Climate Politics
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New House bill combines drilling with tax extensions for renewables
A bipartisan group of House members has unveiled a new compromise energy bill, roughly along the lines of the Gang of 10 bill released in the Senate last week. “The National Conservation, Environment, and Energy Independence Act” would repeal federal prohibitions on offshore oil and gas production and lift the ban on finalizing regulations for […]
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Obama clean-energy ad will air during Olympics coverage
Thought the Olympics might bring some reprieve from election season? Think again. Today Barack Obama rolled out his $5 million ad campaign that will run during Olympic coverage on NBC, focusing on a clean energy economy. “The hands that built this nation can build a new economy,” says the ad, as it shows images of […]
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Boehner returns from golfing, says Republicans can win on offshore drilling
Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) today vowed that the Republican sit-in over offshore drilling will continue at least until the Democratic National Convention begins on August 25. At a press conference on the Hill, Boehner said he expected the protest would help House Republicans gain traction as they push for offshore areas to be opened […]
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GOP rep in Tenn. loses primary after being linked to Big Oil
In Tennessee, freshman Republican Rep. David Davis lost his primary last night, apparently in large part because his opponent linked him to Big Oil. Davis is the first sitting Tennessee congressman in 40 years to lose in a primary. He was beaten by Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe, who accused Davis of accepting money from […]
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Obama favored by Exxon employees, but McCain has gotten more oil money overall
Barack Obama put out an ad earlier this week accusing rival John McCain of being “in the pocket of Big Oil,” and the Democratic National Committee launched Exxon-McCain 2008, a website to promote the idea that the Republican candidate is in bed with the oil industry. But as Grist noted previously, Obama himself has received […]
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Olympic Games begin; pollution worries, haze hang over opening ceremonies
The Beijing Olympic Games have officially begun. The opening ceremony kicked off at 8:08 p.m. local time on 08/08/08. So far, pollution readings are said to be moderate, with various Olympic officials and health authorities declaring the Games largely safe for athletes and visitors — as long as they’re just passing through and their sporting […]
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The discredited agency upholds the biofuel mandate
The environmental value of corn ethanol got a ringing endorsement Thursday from EPA chief Stephen Johnson. Johnson declined a request to cut the Renewable Fuel Standard embedded in the 2007 Energy Act. The RFS mandates 9 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol be blended into the fuel supply this year, rising steadily to 15 billion gallons […]
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Get to work!
MoveOn takes on McCain the voteskipper: For more on those votes, see here.
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EPA administrator says he’s not pulling out
On a press call today, a reporter asked EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson if he plans to resign from his post, as four Democratic senators and some enviros have called on him to do. “If you want to talk about that you’re more than happy to talk to … our press officer. But no, I’m not,” […]
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Some disappointments in Obama’s new energy proposal
Joe Romm isn’t off the wagon in calling Barack Obama’s latest energy policy outline [PDF], “easily the best energy plan ever put forward by a nominee of either party,” particularly given its release during a general campaign targeted at purple state voters. All the same, I found the plan to be … a little meh. […]
