CAFE standards Archives

CAFE standards

A Celebration of Energy Efficiency?

A different perspective on a familiar holiday.

When you think about it, the Hanukkah story is, in a funny way, about a miraculous increase in energy efficiency. An energy resource (olive oil) that was supposed to supply only enough energy for one night’s worth of light was able to supply light for eight nights. That’s an eightfold improvement in energy efficiency, akin …

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Climate Change and the Major Question Doctrine

Just because a regulation involves climate change, that doesn’t make it a major question.

Red State AGs are preparing to go to town with the West Virginia case. They seem to think that everything involving climate change automatically becomes a major question. That’s simply wrong. The doctrine is more nuanced. Recall that the Supreme Court struck down OSHA’s vaccine mandate, essentially on major questions grounds, but the majority found …

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1990: The Year the Courts Discovered Climate Change

Cases were few, but one judge was years ahead of her time.

In an earlier post, I tried to figure out when the legal academy first discovered climate changes. As it turns out, it was almost a decade later when the federal courts took notice. Those first climate change cases shed light on how new issues get litigated and how courts respond to new science. My research …

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Fighting Global Warming in a Chilly Judicial Climate

A 6-3 conservative court is bad news for climate action. Here’s a threat assessment.

With Romney’s announcement this morning that he would support consideration of a nominee before the election, it now seems virtually certain that Trump will be able to appoint a sixth conservative Justice. How will that affect future climate policy? Here is a preliminary threat assessment. The answer varies, depending on what policies we’re talking about. …

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Environmentalists v. Cost-Benefit Analysis: What Does the Future Hold?

For now, at least, environmentalists and economists are aligned in criticizing Trump’s rollbacks. Will this alliance last?

If it’s true that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” environmentalists might want to take another look at cost-benefit analysis. The Trump Administration is certainly doing its best to gut economic analysis of its rollbacks. Both economists and environmentalists are resisting. Is this an alliance of convenience or will it be the start …

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Lessons from the DACA Ruling

The Court’s ruling could have important implications for environmental cases.

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Department of Homeland Security v. UC Regents was great news for 700,000 “Dreamers” who would otherwise face deportation. It also has important implications for administrative law — and for environmental law cases in particular. Here are three main takeaways. Requiring Reasoned Explanation. Chief Justice John Roberts reinforced the principle that …

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Trump’s EPA May Cause as Many U.S. Deaths as the Coronavirus

The effects are more gradual, but deregulation could be as deadly as the pandemic.

The Trump Administration has been busy repealing pollution laws that protect public health. The health impact of these rollbacks isn’t as dramatic as an epidemic. There’s a credible argument, however, that it will be just as deadly. In order to put some numbers on the effects of deregulation, we need to make some assumptions on …

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We Need an Environmental Dr. Fauci

Much of environmental law is about protecting public health. But the Trump Administration won’t listen.

During the coronavirus crisis, Dr. Anthony Fauci has become the voice of reason. Much of the public turns to him for critical information about public health, while even Trump finds it necessary to listen. In the Trump era, no one plays that role in the environmental area. The result is a mindless campaign of deregulation …

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Still Not SAFE

The Trump administration moves ahead with plans to roll back Obama-era fuel economy standards.

After months of delay, the Trump administration has reportedly chosen this coming week—in the middle of a nationwide crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic—to finally release the second part of its two-part rollback of Obama-era automotive fuel economy standards. This isn’t the only environmental rollback action the administration is planning to take during the coming …

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Revolt of the Captive Scientists

Trump’s Scientific Advisory Board Slams Proposed EPA Rules

Trump has appointed most of the members of EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), many of them selected from industry. That effort to stack SAB in favor of deregulation apparently wasn’t a complete success. In draft reports issued this week, the SAB scathingly criticized those efforts and even went so far as to give a nod …

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How California (and the World) Get to 30×30

COP15 in Montreal ended with a pledge to protect 30 percent of the planet by 2030. UCLA student analysis shows what we can learn from California’s own plan.

CAFE standards

A different perspective on a familiar holiday.

Just because a regulation involves climate change, that doesn’t make it a major question.

Cases were few, but one judge was years ahead of her time.

A 6-3 conservative court is bad news for climate action. Here’s a threat assessment.

For now, at least, environmentalists and economists are aligned in criticizing Trump’s rollbacks. Will this alliance last?

The Court’s ruling could have important implications for environmental cases.

The effects are more gradual, but deregulation could be as deadly as the pandemic.

Much of environmental law is about protecting public health. But the Trump Administration won’t listen.

The Trump administration moves ahead with plans to roll back Obama-era fuel economy standards.

Trump’s Scientific Advisory Board Slams Proposed EPA Rules

TRENDING

COP15 in Montreal ended with a pledge to protect 30 percent of the planet by 2030. UCLA student analysis shows what we can learn from California’s own plan.

We Have Met The Enemy, And He Is Us

The GOP’s effort cancel a pension reg illustrates the evils of the Congressional Review Act.

The president talks up his climate laws without saying “climate.” Can the U.S. meet its climate goals without telling voters about them?

Black figures played a role in the early years of environmentalism, before it even had a name.

In California, They Are

Local measures like Measure W are working. But more needs to be done to capture stormwater and rainwater.

Five decades back, the country was in the midst of unprecedented environmental ferment.

The first in a series that examines the hype around hydrogen production.

The EU has taken a major step to pressure global industries to clean up their act.

The first in a series that examines the hype around hydrogen production.

New House Rule Designed To Cause Dysfunction

Local measures like Measure W are working. But more needs to be done to capture stormwater and rainwater.

Gavin Newsom Abandons His Climate Commitments To Favor His Billionaire Contributors

In California, They Are

Interpreting the association between conservatism and COVID death rates.

Black figures played a role in the early years of environmentalism, before it even had a name.

California “YIGBY” Bill Could Empower Churches To Add Affordable Housing

The president talks up his climate laws without saying “climate.” Can the U.S. meet its climate goals without telling voters about them?

Leaving UCLA to join Earthjustice is exciting, and bittersweet, for me