More Mixed Reactions To State Department Project XL Decision

Nov 10: House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican leaders expressed deep disappointment in response to the Administration's announced delay of the Keystone XL pipeline decision [See WIMS 11/11/11]. On November 10, the State Department announced that it had determined it is necessary delay the project which could extend well into 2013 while it examines in-depth alternative routes that would avoid the Sand Hills area of Nebraska. The State Department noted that the Sand Hills area includes a high concentration of wetlands of special concern, a sensitive ecosystem, and extensive areas of very shallow groundwater. The final decision had originally been scheduled for the end of this year. The President issued a statement in support of the State Department decision.

 

    In a release, the Republican members including Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and Representative Lee Terry (R-NE) said, "Instead of approving the pipeline, and allowing this construction project to move forward and create a massive infusion of American jobs, the President refused to issue a decision on the Presidential Permit and continued to delay the project by directing the State Department to come up with an alternate route."

    The Republican Members said further, "The Keystone XL pipeline gives the President the unique opportunity to create thousands of jobs and advance our nation's energy security. All he has to do is say 'yes' and the jobs will come. Unfortunately, his plan to re-route the pipeline would delay a final decision until 2013. This is conveniently past election day, but far too long to make workers wait. Today's announcement doesn't get us any closer to a solution and does nothing to increase our nation's energy security or create needed jobs. All it does is kick the can down the road at a time we can least afford such inaction.

    "With a sluggish economy and stubbornly high unemployment, more delays are simply unacceptable. The Keystone XL pipeline is a shovel-ready jobs stimulus that won't cost taxpayers a dime. Construction of the pipeline will directly employ 20,000 Americans and create more than 100,000 spin-off jobs. Manufacturers and labor unions are begging the President to approve the pipeline so they can get blue-collar Americans back to work. Each day the President delays the project is another day an American worker remains unemployed.

    "This project has undergone more than three years of study since the application was submitted in September 2008, and about a year ago, Secretary Clinton said she was inclined to approve the pipeline. The President says we can't wait for jobs, but his decision to delay this project is jeopardizing the entire project and harming our energy and economic security in the process. Several analysts believe a delay of this magnitude could effectively kill the pipeline. If we don't import Canada's oil, China gladly will. The President's window of opportunity is quickly closing, and by refusing to make a decision, he is all but painting it shut. Bipartisan legislation sailed through the House once this year already, and we won't hesitate to act again to do whatever we can to move this job-creating project forward."

    The Democratic Ranking Member of the Committee, Henry Waxman (D-CA) released a very brief statement on the project saying, "The State Department recognized today that the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline threatens our health and security. We can act to avoid catastrophic climate change or we can lock in a 100-year dependence on tar sands -- the dirtiest, most carbon-polluting oil available -- but we cannot choose both. As the State Department further evaluates this misguided proposal, it must thoroughly and impartially address how the pipeline would exacerbate climate change, as well as other concerns."

    TransCanada Corporation, the project developer issued a lengthy release indicating that it has spoken with the State Department (DOS) and will have conversations with the DOS in the coming days to discuss next steps. The company said it has been informed that further analysis of route options for the Keystone XL pipeline need to be investigated, with a specific focus on the Sandhills in Nebraska.

 

    Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer said, "We remain confident Keystone XL will ultimately be approved. This project is too important to the U.S. economy, the Canadian economy and the national interest of the United States for it not to proceed." But Girling acknowledges while Keystone XL remains the best option for American and Canadian producers to get their oil to the U.S. Gulf Coast, the announcement by the DOS "could have potential negative ramifications, especially where shippers and U.S. refiners are concerned." He said, "Supplies of heavy crude from Venezuela and Mexico to U.S. refineries will soon end. If Keystone XL is continually delayed, these refiners may have to look for other ways of getting the oil they need.  Oil sands producers face the same dilemma -- how to get their crude oil to the Gulf Coast. If Keystone XL dies, Americans will still wake up the next morning and continue to import 10 million barrels of oil from repressive nations, without the benefit of thousands of jobs and long term energy security. That would be a tragedy."

 

    On November 10, Nebraska's Republican Governor Dave Heineman issued a statement regarding pipeline siting legislation being developed in the State. He said, "Yesterday the Legislature's Natural Resources Committee made a very important decision when it advanced pipeline siting legislation to the full Legislature for debate. I appreciate the extensive discussion that went into making this decision. The issue of pipeline siting legislation deserves a thoughtful and thorough debate by the full Legislature. Senator Langemeier's bill, LB 4, is a good starting point for the discussion. I want to commend Nebraskans for sharing their thoughts and concerns at the Legislature's committee hearings this week. Their comments were serious and sincere." Governor Heineman did not comment specifically on the State Department decision.

 

    Nebraska's Democratic Senator Ben Nelson issued a statement saying, "For more than a year, Nebraskans have voiced concerns about the proposed route of the pipeline. I have been in regular communication with the Department of State urging them to extend the comment period to allow Nebraska state agencies to comment, and to conduct hearings in Nebraska to hear firsthand from Nebraskans. The State department has responded to those concerns. Today's decision now allows the State of Nebraska another opportunity to exercise its authority and take action on behalf of Nebraskans, rather than waiting until it's too late. The State Department noted today that state laws govern routes of interstate pipelines, but Nebraska currently has no such law or process in place. It is my hope that the State of Nebraska will use the State Department's decision today to protect the interests of Nebraska citizens by exercising its authority to determine the appropriate pipeline route in Nebraska, and that the State Department will support Nebraska's decision. As I've said before, this is a fundamental states' rights issue."

 

    Nebraska's Republican Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) sent a brief letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton following the State Department's announcement on the decision to delay saying, "If the announcement is a sincere effort to identify a better route within my state, I applaud the decision. I am concerned, however, that the Department's move today may serve only to delay the final decision until after the Presidential election. . . Considering your agency has studied the proposed route for several years, keeping it under consideration makes no sense given today's announcement. Please therefore consider this letter a formal request that the Department of State immediately acknowledge that the current route is no longer being considered." Senator Johanns said, ". . .while I oppose neither the development of the oil that will flow in the pipeline, nor the pipeline itself, I am convinced that the propose rout is the wrong route and should be rejected."

    Note: For additional reactions from other interests see the WIMS posting [See WIMS 11/11/11].

    Access the statement from the Republican Committee Members (click here). Access the statement from Rep. Waxman (click here). Access the release from TransCanada (click here). Access the TransCanada Keystone XL project website (click here). Access the statement from Gov. Heineman (click here). Access the statement from Sen. Nelson (click here). Access the statement from Sen. Johanns (click here). Access the State Department announcement (click here). Access complete details and background from the DOS Keystone XL Pipeline Project website (click here). [#Energy/Pipeline, #Energy/OilSands]

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State Department's Keystone XL Pipeline Announcement & Reaction

Note: WIMS is not publishing today, in observance of the Veterans Day holiday. However, yesterday, following our regular daily posting, we issued a Special Supplement Breaking News report to our subscribers on the State Department's Keystone XL Pipeline Announcement and reactions from various interests. We are posting that report today.

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

November 10, 2011

Statement by the President on the State Department's Keystone XL Pipeline Announcement

 

November 10, 2011

 

"I support the State Department's announcement today regarding the need to seek additional information about the Keystone XL Pipeline proposal.  Because this permit decision could affect the health and safety of the American people as well as the environment, and because a number of concerns have been raised through a public process, we should take the time to ensure that all questions are properly addressed and all the potential impacts are properly understood.  The final decision should be guided by an open, transparent process that is informed by the best available science and the voices of the American people.  At the same time, my administration will build on the unprecedented progress we've made towards strengthening our nation's energy security, from responsibly expanding domestic oil and gas production to nearly doubling the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks, to continued progress in the development of a clean energy economy."

 

The State Department release indicates:

"Executive Order 13337 authorizes the Department of State to lead the review of Presidential Permit applications for transborder pipelines, granting the Department discretion in determining what factors to examine to inform a determination of whether the proposed project is in the national interest. Since 2008, the Department has been conducting a transparent, thorough and rigorous review of TransCanada's application for the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline project. As a result of this process, particularly given the concentration of concerns regarding the environmental sensitivities of the current proposed route through the Sand Hills area of Nebraska, the Department has determined it needs to undertake an in-depth assessment of potential alternative routes in Nebraska.

"As part of the National Interest Determination process, the State Department held a public comment period, including public meetings in the six potentially affected states and Washington, D.C., to increase the opportunity for public comments. During this time, the Department also received input from state, local, and tribal officials. We received comments on a wide range of issues including the proposed project's impact on jobs, pipeline safety, health concerns, the societal impact of the project, the oil extraction in Canada, and the proposed route through the Sand Hills area of Nebraska, which was one of the most common issues raised. The comments were consistent with the information in the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) about the unique combination of characteristics in the Sand Hills (which includes a high concentration of wetlands of special concern, a sensitive ecosystem, and extensive areas of very shallow groundwater) and provided additional context and information about those characteristics. The concern about the proposed route's impact on the Sand Hills of Nebraska has increased significantly over time, and has resulted in the Nebraska legislature convening a special session to consider the issue.

"State law primarily governs routes for interstate petroleum pipelines; however, Nebraska currently has no such law or regulatory framework authorizing state or local authorities to determine where a pipeline goes. Taken together with the national concern about the pipeline's route, the Department has determined it is necessary to examine in-depth alternative routes that would avoid the Sand Hills in Nebraska in order to move forward with a National Interest Determination for the Presidential Permit.

"Based on the Department's experience with pipeline project reviews and the time typically required for environmental reviews of similar scope by other agencies, it is reasonable to expect that this process including a public comment period on a supplement to the final EIS consistent with NEPA could be completed as early as the first quarter of 2013. After obtaining the additional information, the Department would determine, in consultation with the eight other agencies identified in the Executive Order, whether the proposed pipeline was in the national interest, considering all of the relevant issues together. Among the relevant issues that would be considered are environmental concerns (including climate change), energy security, economic impacts, and foreign policy."

 

11/10/11  Keystone XL Pipeline Project Review Process: Decision to Seek Additional Information; State Department Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC

Access complete details and background from the DOS Keystone XL Pipeline Project website (click here).[#Energy/Pipeline, #Energy/OilSands]

 

NPRA Says Keystone XL Pipeline Delay A Blow to America - 11/10/2011

from National Petrochemical & Refiners Association: Latest News 

 

Victory Today, Clean Energy Tomorrow - Sierra Club

 

Speaker Boehner Statement on the Keystone Announcement

 

U.S. Chamber President Calls Delay on Keystone XL Pipeline Decision a Political and Job-Killing Move

 

Keystone XL Do-Over Likely a Lethal Blow

from NWF Global Warming News 

 

API: White House decision on Keystone XL puts politics above jobs

 

Nov. 10, 2011: Markey Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline Route

from Rep. Markey (D-MA) - 

 

Obama Administration Delays Decision on Controversial Keystone XL Pipeline - Center for Biological Diversity (press release)

 

President's Decision on Keystone XL Pipeline Shows Leadership and Courage

Natural Resources Defense Council; and Robert Redford, an NRDC Trustee

 

Big Announcement Today  

from Tar Sands Action

 

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Bipartisan Senate Proposal To Delay CSAPR & Utility MACT

Nov 9: Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Dan Coats (R-IN) introduced the bipartisan "Fair Compliance Act" (S.1833) which they say would create "reasonable timelines and benchmarks" for utilities to comply with two major U.S. EPA rules "to protect jobs and keep utility rates stable." The legislation would extend the compliance deadline for the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) [See WIMS 11/8/11] by three years and the deadline for the Utility MACT rule by two years – so that both would fall on January 1, 2017. Both the CSAPR and Utility MACT are also subject to modification and delays under the House approved H.R. 2401 -- the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of 2011 (TRAIN Act) [See WIMS 9/23/11]. Additional cosponsors include Senators Bob Corker (R-TN) and Ben Nelson (D-NE). The Utility MACT rule requires a decrease in mercury emissions at power plants. The CSAPR requires utilities to reduce power plant emissions that may cause air-quality complications in neighboring states.

    Senator Manchin said, "I've always said government should be your partner, not your adversary -- and that's not a Democratic idea or a Republican idea, it's a common sense idea. With millions of jobs on the line in this country -- and especially in my state of West Virginia -- it just makes sense to work to make sure we don't lose any more jobs in putting these rules in place. I'm proud to bring together Republicans and Democrats on this commonsense solution to a real problem."

    Senator Coats said, "The current EPA rules and unreasonable deadlines will be devastating for Hoosiers and every ratepayer in America. After visiting with Indiana utilities and power plants, it is clear that the current EPA timeline will result in more job loss and skyrocketing rates. While I support a complete overturn of these rules, this bill is a bipartisan commonsense solution that gives states and utilities the time needed to plan and prepare."

    According to a release from the Senators, S.1833 bill would provide utilities with an extension of time and synchronize the implementation schedule for complying with the rules. The bill would extend the date of compliance for Utility MACT by two years and for CSAPR by three years changing the deadline for both rules to January 1, 2017.  Under the current EPA rules, the compliance date for Utility MACT is January 1, 2015. The deadline for Phase I of the CSAPR is January 1, 2012 and Phase II is January 1, 2014. The Manchin-Coats bill would postpone Phase I until January 1, 2015 and Phase II of CSAPR until January 1, 2017. The compliance date is the date by which a utility either must have installed emissions controls or retired the pant. The bill also would require utilities to submit implementation plans to ensure compliance occurs. To safeguard the reliability of the electric grid and avoid brownouts, utilities would need to submit their implementation plans to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). [Note: On October 6 EPA signed a proposed rule that would make significant changes in CSAPR [See WIMS 10/7/11].

    In a fact sheet from Senator Manchin he emphasizes that the "proposal does not reduce existing authority under the Clean Air Act, nor does it relax the standards under any existing or proposed Clean Air Act regulations." The fact sheet indicates, "The proposed Utility MACT and finalized Cross-State Air Pollution Rules pose a major challenge for utilities to comply by the deadline. This legislation would give utilities a reasonable, responsible timeframe to make the necessary investments that would help them meet the requirements of the proposed regulations. The proposed Utility MACT regulation would require coal-fired plants to achieve a 91 percent reduction of mercury and other emissions, and the Cross-State Air Pollution rule would impose caps on sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that drift across borders. While the Utility MACT and Cross-State Air Pollution rules address different problems, both would require utilities to make substantial investments in similar equipment. This legislation would streamline the compliance timelines for these two rules, creating one timeline for industry to meet the requirements of both regulations. The bill would extend the compliance schedule on the Utility MACT and Cross-State Air Pollution rules by two years and three years, respectively."

 

    In a release from the nonprofit, public interest law firm Earthjustice, Stephanie Maddin, Associate Legislative Counsel said, "The Manchin-Coats bill amounts to a terrible trade: the health of our children and thousands of American lives for the surplus profit of already rich corporate polluters who want to avoid complying with life-saving clean air standards. We deserve more than that, and poll after poll has demonstrated that the public expects better leadership from their elected representatives. The EPA estimated that cleaning up these dirty power plants will be a net job creator. Beyond that, the American economy is far less productive when workers are sick. Cleaning up coal- and oil-fired power plants will lead to a healthier workforce and stimulate the American pollution control industry. Contrary to what the sponsors of this bill and their corporate backers might say, now is precisely the time to adopt clean air standards for power plants. The money that industry will spend to clean up -- miniscule compared to the economic benefits that society will derive -- will very likely have a positive impact by kickstarting our stalled economy. Promoting pollution isn't a jobs plan, it's an assault on the public's health that is simply unacceptable."

 

    Access a release from the Senators (click here). Access a 2-page fact sheet on the S.1833 (click here). Access legislative details for S.1833 (click here). Access EPA's website for CSAPR for complete details and background (click here). Access a release from Earthjustice (click here). [#Air]

 

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Few Pleased With Administration's OCS 2012-2017 Leasing Program

Nov 8: On November 8, 2011, Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar announced the Proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012-2017, which he said makes more than 75 percent of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources estimated in Federal offshore areas available for exploration and development [See WIMS 11/8/11]. The Proposed Program, which he said is in line with President Obama's direction to continue to expand safe and responsible domestic production, includes six offshore areas where there are currently active leases and exploration, and where there is known or anticipated hydrocarbon potential. The plan schedules 15 potential lease sales for the 2012-2017 period -- 12 in the Gulf of Mexico and three off the coast of Alaska. Industry and environmental interests both appear to be opposed to the proposals and House Republicans were very critical.

 

    One of the few positive statements came from Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. Senator Murkowski said, "The lease sales the administration has proposed in the coming five years are a positive sign for our energy security. While the administration has not opened any new areas to leasing, I'm encouraged that they are moving forward with offering sales in both the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. Leasing is only half the story, however. The permitting process will be the determining factor as to whether these lease sales are ultimately successful or not. Any company interested in exploring for oil and gas off the coast of Alaska must have a reasonable expectation that the permitting process will be robust but with a timeline that is not unreasonable. We can't expect companies to invest billions of dollars and then subject them to a permitting process that drags on for years with no end in sight."

 

    Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) said, "I am still reviewing the details of this plan, but I am not yet confident that it is strong enough to meet our nation's energy needs or will help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil. . . areas offshore of Virginia that were included in the previous five-year plan are not part of the current proposal.  This represents a step backward, not forward, for our nation's offshore energy production.  Additionally, if the permitting process continues to move at a glacial pace, there is no way that this plan will meet our energy needs or result in the stepped-up production we require. . ."

 

    House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) was highly critical of the proposal and called it a 5-year drilling ban on the majority of offshore areas. He said, "After imposing a nearly three-year moratorium on new offshore drilling by discarding the 2010-2015 lease plan that allowed for new development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), the Obama Administration announced a draft plan today that closes the majority of the OCS to new energy production through 2017. The Administration's draft five-year plan prohibits new offshore drilling and only allows lease sales to occur in areas that are already open. The draft plan includes lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic -- leaving portions of Alaska and the entire Atlantic and Pacific Coasts off-limits to new energy production and job creation."

    Rep. Hastings continued, "In 2008, a bipartisan agreement was reached to lift the decades-long ban on new offshore drilling and open new areas off the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic coasts. Since President Obama took office, he has systematically taken steps to re-impose an offshore drilling moratorium and today he is one step closer to making that a reality for the next five years. The Obama Administration's draft plan places some of the most promising energy resources in the world off-limits and indefinitely abandons the scheduled lease sale off the coast of Virginia that was supposed to take place last year.

"No new drilling or new lease sales will occur during President Obama's term in office -- despite the overwhelming support of the American people for new offshore energy production. The President's plan is to simply say 'no' to new energy production and 'no' to new American jobs created by new offshore drilling. It's a plan that is sending American jobs overseas, forfeiting new revenue, and denying access to American energy that would lessen our dependence on hostile Middle Eastern oil. Developing the United State's offshore resources would create over a million jobs, generate billions in revenue and significantly reduce foreign oil imports. It's been six months since the House has passed bipartisan bills to reverse the Obama moratorium and allow new offshore drilling and the Democrat-controlled Senate has failed to act."

    American Petroleum Institute (API) Group Director of Upstream and Industry Operations Erik Milito said he welcomed the announcement but said it he was disappointed with the "trimmed down" proposal. He said, "Moving forward with the proposed 2012-2017 five-year OCS leasing program is a good first step. However, this is a missed opportunity to open additional areas that could have helped address rising energy demand, create American jobs and reduce the federal deficit.  

    "There is significant public support for policies that expand our domestic energy development, diversify our energy sources, and advance energy technologies. We hope that many more lease sales will follow in the Gulf and in Alaska. And we urge the administration to reconsider its decision to exclude other offshore regions, such as the vast majority of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, offshore Virginia, and elsewhere off of the Atlantic Coast, from lease sales until 2017. Taking these areas off the table at this stage could impede the nation's drive toward enhancing both its economic and energy security. Opening these areas could create additional jobs, enhance our economic growth and energy security, and create a national energy policy that our country needs. Unfortunately, the proposed plan falls short of this approach."  

    API indicated that the proposed program will have sales scheduled in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico and the Beaufort, Chukchi, and Cook Inlet in Alaska. No sales are scheduled for the Atlantic, Pacific, or Eastern Gulf of Mexico. "Despite our disappointment with this trimmed down leasing program, we will continue to seek more robust offshore lease sales in the future. We are confident such sales will highlight the industry's ability to develop American resources responsibly while spurring the economy."

    Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st Century Energy issued a statement saying they were disappointed and stating, "Today the administration's proposed leasing plan rejected the opportunity to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in this country by taking yet another step to constrain options for increased domestic energy production. Oil and natural gas production on federal lands continues to decline under this administration, and the new Offshore Oil & Gas Program does not provide much hope that this destructive trend will be reversed anytime soon. We are disappointed that the administration is once again forgoing an opportunity to make our energy future more secure and our economy more competitive. We will continue to call on the president to revise this nearsighted approach and include areas in the mid-Atlantic and eastern Gulf of Mexico that were included in previous versions of the Offshore Oil & Gas Program, as well as preserve the opportunity of greater exploration in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas off of Alaska."

    Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO for Defenders of Wildlife said, "The Obama administration made the wise decision to protect vast tracts of the country's oceans from oil and gas exploration. However, the inclusion of the Arctic Ocean in the country's five-year drilling plan is indefensible. From the extreme and unpredictable conditions of the region to the lack of a realistic spill response, the risks of a drilling disaster in the Arctic remain too high to authorize exploratory drilling. While the announcement proposes to address these threats by deferring drilling for a handful of years, the only way to protect this fragile marine environment from the threats posed by dangerous oil and gas exploration is to take it off the table altogether. Instead of enabling our country's addiction to oil for five more years, the administration should strengthen its efforts to wean America off dirty fossil fuels, accelerating the transition to a clean energy future."

    Earthjustice attorney Holly Harris issued a statement saying, "Secretary Salazar is right to admit that we need more science and the capacity to clean up an oil spill in the icy waters of the Arctic. For those same reasons, he is wrong to propose new leasing in the Arctic and he was wrong in August to have approved part one of the largest Arctic Ocean drilling proposal in the history of our country. Today's announcement also makes clear the government made a serious mistake last month when it affirmed its decision to lease 2.7 million acres of Arctic Ocean bottom in the Chukchi Sea given Secretary Salazar now acknowledges the need to gain a better scientific understanding of this region before developing oil.

    "The federal government scientists admit big gaps in what they know about the basic features of the Arctic Ocean like where various species of fish and marine mammals live and feed at different times of the year, how ocean currents move and affect the food chain in this ocean and how an oil spill could be stopped and cleaned up under frozen ice. It's hard to imagine a responsible way to develop oil now in this largely unknown body of water when we don't understand what harms we need to avoid or how to avoid them."

    Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director at the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) said, "Last year's disaster in the Gulf of Mexico was supposed to be a wake-up call about the dangers of offshore drilling, but it looks like President Obama hit the snooze button and slept right through it. We just can't keep expanding offshore drilling and not expect to have more disastrous spills. Gulf of Mexico communities are still reeling from the impacts of last year's oil spill, and now the president wants to put those same communities at risk again. The administration's claiming significant steps have been taken to make drilling safer, but in fact there's been no fundamental reform that can keep the Gulf of Mexico or the Arctic safe from the next spill catastrophe. Polar bears are already teetering at the brink of extinction. Policies that worsen climate change and raise the risk of disastrous oil spills in their habitat will push them over the edge."

    Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said, "Green-lighting more oil drilling under inadequate safety measures is a reckless gamble we cannot afford. The President's Oil Spill Commission put forth a gameplan to improve the industry's safety, but it has yet to be realized. Congress has failed to pass a single law to better protect workers or the environment. Industry has not invested sufficiently in developing the technologies needed to prevent future disasters. And the government still needs additional resources and science in order to effectively police an industry that so desperately needs it. Today, the Gulf region is still struggling to rebuild. This is not the time to put the region at greater risk. Nor is it the time to open the doors to drilling in the treacherous and remote Arctic, which is more than a thousand miles from the closest clean-up crew and home to pristine habitat for a range of endangered species. This is just another distraction from our clean energy future. . ."

    Access a release from Senator Murkowski (click here). Access the statement from Sen. Landrieu (click here). Access a release, maps and chronology from Rep. Hastings (click here). Access a release from API (click here). Access the U.S. Chamber statement (click here). Access a release from Defenders (click here). Access a release from Earthjustice (click here). Access a release from CBD (click here). Access a release from NRDC (click here). Access a release from DOI with multiple links to the proposal details and information (click here). [#Energy/OCS]

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White House On Sen. Paul's Effort To Roll Back CSAPR

Nov 7: Heather Zichal the White House Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change pushed back strongly at the at the efforts of Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) to roll back EPA recently promulgated the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR). The final Transport Rule was published on August 8, 2011 [See WIMS 7/7/11] and on October 6, U.S. EPA signed a proposed rule, seeking comment on significant revisions to the final Transport Rule [See WIMS 10/7/11].

    Zichal said, "President Obama believes that American families should never be asked to choose between the health of their children and the health of the economy. That is a false choice. Four decades of success under the Clean Air Act have shown clearly that strong environmental protections and a strong economy can go hand in hand. To build on the tremendous success of the Clean Air Act, the Obama Administration has taken the most significant steps in a generation to reduce harmful pollution and promote public health. The new standards that we have issued or proposed -- to curb interstate pollution, reduce mercury exposure, and make our cars more fuel efficient, just to name a few -- will result in significant economic and health benefits each year."

    Zichal recounts that, "Just over forty years ago, the Senate did something that would be almost unthinkable today: It passed major legislation by a unanimous vote. That legislation was the Clean Air Act of 1970, signed by President Richard Nixon. Two decades later, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 were passed, again with large bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress, and signed by President George H. W. Bush." 

    Zichal said, "But today, Republicans in Congress are trying to use our current economic climate as an excuse to roll back clean air protections that Americans have counted on for decades. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is currently leading an effort to block the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) that would save tens of thousands of lives each year. In doing so, Senator Paul is using the Congressional Review Act to repeal this important rule and prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from protecting American families from cross-state pollution in the future." In January 2010, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), attempted to use the Congressional Review Act procedure to stop U.S. EPA from regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act [See WIMS 1/22/10].

    Zichal said, "Let's be clear -- this brazen effort doesn't just undermine the public health, it also undermines the judgment of the courts. In 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Washington, D.C. Circuit found critical flaws in the Bush Administration's efforts on interstate air pollution and directed the EPA to issue a replacement rule as quickly as possible. After seeking and incorporating extensive input from the public, the states, environmental and public health groups, as well as industry, the EPA finalized the Cross-State Air Pollution rule in July of this year."

    Zichal posted additional information on the CSAPR and the EPA estimated benefits of 13,000 to 34,000 premature deaths as well as other health benefits and said "the benefits of this rule are expected to far outweigh its costs, producing over $100 billion in net benefits each year."

    Senator Paul filed his disapproval resolution (S.J.Res.27) on September 8, 2011, pursuant to the provisions of the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Upon introduction, a disapproval resolution is referred to the committee of jurisdiction, which in this case will be the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), Chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA). If the committee does not favorably report the resolution, it may be discharged upon petition by 30 Senators. Once a disapproval resolution is placed on the Senate calendar, it is then subject to expedited consideration on the Senate floor, and not subject to filibuster and only needs a majority to pass. S.J.Res.27 was placed on Senate Legislative Calendar on November 3, 2011, and is on the Calendar of Business for today (November 8).   

    Today (November 8) the Office of Management & Budget issued an official Statement of Administration Policy saying, "If the President is presented with S.J.Res. 27, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the resolution." According to the statement, "The Administration strongly opposes S.J.Res.27, which would overturn a core Clean Air Act (CAA) rule that limits pollution that travels long distances and contributes to soot and smog in downwind States. By blocking this rule, S.J.Res.27 would cause substantial harm to public health and undermine our Nation's longstanding commitment to clean up pollution from power plants. . .

 

    "S.J.Res. 27 would undermine this progress by blocking the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), which would reduce harmful air pollution from power plants that threatens the health of downwind communities, especially the health of children, seniors, and other vulnerable populations. The CSAPR responds to a 2008 court decision directing EPA to replace the prior Administration's rule with a new rule to address the transport of air pollution across State boundaries. . . S.J.Res.27 would overturn this rule, jeopardize these public health and economic benefits, and perpetuate uncertainty for businesses, freezing investments in clean technologies."

    Access the complete blog post including links to Senator Paul's resolution and related information (click here). Access legislative details for S.J.Res.27 (click here). Access the November 8, Senate Calendar of Business (click here). Access the OMB veto statement (click here). [#Air]

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Bipartisan Senate Transportation Funding Bill Released

Nov 7: Following last weeks defeat in the Senate of the President's $60 billion infrastructure bill (S.1769, the Rebuild America Jobs Act) and the defeat of the Republican alternative bill (S.1786, the Long-Term Surface Transportation Extension Act) [See WIMS 11/4/11]; a bipartisan group of Senators has released the bill text for -- Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) -- legislation to reauthorize the nation's transportation programs for two years. The Senators include: Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee; James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee; Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Chairman of the EPW Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee; and Senator David Vitter (R-LA), Ranking Member of the EPW Subcommittee.

 

    Senator Boxer said, "I am proud to be Chairman of a committee that has joined together across party lines to write a strong, job-creating transportation bill. I believe that our bill will not only protect the 1.8 million existing transportation jobs, but we will also create up to an additional million jobs thanks to the way our bill leverages federal funds. My deepest thanks to my Ranking Member, Senator Jim Inhofe, the Subcommittee Chair, Senator Max Baucus and Subcommittee Ranking Member, Senator David Vitter."

 

    Senator Inhofe said, "I commend Senators Boxer, Vitter and Baucus for their work in striking the right balance on our highway bill, and I am pleased to join them as we unveil it today. Yesterday's votes on both the Democrat and Republican infrastructure bills showed that there is a strong bipartisan majority in the Senate that supports putting Americans back to work by building our roads and bridges. I look forward to working with my EPW colleagues to pass this bill -- which is proven to help strengthen our economy and create jobs -- in the committee next week."

 

    Senator Baucus said, "Maintaining a strong transportation system is a proven way to create jobs and keep America strong and competitive, something we need now more than ever. Because Montana is a highway state, we know firsthand that the smart transportation investments in this bill will deliver big returns in construction jobs in the short term and they will support American commerce around the country and around the world for years to come. This is a bipartisan package everyone can support."

 

    Senator Vitter said, "I'm encouraged that we've found an efficient way of addressing some of our most important transportation needs.  The American people -- and many American businesses -- depend on reliable infrastructure, and I'm glad that we were able to find some common ground with this bipartisan bill."

 

    According to a release, the legislation maintains funding at current levels, reforms the nation's transportation programs to make them more efficient, and provides robust assistance for transportation projects under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program to leverage state, local, and private-sector funding. The bill will be marked up in the EPW Committee on November 9 at 10:00 AM ET. The current surface transportation bill expires on March 31, and many groups, ranging from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the AFL-CIO, have called for immediate action to reauthorize the nation's transportation programs.

 

    In a summary of the legislation the Senators identify key highlights of the bill as follows:

•  Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) reauthorizes the Federal-aid highway program at the Congressional Budget Office's baseline level—equal to current funding levels plus inflation—for two fiscal years.
• MAP-21 consolidates the number of Federal programs by two-thirds, from about 90 programs down to less than 30, to focus resources on key national goals and reduce duplicative programs.
• Eliminates earmarks.
• Expedites project delivery while protecting the environment.
• Creates a new title called "America Fast Forward," which strengthens the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program (TIFIA) program to leverage federal dollars further than they have been stretched before.
• Consolidates certain programs into a focused freight program to improve the movement of goods.

    The bill would establish three new core programs as follows:

• National Highway Performance Program – This section consolidates existing programs (the Interstate Maintenance, National Highway System, and Highway Bridge programs) to create a single new program, which will provide increased flexibility, while guiding state and local investments to maintain and improve the conditions and performance of the National Highway System (NHS). This program will eliminate the barriers between existing programs that limit states' flexibility to address the most vital needs for highways and bridges and holds states accountable for improving outcomes and using tax dollars efficiently.
• Transportation Mobility Program – This program replaces the current Surface Transportation Program, but retains the same structure, goals and flexibility to allow states and metropolitan areas to invest in the projects that fit their unique needs and priorities. It also gives a broad eligibility of surface transportation projects that can be constructed. Activities that previously received dedicated funding in SAFETEA-LU, but are being consolidated under MAP-21, will be retained as eligible activities under the Transportation Mobility Program.
• National Freight Network Program – Our nation's economic health depends on a transportation system that provides for reliable and timely goods movements. Unfortunately, the condition and capacity of the highway system has failed to keep up with the growth in freight movement and is hampering the ability of businesses to efficiently transport goods due to congestion. MAP-21 addresses the need to improve goods movement by consolidating existing programs into a new focused freight program that provides funds to the states by formula for projects to improve regional and national freight movements on highways, including freight intermodal connectors.

    Access a release from the Senators (click here). Access a 4-page bill summary (click here). Access the complete 600-page draft bill (click here). [#Transport]

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GOP & Senate Rules Defeat $60 Billion Infrastructure Funding Bill

Nov 3: Senate Republicans and rules requiring 60 votes in order to consider contested legislation combined to defeat the "infrastructure piece" (S.1769, the Rebuild America Jobs Act) [See WIMS 11/2/11] of the President's overall American Jobs Act, by a 51-49 vote. The President issued the following statement:

 

    "For the third time in recent weeks, every single Republican in the United States Senate has chosen to obstruct a jobs bill that independent economists said would boost our economy and put Americans back to work. At a time when more than a million construction workers are looking for a job, they voted "no" to putting them back to work doing the work America needs done -- rebuilding  our roads, bridges, airports and transit systems. That makes no sense.

    "It makes no sense when you consider that this bill was made up of the same kinds of common-sense proposals that many of these Senators have fought for in the past. It was fully paid for. And even though it was supported by more than 70 percent of the American people -- Republicans, Democrats, and independents -- 100 percent of Senate Republicans said no. It's more clear than ever that Republicans in Washington are out of touch with Americans from all ends of the political spectrum.

    "The American people deserve to know why their Republican representatives in Washington refuse to put some of the workers hit hardest by the economic downturn back on the job rebuilding America. They deserve an explanation as to why Republicans refuse to step up to the plate and do what's necessary to create jobs and grow the economy right now. It's time for Republicans in Congress to put country ahead of party and listen to the people they were elected to serve. It's time for them to do their job and focus on Americans' jobs.  And until they do, I will continue to do everything in my power to move this country forward."

    After voting to defeat the President's proposal, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) offered the Republican alternative bill, S.1786, the Long-Term Surface Transportation Extension Act. That bill was also defeated along party lines by a vote of 53-47 (60-vote threshold).  In discussing the Republican alternative bill, Senator McConnell said:

    "We're going to see two very different approaches to infrastructure and job creation today. The American people can decide for themselves which one makes more sense. The Republican proposal extends the current highway bill for another two years, giving states and contractors the certainty they need to start new infrastructure projects and create jobs. The legislation Senator Hatch is proposing today puts an end to that uncertainty for the next two years. This proposal also gives states the authority to decide how this money is spent. If folks in Ohio or Kentucky want to build a bridge, Washington can't force them to build a bike path.

    "The Republican proposal accelerates the review period and clears away the bureaucratic red tape. The President admitted a few months ago that the shovel-ready projects in his first stimulus bill didn't turn out to be as shovel-ready as he thought. Our proposal helps make sure they are. Our bill prohibits the EPA from imposing burdensome and unnecessary new regulations on American cement producers and domestic boilers, so the cost of American-made materials for the projects paid for through this highway bill don't skyrocket just as they're set to begin. This bill keeps those costs down. Best of all, it's fully paid for through funds that were originally appropriated for another purpose but not spent. Whatever's left over after these projects are funded goes to pay down the deficit. . ."   

    Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, issued a statement following the two votes saying, "It is outrageous that Republicans defeated President Obama's bill, which would put people back to work by investing in our nation's aging infrastructure. Instead of supporting the President's proposal, Republicans offered a bill that would roll back public health safeguards and cause massive job losses through draconian funding cuts to programs that help all Americans."

    Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member on the EPW Committee issued a lengthy statement saying in part, ". . .after today's vote on President Obama's failed infrastructure plan, I urge my colleagues to turn their attention now to a bill that is proven to create jobs and give our economy a much-needed boost. Of course, I'm talking about the bipartisan highway bill that I am sponsoring with my good friends, Senators Boxer, Vitter and Baucus. Most people are amazed at how close Senator Boxer and I are on this issue. While I appreciate President Obama's acknowledgement that infrastructure spending is highly effective at spurring job growth, it is clear that his plan was all show with no substance.  His bill was purely a political opportunity: it gave him a chance to stand in front of a bridge and make a speech about creating jobs, knowing full well that his bill would never pass. . .

    "The good news is that today's votes, on both the Democrat and Republican infrastructure bills, showed that there is a strong bipartisan majority in the Senate that supports creating jobs and strengthening our economy by rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges.  Fortunately, Senator Boxer and I are about to unveil our highway bill, which will do just that. . ."

    Last month, Senators Boxer, Inhofe Baucus (D-MT), and Vitter (R-LA), announced that they will markup a two-year surface transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), on November 9 in the EPW Committee.

    Access the statement from the President (click here). Access the statement from Senator McConnell (click here). Access the statement from Senator Boxer including links to information on the MAP-21 proposal (click here). Access the release from Senator Inhofe (click here). Access legislative details including links to roll call votes for S.1769 (click here). Access legislative details including links to roll call votes for S.1786 (click here). [#Transport]

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DOE Secretary Chu Discusses U.S. & The Global Clean Energy Race

Nov 3: In his speech to the Washington Post Live Smart Energy Conference, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu highlighted the choice America faces on whether or not to take advantage of the huge economic opportunity and compete with countries like China in the clean energy race.

    Recounting some history, Secretary Chu said, "On a windy day at Kitty Hawk on December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers launched the world's first powered airplane to achieve human flight – and with it, a whole new industry. For the next several years, they led the world. What is less appreciated is that the United States lost the technology lead in airplanes by the beginning of World War I. Although the U.S. military was the first and major customer of the Wright Brothers and their competitor, Glenn Curtiss, between 1908 and 1913, the United States ranked 14th in government investment in aviation. The low level of government showed: When we entered the war in 1917, we were so far behind that our allies convinced us to produce European designed aircraft. . .

    "The second lesson involves the history of the automobile. In 1885, the modern gasoline-powered internal combustion engine was invented in Germany by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz.  Henry Ford didn't invent the automobile; he invented the assembly line, which greatly increased worker productivity. America became the dominant automobile manufacturing force in the world by becoming the low-cost, high-quality mass producer. As the price of cars came down, the market exploded.  More factories were built and more workers were hired – and America dominated the auto industry. . .

    "My final lesson is about information technologies. American ingenuity created the technologies upon which modern electronics were born, but federal support helped usher in the telecommunications era. The U.S. saw the potential of this emerging industry and took action to help foster its growth. The military was an early adopter of computers. The Defense Department backed research that helped lead to the development of Internet technology. The purchasing power of the Air Force, NASA and other federal agencies guaranteed a market and drove down costs for microchips, making them affordable and widely available for use in a range of technologies. . .

    "Once again, there is a huge opportunity before us – a global clean energy market that is already worth an estimated $240 billion and is growing rapidly. In fact, a very reasonable estimate is that solar photovoltaic systems alone represent a global market worth more than $80 billion this year. To put that $80 billion in perspective, that's nearly as much as Americans spend every year on beer. The difference is that the solar PV market will grow and will dwarf the beer market. The United States built an early lead in the clean energy race. Solar cells, wind turbines, and lithium ion batteries were all invented here.  But we are no longer the leading manufacturer of any of those technologies. In keeping with the comparison with beer, in 2009, we spent $7.1 billion on potato chips – $2 billion more than our federal investments in energy research.

    "History is repeating itself – just like we took the lead in automobiles from Germany, other countries have studied the U.S. playbook and are using it to take the lead from us.  While some people in Washington are debating whether the clean energy economy is real or whether we should try to compete, other countries are seizing the opportunity. Nowhere is this more evident than in China.  Last year in Shanghai, I visited Suntech, currently the leading photovoltaic manufacturer in the world. They import their silicon wafer material from the United States, because the electrical energy required to refine the silicon is much less in the U.S. They add the high technology processing steps in a highly automated facility in China. Suntech is not only a low-cost leader, at the time of my visit they held the record for the highest efficiency poly-silicon solar cells in the world. Suntech is trying to do to us what Henry Ford did to Daimler and Benz. . .

    "While we've made progress, the United States is at a crossroads.  Many clean energy tax incentives are expiring.  The 1705 loan guarantee program closed on September 30th, and we've obligated virtually all of our Recovery Act money. America faces a choice today: Are we going to recognize the opportunity and compete in the clean energy race or will we wave the white flag and watch all of these jobs go to China, Korea, Germany and other countries? . . .

    "We had this same debate in 2008 and 2009 about the auto industry. A lot of people in this town were ready to give up on U.S. auto manufacturing. President Obama refused to let the U.S. auto industry collapse. Today, Ford, GM and Chrysler are profitable and are creating jobs and quality products. After seven straight years of decline, America's auto manufacturers expanded their output by 35 percent last year. The President took action because auto manufacturing is a lifeblood of our economy.  A Center for Automotive Research report found that nearly 8 million jobs are impacted by U.S. auto manufacturers, suppliers and dealers. This includes jobs directly connected to manufacturing and other jobs that benefit when workers spend their paychecks. The critics were wrong about the auto industry. I believe they are just as wrong today when they say we shouldn't bother investing in efficient vehicles or clean energy. . .

    "To those in Washington who say we cannot or should not compete, I say: that's not who we are. In America, when we fall behind, we don't give up. We dig in and come back. Why should we concede one of the biggest growing markets in the world that is in our sweet spot: technological and manufacturing innovation? America has the opportunity to lead the world in clean energy technologies and provide the foundation for our prosperity. We remain the most innovative country in the world ... but "Invented in America" is not good enough. We need to ensure that these technologies are invented in America, made in America and sold around the world.  That's how we'll prosper in the 21st century."

    Access Secretary Chu's complete speech with links to referenced information (click here). [#Energy/Green]

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President's $60 Billion In Infrastructure Funding Likely To Fail

Nov 2: As part of President Obama's "We Can't Wait" campaign, he delivered remarks in front of Washington, DC's Key Bridge and urged Congress to pass the transportation piece of the American Jobs Act (AJA), which he said would make an immediate investment of $50 billion in the nation's transportation infrastructure and a $10 billion investment to create a bipartisan National Infrastructure Bank. He indicated that together, the initiatives would put hundreds of thousands of construction workers back on the job rebuilding our roads, rails, and runways.

    A White House release reports that according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, the Key Bridge is in need of crucial repairs and maintenance work. In order to ensure the Key Bridge remains both safe and functional well into the future, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) proposed a $20 million project to rehabilitate and repair critical portions of the bridge. However, the city is deferring this maintenance to 2015 due to a lack of funds. If Congress passes this bill, DDOT could make these critical repairs more quickly and put Americans back to work as early as 2013.

    The President said, "Construction workers have been among the Americans hit hardest over the past few years. And that makes no sense when there's so much of America that needs rebuilding. This week, Congress has the chance to do something about it and pass a bill that will put hundreds of thousands of construction workers back to work rebuilding our roads, bridges, airports and transit systems. It's a bill that includes the kinds of ideas both parties have voted for in the past, it's paid for, and its ideas are supported by an overwhelming majority of the American people. It's time for Congress to act."

    The White House released a report entitled, Recent Examples of the Economic Benefits From Investing In Infrastructure, to highlight the importance of rebuilding roads, bridges, railways, and airports across the nation. The report states, "In order to meet the needs of a growing economy, there is an ongoing need for new investments to maintain, upgrade, and expand the nation's stock of transportation infrastructure." The report highlights projects from Arizona, D.C., Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

    The Administration also announced several "common-sense steps" it has taken to improve the process of reviewing and approving transportation projects, help cut red tape, and leverage additional private sector funding in order to promote private sector growth and job creation. The steps include:

• Directing the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to award $527 million in competitive TIGER grants by the end of 2011 -- months ahead of schedule. The TIGER program puts American workers back on the job by helping to rebuild our nation's roads and bridges, and working on innovative projects like streetcar and light rail systems. This year, DOT received about 1,000 applications, including at least one from every state.
• Directing DOT to shorten the application process for the 2012 round of TIFIA funding [Transportation Infrastructure Finance And Innovation Act], which will accelerate projects and put workers back on the job more quickly. TIFIA provides up to one-third of the financing needed for bridge, tunnel, toll, transit, and other large-scale transportation projects. That means the annual funding level of $110 million in TIFIA funds can support projects totaling up to $3 billion in construction.
• Establishing a Transportation Rapid Response Team to expedite reviews of surface transportation projects. Co-chaired by the Council on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Department of Transportation, the team will identify and implement best practices to improve the transparency, efficiency and effectiveness of environmental review and permit decisions for transportation projects, protecting public health and putting Americans back to work.

    On the motion to proceed S.1769, the Rebuild America Jobs Act.the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said, "I hope we can work out something to have a vote on this most important measure. It is very important. This is a piece of legislation that the entire population of America supports by a ratio of some 76 percent. Republicans support it; Democrats support it; Independents support it. The only people in the world who do not support it are Republicans here in the Senate. So I hope we can work out something and move to this and it would be unnecessary for us to have to have cloture invoked or try to have cloture invoked." Senator Reid indicated that a cloture vote would be held on Thursday morning (November 3) if some deal between Democrats and Republican cannot be worked out.

 

    In a separate release, Senator Reid said, "Tomorrow the Senate will vote on the Rebuild America Jobs Act, a plan to put hundreds of thousands of Americans back to work constructing thousands of miles of roads and bridges, runways and train tracks. The plan is paid for with a small tax -- less than a penny -- on every dollar a person earns in excess of $1 million a year. The legislation asks millionaires and billionaires to contribute just a little bit more than they do today, knowing there is a price tag associated with getting our economy back on track. My Republican colleagues say they oppose this plan to hire hundreds of thousands of construction workers and rebuild our nation's collapsing infrastructure because they believe the wealthiest Americans can't afford to pay a few pennies more. But even the majority of the people who would pay this tax say that simply isn't true. They support our plan. . .

 

    "So, tomorrow my Republican colleagues will face a choice. The choice is not whether to invest in roads or bridges, or whether the richest of the rich can spare a few dollars for the sake of our economy. The choice is about priorities. Who will Republicans put first — the millions of ordinary Americans struggling to find work and put food on the table? Or the millionaires and billionaires whose biggest problem is that they may have to pay an additional $7,000 on the second million they make each year?. . . Seventy-two percent of Americans, including 54 percent of Republicans, want us to pass this plan. And 76 percent of them, including 56 percent of Republicans, want us to pay for it by asking the nation's wealthiest citizens to contribute their fair share. . ."

 

    Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) did not respond to Senator Reid's remarks directly, but instead urged the Senate to take up what Republicans are calling the House-passed "Forgotten 15" -- referring to 15 bills that have bee passed in the House and are now waiting to be considered in the Senate [See WIMS 10/28/11]. Senator McConnell said, ". . .the Republican Majority in the House of Representatives has been passing bills that actually have a chance of gaining bipartisan support and becoming law. They're actually trying to get something done.

    "Unlike the President and the Democrats who run the Senate, House Republicans are designing legislation to pass, rather than fail. They want to make a difference rather than a point. And the only thing keeping these bills from becoming law is the fact that Democrats in the Senate won't take them up. We know the President's strategy. His so-called jobs bill has one purpose: to divide us. Just this morning, I read a story that quoted some Democrat operative almost bragging about the fact that they don't except any of the legislation the President's been out there talking about on his bus tour to pass. They openly admit these bills are designed to fail.

    "It's not exactly a state secret that Republicans -- and yes, some Democrats -- don't think we should be raising taxes right now on the very people we're counting on to create the jobs we need to get us out of a jobs crisis. And yet the one thing that every single proposal Democrats bring to the floor has in common is that it does just that. So the Democrats' plan is to keep putting bills on the floor they know ahead of time we'll vote against, instead of trying to solve the problem. And they don't even hide it. The President's top strategist actually issued a memo a few weeks ago saying the President would use this legislation not as a way to help people but as a way to pummel Republicans. Meanwhile, House Republicans have passed bill after bill that are actually designed to do something. . . [Senator McConnell listed the 15 bills passed by the House]

    "This is just the latest example of a simple, bipartisan bill that struggling businesses are begging us to pass.  But that Senate Democrats are holding up right now because it doesn't fit with their story line. "I'm not saying they have to vote on every one of these bills just as they are. There's an amendments process for that. "But why not take them up? "Everyone would help create jobs. And none of them would raise taxes. . .

    "What we're witnessing in Washington right now is two very different styles of governance: a Republican majority in the House that believes we should actually do something about the problems we face, and which has put together and actually passed bipartisan legislation that would help address those problems. And a Democratic Majority in the Senate that's teamed up with the White House on a strategy of doing nothing -- all for the sake of trying to score political points and spread the blame for an economy that their own policies have cemented into place as they look ahead to an election that's more than a year away. . ."

    Access a release from the White House (click here). Access the White House report on infrastructure projects (click here). Access a release from Sen. Reid (click here). Access the complete statement and video from Sen. McConnell (click here). Access legislative details for S.1769 (click here). [#Transport]

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Dire Warnings From UN On State Of The Global Environment

Nov 1: A report from the United Nations which tracks the environmental changes the planet has gone through over the past 20 years warns that concerted and rapid action is urgently needed to curb resource depletion and ensure human activities do not destroy the very environment that supports economies and sustains life. The report, Keeping Track Of Our Changing Environment: From Rio to Rio+20, compiles relevant statistical data on population, climate change, energy and food security among other key issues, to draw a picture of the current environmental landscape, spotlighting challenges ahead. The report is part of the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP's) Global Environmental Outlook-5 (GEO-5) series, which assesses the state and trends of the global environment. The full GEO-5 report will be launched next May, one month ahead of Rio+20.  

    Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director said the report was a timely reminder for world leaders of the areas that continue to need urgent attention such as the rapid build-up of greenhouse gases (GHG), the erosion of biodiversity and the use of natural resources, which increased by 40 per cent from 1992 to 2005, a much faster pace than population growth. Other key issues highlighted by the report include: ongoing forest loss in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, with a decrease of 300 million hectares (741 million acres) of forest areas in the region since 1990, and the diminishing glaciers which have influenced the current rise in sea-levels, threatening the well-being of approximately one sixth of the world's population. Steiner said the report also highlights areas where progress has been made and "underlines how, when the world decides to act it can dramatically alter the trajectory of hazardous trends that threaten human well-being -- action to phase-out ozone-damaging chemicals being a spirited and powerful example."

    The report notes that many environmental issues, which were only emerging in 1992, when the Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, are now part of mainstream policy-making in many countries due to consumer and civil society demands. Some of these issues include the implementation of recycling practices, the commercialization of renewable energy, the rise in sales of organic products and eco-labeling, and the use of carbon trading as a way to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the report draws attention to the increase in the support for developing green economies, with more government investment in ways to effectively manage their resources and curb their carbon emissions as part of their broader economic development strategy.

    Steiner said the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro next June could help address the negative effects mentioned in the report and enhance efforts already having a positive impact. He said, Rio+20, under the two themes of a Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and an institutional framework for sustainable development, can, with the requisite level of leadership, trigger the necessary switches that may ensure that the balance of negative versus positive trends moves from the red into the black and that the right to development is enjoyed by the many rather than the few."

    The report points out that as the world's population has now reached 7 billion, urban population has grown by 45 per cent since 1992. Yet, the percentage of slum dwellers has dropped from 46 per cent in 1990 to a third in 2010, thanks to improved housing and sanitation. The number of megacities with at least 10 million people has grown from 10 in 1992 to 21 last year -- a 110 per cent increase; and 1.4 billion people globally have no access to reliable electricity or the power grid.

    The authors of the report point out that the lack of sufficient, solid data and monitoring systems to measure progress remains an obstacles to achieving the environmental goals set by the international community. The report highlights the missing pieces in our knowledge about the state of the environment, calling for global efforts to collect scientifically-credible data for environmental monitoring. The Eye on Earth Summit, to be held in Abu Dhabi next month (December 12-15), presents one such opportunity, where scientists, policymakers and governments will work together to define the key challenges and solutions related to environmental data access and sharing.

    Access a release from the UN with links to related information (click here). Access a more detailed release from UNEP (click here). Access the complete 111-page report (click here). Access more information on the Eye on Earth Summit (click here). [#All]

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