Month: February 2009
The Commerce shuffle
Does anyone want to be Secretary of Commerce? First Bill Richardson stepped aside under a cloud. Today, nominee #2 Judd Gregg (about whom Cymie and I blogged earlier) withdrew his name, saying he disagreed too strongly with President Obama to take the position. Still, fans of the Department’s environmental arm, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric …
Continue reading “The Commerce shuffle”
CONTINUE READINGYou won’t see this in the stimulus package
Just announced: A new UK program to give all homes an energy efficiency retrofit by 2030. This from the Guardian: All UK households will have a green makeover by 2030 under government plans to reduce carbon emissions and cut energy bills. Cavity wall and loft insulation will be available for all suitable homes, with plans …
Continue reading “You won’t see this in the stimulus package”
CONTINUE READINGDon’t Know Much Biology
As a famous biologist once said, “without evolution nothing in biology makes sense.” And biological science is obviously basic to a lot of environmental policy. Thus, it is dismaying to learn that only four out of ten Americans believe in evolution. Trying to understand environmental policy without believing in evolution is like trying to understand …
Continue reading “Don’t Know Much Biology”
CONTINUE READINGMidnight regulations and how the Obama administration can improve federal regulation
There has been a lot of talk about “midnight regulations” issued or initiated by the Bush administration in its final days (including the one that is the subject of this post by Holly). Outgoing presidents, starting at least with Jimmy Carter, have had a practice of issuing many new regulatory decisions in a hurry as they leave office, with …
CONTINUE READINGDebunking stereotypes about sprawl and Los Angeles: Be Precise!
Eric A. Morris over at Freakonomics is challenging readers to debunk fashionable stereotypes (often promoted by the jealous folks from the Bay Area) about Los Angeles and sprawl. On Monday, he made clear what planning folks have known for a long time: LA is actually quite a dense city. But be careful how you ask …
Continue reading “Debunking stereotypes about sprawl and Los Angeles: Be Precise!”
CONTINUE READINGWolf woes
Wolf conservation has long been among both the most controversial and the most creative aspects of implementation of the U.S. Endangered Species Act. There’s been a flurry of wolf news over the past three months. It emphasizes conflict, some of that over attempts at creative ESA implementation. In the southwest the Mexican wolf is suffering …
CONTINUE READINGCalling All Nanotubes
California is out in front on emerging environmental issues once again. Using authorities provided under AB 289, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) recently issued a call to manufacturers for information relating to carbon nanotubes manufactured in or imported into California. Carbon nanotubes have received significant attention of late given their growing level of …
Continue reading “Calling All Nanotubes”
CONTINUE READINGDrill baby drill?
Remember last year when gas was at $4 a gallon, and candidates were falling all over themselves to explain how they would bring that price down? Two longstanding moratoria against oil and gas development in federal waters fell to that political pressure. In July, George W. Bush lifted an executive ban, initially issued by his …
Continue reading “Drill baby drill?”
CONTINUE READINGThis is for the birds
More depressing climate change news on bird migration: An Audubon Society study to be released Tuesday found that more than half of 305 birds species in North America, a hodgepodge that includes robins, gulls, chickadees and owls, are spending the winter about 35 miles farther north than they did 40 years ago. So if it’s …
Continue reading “This is for the birds”
CONTINUE READINGLegal Challenge to RGGI
The operator of a cogeneration plant in upstate New York, Indeck Corinth, has filed suit to challenge the Northeastern states’ carbon trading scheme, RGGI. Apart from some state law claims, the most significant claims seem to be preemption under PURPA and Compact Clause violation. For reasons, discussed in this article, I think the Compact Clause …
Continue reading “Legal Challenge to RGGI”
CONTINUE READINGJoin Our Mailing List
Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.
