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Opponents continue to obstruct clean energy jobs push in Energy & Commerce Committee debate

You can follow the continuing markup of the Waxman Markey bill on C-SPAN3 here.  I am reprinting below a daily update from the Center for American Progress Action Fun: Here’s what to look for as markup moves in to its second day WASHINGTON, DC—Yesterday brought few surprises as opening statements began in the House Energy […]

NOAA: Fifth warmest April on record

NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center reported last month: Based on preliminary data, the globally-averaged combined land and sea surface temperature was  the fifth warmest on record for April, and the January-April year-to-date period tied with 2003 as the sixth warmest on record. lt is worth noting “the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) transitioned from a cold […]

EIA projects wind at 5% of U.S. electricity in 2012, all renewables at 14%, thanks to Obama stimulus

The renewables safe sources of energy that never run out are coming!  And if it was braggin’ time for wind when wind power hit 1.25% of U.S. electricity generation in 2008, what’ll it be in 2012, when it hits 5%, as projected by the Energy Information Administration?  Well, it’s probably time for a tougher renewable […]

Nobelist Krugman strongly endorses Waxman-Markey

The man who is arguably the most credible progressive expert on economics has begun to seriously weigh in on the clean energy and global warming bill (see Krugman: Climate action “now might actually help the economy recover from its current slump” by giving “businesses a reason to invest in new equipment and facilities”). In today’s […]

Breaking: Obama to raise new car fuel efficiency standard to 39 mpg by 2016

UPDATE:  The NYT story is not entirely accurate, and, separately, sources tell me there appears to be a little confusion as to exactly what mpg standard is set for what class of vehicles (see below). UPDATE2:  The numbers appear to be 39 mpg for cars, 30 mpg for light trucks (see here). For all those […]

Fuel economy in context

The decision of the Obama Administration to embrace stronger fuel economy standards by 2016 is drawing praise from environmentalists but fire from auto analysts who say it will add to Detroit’s woes.  The decision to accelerate fuel economy comes on top of a variety of policy proposals to address climate change, the auto industry and […]

10 Reasons to Support the Waxman-Markey Energy Bill

By Daniel J. Weiss, Daniel Wagener 1. The Waxman-Markey bill will create jobs by spurring investment in renewables and efficiency. 2. Boosting investments in low-carbon energy will help the United States regain the lead in the manufacture and sale of clean-energy technologies. 3. The global warming threat is growing, and we have no more time […]

‘Staying viable and competitive’

Today is a good day. At the Auto Alliance, an association representing major automakers, we’re happy to hear the Obama administration’s announcement of a national program to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fuel efficiency. In fact, over the past two years we’ve been meeting and working with environmental leaders to find just this kind […]

Republicans plan to offer hundreds of amendments to slow climate bill

The House Energy and Commerce Committee kicked off debate of the Waxman-Markey climate bill on Monday, beginning what will likely be a grueling week of work to get the bill through the key panel before Memorial Day. “I think members ought to be prepared to work late every single night,” Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said […]

Obama’s new mileage rules will be first real step to curb planet-warming emissions

President Obama is expected to unveil new fuel-economy standards for automobiles on Tuesday — the first major step by his administration to limit planet-warming greenhouse gases. The new standards will reportedly raise fleet-wide standards for cars to 42 miles per gallon by 2016, up from 27.5 mpg now. For light trucks, the required fleet average […]