed to these efforts. Chairman Upton and Senator Inhofe have proposed legislation to block EPA from setting new motor vehicle standards. . . The Upton-Inhofe bill is great for oil companies like Koch Industries, which spent millions of dollars electing Republicans. . ."

 

    Access a release including both Reps. Whitfield and Upton statements (click here). Access the hearing website and links to all testimony (click here). Access links to the statement and charts of Rep. Waxman (click here). [*Energy]

 

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- GOP CR Proposes Big Cuts For Energy & Environmental Programs
- EPA Removes Confidentiality Claims On 14 TSCA Chemicals
- Forest Service Release Proposed "Forest Planning Rule"
- More Details On U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center
- Forest Service Informs Students Of Human Impact On Climate
- NOAA Launches Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Website
- Next Generation of Risk Assessment: Public Dialogue Conference

(Click here for details)

Contentious House Hearing On EPA Climate Change Rules

Feb 9: The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY), hold a hearing on "H.R. ___, the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011" [See WIMS 2/3/11]. The hearing on the draft legislation, began at about 9:30 AM and is still underway. The draft legislation is the Republican bill sponsored by U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-MI), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Representative Whitfield, Chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee, and Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. According to the sponsors the hearing was to "provide stakeholders directly affected by the administration's runaway regulatory policies the opportunity to address the consequences of proposed regulations on job creation and economic growth." They indicated that the bill "is a sensible, narrowly crafted 'fix' to clarify that the Clean Air Act was never intended to be used to impose cap-and-trade by regulation.

 

    According to a release from the sponsors, "The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011" would: Stop EPA bureaucrats from making legislative decisions that should be made by Congress; Clarify that the Clean Air Act was not written by Congress to address climate change; Stop EPA bureaucrats from imposing a backdoor cap-and-trade tax that would make gasoline, electricity, fertilizer, and groceries more expensive for consumers; and Protect American jobs and manufacturers from overreaching EPA regulations that hinder our ability to compete with China and other countries.

 

    Witnesses testifying at the hearing included: Lisa Jackson, U.S. EPA Administrator, Senator Inhofe and representatives from: Attorney General State of Texas; National Black Chamber of Commerce; The Timberland Company; Santee Cooper; Lions Oil Company; Troutman Sanders LLP; American Public Health Association; California Air Resources Board; US Steel Corporation; Illinois Farm Bureau; FMC Corporation; Nucor Corporation; and the American Council for Capital Formation.

 

    Subcommittee Chairman Whitfield opened the hearing saying the hearing "will focus on a greenhouse gas (GHG) rulemaking within the Environmental Protection Agency that many of us believe attempts to address an issue properly within the purview of the Congress, and legislation that would restore the proper balance to decision-making affecting it. The Obama Administration EPA has been the most aggressive in recent memory. Six rules were issued on Christmas Eve and there is a pipeline full of regulations waiting to be issued and states are not being given adequate time to examine and re-write state implementation plans to respond to this aggressive pace. I have been besieged with calls from entities all over the country complaining about EPA's attempt to regulate greenhouse gases.. . Although Congress has made its position abundantly clear not to regulate GHG's, we now have unelected staff at EPA and the Courts pushing the United States down a path that in my opinion will cost jobs and make us less competitive in the global market place. . ."

 

    Full Committee Chairman Upton opened the hearing saying, "Job creation.  It's a simple goal, but unfortunately, one Washington lost sight of in the last few years. Well, no more. Cap and trade legislation failed in the last Congress, but now we face the threat of Environmental Protection Agency bureaucrats imposing the same agenda through a series of regulations. Like cap and trade, these regulations would boost the cost of energy, not just for homeowners and car owners, but for businesses both large and small. EPA may be starting by regulating only the largest power plants and factories, but we will all feel the impact of higher prices and fewer jobs. These regulations go after emissions of carbon dioxide -- the unavoidable byproduct of using the coal, oil, and natural gas that provides this nation with 85 percent of its energy. . . Needless to say, the Chinese government and other competitors have no intention of burdening and raising the cost of doing business for their manufacturers and energy producers the way EPA plans to here in America. Our goal should be to export goods, not jobs."

 

    Senator Inhofe testified that, ". . .it is unfair and unacceptable to ask the steel worker in Ohio, the chemical plant worker in Michigan, and the coal miner in West Virginia to sacrifice their jobs so we can reduce temperature by a barely detectable amount in 100 years. Yet this is exactly what the EPA is doing. The Energy Tax Prevention Act would stop EPA and protect those jobs.  It would ensure that America's manufacturers can stay here and compete against China.  And it would put Congress back in charge of deciding the nation's climate change policy. . . EPA's actions under the Clean Air Act are part of the cap-and-trade agenda.  That agenda wants higher energy prices for consumers, higher taxes for citizens, more regulations on small businesses, more restrictions on choices, and ultimately less freedom.   Supporters believe these things will stop global warming. They won't. . ."

 

    The full Committee Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Rush (D-IL) released a 10-page analysis of the "Upton-Inhofe Energy Tax Prevention Act" and indicated that, "EPA does not have taxing authority, nor has EPA proposed to establish a cap and trade program. In fact, EPA officials have recently stated that they will not establish a cap on carbon pollution. The Upton-Inhofe draft would broadly eliminate EPA's authority to address emissions of greenhouse gases and the danger of climate change. . . The discussion draft overturns the landmark Supreme Court case Massachusetts v. EPA, which held that greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, are 'air pollutants' under the Clean Air Act that EPA must regulate if they endanger public health or welfare. . . would legislatively repeal EPA's scientific determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare, commonly known as the endangerment finding. . ." The detailed analysis provided many more implications of the draft bill.

 

    Additionally, Rep. Waxman sent a letter to Chairman Fred Upton highlighting the views of former-EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, articulated in a private letter to President Bush in 2008, that the climate change science supported the agency's positive endangerment finding on carbon emissions. Waxman pointed out that Administrator Johnson wrote: "A robust interagency policy process involving principal meetings over the past eight months has enabled me to formulate a plan that is prudent and cautious yet forward thinking. … [I]t … creates a framework for responsible, cost-effective and practical actions." He added that actions to reduce carbon emissions "should spur both private sector investment in developing new, cost-effective technologies and private sector deployment of these technologies at a large scale." 

 

    Senator Inhofe issued a response to the Waxman release of the Johnson letter. Inhofe said, "Johnson's letter came six months before EPA released the 'Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR): Regulating Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act,' which explored the multitude of scientific, technical, legal and economic problems associated with making an endangerment finding for GHGs under the CAA.  As former Administrator Johnson wrote in the ANPR . . ."

 

    EPA Administrator Jackson testified that, "Chairman Upton's bill would, in its own words, repeal that scientific finding. Politicians overruling scientists on a scientific question-- that would become part of this Committee's legacy. . . Chairman Upton's bill would block President Obama's plan to follow up with Clean Air Act standards for cars and light trucks of Model Years 2017 through 2025. Removing the Clean Air Act from the equation would forfeit pollution reductions and oil savings on a massive scale, increasing America's debilitating oil dependence. . ." She also said the bill would block a "reasonable approach" for limiting carbon pollution and would hamper the growth of the clean energy sector of the U.S. economy. She said, the bill "would have additional negative impacts that its drafters might not have intended. For example, it would prohibit EPA from taking further actions to implement the Renewable Fuels Program, which promotes the domestic production of advanced bio-fuels."

 

    Access the hearing announcement notice (click here). Access the hearing website for links to all testimony and a background memo (click here). Access the opening statements of Rep. Whitfield and Upton (click here). Access the statement from Sen. Inhofe (click here). Access the Waxman-Rush analysis (click here). Access the Waxman letter to Upton with links to the Johnson letter (click here). Access the Inhofe response to Waxman's release (click here). Access the discussion draft of the bill (click here).

 

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- 2500 Scientists Reject Congressional Attacks On Clean Air Act 
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- DOE Report On One Million Electric Vehicles By 2015
- Agencies Tout Onshore Renewable Energy Efforts
- DOE Computer Helps Make Semi Trucks More Fuel Efficient
- Comment Wanted On Draft National Aquaculture Policies

(Click here for details)

Chairman Issa Releases 2000 Pages Of Regulatory Comments

Feb 7: At the end of last year, Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA), the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, launched an effort which he says was "to bring the voice of job creators nationwide directly to Washington by asking for their input through correspondences as well as through the launch of AmericanJobCreators.com. Chairman Issa has now made all of the submissions he has received public, "so that both policymakers and the American people can evaluate for themselves the merits of the input job creators have made."

    In his State of the Union Address, President Obama highlighted the importance of making America a better place to do business saying, "to help our companies compete, we also have to knock down barriers that stand in the way of their success. To reduce barriers to growth and investment, I've ordered a review of government regulations. When we find rules that put an unnecessary burden on businesses, we will fix them…"

    Chairman Issa said, "The President has recognized the value in examining the regulatory barriers impeding private sector job creation. This project should complement what President Obama has already called on his Administration to do and in concert, lead to a robust and expansive discussion about what the best way forward is to stimulate our economy. Policymakers often hear anecdotal examples from job creators about how government regulations impede the type of permanent, private-sector job creation necessary to successfully lower unemployment. This project is an opportunity for private industry to put forward detailed and specific examples so that both the American people and policymakers can determine for themselves what actions can be taken to create jobs."

    Chairman Issa has also announced a hearing for Thursday, February 10, at 9:30 AM on "Regulatory Impediments to Job Creation." Chairman Issa said, "This will be the first step in what must be a sustained effort to advance a dialogue that compliments President Obama's call to examine regulatory barriers that are impeding job creation. As Congress and the Administration begin the process of examining regulations, the voices of job creators and their experiences must be part of the broader discussion."

 

    Issa continued saying, "For more than two years, we have been hearing anecdotal examples from job creators about how government regulations impede the type of permanent, private-sector job creation necessary to successfully lower unemployment. This is an opportunity for private industry to put forward detailed and specific examples so both the American people and policymakers can determine for themselves what actions can be taken to foster robust and lasting job creation. Hopefully, at the conclusion of this effort, both the President and lawmakers on each end of Capitol Hill will be able to use this broad input on regulatory barriers to job creation to make informed decisions about the best path forward for our economy."

 

    Witnesses scheduled for the February 10, hearing include representatives from: National Association of Manufacturers; Black Chamber of Commerce; Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council; Western Growers Association; Mercatus Center at George Mason University; The Heritage Foundation; MCM Composites, LLC; and Buschur Electric.

   

    The input provided to the Committee appears to be extremely detailed. As an example, the American Chemistry Council indicates in part, "There are several recent regulations that deserve scrutiny because of their anticipated consequences, including the "Boiler MACT" rules . . . and EPA's rules regulating greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources. But these individual rules should be viewed as symptoms of a larger problem that must be addressed in order to ensure more transparent, fully-informed and balanced rulemakings in the future.

 

    "Two serious root problems exist in the process used by federal regulatory agencies to develop and evaluate potential new regulations. First, the quality and scope of economic assessments to measure financial and employment impacts of proposed rules must be improved by ensuring that the costs of overlapping rules and economy-wide costs are measured. Second, regulatory agencies must establish clear standards for scientific data used to develop rules in order to ensure its objectivity and credibility. We believe EPA's economic models and approach to evaluating scientific information are flawed  and deserve examination by the committee. Addressing these two fundamental problems will help ensure that rules  better reflect: costs and benefits and will provide greater clarity about the true consequences or proposed regulations."

    Access a release on the public release of industry submissions (click here). Access the submissions (approx 2000 pages) Chairman Issa has received (click here). Access the AmericanJobCreators.com website (click here). Access a release on the Feb. 10 hearing (click here). Access an 8-page list of entities (approx. 200) that received or asked for the letter to provide input (click here). Access the Feb. 10 hearing website (click here).

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- Dems Press Chairman Upton For Compromise Clean Energy Standard
- GOP Members File Brief In American Electric Power v. Connecticut
- SAB To Review EPA's Draft Study Plan On Hydraulic Fracturing
- OIG Finds Problems With RCRAInfo Data Quality
- Two Micro CHP Systems Win Emerging Technology Awards 
- In Re: Chevron Corp.

(Click here for details)

DOI & DOE Release A National Offshore Wind Strategy

Feb 7: Speaking at the Offshore Wind Energy News Conference in Norfolk, VA, Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar and Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu unveiled a coordinated strategic plan to accelerate the development of offshore wind energy and major new initiatives for the responsible siting and development of offshore wind energy projects. Also included are new funding opportunities for up to $50.5 million for projects that support offshore wind energy deployment and several high priority Wind Energy Areas in the mid-Atlantic that will spur rapid, responsible development of this abundant renewable resource. They said deployment of clean, renewable offshore wind energy will help meet the President's goal of generating 80 percent of the Nation's electricity from clean energy sources by 2035.

    Secretary Salazar said, "The mid-Atlantic Wind Energy Areas are a key part of our 'Smart from the Start' program for expediting appropriate commercial-scale wind energy development in America's waters. Through the Strategic Work Plan, the United States is synchronizing new research and development initiatives with more efficient, forward-thinking planning so that we can help quickly stand up an American offshore wind industry. This initiative will spur the type of innovation that will help us create new jobs, build a clean energy future, and compete and win in the technologies of the 21st century." Secretary Chu said, "Offshore wind energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, diversify our energy supply, and stimulate economic revitalization. The Department of Energy is committed to working with our federal partners to provide national leadership in accelerating offshore wind energy deployment."

    The joint plan, A National Offshore Wind Strategy: Creating an Offshore Wind Industry in the United States, made public today is the first-ever interagency plan on offshore wind energy and the agencies said it demonstrates a strong Federal family commitment to expeditiously develop a sustainable, world-class offshore wind industry in a way that reduces conflict with other ocean uses and protects resources. The plan focuses on overcoming three key challenges: the relatively high cost of offshore wind energy; technical challenges surrounding installation, operations, and grid interconnection; and the lack of site data and experience with project permitting processes.

    In support of the Strategic Work Plan, Secretary Chu announced the release of three solicitations, representing up to $50.5 million over 5 years, to develop breakthrough offshore wind energy technology and to reduce specific market barriers to its deployment:

• Technology Development (up to $25 million over 5 years): DOE will support the development of innovative wind turbine design tools and hardware to provide the foundation for a cost-competitive and world-class offshore wind industry in the United States. Specific activities will include the development of open-source computational tools, system-optimized offshore wind plant concept studies, and coupled turbine rotor and control systems to optimize next-generation offshore wind systems.
  
• Removing Market Barriers (up to $18 million over 3 years): DOE will support baseline studies and targeted environmental research to characterize key industry sectors and factors limiting the deployment of offshore wind. Specific activities will include offshore wind market and economic analysis; environmental risk reduction; manufacturing and supply chain development; transmission planning and interconnection strategies; optimized infrastructure and operations; and wind resource characterization.
  
• Next-Generation Drivetrain (up to $7.5 million over 3 years): DOE will fund the development and refinement of next-generation designs for wind turbine drivetrains, a core technology required for cost-effective offshore wind power.

    Secretary Salazar also identified four Wind Energy Areas offshore the mid-Atlantic as part of Interior's 'Smart from the Start' approach announced in November 2010 that uses appropriate designated areas, coordinated environmental studies, large-scale planning and expedited approval processes to speed offshore wind energy development. The areas, on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Delaware (122 square nautical miles); Maryland (207); New Jersey (417); and Virginia (165); will receive early environmental reviews that will help to lessen the time required for review, leasing and approval of offshore wind turbine facilities. In March, Interior also expects to identify Wind Energy Areas off of North Atlantic states, including Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and launch additional NEPA environmental reviews for those areas. A similar process will occur for South Atlantic region, namely North Carolina, this spring.

    Based on stakeholder and public participation, Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) will prepare regional environmental assessments for Wind Energy Areas to evaluate the effects of leasing and site assessment activities on leased areas. If no significant impacts are identified, BOEMRE could offer leases in these Mid-Atlantic areas as early as the end of 2011 or early 2012. Comprehensive site-specific NEPA review will still need to be conducted for the construction of any individual wind power facility, and BOEMRE will work directly with project managers to ensure that those reviews take place on aggressive schedules. 

    Under the National Offshore Wind Strategy, DOE is pursuing a scenario that includes deployment of 10 gigawatts of offshore wind generating capacity by 2020 and 54 gigawatts by 2030. Those levels of development would produce enough energy to power 2.8 million and 15.2 million average American homes, respectively. Those scenarios include development in both Federal and state offshore areas, including along Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts as well as in Great Lakes and Hawaiian waters.

    Access a release from the agencies and link to a fact sheet on the Offshore Wind Strategy, the complete Strategy, more information on the Smart from the Start Initiative, a map of the mid-Atlantic WEA's and additional information (click here).

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- DOE Provides Details On "SunShot" Initiative
- President Talks To U.S. Chamber About Joint Commitments
- Strategy For American Innovation Includes Energy Initiatives
- Reps Waxman And Upton Spar Over Aggressive Oversight
- $7 Million For Emerging Solar Energy Technologies
- EPA's Building Healthy Communities For Active Aging Awards 

(Click here for details)

President's Better Buildings Initiative & Energy Efficiency Proposals

Feb 3: In his State of the Union, President Obama laid out his vision for "Winning The Future" by investing in innovative clean energy technologies and doubling the share of electricity from clean energy sources by 2035 [See WIMS 1/26/11]. Alongside that effort, the President is proposing new efforts to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings across the country. In a release the White House said last year, commercial buildings consumed roughly 20 percent of all energy in the U.S. economy. Improving energy efficiency in our buildings can create jobs, save money, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and make our air cleaner.

 

    The President's "Better Buildings Initiative" is designed to make commercial buildings 20 percent more energy efficient over the next decade by "catalyzing private sector investment through a series of incentives to upgrade offices, stores, schools and other municipal buildings, universities, hospitals, and other commercial buildings." The White House said the initiative builds on investments already made through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and the continued commitment to passing the President's proposed "HOMESTAR" legislation to encourage American families to make energy saving upgrades in their homes.

 

    The Administration outlined three critical elements of the plan: (1) Achieve a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency by 2020: Under the President's plan, by 2020, it is proposed to make commercial building space in the United States 20 percent more energy efficient through cost-effective upgrades; (2) Reduce companies' and business owners' energy bills by about $40 billion per year: Making buildings more energy efficient will save business owners money by reducing their energy bills by about $40 billion at today's prices; and, (3) Save energy by reforming outdated incentives and challenging the private sector to act: The President is calling for an aggressive reform of existing tax and other incentives for commercial building retrofits and proposing a new competitive grant program. In turn, he is asking corporate leaders to commit to making progress toward his energy goals.

 

    The President's Budget will propose to make American businesses more energy efficient through a series of new initiatives including: New tax incentives for building efficiency; More financing opportunities for commercial retrofits; "Race to Green" for state and municipal governments that streamline regulations and attract private investment for retrofit projects; The Better Buildings Challenge; and Training the next generation of commercial building technology workers. The Administration also said the Better Buildings Initiative will complement the initiatives the President has already launched for government and residential buildings, including the $20 billion in funding for building energy efficiency in ARRA.

 

    The President has asked President Clinton, who he said has been a champion for this kind of energy innovation, to co-lead the private sector engagement in the Better Buildings Initiative along with the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, headed by Jeff Immelt, the CEO of General Electric.

 

    The White House indicates that the initial response to the proposal "has already been overwhelmingly positive." They have posted some responses and links from: The Real Estate Roundtable; U.S. Green Building Council; Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York City; Building Owners and Managers Association International; Sheet Metal Workers' International Association; Window and Door Manufacturers Association; National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA); American Institute of Architects; Energy and Sustainability Services, Jones Lang LaSalle; The Center for American Progress; World Business Council for Sustainable Development; The Energy Future Coalition; and U.S. Green Building Council.

 

    Access a lengthy release from the White House with further details on the President's energy initiatives (click here). Access the White House blog posting on the early reaction to the Better Buildings Initiative and links to supporters (click here). Access the President's February 3, speech on Innovation delivered at Penn State University including many comments on energy efficiency and innovation (click here).

 

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- Senate Hearing On Updating & Modernizing TSCA
- EPA Launches "Sustainable Communities Building Blocks"
- DOE's Chu Touts ARPA-E Projects & Upcoming Summit
- DOE Facilitating High-Efficiency Commercial Air Conditioners
- DOE's Energy Innovation Portal Tops 300 Market Ideas
- Dioxin Review Panel Teleconference March 1 & 2
- USGS Research Will Improve Climate Models
- Senators Introduce Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act 

(Click here for details)

GOP Leaders Release Draft Bill To "Stop EPA's Cap & Trade Agenda"

Feb 2: U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-MI), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee, and Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, issued a joint statement on the release of their discussion draft, "The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011." The Energy and Power Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the draft legislation next Wednesday, February 9, at 10:00 AM.

    The Republican environmental committee leaders said they were releasing the draft as part of "a deliberative process with their colleagues on both sides of the aisle to discuss the most effective approach to stop EPA's cap and trade agenda." They said the draft legislation is based on the belief that: "(1) Congress, not EPA bureaucrats, should be in charge of setting America's climate change policy; and that, (2) A 2-year delay of EPA's cap-and-trade agenda provides no meaningful certainty for job creators, fails to protect jobs, and punts decision-making in Congress on a critically important economic issue past the voters and the election next year."

    According to a release, "The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011" would: Stop EPA bureaucrats from making legislative decisions that should be made by Congress; Clarify that the Clean Air Act was not written by Congress to address climate change; Stop EPA bureaucrats from imposing a backdoor cap-and-trade tax that would make gasoline, electricity, fertilizer, and groceries more expensive for consumers; and Protect American jobs and manufacturers from overreaching EPA regulations that hinder our ability to compete with China and other countries.

 

    The members said, "With this draft proposal, we are initiating a deliberative, transparent process that we hope will prevent EPA from imposing by regulation the massive cap-and-trade tax that Congress rejected last year. We firmly believe federal bureaucrats should not be unilaterally setting national climate change policy, and with good reason: EPA's cap-and-trade tax agenda will cost jobs, undermine the competitiveness of America's manufacturers, and, as EPA has conceded, will have no meaningful impact on climate. In other words, all cost with no benefit. America's consumers, large and small businesses, farmers, and entrepreneurs should not carry this burden. We look forward to working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and the Obama Administration, to pass and sign into law legislation that stops EPA, puts Congress in charge, and helps get our economy growing again."

    The action follows by a couple of days, a similar effort launched on January 31, by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) who introduced the "Defending America's Affordable Energy and Jobs Act" (S. 228). Senator Barrasso said his bill "would stop Washington bureaucrats from regulating greenhouse gases (GHG) for the purpose of addressing climate change without specific Congressional authorization." Barrasso's bill has 9 co-sponsors, including: Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Enzi (R-WY), James Inhofe (R-OK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Pat Roberts (R-KS), John Thune (R-SD), and  David Vitter (R-LA) [See WIMS 1/31/11].

    Equally troubling for EPA and the Obama Administration, Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV) has introduced S. 231, a bill to suspend, until the end of the 2-year period beginning on the date of enactment of the Act, any U.S. EPA action under the Clean Air Act "with respect to carbon dioxide or methane pursuant to certain proceedings, other than with respect to motor vehicle emissions, and for other purposes." Senator Rockefeller's bill has six Democratic cosponsors including: Senators Kent Conrak (D-ND), Tim Johnsor (D-SD), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Jim Webb (D-VA).

    Both Senate bills have been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Senator Boxer and other Democratic EPW Committee members released statements reacting to the GOP leaders draft proposal. Senator Boxer said, "Bipartisan environmental laws are now under attack. EPA's common-sense steps to address carbon pollution follow the law and the Supreme Court decision that the agency must consider this threat. Congress should not turn its back on the American people by prohibiting EPA from doing its job to address carbon pollution." Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) said, "These attacks on the Clean Air Act will only take us backwards to a time when big polluters dirtied our air with impunity and hurt the health of our children. If Republicans want to tear down the progress we have made to make air cleaner in America, they're going to get a fight from those of us who are committed to the public health of our communities."

    Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) said, "The facts are simple: EPA's work to protect human health and the environment through the Clean Air Act has saved hundreds of thousands of lives and provided literally trillions of dollars in health benefits. It also has helped generate billions of dollars in revenues for American environmental businesses and exports that support 1.6 million American jobs. Legislation to stop EPA from doing its job under the Clean Air Act is misguided and must not move forward." Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said, "As Chairman of the Green Jobs Subcommittee, I believe the American people want Congress to protect our families from pollution and create jobs in sustainable energy. As this legislation makes clear, however, Republican leaders in the House and Senate think we should be bailing out big polluters by exempting them from Clean Air Act standards. I will vigorously oppose this and other efforts to gut our nation's clean air health standards."

    Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said, "These short-sighted attempts to roll back EPA's authority to protect air quality will do harm to clean energy jobs, energy efficiency, and our children's health. We should be working to stimulate our clean energy economy and protect public health, not protecting polluters." Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) said, "This bill goes way too far by undermining the Clean Air Act and putting politics over public health. The Supreme Court and the best climate science - some of which comes from New Mexico's national labs -- compelled the Environmental Protection Agency to act and protect health and welfare of our citizens. EPA oversight is an important responsibility and I will continue to evaluate the impact of the agency's performance." Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said, "We need strong protections for the air we breathe and the water we drink.  This extreme attack on the Clean Air Act protects polluters, while putting our health at risk. At a critical time when we need to be addressing climate change and impacts on public health, this assault on our environmental protections takes us in the wrong direction."

    Access a release from the GOP leaders (click here). Access the discussion draft bill (click here). Access S.228 (click here). Access S.231 (click here). Access a release from Senator Boxer and other EPW members (click here).

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- Perchlorate Standard & 16 More Chemicals In Drinking Water Strategy
- Senate EPW Hearing On Public Health & Drinking Water Issues

- UN Genetic Resources Treaty Open For Signing
- WRR Launches Interactive Climate Adaptation Website
- Climate Strategies Report On The Future Of The UNFCCC Process
- Association of Irritated Residents v. EPA
- Ocean County Landfill Corp v. US EPA
- California Wilderness Coalition v. US Department of Energy
- Chico Service Station, Inc. v. Sol Puerto Rico Ltd.

(Click here for details)

Note: WIMS Daily... Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Subscribers & Readers Note: Distractions and delays due to our extensive snowfall and drifting have caused us to suspend publication for today. We'll be back tomorrow.

Sen. Bingaman Outlines Energy Priorities For The 112th Congress

Jan 31: In a major speech to the affiliated Washington, DC progress think tanks, NDN and the New Policy Institute, Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chairman Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) outlined what he envisions to be the "Energy Priorities for the 112th Congress."

 

    He said, "At the beginning of this new Congress, it is already becoming clear that energy policy will have a major place on this Congress's agenda. "Part of that is because the President made clear last week in his State of the Union Speech he will give energy a major priority in his administration. In part, it is because our energy security is dependent on overseas supplies and global stability. The events that we have seen unfold in North Africa and the Middle East are stark reminders that the world is an unpredictable place. Whenever geopolitical events potentially affect our access to affordable energy supplies, it is a spur to consider energy policies that might reduce those geopolitical risks.

 

    "But perhaps more important than any of those reasons is the competitive pressure we are experiencing from other major world economic powers, as they take a very leading role in clean energy markets. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, new investment in clean energy globally reached nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars in 2010. That was a 30 percent jump from where it was in 2009, and a 100 percent increase from the level in 2006. China alone invested $51.1 billion in clean energy in 2010, making it the world's largest investor in this sector. China now manufactures over half of the photovoltaic modules used globally.  In 2010, China installed about 17 gigawatts of new wind capacity, roughly half of the total capacity installed globally, with virtually all the equipment being supplied by its domestic manufacturers.

 

    "But the concern about the competition for clean energy jobs is not just about China. Europe also made major strides last year towards competing in these markets. Countries like Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and the United Kingdom, have emphasized small-scale distributed electricity generation projects. In Germany, 8.5 gigawatts of new photovoltaic capacity were added in 2010.  So there is a lot going on around the world in that subject. We also see that other countries consume energy more efficiently than we do.  According to the International Energy Agency (or IEA), Japan, the United Kingdom, and Canada are all ahead of the United States in implementing policies to make sure they get the most out of every BTU that  they consume. Japan has its 'Top Runner' program, which encourages competition among appliance and equipment manufacturers to continuously improve the efficiency of those appliances and that equipment. 

 

    "So the question is, how do we respond to this competitive world for the clean energy jobs?  I believe that to remain at or near the forefront of this strongly developing market, we need to do at least four things:

• First, we need to ensure that we remain at the forefront of energy research and development, since innovation is the source of our greatest competitive strength.  The President made that point in his State of the Union Speech and in other forums, as well.
• Second, we must ensure that we have a strong domestic market for clean energy technologies.  Without clean energy market-pull in the United States, there will not be the incentive to manufacture and deploy these technologies here.
• Third, we have to ensure that we have the necessary financial infrastructure and the incentives to provide the capital needed to build advanced energy technology projects.
• And finally, we need to have explicit policies to promote the development of U.S. manufacturing capabilities for these clean energy technologies.

    "I think these four items or elements should be at the heart of whatever comprehensive energy legislation that we undertake in this Congress.  Let me say a few more words about each of them. . . So these are four key strategic elements that need to be included in any energy legislation in this Congress, if an energy bill is to help us compete in global energy markets in the future.  None of these individual ideas are new, but their interconnection is now more apparent.  A few years ago, we thought that we could do just one or a few of these things and be successful.  It is now clear that you must do all four of them and do so on a level that is competitive with what other countries are doing. . ."

 

    Senator Bingaman then outlined specific policy initiatives that he said "will be very timely for us to pursue in the Senate this year." He said he anticipates a lot of meetings and bipartisan dialogue over the next few weeks as the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee works out a legislative roadmap for this Congress. 

 

    The policy initiatives that he mentioned included: (1) energy efficiency including appliances, residential and commercial buildings , manufacturing and industrial operations; (2) moving to a cleaner energy mix in the way electricity is generated, i.e. a Renewable Electricity Standard; (3) financing assistance for energy projects including reforming the current loan guarantee program, providing financing support for advanced energy manufacturing in this country, and providing reasonable stability and predictability in the tax provisions that apply to clean energy projects and technologies; (4) proper and effective regulation of energy development to order to protect the public health and safety and the environment (i.e. oil and gas drilling regulations); and, (5) the vulnerability of our electrical grid to cyber attack.

 

    Access Senator Bingaman's complete speech (click here).

 

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- U.S. Chamber Releases Plans For "Facing Our Energy Realities" 
- Dems Report On Diesel Fuel Use In Hydraulic Fracturing
- Enviros' Report Links Hexavalent Chromium To Coal Ash Sites
- EPA's Top 50 Green Power Partners Use 13.5 Billion kWh
- PA Study Reveals No Air Health Concerns Near Shale Gas Sites
- BP Plans To Resume Dividends; Rep. Markey Says Not So Fast

(Click here for details)

White House Launches "Startup America" Initiative

Jan 31: Today, the White House is launching "Startup America," a national campaign to promote high-growth entrepreneurship across the country with new initiatives to help encourage private sector investment in job-creating startups and small firms, accelerate research, and address barriers to success for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The campaign is designed to assist in achieving the goals that President Obama outlined in his SOTU address of -- "out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building the rest of the world."

 

    Today, President Obama said, "Entrepreneurs embody the promise of America: the belief that if you have a good idea and are willing to work hard and see it through, you can succeed in this country. And in fulfilling this promise, entrepreneurs also play a critical role in expanding our economy and creating jobs. That's why we're launching Startup America, a national campaign to help win the future by knocking down barriers in the path of men and women in every corner of this country hoping to take a chance, follow a dream, and start a business." Startup America is the White House initiative to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation. 

    According to an announcement from the White House, the coordinated public/private effort brings together an alliance of the country's most innovative entrepreneurs, corporations, universities, foundations, and other leaders, working in concert with a wide range of Federal agencies to dramatically increase the prevalence and success of America's entrepreneurs. Startup America is an important element of President Obama's overall innovation strategy.

    The core goals of Startup America are to increase the number of new high-growth firms that are creating economic growth, innovation, and quality jobs; celebrate and honor entrepreneurship as a core American value and source of competitive advantage; and inspire and empower an ever-greater diversity of communities and individuals to build great American companies. The White House said startups bring a wealth of transformative innovations to market, and they also play a critical role in job creation in the United States. Those entrepreneurs who are intent on growing their businesses create the lion's share of these new jobs, in every part of the country and in every industry. Moreover, it is entrepreneurs in clean energy, medicine, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and other fields who will build the new industries of the 21st century, and solve some of our toughest global challenges.

    The White House announcement said the Startup America will: Expand access to capital for high-growth startups throughout the country; Expand entrepreneurship education and mentorship programs that empower more Americans not just to get a job, but to create jobs; Strengthen commercialization of the about $148 billion in annual federally-funded research and development, which can generate innovative startups and entirely new industries; Identify and remove unnecessary barriers to high-growth startups; and Expand collaborations between large companies and startups.

    Some of the new initiatives and incentives to encourage the private sector to invest in new startups that were outlined include:

• The President's new budget will propose making permanent the elimination of capital gains taxes on key investments in small businesses, which was passed as a temporary provision in 2010 as part of the Small Business Jobs Act the President signed in September. The budget will also propose expanding the New Markets Tax Credit to encourage private sector investment in startups and small businesses operating in lower-income communities.
• The Small Business Administration (SBA) will direct $2 billion in existing guarantee authority over the next 5 years to match private sector investment funding for startups and small firms in underserved communities, as well as seed and early-stage investing in firms with high growth potential, through its Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program.
• Together SBA and the Department of Energy will boost high-quality mentorship for cleantech startups, while the Veterans Administration is launching new training programs for Veterans who want to start new businesses.
• The Department of Commerce will expand the i6 Challenge to help foster the commercialization of clean technologies, and are finalizing a plan to allow entrepreneurs to request faster review of their patents, an initiative that should lower patent pendency times overall and speed the deployment of new ideas to the marketplace. [Note: the i6 Challenge is a $12 million program to identify and support the nation's best ideas for technology commercialization and entrepreneurship in six different regions of the country].

    In addition, a number of private sector and philanthropic commitments are being announced alongside the launch of the "Startup America Partnership. For example, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation will fund an initiative that will create a Virtual Incubation Network at America's community colleges led by The American Association of Community Colleges, in partnership with National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. Virtual incubator models will be tested at ten community college locations in the country. 

    Also, JumpStart Inc., a nationally recognized non-profit venture development organization based in Cleveland, Ohio announces JumpStart America, a new national initiative to build robust public, private and philanthropic partnerships to create or accelerate regionally-based innovation and entrepreneurship programs.  Most importantly, these efforts will accelerate the efforts and economic impact of thousands of new and existing firms across the U.S. and create hundreds of thousands of new private sector jobs in the next four years. Funders of JumpStart America's initial work include the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Surdna Foundation, which are supporting a $40 million effort to accelerate regional entrepreneurial ecosystems in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York.  

    Access an announcement from the White House and link to more information including: Frequently Asked Questions, Obama Administration Commitments, Private Sector Commitments, National Innovation Strategy, State of the Union Address, Small Business Jobs Act, National Entrepreneurs' Day (click here). Access a White House blog post (click here). Access a posting from the Office of Science & Technology Policy (click here). Access a White House fact sheet on the initiative (click here). Access the Startup America Partnership website (click here).

 

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- NAAQS For CO To Remain With More Focused Monitoring
- Sierra Club Launches Campaign Against Koch Bothers
- States Announce Formation Of Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse
- USDA Gives GE Roundup Ready Alfalfa "Non-Regulated" Status
- Sen. Barrasso Bill Would Curtail Federal Rules On GHG
- NAFTA Group Calls For Environmentally Sustainable Economy
- USDA Conservation Reserve Program Signup Mar 14 To Apr 15
- El Paso Natural Gas Company v. USA

(Click here for details)