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Dem leadership considers axing renewable energy from the energy bill

OK. I'm still trying to report this out. What I have for now comes from environmental advocates, off-the-record conversations, and, for what it's worth, my own speculation. The situation is very fluid, and can change at any time (as in, by the time you read this). Near as I can tell, though, this is how things look going into tonight:

I've learned from concerned advocates that Democratic congressional leadership is considering stripping the production tax credits for wind and solar, along with the federal renewable portfolio standard, from the conference bill. Losing the RPS and the PTC would mean jettisoning basically every measure that the White House has complained about. Apparently, Reid and Pelosi may have decided that a bill with a Renewable Fuel Standard (i.e., monstrous subsidies for ethanol) and a boost in CAFE standards is enough to secure Democratic bragging rights on energy.

If this happens, it will mean there's bupkis in the energy bill for renewable electricity, imperiling probably billions of dollars in solar and wind contracts that have been written with the expectation that the production tax credits will lower costs to investors and consumers.

Domenici tries to kill the energy bill and sneak nuclear loan guarantees into the farm bill

Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) is up to some serious shenanigans up on the hill. First, he has introduced an amendment that would attach the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) to the farm bill. He claims he’s trying to save the RFS, in case negotiations on the energy bill (where the RFS now lives) stall out. Senate […]

The youth climate movement proves itself at Power Shift

Van Jones gets youth activists riled up at Power Shift rally. Photo: Fritz Myer About 5,500 people, most under the age of 21, traveled from all over the country to the unremarkable suburb of College Park, Md., this past weekend to take part in the largest climate-change conference and rally in U.S. history. At Power […]

China …

… will not accept binding emissions caps in any international agreement. But according to Guido Sacconi, chairman of the European Parliament’s climate change committee, China isn’t the real problem: “The problem is rather that of other superpowers — other areas of the world — who may not wish to join in and follow the same […]

Simon & Schuster joins the ranks of greener publishers

Random House has done it. Scholastic has done it. Even a publisher of the Bible is going green. So hey, Simon & Schuster: welcome aboard! The publisher, which counts such notables as Stephen King and Ursula Hegi among its authors, has committed to increasing its recycled-paper content from the current 10 percent to 25 percent […]

Congress squabbles over how to spend oil fund … that doesn’t exist

There are plenty of reasons we’re glad we aren’t members of Congress. Tops among them? Having to argue, with a straight face, about who’s misspending money that doesn’t exist. This year, four different bills have each proposed spending $6 billion that’s expected to be collected from oil companies. The money would result from a fee […]

Politicians and the art of deception

Compare this video (posted by David) of Hillary squirming while she tells a whopper with the video below of McCain being brutally honest (via a comment by greyflcn in same post). Refreshing. We human beings are masters of deception, and of detection of said deception -- the result of an evolutionary arms race:

Update: I didn't realize that this is old footage before his flip flop.

California sues feds over vehicle-emissions rule

After months of tough talk and finger-wagging, the state of California on Thursday filed suit against the U.S. EPA to force a decision on a contentious greenhouse-gas emissions rule. At issue is whether California can enact its own regulations for vehicle emissions, bypassing the feds; it filed a waiver in late 2005 asking for permission […]

Why gutting subsidies shouldn’t be the focus of Farm Bill reform efforts

A lot of people, myself among them, have spent substantial time this year trying to demystify the 2007 Farm Bill. But as it lurches into its stretch run — with passage possible by year-end — I fear that the bill is more shrouded in mystery than ever, even among sustainable-agriculture advocates. The answer ain’t blowin’ […]

Via Boucher, Bush signals willingness to sign onto (weak) mandatory carbon controls

According to E&E (sub. rqd), Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Coal) says President Bush would sign a climate bill with mandatory carbon controls as long as it was, well, toothless: A House Democrat writing legislation to require greenhouse gas limits said today that White House officials have privately indicated that President Bush might sign such a bill, […]