Month: May 2009
A New Website on Climate Economics
Real Climate Economics offers a wealth of information from a pro-regulatory perspective: The Real Climate Economics website offers a reader’s guide to the real economics of climate change, an emerging body of scholarship that is consistent with the urgency of the problem as seen from a climate science perspective. As the climate policy debate intensifies, …
Continue reading “A New Website on Climate Economics”
CONTINUE READINGFollow the money
EPA has released its 2010 budget request. EPA is seeking $10.5 billion,which it describes as “the highest level of funding for EPA in its 39-year history,” and which Science‘s Erik Stokstad says (subscription required) would be “a whopping 38% increase over last year’s budget.” Nearly $4 billion would go toward revolving funds to support state …
Continue reading “Follow the money”
CONTINUE READINGPolar bears, wolves, and Obama’s Interior Department
Environmentalists have been absolutely thrilled with the EPA under the leadership of President Obama and Administrator Lisa Jackson. The Department of Interior under Secretary Ken Salazar has drawn more mixed reviews so far. (Dan Tarlock and I wrote about the first 100 days at Interior on the Center for Progressive Reform blog.) Recent news out …
Continue reading “Polar bears, wolves, and Obama’s Interior Department”
CONTINUE READINGWildfires Cause Climate Change, Climate Change Causes Wildfires
An obvious question about the raging wildfire in Santa Barbara is whether climate change is the cause. While it’s impossible to blame any individual fire on increasing temperatures, we know that climate change is responsible for more frequent and more intense wildfires in the southwest. But less obvious and at least as troubling is that …
Continue reading “Wildfires Cause Climate Change, Climate Change Causes Wildfires”
CONTINUE READINGESA Does Not Address Carbon Emissions
According to news reports, the Department of Interior has reaffirmed a Bush Administration rule that excludes carbon emissions from regulation under the Endangered Species Act. The Guardian reports: The Obama administration today declined to protect polar bears from the single greatest threat to their survival – the melting of sea ice by global warming. The …
Continue reading “ESA Does Not Address Carbon Emissions”
CONTINUE READINGPublic Policy is Spurring Enormous Growth in the Windpower Industry – Don’t Stop Now
Worldwatch Institute reports that windpower capacity worldwide increased by 27,051 megawatts in 2008, bringing total installed capacity over 120,000 megawatts. The United States showed the greatest growth, adding 8,358 megawatts to make a current total of 25,170 megawatts. That’s a 50% increase in one year! The contribution that the U.S. windpower makes to overall domestic …
CONTINUE READINGWhy won’t Arnold back smog checks for motorcycles?
This is a law blog, so call this post Easy Rider v. Planet Saver. The California legislature is considering a bill (SB 435, sponsored by Sen. Fran Pavley of the clean-car “Pavley Regs” fame) requiring motorcyles to undergo bienniel smog checks, just like cars and trucks do. The bill would take aim at a significant remaining source …
Continue reading “Why won’t Arnold back smog checks for motorcycles?”
CONTINUE READINGChemical Policy and Homeland Security Redux
The Bureau of National Affairs reported recently that the House Homeland Security Committee is considering draft legislation that would require major chemical facilities to evaluate the use of inherently safer design to reduce chemical security risks. Generally speaking, inherently safer design attempts to reduce risks associated with the storage and use of hazardous chemicals by …
Continue reading “Chemical Policy and Homeland Security Redux”
CONTINUE READINGThe Supreme Court’s recent Superfund decision may have a significant impact on future cleanups
As Dan has noted, on Monday the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion in a widely-watched case interpreting CERCLA, the Superfund law. (Dan posted some brief thoughts about the opinion, BURLINGTON NORTHERN & SANTA FE RAILWAY. CO V. UNITED STATES.) Dan says that the part of the opinion dealing with apportionment of liability “does not purport to establish any new principles but does …
CONTINUE READINGThe Ninth Circuit: 0-for-the Supreme Court Term
It’s been a very rough U.S. Supreme Court Term for the Ninth Circuit. Four of the five major environmental cases on the Supreme Court’s docket this year emanate from the Ninth Circuit. With the justices’ issuance of their major CERCLA decision in Burlington Northern this week, four of those environmental cases have now been resolved, …
Continue reading “The Ninth Circuit: 0-for-the Supreme Court Term”
CONTINUE READINGJoin Our Mailing List
Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.
