A man with energy policy on his mind
The Gulf Oil Spill
BP plans to execute the excitingly-named “top-kill” maneuver, where heavy mud is pumped into the leaking oil well to cut off the flow, on Tuesday or Wednesday.
BP is trying to lower expectations for the gambit’s success. At some point we may have to accept that oil will leak into the Gulf for two more months, when the relief well is complete.
Meanwhile this weekend, President Obama named forrmer Sen. Bob Graham, of Florida, and former EPA Administrator William K. Reilly to a commission on how to prevent another spill. Will this commission be able to redeem offshore drilling?
Congress Choking off Venture Funding for Green Energy?
The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010, a measure that venture capitalists say could choke off funding for green energy, is being considered by congress this week. The House is expected to vote on and pass the measure this Tuesday. It isn’t clear if it will pass the senate. The timing couldn’t be worse for green energy investors.
Whither the American Power Act?
If the midterm elections go as expected for the Democrats, The Kerry-Lieberman legislation will be the last, best hope America has to put a price on carbon, Grist’s David Roberts argues. So why isn’t it moving forward?
The only firm date has been set Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who has organized a meeting of Democratic committee leaders for June 7 and a meeting of the entire caucus for a week later.
Still, Obama, or Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., could declare their support for the bill before then.