Energy

The trouble with resource shuffling

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Jon Wellinghoff recently voiced concern that California’s cap-and-trade program could lead to unforeseen consequences that would upset energy markets. He was speaking about resource shuffling, and echoing a letter his fellow Commissioner sent to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in August. What is resource shuffling? According to CARB, …

CONTINUE READING

Is It Bad Politics To Talk About the Environment?

In response to my post expressing disappointment about the treatment of environmental issues in last night’s debate, Dan posted this comment: I agree that the lack of discussion of the environment was disappointing. But we have to remember that the debaters were primarily aiming their remarks at a small segment of the U.S. public whose …

CONTINUE READING

Comments on FHFA’s Proposed Rule on Enterprise Writing Standards for PACE Programs

As we have chronicled earlier on this blog, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)’s court-ordered rulemaking on Enterprise Writing Standards for Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs resulted in thousands of public comments in response to the Agency’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR)—the overwhelming majority in support of PACE.  Today is the deadline for submitting …

CONTINUE READING

Give 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 …

CONTINUE READING

Picking Up the PACE: FHFA Releases Proposed Property-Assessed Clean Energy Rule

It has been a long road for supporters of Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs.  With the recent release of the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Proposed Rule on enterprise underwriting standards and mortgage assets affected by PACE programs, some residential PACE supporters may be reasonably fatigued.  But while the agency’s Proposed Rule maintains its position that …

CONTINUE READING

Coal, China, and Pollution

Air pollution in China is a global problem, because of climate change, and a California problem, because pollutants from China reach the U.S. West Coast. An article in the current issue of Nature has good news and bad news about coal and pollution in China.  The good news is increased pollution control.  The authors estimate …

CONTINUE READING

EPA Unveils Carbon Standard for New Power Plants

This morning, U.S. EPA released its anticipated rule limiting carbon dioxide emissions from new power plants.   The proposed Carbon Pollution Standard for New Power Plants under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act purports to set national limits on the amount of carbon pollution new power plants can emit. Today we’re taking a common-sense step …

CONTINUE READING

Tunnel vision in environmental law and policy

One of the reasons that environmental law and policy is so interesting, and so challenging, is that it is very, very difficult to reduce what we mean by “environmental quality” to one single metric.  A couple of recent posts by a leading progressive policy blogger (Matt Yglesias) make this point very well.

CONTINUE READING

Ten of the Top Environmental Stories of 2011

Nuclear reactor meltdown in Japan. EPA issues new rules limiting mercury emissions by power plants. Durban climate summit produces modest progress, as developing countries begin to acknowledge the need for binding limits on their carbon emissions. White House kills scheduled new regulations of ozone. California adopts cap-and-trade system under AB 32. White House announces stringent …

CONTINUE READING

Two weeks of protest against Keystone XL ends Saturday

Two weeks of civil disobedience and protest against the Keystone XL pipeline ends this Saturday (Sept. 3), with a rally and final sit-in. Over 1,000 people have been arrested, including my former professor , Gus Speth. The protestors want President Obama to deny a permit to construct a pipeline to bring oil from Canadian tar …

CONTINUE READING

Join Our Mailing List

Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.

TRENDING