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  • Pelosi cracks the whips to get climate bill passed

    Are there 218 votes in the House of Representatives for clean energy and a healthier climate? Rep. Mike Doyle is one of nine lawmakers “whipping” up votes for the Waxman-Markey bill. Above, Doyle at a June 24 rally on Capitol Hill.Kate Sheppard / GristWith a vote on the American Clean Energy and Security Act expected […]

  • The Climate Post: Deal or no deal

    First things first: U.S. representatives may head into Independence Day recess with their climate work done for the moment. House leadership fast-tracked the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) after a breakthrough agreement Monday night between its co-sponsors and a powerful hold-out representing farmers and rural districts. A vote on the house floor could […]

  • 9 damned good reasons why some U.S. environmentalists should heartily oppose Waxman-Markey

    Too bad we live in interesting times, it requires much more work. I just read a comment from Randy Cunningham, who said he was torn between supporting Waxman-Markey, based on appeals to his brain, and opposing it, based on what he feels in his heart. I empathize with the feeling of being torn between two […]

  • Newt’s ASWF Attacks: “Why Did Rick Boucher Vote To Kill Virginia Jobs?”

    Cross-posted from Wonk Room. “Why did Rick Boucher vote to kill Virginia jobs?” Newt Gingrich’s coal-powered front group, American Solutions for Winning the Future (ASWF), asked this incendiary question of the coal-district Democrat in a full-page advertisement in the Roanoke Times. The ad, acquired by the Wonk Room, claims Boucher voted “for new energy taxes […]

  • Peterson’s Waxman-Markey amendment: the nitty gritty and what it means

    This morning the House Agriculture Committee released the 49-page Peterson amendment to the Waxman-Markey climate bill.  It has been a laborious task, requiring dozens of closed door meetings, compromises (almost entirely at the expense of Waxman who has worked so hard to keep the bill strong), and eventually a very happy Chairman Peterson and House […]

  • What can we learn from polls on cap-and-trade?

    A new Washington Post-ABC poll reveals that majorities of the American people believe in climate change, are concerned about it, are willing to change their lifestyles and pay more to address it, and want the federal government to regulate greenhouse gases. (Sorry, Newt!) They are, however, ambivalent on cap-and-trade. It’s worth perusing the results, but […]

  • ‘Why we cannot support this bill’

    Below is the text of an email being sent out by progressive groups opposed to Waxman-Markey because they believe it doesn’t do enough to address the climate and energy crisis. We reprint it here for the Grist audience to comment on. One Grister offered up this gem of a thought: The missing question from TheClean.org’s […]

  • 5,400 students currently training for solar jobs in California

    Two things are happening in California right now. At least 5,400 Californians are training to enter the solar industry with one of 27 solar training service providers, according to a survey we just conducted.  Details here (PDF). If the California Legislature does not lift the net metering cap and let the California solar industry continue […]

  • Obama puts political capital on passage of climate bill

    President Obama laid a significant chunk of his political capital on the table on Thursday, calling on House members to support the climate and energy bill that will go to a vote on Friday. “Now it the time for us to lead. The energy bill before the House will finally create a set of incentives […]

  • The Non-Concession concession?

    Henry Waxman and Ed Markey seem to have mastered the art of the non-concession concession: striking deals with potential opponents in ways that meet their needs while minimizing (though not entirely eliminating) the negative impacts. Similar to their distribution of allowances, which seemed at first glance to be a massive giveaway but turned out to […]