President Obama's nomination of a deputy secretary of interior continued to be stalled in the Senate Wednesday as Republicans rallied to defeat a cloture motion.
David Hayes, who would be Interior secretary Ken Salazar's number two, cannot take the job for which he has been chosen until the filibuster is stopped and confirmation by the Senate is secured.
Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, said that the filibuster is aimed at convincing Salazar to explain further his recent decision to cancel certain oil and gas leases in the West.
The vote on the cloture motion was 57-39. Sixty votes are required to stop a filibuster.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Key Dems Announce Breakthrough on Climate Change Legislation
Arguments in the House Energy & Commerce Committee over whether to charge utilities for initial pollution credits needed to support a "cap and trade" carbon dioxide regulatory system, as well as the amount of reduction of carbon dioxide emissions required by 2020, have been settled.
According to a report in Roll Call, the newspaper that covers Capitol Hill, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) have reached a deal on those contentious issues.
The article quotes Waxman as saying the committee will move on to a mark-up of the climate change legislation next Monday, with the bill being formally introduced on Thursday.
Under Waxman's agreement with Boucher, the bill would grant electric utilities free initial emission credits and require that the nation achieve a 17 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2020.
Yet to be determined is the amount of renewable energy required to be in each utility's portfolio of sources that will be included in the bill.
The measure is expected to include further assistance to the auto industry, as well as a "cash for clunkers" program that would grant consumers trading in low gas mileage vehicles a voucher toward the purchase of a new vehicle.
According to a report in Roll Call, the newspaper that covers Capitol Hill, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) have reached a deal on those contentious issues.
The article quotes Waxman as saying the committee will move on to a mark-up of the climate change legislation next Monday, with the bill being formally introduced on Thursday.
Under Waxman's agreement with Boucher, the bill would grant electric utilities free initial emission credits and require that the nation achieve a 17 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2020.
Yet to be determined is the amount of renewable energy required to be in each utility's portfolio of sources that will be included in the bill.
The measure is expected to include further assistance to the auto industry, as well as a "cash for clunkers" program that would grant consumers trading in low gas mileage vehicles a voucher toward the purchase of a new vehicle.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Supreme Court Requests Additional Briefs in Alaska Clean Water Act Case
The Supreme Court wants more information before deciding an Alaska case posing the question whether mine tailings may be lawfully dumped in a water body.
The Court issued an order Monday asking for supplemental briefs despite having heard argument in Couer Alaska, Inc. v. Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Inc. on January 12.
The issue in the case is whether a Bush administration regulation authorizing disposal of mine tailings in "waters of the United States" violates the Clean Water Act, which would require the polluter to get a permit if the material is deemed to be a "pollutant," subject to the requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or "fill" material subject to the wetlands permitting provision of the law.
The particular dispute involves a proposed gold mine north of Juneau. The Army Corps of Engineers granted permission to the mine operator to dump waste materials in Lower Slate Lake. The federal district court in Alaska upheld that decision, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed.
The Court issued an order Monday asking for supplemental briefs despite having heard argument in Couer Alaska, Inc. v. Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Inc. on January 12.
The issue in the case is whether a Bush administration regulation authorizing disposal of mine tailings in "waters of the United States" violates the Clean Water Act, which would require the polluter to get a permit if the material is deemed to be a "pollutant," subject to the requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or "fill" material subject to the wetlands permitting provision of the law.
The particular dispute involves a proposed gold mine north of Juneau. The Army Corps of Engineers granted permission to the mine operator to dump waste materials in Lower Slate Lake. The federal district court in Alaska upheld that decision, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Obama Administration Revokes Bush ESA Rule
The Obama administration has revoked a controversial regulation that eliminated the long-standing requirement forcing government agencies to consult with biologists at the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries when proposing an action that would impact a species listed as endangered or threatened.
Interior secretary Ken Salazar and Commerce secretary Gary Locke, in immediately revoking the last-minute Bush administration regulatory change, used power given them by a provision in the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. In addition, President Barack Obama had directed the cabinet officials to review the Bush ESA regulation.
The Bush administration's regulation was finalized in December 2008 and took effect January 15, 2009.
Interior secretary Ken Salazar and Commerce secretary Gary Locke, in immediately revoking the last-minute Bush administration regulatory change, used power given them by a provision in the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. In addition, President Barack Obama had directed the cabinet officials to review the Bush ESA regulation.
The Bush administration's regulation was finalized in December 2008 and took effect January 15, 2009.
Monday, January 26, 2009
New Report Says Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Rising Faster Than Expected
A report issued today by a leading consulting firm says that worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases are rising faster than had been previously estimated and that delaying reductions past 2010 would cause high risks of permanent environmental damage from climate change.
The report also says that there is a potential to reduce emissions by 30 percent below 1990 levels and that the cost of achieving such savings would run into the hundreds of billions of Euros.
"This would be sufficient to have a good chance of holding global warming below the 2 degrees Celsius threshold, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," the report says.
But the report cautions that a delay in achieving that target could cause serious damage to the planet's ecosystems and other environmental harm and that the goal itself is extremely challenging:
The report by the McKinsey & Co. consulting firm is available here (registration required).
The report also says that there is a potential to reduce emissions by 30 percent below 1990 levels and that the cost of achieving such savings would run into the hundreds of billions of Euros.
"This would be sufficient to have a good chance of holding global warming below the 2 degrees Celsius threshold, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," the report says.
But the report cautions that a delay in achieving that target could cause serious damage to the planet's ecosystems and other environmental harm and that the goal itself is extremely challenging:
Capturing enough of this potential to stay below the 2 degrees Celsius threshold will be highly challenging, however. Our research finds not only that all regions and sectors would have to capture close to the full potential for abatement that is available to them; even deep emission cuts in some sectors will not be sufficient. Action also needs to be timely. A 10-year delay in taking abatement action would make it virtually impossible to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
The report by the McKinsey & Co. consulting firm is available here (registration required).
Obama Orders EPA to Reconsider Denial of California Application, DOT to Raise Fuel Economy Standards
President Obama took two major steps to force American auto manufacturers to produce more energy-efficient vehicles today, issuing one memorandum requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its denial of a request for more state flexibility to set tougher emission standards and another directing the Department of Transportation to establish higher fuel economy standards.
The order is expected to result in EPA granting California's application for a waiver of preemption under the Clean Air Act, which is necessary for the state to enforce a 2002 law that would force auto makers to lower tailpipe emissions in the state by 30 percent by 2016.
"It will be the policy of my administration to reverse our dependence on foreign oil while building a new energy economy that will create millions of jobs," Obama said during remarks in the east room of the White House today. "
The president also promised to "commit ourselves to the steady, focused, pragmatic pursuit" of energy independence.
At least 13 other states have indicated they will impose emission standards similar to California's if EPA grants the preemption waiver.
The order will require DOT to finalize rules requiring automakers to raise the average fuel economy of the nation's fleet to 35 mpg by 2020.
It will also force DOT to impose interim rules that will raise the minimum fuel economy standard by the 2011 model year.
The regulations are required by an energy law enacted in 2007.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Report: Obama to Order EPA to Reconsider Denial of California Preemption Exemption
President Obama will order the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the Bush administration's decision to deny California permission to impose tough new limits on the emissions of greenhouse gases by motor vehicles, according to a report posted this evening on the New York Times website.
The door will be open for at least 13 additional states to begin applying new emission limits similar to California's if the Golden State's application for an exemption from the preemption of tougher state-level air quality rules by the federal Clean Air Act is granted upon that reconsideration.
The California state legislature enacted a law in 2002 that requires emissions of greenhouse gases from tailpipes to be reduced by 30 percent by 2016.
Auto manufacturers sued to block implementation of the law in 2007. The lawsuit was dismissed by a federal district court later that year.
But the Bush administration's EPA announced in December 2007 that the federal government would not grant California the exemption.
EPA's refusal of the exemption, which according to some reports was issued by administrator Stephen L. Johnson under White House pressure despite recommendations from his staff that it be accepted, provoked a lawsuit by the state of California.
Obama had promised in his campaign to re-visit the Bush administration's decision to prevent California from imposing stricter air quality standards than those put in place by EPA.
California Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger formally requested that the Obama adminstration reconsider the denial of its exemption application Jan. 21.
The NYT report also said that Obama will order the Department of Transportation to issue interim regulations requiring the auto industry to increase fuel efficiency standards.
Those rules, which are required under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), Pub. L. 110-140, 121 Stat. 1492, were drafted but not finalized by the Bush administration.
EISA requires auto makers to raise average fuel economy in all of their models, including light trucks, to 35 mpg by 2020.
The door will be open for at least 13 additional states to begin applying new emission limits similar to California's if the Golden State's application for an exemption from the preemption of tougher state-level air quality rules by the federal Clean Air Act is granted upon that reconsideration.
The California state legislature enacted a law in 2002 that requires emissions of greenhouse gases from tailpipes to be reduced by 30 percent by 2016.
Auto manufacturers sued to block implementation of the law in 2007. The lawsuit was dismissed by a federal district court later that year.
But the Bush administration's EPA announced in December 2007 that the federal government would not grant California the exemption.
EPA's refusal of the exemption, which according to some reports was issued by administrator Stephen L. Johnson under White House pressure despite recommendations from his staff that it be accepted, provoked a lawsuit by the state of California.
Obama had promised in his campaign to re-visit the Bush administration's decision to prevent California from imposing stricter air quality standards than those put in place by EPA.
California Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger formally requested that the Obama adminstration reconsider the denial of its exemption application Jan. 21.
The NYT report also said that Obama will order the Department of Transportation to issue interim regulations requiring the auto industry to increase fuel efficiency standards.
Those rules, which are required under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), Pub. L. 110-140, 121 Stat. 1492, were drafted but not finalized by the Bush administration.
EISA requires auto makers to raise average fuel economy in all of their models, including light trucks, to 35 mpg by 2020.
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