The EPA moves swiftly to follow up on the presidential climate action plan announced two weeks ago. This week in CIB:
Climate Change Update: EPA Acts and Environmentalists Mobilize
Acting swiftly in response to the presidential climate action plan announced June 25, EPA has sent the White House a new draft of proposed rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants.
Analysts noted that the speed of response suggests that the administration had already laid the groundwork to move forward on his proposals, and that quick movement can be expected as well on an even broader draft rule on existing power plants. Under the announced presidential timetable, that rule draft is due to be made public by next June. Both rules are expected to weigh heavily against increased use of coal in electricity generation. For more discussion, see here.
Meanwhile, citizen environmental groups have mobilized in support of moving the presidential climate action plan forward without delay. The national League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is one of the groups seeking to encourage public comment in support of the plan.
As noted last week, Obama’s plan relies on these key elements:
- Regulations on power plant carbon dioxide emissions (especially from coal-fired plants) that would extend to covering existing power plants, not just new ones. EPA is charged with undertaking this under existing Clean Air Act authority, with rules to be proposed by June 2014 and finalized by June 2015.
- Significant increases in renewable energy (wind, solar) generation from facilities located on public lands. The Department of the Interior is directed to head this effort.
- Extending further the ongoing tightening of fuel efficiency standards for heavy trucks, and strengthening energy efficiency standards for new construction and building renovation.
- Development of a strategy to limit emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide. EPA is charged with taking the lead in this as well.
In support of the plan, the White House prepared state-by-state summaries discussing its relevance. The memo for North Carolina is found here.
Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hearing Begins
The evidentiary hearing in the current Duke Energy rate hike case before the N.C. Utilities Commission begins today (Monday, July 8) in Raleigh. Duke is requesting another substantial hike in electricity prices–its third such request since 2009. Under the request, the average residential rate would increase 13.9%, and rates for small and medium businesses up to 10.7%.
The evidentiary hearings were preceded by five public comment hearings, the most recent July 2 in Hillsborough. The “Public Staff” of the Utilities Commission, charged by state law with representing the interests of public electric consumers, has reached an agreement with Duke to support a lesser increase amount. The state Attorney General continues to oppose any increase at this time.
A number of citizen groups, including clean energy advocates, are actively opposing the Duke rate hike request, arguing that it will facilitate the construction of additional unnecessary coal and nuclear plants. The clean energy group NC WARN will hold a media and public event in advance of today’s hearing, beginning at noon on Halifax Mall outside the Dobbs Building, 430 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh. More information is available here.
The Other Side: Koch Cash Pollutes National, State Climate Debate
A new analysis from American University shows how the oil-baron Koch brothers bankrolled a successful campaign to derail legislative action on climate change.
The report describes how the anti-environmental group “Americans for Prosperity” (heavily financed by the Koch brothers) pressed legislators to sign a pledge that they would “oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.” Since most meaningful legislative action plans–from ‘cap-and-trade’ to carbon tax–rely in part on the creation of financial incentives to reduce carbon pollution, this “pledge” effectively rules out support for legislative action to address climate change.
See one online article on this story here.
Records of the current pledge signers show how extensively this big-oil anti-action mentality reaches into North Carolina’s legislative delegations. More North Carolina state legislators (both House and Senate) are listed as signatories than those from any other state. North Carolina has 17 state senators listed as signers (compared to runner-up Arkansas at 11, and Missouri third at six); and 25 Representatives (with Arkansas again number two at 19, and Michigan third at 17). This is a race to the ignorant bottom that we should be embarrassed to be winning.
Want to know who to chastise for signing this no-nothing pledge? They’re listed on the “Americans for Prosperity” anti-climate action website here.
That’s our report for this week.
