Late last week Wyoming air regulators took a second crack at a proposed rule to fix a serious ozone pollution problem in the state’s Upper Green River Basin. To use a baseball analogy, this rule designed to reduce pollution from the oil and gas industry, is a solid double. This proposal improves upon a version released in… Keep reading →
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IMPROVE GASIFICATION SYSTEMS, REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WASHINGTON–As part of the Administration’s all-of-the-above energy approach, the Department of Energy has selected four projects to receive funding for next-generation gasification systems that also reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Awardees will receive approximately $16 million to advance the gasification process, which converts carbon-based materials like… Keep reading →
On October 31, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released two plans related to climate change. The Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan and the Climate Change Adaptation Plan are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for flooding, rising sea levels, and extreme temperatures/weather patterns. These plans come five years after the 2009 Executive Order on Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance that set energy, climate, and environmental goals for government agencies. The release of the plans gave Energy Secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz an opportunity to outline how the use of clean energy resources, as part of the Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan, has been implemented within the Department. DOE has increased the number of buildings that achieved federal guiding principles for high performance and sustainable buildings. It has completed a biomass cogeneration facility in South Carolina and an 11.5 megawatt wind farm, both of which serve to reduce the use of non-renewable energy. DOE was also recognized as a 2014 GreenGov Presidential Award Winner for its work with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to produce a five percent reduction in DOT’s total fuel consumption, and a 20 percent increase in DOT’s use of alternative fuels.
The NRC has resumed license renewals after a two-year suspension, bringing the number of commercial nuclear power plants with renewed licenses to 74. On October 29, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report highlighting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) resumption of license renewals, ending a two-year suspension on licensing decisions. The NRC resumed the… Keep reading →
There has been—appropriately—much attention given to the election and the impact it will have on control of the U.S. Senate. Given the possibility of a Republican-controlled Senate, we have also seen a flurry of analysis of what impact that change will have on various issues. But, in the energy and environment arena, there is an upcoming shift that will have a profound impact on the direction of public policy that is getting little attention: personnel changes at the White House.
Keystone Pipeline, Carbon Emission Rules, Natural-Gas Exports Expected to Receive Attention in GOP-Controlled Senate. Wall Street Journal: Next year’s GOP-controlled Senate is expected to come out strongly against President Barack Obama ’s most consequential energy and environment policies, with the likely majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, vowing to hold votes on the Keystone XL pipeline and legislation to pare… Keep reading →
As global oil prices continue to plunge based on an aggressive international trading policy by Saudi Arabia, questions are being raised about the sustainability of the U.S. shale boom. “The price of oil fell some more on Tuesday, down as low as $75.84 before closing at $77 a barrel. The decline is blamed on Saudi Arabia… Keep reading →
The White House has released federal agencies’ sustainability and climate plans outlining methods to incorporate energy and climate considerations into their decision-making. On October 31, 2014 – the fifth anniversary of the 2009 Executive Order on Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance – the White House released federal agencies’ sustainability and climate change adaptation plans, detailing… Keep reading →
Recently, Australian state and federal officials, industry leaders, and international experts convened in Sydney at the third annual Eastern Australian Energy Markets Outlook conference to assess the prospects for the energy supply chain in Australia vis-à-vis their international competitors, including the United States. As long-time military allies and economic partners that share a strong diplomatic… Keep reading →
The appointment of Senator. Lisa Murkowski as Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee will have a major impact on U.S. Energy Policy particularly in relation the Keystone XL Pipeline, hydraulic fracturing, air quality regulations and LNG Export development. Murkowski emerged victorious from the Alaska Senate race and will ensure these issues become a… Keep reading →
