Politics
The Top Ten Facts You Didn’t Know About Kochgate
10. Until the recent disclosures about funding for Proposition 23 in California, you probably hadn’t heard much about Koch Industries because it’s a family business, although it does $100 billion in sales per year. 9. Charles Koch co-founded the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank dedicated to saving companies like Koch from the horrors of …
Continue reading “The Top Ten Facts You Didn’t Know About Kochgate”
CONTINUE READINGAnd They’re Off…California Proposes New Chemical Regulations
California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control just released its proposed “green chemistry” regulations. The regulations implement Assembly Bill 1879, which is a potential game-changer in how chemicals are regulated. Eschewing the conventional risk management approach embedded in existing federal and state statutes, the regulations require affected manufacturers to engage in an alternatives analysis of consumer …
Continue reading “And They’re Off…California Proposes New Chemical Regulations”
CONTINUE READINGPolitics versus Science in the 2010 Election Cycle
Here’s some fairly depressing news from Wonk Room: Remarkably, of the dozens of Republicans vying for the 37 Senate seats in the 2010 election, only one — Rep. Mike Castle of Delaware — supports climate action. Even former climate advocates Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) now toe the science-doubting party line. …
Continue reading “Politics versus Science in the 2010 Election Cycle”
CONTINUE READINGState AGs Ready to Attack Constitutionality of California’s AB 32
An important postscript to my earlier post regarding Berkeley Law’s/CLEE’s newly-published white paper on Proposition 23. That’s the California initiative measure that, if approved by voters this November, would suspend implementation of that state’s Global Warming Solutions Act, better known as AB 32. The San Francisco Chronicle reports today that the Attorneys General of Alabama, …
Continue reading “State AGs Ready to Attack Constitutionality of California’s AB 32”
CONTINUE READINGBerkeley Law/CLEE Publish White Paper on Efforts to Suspend California’s AB 32
Berkeley Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) has today published, “California at the Crossroads: Proposition 23, AB 32 and Climate Change.” This white paper is intended to provide an objective, non-partisan analysis of California Proposition 23, an initiative measure that will appear on California’s November 2nd general election ballot. If enacted, Proposition …
Continue reading “Berkeley Law/CLEE Publish White Paper on Efforts to Suspend California’s AB 32”
CONTINUE READINGNew million-dollar donation from out-of-state oil company helps the attack on California’s climate change law
According to a story in today’s Los Angeles Times, a new $1 million cash infusion from Kansas-based oil company Koch Industries –the second-largest private company in the U.S. — is buoying the campaign in favor of Proposition 23, which would block implementation of California’s landmark law to limit greenhouse gas emissions. The company is owned by …
CONTINUE READINGEPA proposes fuel economy letter grade labels for cars
New labels proposed by the federal government would give new cars letter grades reflecting their fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are expected to get the highest grades. The rule isn’t final yet; the public can comment and make suggestions on the label design. Most of us are familiar with …
Continue reading “EPA proposes fuel economy letter grade labels for cars”
CONTINUE READINGGumby and the Mad Hatter Meet US Energy Policy
As Dan notes, the Coast Guard is reporting the explosion of a nonoperating oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The last I heard, there were no fatalities, and several workers there were able to escape using flotation clothing, better known as “Gumby Suits.” Obviously, had the oil rig been functional, there is a strong …
Continue reading “Gumby and the Mad Hatter Meet US Energy Policy”
CONTINUE READINGCalifornia Clearing House on Scientific Review Panel
The California Report correspondent Amy Standen recently recounted the dismissal (or failure to reappoint, depending on your perspective) of a group of scientists from CalEPA’s Scientific Review Panel. Little explanation for the action were given, although Standen notes that John Froines, a professor in the UCLA School of Public Health, also chaired a committee that …
Continue reading “California Clearing House on Scientific Review Panel”
CONTINUE READINGCalifornia legislature considers environmental bills
The California Legislature has several environmental and land use bills in front of it right now. Under state law, the legislature must act by August 31 in order to send any of these bills to the Governor for signature. Here’s a quick summary of the pending legislation, with some links for further info. (Current information …
Continue reading “California legislature considers environmental bills”
CONTINUE READING