Climate Politics

McCain might not be as opposed to a windfall profits tax as his fellow Republicans

Via the Democratic National Committee’s blog, this video makes it seem like John McCain might not be as opposed to a windfall profits tax on oil companies as are his colleagues in the Senate and at the RNC:

EPA plans to loosen air-quality rules near national parks

Photo: Wolfgang Staudt Call us crazy, but rewriting the Clean Air Act to ease the way for new coal plants near national parks seems to fly in the face of that whole “clean air” thing. But sure enough, the U.S. EPA plans to make a change allowing the government to calculate the average annual emissions […]

‘Energy and Tax Extenders Act’ clears committee, heads to House floor

The House advanced legislation yesterday that would renew billions of dollars in tax breaks for wind, solar, biomass, and other renewable energy sources, and extend a proposed new tax credit for biofuels derived from sources other than corn. The “Energy and Tax Extenders Act of 2008” was approved by the Ways and Means Committee by […]

Congress finally passes veto-proof farm bill

Defying President Bush’s veto threat, the Senate joined the House Thursday in voting “yay” on the $289 billion omnibus legislation that covers everything from farm subsidies to food stamps. In both chambers, support for the bill tallied strong enough to override Bush’s threatened veto. The legislation has bitterly divided the sustainable-agriculture world. Supporters acknowledge the […]

Ed Norton goes to the Hill to talk up green building

Ed Norton will go green — literally — next month when he hits the big screen as The Incredible Hulk. But on Wednesday he was on the Hill talking up the virtues of going green figuratively, in our building practices. Ed Norton on the Hill. Norton appeared before the House Select Committee for Energy Independence […]

Grist asks McCain about contradictory messages on nuclear subsidies

John McCain hosted a call-in with bloggers today following his address in Columbus, Ohio, in which he outlined his priorities for a first term in office. Grist got in a couple of questions: You mentioned climate and energy in your speech today, that they would be among your top priorities, and that has also been […]

McCain outlines priorities for first term; climate and energy make the cut

John McCain is in Ohio today, where he gave a speech this morning about what he plans to accomplish by 2013. Progress on climate and energy is part of his vision for a better world at the end of his first term: The United States is well on the way to independence from foreign sources […]

Polar bear is endangered, but ‘Rule will allow continuation of vital energy production in Alaska’

The Department of Interior suffers from a rare form of bipolar disorder called bye-polar disorder. There is one major symptom of this disorder: You list the polar bear as "threatened" because of its melting polar sea ice habitat, but then do nothing to actually protect that polar habitat from its primary threat, greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion.

The disorder is accompanied by an occasional burst of logic, as when the DOI noted:

John Edwards endorses Barack Obama

Former presidential hopeful John Edwards has at long last endorsed a candidate: Barack Obama. Edwards, whose strong stances on the environment pushed his Democratic rivals to toughen their green proposals, said of his choice, “Democratic voters in America have made their choice and so have I.” Hillary Clinton‘s campaign, which had also pursued Edwards’ endorsement, […]

Bush admin to list polar bears as threatened; advocates pledge to continue the fight

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne was flanked by two large television screens rolling video of polar bears as he discussed his department’s decision Wednesday to declare the bears “threatened.” The video bears — and the bears in the many photos on display at the press conference — were fat and happy, wrestling on solid ice floes […]