MWCC Announces Initial Deepwater Oil Spill Containment System

Subscribers Note: We will not be publishing on Monday, February 21, 2011,
in observance of the Washington's Birthday/President's Day Federal holiday.

 

Feb 17: The Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC) announced the completion and availability of an initial well containment response system that will provide rapid containment response capabilities in the event of a potential future underwater well control incident in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. MWCC is a not-for-profit, independent organization committed to improving capabilities for containing a potential underwater well control incident in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. ExxonMobil is leading the construction of the billion-dollar system in partnership with Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Shell. MWCC will own, operate, deploy and maintain the system.

 

    The initial response system includes a subsea capping stack with the ability to shut in oil flow or to flow the oil via flexible pipes and risers to surface vessels. The system also includes subsea dispersant injection equipment, manifolds and, through mutual aid among members, capture vessels to provide surface processing and storage. The company has consulted with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) to ensure the system is designed to meet the government's requirements as outlined in NTL No. 2010-N10.

 

    According to a release from MWCC, ExxonMobil, in partnership with Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Shell, continues to lead the

development of additional system components to expand the initial system's capabilities, with completion of the expanded system set for 2012. Marty Massey, chief executive officer said, "The Marine Well Containment Company has successfully developed a solution for rapid well containment response. This milestone fulfills a commitment set forth by the four sponsor companies to deliver a rapid containment response capability within the first six months of launching the marine well containment project."

 

    The interim system can operate in water depths up to 8,000 feet and has storage and processing capacity for up to 60,000 barrels per day of liquids. The capping stack has a maximum operating pressure of 15,000 pounds per square inch. The equipment is located on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Membership in MWCC is open to all companies operating in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Members will have access to the initial well containment response system, as well as the expanded system upon completion of its construction. Non-members will also have access to the systems through a service agreement and fee.

 

    U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) reacted quickly to the MWCC announcement and said he "welcomed the opportunity for increased American energy production in response to news that a well containment system is now operational in the Gulf." He said, "Development of an underwater oil containment system was a key condition for reinstatement of Gulf oil production after last year's catastrophic Deepwater Horizon spill." Upton also praised a ruling by Judge Martin Feldman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana that ordered the Department of Interior to act on five outstanding deep-water drilling permits within 30 days.

    Rep. Upton said, "Completion of the well containment response system is welcome news for the families in the Gulf region who rely on energy production for their livelihoods, but who have remained sidelined since the spill. And ultimately, this is good news for all Americans. The more energy we can produce safely here at home, the more secure and energy-independent our nation will be." 

    U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) also welcomed the news that oil and gas operators had successfully tested a new rapid response containment system that can trap as much as 60,000 barrels of oil per day from a leaking deepwater well and stop a spill within weeks. She said, "This means that instead of developing a containment system during the spill, as we saw happen with the Macondo well in the BP Deepwater Horizon spill, the equipment is already built, tested and ready to be deployed as necessary.  This should give BOEMRE and the American public complete confidence that oil will not spew into the environment for days on end.  This test provides assurance that the industry can contain a spill, if necessary."

    Senator Landrieu also issued a release commenting On Judge Feldman's order. She said in part, "Sen. Landrieu said, "Once again, BOEMRE's delay tactics to avoid issuing new drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico have drawn federal court intervention.  Just two weeks ago, Judge Feldman found Secretary Salazar in contempt for his failure to comply with an earlier order to lift the moratorium on permits.  Now, Judge Feldman is giving BOEMRE a deadline to do its job. . . What's the matter with this agency?  Do they think they are above the law?  Their foot-dragging is squeezing Louisiana's economy.  Rigs are leaving the Gulf for other parts of the world, taking thousands of jobs with them.  Just last week, one company, Seahawk Drilling, filed for bankruptcy because it can't get a drilling permit. . ."

   

    Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. also announced on January 21, 2011, that it has executed agreements for its Helix Fast Response System (HFRS) to be named as a spill response resource for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM) in response plans submitted by oil and gas producers with state and Federal authorities. The HFRS centers on two vessels, the Helix Producer I and the Q4000, both of which played a key role in the BP Macondo spill response and are presently operating in the GOM. Helix signed an agreement with Clean Gulf Associates (CGA), a non-profit industry group, making the HFRS available for a two year term to CGA participants in the event of a GOM well blow out incident in exchange for a retainer fee. In addition to the agreement with CGA, Helix also has signed separate utilization agreements with 19 CGA participant member companies to date specifying the day rates to be charged should the solution be deployed. Owen Kratz, CEO of Helix said, "We are pleased to have reached agreements with a key group of industry players to provide the Gulf of Mexico's first proven spill containment system. We firmly believe that our proven, industry-led solution is critical to establishing confidence in the industry's ability to respond to potential blow out incidents in the region."

    Access a release from MWCC (click here). Access the MWCC website for more information including pictures of the interim system capping stack (click here). Access a release from Rep. Upton (click here). Access a release from Senator Landrieu on MWCC (click here). Access a release from Senator Landrieu on the Feldman order (click here). Access a release from Helix Energy on the HFRS system and link to more information (click here).

 

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- EPA Wants Public Comment On Plan to Review Regulations
- Comments Wanted On Tools & Guidance For Agriculture GHG Footprint

- Upton Questions $535 Million Loan Guarantee To Solyndra, Inc.
- EPA Administrator Travels To Kenya & Ethiopia
- USDA Online Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America
- EPA Awards $5.5 Million For Nanotechnology Research
- Klamath Irrigation District v. U.S.

(Click here for details)

President Announces Plans For America's Great Outdoors Initiative

Feb 16: President Barack Obama announced the Administration's action plan, under the America's Great Outdoors Initiative, to achieve lasting conservation of the outdoor spaces that power our nation's economy, shape our culture, and build our outdoor traditions. The initiative seeks to reinvigorate the country's approach to conservation and reconnect Americans, especially young people, with the lands and waters that are used for farming and ranching, hunting and fishing, and for families to spend quality time together. Recognizing that many of these places and resources are under intense pressure, the President established the America's Great Outdoors Initiative last April to work with the American people in developing a conservation and recreation agenda that makes sense for the 21st century.

    The new report released -- The America's Great Outdoors Report -- outlines ways in which the Federal government will help empower local communities "to accomplish their conservation and recreation priorities by recognizing that the best ideas come from outside of Washington." Last summer, senior administration officials held 51 listening sessions across the country to gather input from Americans about the outdoor places and activities that they value most. These sessions drew more than 10,000 participants and more than 105,000 written comments, shaping an action plan that, based on local initiatives and support, when implemented will result in:

• Accessible parks or green spaces for our children.
• A new generation of great urban parks and community green spaces.
• Newly-restored river restorations and recreational "blueways" that power economic revitalization in communities.
• Stronger support for farmers, ranchers, and private landowners that help protect rural landscapes and provide access for recreation.
• The reinvestment of revenues from oil and gas extraction into the permanent protection of parks, open spaces, wildlife habitat, and access for recreational activities.
• A 21st century conservation ethic that builds on local ideas and solutions for environmental stewardship and connects to our historic, cultural, and natural heritage.

    In a speech at the White House, the President said in part, "To help set aside land for conservation and to promote recreation, we're proposing to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, for only the third time in our history.  (Applause.)  And we're intending to pay for it with existing oil and gas revenues, because our attitude is if you take something out of the Earth, you have a responsibility to give a little bit back to the Earth.  

    "So these are the right steps to take for our environment.  But they're also the right steps to take for our country.  They help spur the economy.  They create jobs by putting more Americans back to work in tourism and recreation.  They help inspire a new generation of scientists to learn how the world works. They help Americans stay healthier by making it easier to spend time outside.  And they'll help carry forth our legacy as a people who don't just make decisions based on short-term gains of any one group but on what's best for the entire nation in the long run. So working together to protect the environment we share, lifting up the best ideas wherever we find them, preserving the great outdoors for our children and for their children -- that's our responsibility."

 

    Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality said, "With children spending half as much time outside as their parents did, and with many Americans living in urban areas without safe access to green space, connecting to the outdoors is more important than ever for the economic and physical health of our communities. Through the America's Great Outdoors Initiative, this administration will work together with communities to ensure clean and accessible lands and waters, thriving outdoor cultures and economies, and healthy and active youth." 

    Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said, "The America's Great Outdoors Initiative is born out of a conversation with the American people about what matters most to them about the places where they live, work, and play. It's about practical, common-sense ideas from the American people on how our natural, cultural, and historic resources can help us be a more competitive, stronger, and healthier nation. Together, we are adapting our conservation strategies to meet the challenges of today and empowering communities to protect and preserve our working lands and natural landscapes for generations to come."

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, "America's farmlands and woodlands help fuel our economy and create jobs across the rural areas of our country. This plan seeks to work in partnership with landowners, conservation groups, states and others to conserve our working lands and our public lands and to reconnect Americans – especially our nation's youth – with opportunities to stay active. This blueprint was developed with input from the over 100,000 Americans in all corners of our country who joined our national listening sessions and who contributed their ideas online."

    U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said, "This initiative is an effort to reconnect Americans with the valuable resources all around them and shape a 21st century plan for protecting our great outdoors. It is important that our waters, lands and greenspaces are brought back into our daily lives. President Obama's initiative will help make these critical resources a national focus once again, and involve people of every background in conservation of the places that we hold dear."

    Specifically, the report calls for fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund, establishing a 21st century Conservation Service Corps to engage young Americans in public lands and water restoration, and extending the deduction for conservation easement donations on private lands beyond 2011, among other measures.

 

    Access a release on the Initiative (click here). Access the complete speech by the President (click here). Access a video of the President's speech (click here). Access the America's Great Outdoors Initiative website for the complete report and background (click here).

 

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- Enviros Outline "Crippling" Provisions In FY 2011 Spending Bill
- Groups Report On Tar Sands Pipeline Safety Risks
- EWG Says Even More Dramatic Reduction In Fluoride Needed
- DOE Task Force On Asset Revitalization
- $5 Million Opportunity For Graduate Automotive Technology Education
- 15 Groups Seek To Bar EPA Funding For E15

(Click here for details)

Major Budget Battle Looms With Massive Differences

Feb 15: President Obama held a press conference and discussed the Fiscal Year 2012 budget (ending September 30, 2012) which he released on February 14 [See WIMS 2/14/11] and other major issues. The President explained how his budget addresses the Administrations plans to reduce funding and yet maintain priority programs and the policy direction for the country. Following the President's address Republican leaders commented on the briefing. The results indicate that their are massive differences in funding levels, priority programs and policy direction between Republicans and Democrats and no clear path for resolution. One immediate deadline is the March 4 end of the Fiscal Year 2011 (ending September 30, 2011) Continuing Resolution (CR) that has provided a short-term extension of last year's funding levels through March 4. The House is currently considering its  H.R. 1 FY 11 funding bill and considering some 400 amendments. Senate action and approval will be necessary, possible reapprovals by the House and Senate if changes are made and then to the President for his signature. It remains to be seen if an approvable bill can make it to the President's desk with such major issue differences between the parties.

 

    At the press conference, President Obama said, "When I took office, I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term.  Our budget meets that pledge and puts us on a path to pay for what we spend by the middle of the decade. As a start, it freezes domestic discretionary spending over the next five years, which would cut the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and bring annual domestic spending to its lowest share of the economy since Dwight Eisenhower. . .

    "Still, even as we cut waste and inefficiency, this budget freeze will also require us to make some tough choices.  It will mean freezing the salaries of hardworking federal employees for the next two years.  It will mean cutting things I care about deeply, like community action programs for low-income communities.  And we have some conservation programs that are going to be scaled back.  These are all programs that I wouldn't be cutting if we were in a better fiscal situation.  But we're not. We also know that cutting annual domestic spending alone won't be enough to meet our long-term fiscal challenges.  That's what the bipartisan fiscal commission concluded; that's what I've concluded.  And that's why I'm eager to tackle excessive spending wherever we find it -– in domestic spending, but also in defense spending, health care spending, and spending that is embedded in the tax code. . . All of these steps are going to be difficult. And that's why all of them will require Democrats, independents, and Republicans to work together. . .

    "So I believe we can find this common ground, but we're going to have to work.  And we owe the American people a government that lives within its means while still investing in our future  -- in areas like education, innovation, and infrastructure that will help us attract new jobs and businesses to our shores.  That's the principle that should drive this debate in the coming months.  I believe that's how America will win the future in the coming years." The President went on to answer tough questions regarding the budget and the long-term deficit including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, accumulated debt and defense spending.

    House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), and Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) issued the following statement after President Obama's press conference and said:

    "The American people are ready to get serious about tackling our fiscal challenges, but President Obama's budget fails to lead. The President's budget punts on entitlement reform and actually makes matters worse by spending too much, taxing too much, and borrowing too much -- stifling job growth today and threatening our economic future.  

    "The President says that he wants to win the future, but we can't win the future by repeating the mistakes of the past or putting off our responsibilities in the present. Our budget will lead where the President has failed, and it will include real entitlement reforms so that we can have a conversation with the American people about the challenges we face and the need to chart a new path to prosperity. Our reforms will focus both on saving these programs for current and future generations of Americans and on getting our debt under control and our economy growing. By taking critical steps forward now, we can fulfill the mission of health and retirement security for all Americans without making changes for those in or near retirement. We hope the President and Democratic leaders in Congress will demonstrate leadership and join us in working toward responsible solutions to confront the fiscal and economic challenges before us."

 

    U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered following remarks on the Senate floor today (February 16) regarding a freeze in government spending. He said, "As the debate over government spending comes into focus this week, I think it's worth noting once again how this debate has shifted in recent weeks. After two years of bailouts and Stimulus bills, we're finally talking about how much government should cut instead of how much it should spend. Obviously, the details matter. And we'll be working those out in the weeks ahead. But the fact that this debate has shifted is a testament to the millions of Americans who insisted that their voices be heard on this issue. They've made a difference. It's important we acknowledge that.

    "Now the question shifts to whether those in power will actually follow through in any serious way. Will Democrat leaders in Washington really do something to rein in a government we can no longer afford, or will they just pretend to, and hope the American people focus on their words instead of their actions. Unfortunately, the early signs are discouraging. The President's response to the growing national alarm about spending and debt was a proposal to freeze government spending at the already-irresponsible levels that he himself has set over the past two years — levels that, if maintained, will only intensify the current crisis by putting us deeper and deeper in debt. The consensus on the President's proposal is that it's both unserious and irresponsible, and that, despite what the President may say, he's not in fact treating this crisis with the seriousness it demands. . ."

    Access the full text of the President's press conference including questions and responses (click here). Access a video of the President's press conference (click here). Access the statement from House Republican leaders (click here). Access the complete statement and video from Senator McConnell (click here).

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- Senate Hearing On Energy FY 12 Budget & Priorities
- U.S. GHG Emissions Have Grown 7.4 Percent From 1990
- DOI/BLM To Review Of Commercial Oil Shale Rules & Plans
- EPA Intercepts Illegal E-Waste Shipment Bound For Vietnam
- Corps Seeks Comments On Nationwide Permits Proposals
- DOE $343 Million Loan Guarantee For Nevada ON Line Project
- San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace v. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

(Click here for details)

OIG Finds Significant Problems With EPA Brownfields AAI Reviews

Feb 14: The U.S. EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report entitled, EPA Must Implement Controls to Ensure Proper Investigations Are Conducted at Brownfields Sites (No. 11-P-0107, February 14, 2011). OIG conducted the review to evaluate how EPA is ensuring that Brownfields Assessment grantees adhere to "all appropriate inquiries" (AAI) requirements. Grantees awarded EPA Brownfields Assessment grants must meet AAI requirements. AAI is the process of evaluating a property for potential environmental contamination and assessing potential liability for contamination. To ensure a proper investigation, grantees must conduct AAI in compliance with Federal regulations put into effect by EPA on November 1, 2006, and issue a report on findings.

 

    OIG found that EPA does not review AAI reports submitted by grantees to assure that they comply with Federal requirements. Rather, EPA has relied on the environmental professional conducting the AAI to self-certify that requirements are met. OIG said, "Of the 35 AAI reports we reviewed, from three EPA regions, none contained all the required documentation elements. This occurred because the Agency does not have management controls requiring EPA project officers to conduct oversight of AAI reports. Management controls regarding EPA oversight of Brownfields grants funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) are also missing. EPA has issued specific guidance and management controls for ARRA grant activities. However, the guidance and controls do not address oversight of AAI reports. "

 

    OIG indicated that because of EPA's lack of oversight and reliance on environmental professionals' self-certifications, AAI investigations not meeting Federal requirements may go undetected by Agency staff. OIG found instances of noncompliance that were not detected by Agency staff. Improper AAI investigations introduce risk that the environmental conditions of a property have not been properly or adequately assessed, which may lead to improper decisions about appropriate uses of brownfields properties. Ultimately, threats to human health and the environment could go unrecognized. Noncompliant AAI investigations may result in future grant denials and possible government reimbursement. The AAI reports the OIG reviewed were generated from $2.14 million in grant awards. If conditions merit, EPA is authorized to take back funds from noncompliant grantees. OIG said it "questions the value of the reports we reviewed."

 

    OIG recommended that "EPA establish accountability for compliant AAI reports, to include those conducted under ARRA Brownfields grants; develop a plan to review AAI reports to determine the reports' compliance with AAI documentation requirements; and establish criteria to determine whether noncompliant grantees should return Federal grant money." OIG said the Agency did not clearly agree or disagree with OIG recommendations. In its final response to the report, the Agency needs to agree or disagree with recommendations and, as appropriate, provide a corrective action plan to address the recommendations.

 

    OIG conducted the review in EPA headquarters, Regions 1 and 5, and two U.S. territories located in EPA Region 2 (Puerto Rico) and Region 9 (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or CNMI). OIG selected Regions 1 and 5 because of the high dollar value of grants awarded to these regions from fiscal years 2002 through 2008.

 

    Access the complete OIG report (click here).

 

THE REST OF TODAY'S NEWS
- House Hearing On Environmental Regulations, Economy, & Jobs
- Shell Report "Signals & Signposts" On Energy & Environmental Issues
- Comparison Of Defendant Briefs In AEP v. Connecticut
- UN Program To Assess Agriculture GHG Emissions
- House Hearing On Improving Highway Project Efficiency
- Senate Hearing On Green Jobs & Trade
- Circle Of Blue Begins 12-Part Series "Choke Point: China" 
- First New York State Fracking Contamination Lawsuit 

(Click here for details)

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 
- Administration's 6-Year Plan For National High-Speed Rail Network
- 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
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- $7 Million For Emerging Solar Energy Technologies
- EPA's Building Healthy Communities For Active Aging Awards 

(Click here for details)