A New Thought on Smart Growth
The Public Policy Institute of California just released its new report on SB 375, California's smart growth law. I'm still working my way through it, and at the beginning, it seems pretty boilerplate. For example, it notes that three things California can do to reduce emissions are "Higher-density development, particularly in areas well-served by transit; "Investments in alternatives to solo driving, such as transit, walking, biking, and carpooling; and "Pricing ...
CONTINUE READINGKeeping the “Benefits” in Cost-Benefit Analysis
The business community is apparently souring on cost-benefit analysis, for the simple reason that cost-benefit analysis requires a consideration of the benefits of regulation. From as strictly business point of view, it's really only the costs that matter, and cost-benefit analysis is good only to the extent that it disfavors regulation. For instance, Republicans have been touting a consultant's report for SBA that completely leaves out the benefits and gives only a ...
CONTINUE READINGIs this any way to run a democracy?
It isn't exactly news that the U.S. Senate is an anti-majoritarian institution. The filibuster, which effectively allows 41 Senators to block action, gets a lot of attention. But much worse is the "hold," which lets a single senator stand in the way of a bill or nomination. According to the Senate's glossary, a hold is essentially an informal filibuster threat: An informal practice by which a Senator informs his or her floor leader that he or she does not wish a particu...
CONTINUE READINGCounting the cost of coal
The Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School has a new report sort of out on the life-cycle costs of coal production and combustion. I say "sort of" out because the only document I've been able to find is a brief summary, without methods or references, posted by Ken Ward at the Coal Tattoo blog. The summary says that the full report "appears in the January 2011 issue of the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences," but a search of the Ann...
CONTINUE READINGPreview of Coming Attractions: American Electric Power v. State of Connecticut
The U.S. Supreme Court recently announced the scheduling of oral arguments in the biggest (actually, the only) environmental case of its current Term: American Electric Power v. State of Connecticut. The justices will hear arguments on April 19th, and render their decision in this major climate change case by the end of June. Already, however, some interesting factoids and subplots have developed. This case raises three distinct legal questions of interest to climate ch...
CONTINUE READINGPutting Cooperation Into Cooperative Federalism
When federal law tells a federal agency to consult with the states before issuing its rules, what is the agency obliged to do? Is it enough to allow the states to file comments on a proposed rule, or to invite their representatives to speak at a public hearing? According to the recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Cal Wilderness v. U.S. Department of Energy, at least when it comes identifying critical areas for new electric transmission lines, the answ...
CONTINUE READINGForest Service releases proposed revised planning rule
On Monday, the Forest Service published its proposed new planning rule. The planning process for national forests has been in a kind of limbo since the end of the Clinton administration. The National Forest Management Act requires the preparation and periodic revision of land management plans for each national forest. The first planning rule was issued in 1982. As it was leaving office, the Clinton administration finalized a revised version, emphasizing environmental su...
CONTINUE READINGEPA prepares to wade into the Bay-Delta
Cross-posted at The Berkeley Blog. EPA has announced "an information-gathering process on how the EPA and the State of California can achieve water quality and aquatic resource protection goals" in the California Bay-Delta. EPA is not proposing any new regulations yet, but it is seeking public comment on what it might do to address water quality conditions in the Bay-Delta that affect aquatic species. It is considering not just regulatory changes, but changes in "enforc...
CONTINUE READINGNot Enough “Green” to be Green?
The Washington Post has details about the budget proposal. Here's the information on EPA: President Obama's proposed budget provides $9 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency, noting that that amount represents a $1.3 billion decrease from the previous budget year. But that's unlikely to satisfy Republicans in the House who are sharpening their knives to cut even more from an agency that plans to pressure big polluters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The ...
CONTINUE READINGThree Obstacles To California Climate Progress
California's AB 32 -- the Global Warming Solutions Act -- is the biggest and best thing going on the domestic climate change front. The bill is sweeping in its application and the agency charged with implementing the Act, the California Air Resources Board, has moved aggressively to chart out the path the state will need to follow to cut emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. But the state still faces significant obstacles to actually achieving those reductions. And the...
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