Rising oil
prices have prompted House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings
(R-WV) to announce two hearings in March to examine increased domestic energy
production, setting up a clash with Democrats and the White House over the
relative importance of oil and clean energy in meeting national economic and
other goals.891 words
A coalition of wind industry groups, environmentalists
and consumer advocates has set the stage for a possible lawsuit over the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's policy toward renewable resources,
arguing that cost recovery provisions in a proposal designed to support the
integration of renewables into the grid are illegally discriminatory. The
groups -- which in general strongly support the FERC proposal -- say the
specific provisions penalize wind and solar because they are intermittent,
according to comments recently submitted to FERC.800 words
EPA
Administrator Lisa Jackson says the agency will eventually be forced by ongoing
litigation to extend greenhouse gas (GHG) limits to most large industry
sectors' new source performance standards (NSPS), but does not have immediate
plans to impose such requirements beyond forthcoming NSPS rules for power
plants and refiners.887 words
Department of
Energy researchers have developed a process for extracting a chemical from
cellulosic material that can be directly placed in vehicle fuel tanks, a
technological breakthrough that researchers say could hasten the nation's
transition away from petroleum fuels by providing an inexpensive biofuel that
could also replace corn-based ethanol. The technology likely can be scaled up
for commercial deployment within the next five to 10 years, according to a key
researcher on the project.693 words
House Republican leaders said March 10 that subcommittee passage of legislation to curb EPA's greenhouse gas authority was the first step in a broader campaign to combat rising gas prices, setting the stage for a confrontation with Democrats who are ramping up arguments that the GOP bill could actually boost oil dependence.
694 words
The head of
the nation's largest nuclear power producer said EPA greenhouse gas regulations
should be allowed to proceed in order to force power plants to switch from coal
to abundant supplies of low-cost natural gas, without the enactment of a
national clean energy standard (CES).718 words
EPA advisers
are questioning an agency plan to encourage industrial boilers to adopt energy
efficiency and fuel-switching measures to comply with new air toxic controls,
citing cost concerns and the availability of other emission control
technologies.865 words
California
lawmakers say they anticipate "cleanup" legislation will be pursued to resolve
several remaining disputes over a landmark bill expected to be signed into law
soon that would establish a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) of 33 percent by
the end of 2020. Chief among the disputes is whether to grant regulatory relief
for direct-access "electric service providers" (ESPs), who claim they are
subject to discriminatory requirements under the bill.666 words
Renewable
energy proponents fear the nuclear crisis in Japan could stall the clean energy
debate in the United States and put them at a disadvantage as lawmakers focus
on ramifications for the domestic nuclear energy industry and pause discussions
on advancing solar and wind, according to renewable energy industry sources.427 words
The utility
industry and large industrial energy consumers are raising legal and other
concerns about the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's proposal to end
discrimination against wind, solar and other renewable energy resources.
Utilities argue that the commission may be unintentionally overturning a key
precedent while manufacturers suggest that the commission is discriminating
against demand response and combined heat and power services that industrial
facilities can provide to wholesale electricity markets.557 words
A proposal
floated March 4 by a group of Senate Democrats to sell off a portion of the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve and use the proceeds to fund clean energy programs
and electric vehicles would face daunting hurdles, proponents of the plan
acknowledged amid a flurry of interest in the reserve on Capitol Hill.455 words
The ethanol
industry is lauding the March 10 reintroduction of a bill by Sens. Amy
Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) that includes a multi-year phaseout of
a key blending subsidy that supports a national ethanol distribution system,
according to industry sources. Sources say the bill could represent the
industry's best hope for a gradual elimination of the subsidy, which they
favor, as proposals pile up to eliminate the subsidy altogether and provide no
federal support for infrastructure.406 words
California
energy officials overseeing an alternative fuel and vehicle funding program are
eyeing elimination of a nascent financial incentives program to keep ethanol
plants operating in the state, with one top-level official saying unrelenting
pressure by state lawmakers and environmentalists, as well as poor market
conditions, appear to justify the cut.1237 words
Environmentalists
in Texas are preparing to challenge in state court whether an air permit
regulators granted to a proposed power plant should be subject to EPA's
greenhouse gas (GHG) limits -- a case that could test how to apply EPA guidance
for determining if permits "issued" before Jan. 2 can be made subject to GHG
requirements.1174 words
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