A review of these items today finds that all were adopted or are
working their way through the process. This is a startling achievement
amidst the worst economy in 70 years<\/a>, two wars, and an opposition party disinterested in cooperation<\/a>. President Obama did much of what he promised, and he can do more in 2010 by cajoling Congress to do its part.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
These achievements will have real world impact. By 2011, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, P.L. 111-5, will double the generation of renewable electricity from the wind, sun, and earth<\/a>. ARRA will also lead to energy efficiency retrofits in 1 million homes by 2012. And President Obama’s new fuel economy standards<\/a> would save 1.8 billion barrels of oil. Additional benefits will accrue <\/p>\n Here’s a review of progress made by the president and Congress over the past year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. Wish they all could be California cars<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Bush administration blocked efforts by California<\/a> and 16 other states to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from motor vehicles. On May 19 of last year<\/a>, President Obama announced an agreement with California, the auto <\/p>\n 2. Global warming is a real and present danger<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts vs. EPA<\/a> that the Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the <\/p>\n In March, EPA should finalize its big polluter rule to focus greenhouse gas reductions on large sources-those facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons of GHG<\/a> pollution annually. The pollution limits will only apply to about 7,500 <\/p>\n 3. Green stimulus and recovery<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As the economic hurricane gathered force last winter CAP recommended <\/p>\n The Department of Energy and other agencies adopted safeguards to <\/p>\n The rate of spending, job creation, and energy savings will <\/p>\n Vice President Joe Biden released an analysis<\/a> in December showing that just two ARRA programs—investments in <\/p>\n 4. Mercury falling<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Bush administration’s proposal to delay reductions in mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants was struck down by a federal court<\/a> because it was less protective of public health than required by the Clean Air Act. The Bush EPA<\/a>, according to The New York Times, “ignored its legal obligation to require the strictest possible controls on the toxic metal.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n EPA reached a settlement<\/a> in the lawsuit that led to the mercury rule’s rejection, which would <\/p>\n 5. Curb the enthusiasm for greenhouse gases<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Scientists recommend developed countries reduce their greenhouse gas <\/p>\n In order to work more closely with Congress the Obama administration <\/p>\n The administration also supported the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, S. 1733<\/a>, which the Senate Environment Committee passed on November 5, 2009<\/a>. <\/p>\n 6. The answer is blowing in the wind (and shining in the sun)<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Twenty-eight states—including the District of Columbia—<\/a> require <\/p>\n ACES would require utilities to generate 15 percent of their <\/p>\n A wind turbine at the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in Benton County, IndianaVaxomatic via FlickrOn June 17, 2009, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed the American Clean Energy and Leadership Act, S. 1462<\/a>. <\/p>\n 7. Bridge loans to the 21st century<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n General Motors and Chrysler sought federal assistance to prevent bankruptcy after the November 2008 general election. President George W. Bush provided $17 billion<\/a> in loans before he left office, and President Obama provided another $62 billion<\/a> to prevent the destruction of the domestic auto industry, which is <\/p>\n The Obama administration<\/a> provided loans to these two companies with the provision that they <\/p>\n GM’s assistance and restructuring plan<\/a> requires it to “have a significant focus on developing high <\/p>\n Last year the federal government also launched a “cash for clunkers<\/a>” program to help speed the recovery of the auto industry, create jobs, and <\/p>\n 8. Pick the low-hanging energy fruit<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Energy efficiency is called the “low-hanging fruit<\/a>” <\/p>\n Photo courtesy kimberlyfaye via Flickr The Obama administration understands the economic and energy <\/p>\n ARRA included a total of $25 billion<\/a> in spending for private efficiency measures and government programs. President Obama also issued Executive Order 13423<\/a> to promote “federal leadership in environmental, energy, and economic performance.” It would require federal agencies<\/a> to slash their greenhouse gas pollution, “increase energy efficiency, <\/p>\n On Dec. 8, 2009, President Obama<\/a> proposed including residential and industrial efficiency programs as <\/p>\n 9. Green the wires<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The lack of transmission capacity is a significant impediment to the broad expansion of renewable energy<\/a>. <\/p>\n What’s more, the American Clean Energy and Leadership Act<\/a>, <\/p>\n doesn’t yield siting and construction of high-priority transmission <\/p>\n 10. Rise of the new machines<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Research, development, and deployment of new clean-energy technologies were woefully underfunded by the Bush administration<\/a>. <\/p>\n The year ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Overall, President Obama’s first year included unprecedented <\/p>\n His success was led by a clean energy all-star team, including <\/p>\n The unprecedented achievements in year one must continue in year <\/p>\n To build on the outstanding first year, President Obama and Congress should accomplish the following goals:<\/p>\n Congress should enact clean-energy jobs and global The final bill that lands on Obama’s desk should include:<\/p>\n At least a 17 percent reduction in greenhouse gas pollution by 2020 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050. Strengthen the Copenhagen Accord as a legally binding Launch a “Home Star” or “cash for caulkers” program<\/a> as a center element of job creation legislation.<\/p>\n Make sure EPA finalizes the clean car and major greenhouse gas polluters rules.<\/p>\n Ensure EPA proposes greenhouse gas pollution limits for large industrial polluters.<\/p>\n Other items on Obama’s energy to-do list should include investing in <\/p>\n Obama and Congress’ efforts on clean energy over the past year were Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n Is the Obama administration about to eat the foodies’ lunch?<\/a><\/p>\n Reports of climate bill death are greatly exaggerated<\/a><\/p>\n What might Sen. Byron Dorgan’s retirement mean for climate legislation?<\/a><\/p>\n
as the president and Congress finish some 2009 clean-energy initiatives
and additional efforts are launched in 2010.<\/p>\n
companies, and the United Auto Workers to establish the first-ever
greenhouse gas limits for motor vehicles. The plan<\/a> would increase fuel economy standards by one-third by 2016, which would
save 1.8 billion barrels of oil. It would also cut greenhouse gas
pollution by nearly 1 billion metric tons, which is equivalent to
removing 177 million cars from the road. The plan should be final in
March 2010.<\/p>\n
authority to require greenhouse gas reductions from power plants and
other sources. But first the EPA has to make an “endangerment finding”
that global warming poses a threat to Americans’ health and safety.
Despite a recommendation from EPA scientists to do so, the Bush
administration refused. Under President Obama, EPA followed the science
and the law by making the endangerment finding<\/a> on Dec. 7, 2009.<\/p>\n
facilities, and they’ll exclude farms, small businesses, and other
relatively small emitters. Unfortunately, big oil and its allies continue to lie<\/a> by claiming the EPA pollution reduction rules will apply to farmers and Mom and Pop stores.<\/p>\n
that any recovery plan include $100 billion for clean-energy programs.
The American Recovery and Reinvestmen<\/a>t
Act, or ARRA, which became law on Feb. 17, 2009, includes $70
billion for clean-energy investments in the Weatherization Assistance
Program, energy-efficiency in government buildings, states’ efficiency
and renewable energy programs, public transit, high-speed rail,
advanced battery research, and other programs. ARRA also includes $20
billion in clean-energy tax incentives for residential efficiency
measures, wind and solar power, and super-efficient cars. The New York Times called this program “the largest energy bill ever passed.”<\/p>\n
ensure that these funds are well spent given the unprecedented size and
scope of the programs. This took longer than anticipated, so a large
portion of clean-energy funds have been allocated but not spent. DOE received $33 billion, nearly half of the clean-energy funds<\/a>,
and it has awarded $23 billion, or about two-thirds of these funds, to
eligible states and other grantees. As of December 31, less than $2
billion—or 6 percent—was spent.<\/p>\n
accelerate in 2010 after the awarded funds are spent. On Jan. 8, for
instance, President Obama announced the award<\/a> of “$2.3 billion in Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credits,” which
should leverage another $5 billion in private investments. These funds
will go to “One hundred eighty three projects in 43 states [that] will
create tens of thousands of high-quality, clean-energy jobs and the
domestic manufacturing of advanced clean-energy technologies including
solar, wind, and efficiency and energy management technologies.”<\/p>\n
renewable and smart manufacturing, and smart grid technologies—would
create more than 800,000 jobs. And based on past experience the $5
billion ARRA investment in low-income home weatherization projects
could create another 160,000 jobs.<\/p>\n
require it to propose mercury limits by March 16, 2011, and finalize
the limits by Nov. 16, 2011. Power plants would have to meet plant
specific mercury reductions.<\/p>\n
pollution 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 to stave off the worst
impacts of global warming. They should also reduce emissions 80 percent
below 1990 levels by 2050. These reductions should prevent a
temperature rise of 2 degrees C.<\/p>\n
did not propose its own numeric pollution reductions. Instead, it supported House passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act<\/a>, or ACES, H.R. 2454, which passed the House of Representatives on June 26, 2009. The World Resources Institute, or WRI, estimates<\/a> that this bill would achieve an overall pollution reduction of 28
percent below 2005 levels and a 16 percent reduction below 1990 levels.
By 2050 it would reduce pollution by 71 percent below 1990 levels.<\/p>\n
WRI estimates this bill would reduce emissions by 17 percent and 68
percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 2050, respectively. Sens. John
Kerry (D-Mass), Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) are
developing comprehensive compromise energy and global warming
legislation that would reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 17 percent.<\/p>\n
utilities to produce a proportion of their electricity from the wind,
the sun, the earth’s core, and other renewable sources. In 2008, CAP
recommended that President Obama support and Congress pass a nationwide
renewable electricity standard of 25 percent by 2025.<\/p>\n
electricity from renewable sources by 2020, with utilities allowed to
meet 3 percent of the target via energy-efficiency measures. The bill
also requires utilities to reduce demand by an additional 5 percent.<\/p>\n
It would require a 15 percent renewable electricity standard by 2021,
which allows utilities to meet 3 percent of this requirement via energy
efficiency measures. The bill, however, has a weak enforcement
mechanism that may ease noncompliance. An analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists<\/a> determined that “the amount of renewable energy required under the RES
would be less than this level [15 percent], between 7.4 and 10.7
percent. This is worse-or at best-only marginally better than the
amount of renewable energy generated without a national RES.” To
significantly boost investments in wind, solar, and other renewable
power, the Senate must include a more aggressive renewable electricity
standard in its energy and global warming bill expected on the floor
this spring.<\/p>\n
responsible for 1 in 10 American jobs. During this process, CAP urged
that the companies use this assistance to pursue the development,
production, and sale of more fuel-efficient automobiles.<\/p>\n
restructure their operations and manufacture “the fuel-efficient cars
and trucks that will carry us towards an energy-independent future.”<\/p>\n
fuel-efficiency cars that have broad consumer appeal because they are
cost-effective, have good performance and are reliable, durable, and
safe.” Chrysler’s merger with Fiat “could lead to Chrysler
manufacturing fuel-efficient vehicles using Fiat’s technology.”<\/p>\n
reduce oil use. It created an economic incentive to spur the trade in
of old gas guzzlers for new, efficient models, and 700,000 clunkers
were taken off the roads. The Department of Transportation<\/a> determined that the average fuel economy of the new cars was 9 miles
per gallon more-nearly a 60 percent improvement. The program also saved
or created more than 40,000 jobs.<\/p>\n
of clean energy since technology can be employed in myriad ways to
reduce energy consumption and also save money. Efficiency would also
reduce global warming emissions to boot. Last year, CAP proposed several
new efficiency programs including incentives for states to put energy
efficiency on equal footing with new power plants; establishment of a
federal “energy efficiency resource standard” that requires utilities
to reduce energy consumption; and fully funding the Deployment of
Combined Heat and Power Systems, District Energy Systems, Waste Energy
Recovery Systems, and Efficient Industrial Equipment program to capture
and reuse industrial waste heat.<\/p>\n
benefits of efficiency, and it demonstrated this by investing
significant resources in it over the past year. ACES, which the
administration supports, includes a 5 percent energy efficiency
resource standard. ARRA provided incentives for states<\/a> to “adopt certain utility regulatory policies to encourage
utility-sponsored energy efficiency improvements.” It also included
$150 million for nine “combined heat and power” and other industrial
waste energy recovery projects. There were 358 other applications for
similar eligible shovel-ready projects that would cost $9 billion and
create 57,000 jobs. These projects would save the energy equivalent of
160 million barrels of oil annually.<\/p>\n
reduce fleet petroleum consumption,” and take other steps to promote
efficiency and sustainability.<\/p>\n
part of any job creation package considered by Congress to combat
unemployment. The program would create economic incentives for owners
to retrofit their homes or buildings to become more energy efficient.
On Dec. 16, the House passed the Jobs for Main Street Act, H.R.
2847, which expands existing energy loan guarantee programs to include
large-scale residential and commercial energy efficiency projects. The
Senate should include a more vigorous version of the House measure with
a “Home Star<\/a>” or “cash for caulkers<\/a>”
program in its job creation package. The programs would provide
economic incentives to homeowners to make their homes more energy
efficient via improved air sealing and insulation, advanced building
materials, and state-of-the-art appliances. This would quickly create
hundreds of thousands of jobs in construction and manufacturing. It
would slice participants’ energy bills by 20 percent or more.<\/p>\n
Grid modernization must accompany increasing renewable energy
generation, including the ability to incorporate intermittent renewable
electricity generation. ARRA provided $4.5 billion to DOE for smart
grid deployment and transmission line enhancement, and DOE just awarded $60 million<\/a> for “transmission planning for the country’s three interconnection
transmission networks.” This is the first step to enhancing the U.S.
electricity transmission network.<\/p>\n
includes an “‘interstate highway system’ for electricity by creating a
new bottoms-up planning system for a national transmission grid.” The
bill allows “states to take the initial lead in deciding where to build
high-priority national transmission projects,” but if this process<\/p>\n
projects then the federal government can step in. This proposal should
significantly hasten the planning, siting, and building of new
transmission capacity. It should be included in the energy and global
warming bill the Senate plans to debate this spring.<\/p>\n
An important element of the clean-energy agenda for the incoming Obama
administration was to resume significant investments in the
clean-energy technologies of the future. ARRA included nearly $9
billion for the Advanced Research Project Agency for advanced energy
technology research, carbon capture-and-storage technologies to remove
and store carbon pollution from power plants, advanced batteries, and
other projects.<\/p>\n
successes and efforts to speed the transformation to a 21st century
clean energy economy. In addition to launching the aforementioned
investments, he overturned a number of energy decisions made by the
Bush administration that ignored sound science while favoring big oil
and other special interests.<\/p>\n
Assistant to the President Carol Browner, Agriculture Secretary Tom
Vilsack, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator Lisa Jackson, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, NOAA
Administrator Jane Lubchenco, and Science Advisor John Holdren.<\/p>\n
two. The top priority is enactment of comprehensive clean-energy and
global warming legislation that would create jobs, increase American
energy independence, restore our economic competitiveness, and cut
pollution.<\/p>\n
warming pollution reduction legislation, beginning with Senate passage
of a bill.<\/p>\n
A robust renewable electricity standard.
Significant investments in energy efficiency.
Clean-energy job creation programs.
Significant investments in clean-energy manufacturing competitiveness.
Jumpstarting electricity transmission siting and construction efforts.
An independent Clean Energy Deployment Administration<\/a> (green bank).
Incentives to increase natural gas use for transportation and electricity with new safeguards for shale gas production.
Pollution reductions through strong participation in international efforts to cut deforestation in half by 2020.
Aggressive oil savings measures.<\/p>\n
agreement that makes sure developed and developing nations commit to
sufficient pollution reductions to keep global warming to 2 degrees C by 2050.<\/p>\n
clean-energy research, implementing efficiency measures, boosting
renewable energy production, and implementing clean-energy job training
programs. The administration should continue to pursue clean-energy
economic development strategies for inner cities and rural areas.<\/p>\n
an unprecedented about face from the Bush administration’s big oil
approach. They should continue to speed along the clean energy path
this year.<\/p>\n
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