The GOP Platform & the Environment
With some effort, I was able to find full text of the platform. Not surprisingly, the basic thrust is to relax limits on industry. The energy provisions correspond to Romney's recent proclamations -- more drilling in more places, less regulation of coal, etc. On the environment, the basic message is that current regulations are too strict, and that we shouldn't expect any new regulations anytime soon. A few interesting environmental points that are worth flagging: ...
CONTINUE READINGPutting a NEON Light on Ecosystems
New sensor technology and IT may transform our understanding of ecosystems. Big Science is coming to ecology, which was once the domain of individual naturalists. The Economist reports on NEON, the National Ecological Observatory Network: Ground has already been broken at three sites—in Colorado, Florida and Massachusetts. Eventually, 60 places across the country will be covered simultaneously. Once this network is completed, in 2016 if all goes well, 15,000 sens...
CONTINUE READINGRomney Endorses Keynesian Stimulus Spending — But Calls It an Energy Plan
I posted last week about the Romney energy plan and the super-optimistic projections of energy production it borrows from a Citigroup report. (here and here). The Romney plan touts enormous economic benefits in terms of job creation, also derived from the same Citigroup report. Of course, Romney doesn't mention the report's warning that its analysis required "sweeping assumptions" and that the beneficial effects would probably only last five years. (p. 86) But puttin...
CONTINUE READINGGive states control over energy leasing on federal lands?
Another element of the Romney energy plan that was announced this week is a proposal to turn over to the states the process of leasing of federal lands for oil and gas development. The Romney campaign argues that this will result in quicker and cheaper leasing development than under current federal management. This seems to me like a very problematic idea for a number of reasons, but I want to focus on just one here. The Romney proposal effectively creates a new di...
CONTINUE READINGWhen Paid Consultants Attack
In today's Sacramento Bee, Andrew Chang has some tough things to say about California's AB32 and about Bo Cutter and myself. He omits some details that are worth mentioning. First, some background. Last week, Bo Cutter and I published this OP-Ed in the Sac Bee. Chang's response was published today. Point #1: We were not paid to write our OP-ED and we collect no payments at all from the Air Resources Board. I do serve on its Research Screening Committee a...
CONTINUE READINGWaste Not, Want Not
In trying to catch up on my reading, I discovered that the August 10 issue of the journal Science has a special section on "working with waste." The theme is the ability of waste to contribute to society as a form of energy or raw materials: [T]rash is often treasure— a feedstock that cannot be overlooked as an expanding world population tries to use resources more efficiently and reduce the strain that our consumption places on natural systems. Those heaps of crop lef...
CONTINUE READINGLaw Schools Searching for Environmental Faculty
[Updated 8/26] I've been assembling a preliminary list of faculty searches. I'll update and correct the list periodically. FSU is looking to hire an environmental/natural resources person. We are looking for either entry or lateral. Contact person, Jeff Kahn jkahn@law.fsu.edu ) Hebrew University Faculty of Law. Lecturer in Environmental Law, preferably Israel Environmental Law. Contact: Richard Laster. richard@laster.co.il Pepperdine is interested in entry level or l...
CONTINUE READINGLoosening Our Belts to Consume More Oil
There is a favorite saying among transportation planners that building more freeway lanes to fight congestion is like loosening your belt to fight obesity. This idea comes to mind when considering the most recent Mitt Romney plan to achieve energy independence in the United States. Romney proposes drilling our way out of foreign oil dependence despite the fact that the math is not on our side. As New York Times editor Robert Semple points out, the U.S. holds less than t...
CONTINUE READINGIs Romney Building Sand Castles Based on Fantasy Oil and Gas Production?
I posted yesterday about Romney's energy plan, which makes some remarkable claims about future energy production and its economic benefits. If you look at the sources cited by the campaign to support this plan, the campaign seems to rely heavily on Citigroup report called Energy 2020: North America, the New Middle East?. A number of their other sources are basically just touting the Citigroup report. I'm planning to dig into Citigroup's economic projections more, bu...
CONTINUE READINGRomney Calls for a Fossil Fuel Feeding Frenzy
The Washington Post reports that Mitt Romney will announce a new energy plan centering on explosive increases in oil and gas development, combined with greater use of coal. I've read the staff briefing paper, and the Post's account is an accurate summary: Mitt Romney on Thursday will outline a plan that he projects would achieve North American energy independence by 2020 by opening new areas for offshore oil drilling, starting in Virginia and the Carolinas, and by empo...
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