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  • Good morning. Do we still have a government?

    Congressional Democrats and Republicans are still playing policy chicken this morning, waiting to see whether they’ll have to shut down the government over what amounts to petty cash. What are they fighting over, and are we likely to still have a working (for some value of “working”) government tomorrow?

    Jess Zimmerman Politics

  • It’s time to rethink Japan’s energy future

    Nearly four weeks after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan, emergency personnel are still struggling to stabilize the disabled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Beyond the immediate need to minimize further radioactive leakage and protect public health, the government is beginning to reconsider its long-term plans for nuclear power expansion. International media coverage […]

    J. Matthew Roney Energy

  • Cutting international investments would endanger U.S. leadership

    We need to step up, not cut, our funding for green energy in India.Photo: Amaresh S KThis post was coauthored by Rebecca Lefton. Lawmakers continue to debate the fiscal year 2011 budget. As we approach the next showdown this week over another temporary extension of the continuing resolution, a final resolution of the 2011 budget, […]

    Andrew Light Politics

  • Republicans lose Senate vote on EPA, call it a win

    The riders that would forbid the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases didn’t succeed in the Senate yesterday. (They’re likely to do very well in the House, thanks to the Republican majority and some very disappointing Democrats.) That hasn’t stopped Senate Republicans from declaring victory, though. There were four riders dealing with EPA powers; no single […]

    Jess Zimmerman Politics

  • In honor of Glenn Beck leaving Fox, the top 10 dumbass things he said about the environment

    What one man can accomplish in a few short years. Just let the crazy wash over you: Bill McKibben's climate change activism group 350.org is a communist plot March 2011 Winter disproves global warming March 2010 Beck peddles 'food insurance' kits: "More than peak oil or financial crash, I fear angry men armed to the […]

    Christopher Mims Politics

  • The Congressional Carbon Circus

    Photo: Thomas TotzCross-posted from the Natural Resources Defense Council. There’s lots going on in the center ring of the Congressional Carbon Circus today. Both the House and Senate are expected to vote this afternoon on bills to block the Environmental Protection Agency from doing its job under the Clean Air Act to safeguard Americans from […]

    David Doniger Energy

  • Would you vote for the Koch Brothers Appreciation Act?

    After watching end-of-life planning become “death panels” and estate taxes become “death taxes,” Democrats are finally figuring out that owning the spin is all about owning the terminology. Accordingly, they’ve been having a grand time proposing amendments to give a more accurate name to the “Energy Tax Prevention Act,” which would “prevent energy taxes” by […]

    Jess Zimmerman Politics

  • Obama did not ‘promise’ to veto an EPA-blocking bill

    Journalism is hard.Photo: Alex ProimosA few weeks ago, the House of Representatives voted through H.R. 1, their continuing appropriations act. It was full of tax cuts for the rich and slashed funding for the poor, elderly, and vulnerable — the usual GOP stuff. The White House released a statement [PDF] vowing to veto it: If […]

    David Roberts Energy

  • How America could easily add 6 nuclear reactors’ worth of hydro power

    A new analysis by Oakridge National Laboratory (ORNL) says that America could generate 12.6 gigawatts of always-on peak baseload power just by adding electrical generation capacity to existing dams that don't already have it. That's 12 6 (big) nuclear reactors' worth — the average reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant produced only 0.78 GW. [Update: Jesse Jenkins […]

    Christopher Mims Energy

  • Environmental groups to be penalized for winning lawsuits

    Two GOP-sponsored bills introduced last week would impose a penalty on environmental groups that sue the government under the Equal Access to Justice Act or the Endangered Species Act. That’s typical of the GOP, right — they’re all about tort reform? Yeah, well, these bills would penalize successful suits, by making it impossible for the […]

    Jess Zimmerman Politics