Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming: Press Releases

POSTPONED Hearing 2/11: Clearing the Smoke - Black Carbon Pollution

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

PLEASE NOTE: THIS HEARING HAS BEEN POSTPONED AND MORE INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY.

Select Committee to hold hearing on impacts and solutions to black carbon pollution

Black carbon is a particle pollutant -- a component of soot and smoke -- that is emitted during the burning of fossil fuels and biomass. Finding solutions that reduce black carbon pollution is an important step in the fight against climate change.

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing entitled: “Clearing the Smoke: Understanding the Impacts of Black Carbon Pollution.”

WHAT: Select Committee hearing on Understanding the Impacts of Black Carbon Pollution
WHEN: TBA
WHERE: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC, Capital Complex and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov
WHO: Witnesses to be announced

Markey: President Showing aEURoeGroundedaEUR? Commitment to Clean Energy Development

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Biofuels from the Ground, and Carbon Capture Underground, Will Grow American Energy Independence, Says Chairman

Today the Obama administration announced several new rules, reports and initiatives that signal the president’s continued commitment to developing home-grown American clean energy. President Obama announced new rules on meeting the renewable fuels requirement from the 2007 energy bill, a proposed rule on biomass assistance for farmers and energy producers, a strategic report on commercialization of biofuels, and the creation of a new interagency task force on carbon capture programs.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, and co-author of the 2007 energy bill and the House-passed Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill, issued the following statement:

“Whether it’s biofuels that come out of the ground, or carbon emissions that we pipe underground, the president is showing that he is committed to the creation of a home-grown, American clean energy economy.

“We can create biofuels that come from plants or waste, but don’t take food off our plates. We should be running our cars and trucks on home-grown biofuels, not Middle East fossil fuels. The Obama administration is committed to making this a reality.

“Carbon capture and storage is another necessary technology America must develop if we are to deal with our dual challenges of energy and economic security. China and India are building coal plants at an increasing clip, and if America does not create the technology to capture and dispose of carbon emissions, they will.

“Now is the time for a ‘grounded’ energy and climate policy that takes the plants, the wind, the sun, and the other American resources that surround us everyday and turns it into home-grown clean energy jobs. Today the Obama administration is showing they believe in this ‘grounded’ energy policy.”

Markey Introduces Increase in Low-Income Energy Assistance

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Crisis Approaches as Heating Oil Prices, Demand for Help Both Increase

A perfect storm of economic hardship, rising heating oil prices, and increased demand for home energy assistance could result in a serious home energy crisis for millions of Americans this year and beyond. In response to this looming threat, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today introduced legislation that would increase the level of funding for and expand availability to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, creating a vital safety net for millions of Americans.

“Our economy may finally be heating up, but the effects of a recession, periods of cold weather and rising energy prices are still having a chilling effect on millions of American families,” said Rep. Markey, chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee in the Energy and Commerce Committee. “Expanding LIHEAP’s funding and availability is absolutely vital.”

The bill, the Energy Assistance for American Families Act, would increase the authorized funding level for LIHEAP to $7.6 billion per year for fiscal years 2011 to 2014, an increase of $2.5 billion over the last authorized level, enacted in 2005. The bill would also extend the expanded eligibility levels to families whose incomes total up to 75 percent of their state’s median income level.

According to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), states assisted 8.3 million households last year, a more than 33 percent increase in the number of households served from the previous year. In addition, in large part due to the economic downturn, NEADA estimates that 10 million households may apply for assistance this year. However, 10 million households still represents less than one-third of all households that are eligible for help. Increasing the authorized LIHEAP funding level will allow states to meet this increased demand and to continue to provide meaningful aid.

Energy prices are also on the rise -- average household expenditures on heating oil this winter are expected to increase to $1,911 from $1,864 last winter, according to the Department of Energy.

Markey: Pentagon Review Calls Climate Change, Energy Security, Economic Stability aEURoeInextricably LinkedaEUR?

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Chairman Markey Requested Quadrennial Review in 2007

The Pentagon’s Quadrennial Defense Review released today points to serious global security concerns from our energy and climate change challenges. The four-year review was first requested by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) in the Global Climate Change Security Oversight Act of 2007, which eventually became law through other legislation.

The report, a comprehensive look at America’s defense risks and opportunities, pays special attention to the challenges of climate change and dependence on fossil fuels like oil. The Pentagon links these global problems with America’s economy, saying “climate change, energy security and economic stability are inextricably linked.”

“The Pentagon gets it. The American people get it. We must move away from our dependence on foreign oil and towards American-made clean energy,” said Rep. Markey, chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “The time has come to meet peacefully now in the halls of Congress to solve these problems, or America and her allies will surely be met with conflict in the future if they remain unaddressed.”

The report says that climate change could “have significant geopolitical impacts around the world, contributing to poverty, environmental degradation, and the further weakening of fragile governments.” Extreme weather events could strain military support, and changes in the climate will contribute to food and water scarcity and mass migrations, the Pentagon report says.

The solutions offered by the Pentagon are to move away from petroleum-based fuels and towards clean energy. Energy efficiency is called a “force multiplier, because it increases the range and endurance of forces in the field and can reduce the number of combat forces diverted to protect energy supply lines, which are vulnerable to both asymmetric and conventional attacks and disruptions.”

Legislation offered by Rep. Markey in 2007 asked for the Quadrennial Review to include findings estimate regarding the impact of global climate change and potential implications of such impact on America’s defense. The Department of Defense authorization bill that passed in 2007 included the requirement for this assessment.

Markey Praises Obama Budget Proposal

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Budget Shows Commitment to Creating Jobs, Passing Clean Energy and Climate Legislation, Protecting Middle Class Families

Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of twin energy and climate panels in the House, issued the following statement today after the Obama administration released the details of its budget request for Fiscal Year 2011.

“With this common sense budget, President Obama is making the tough choices necessary to protect middle-class families, revive our economy and lay the foundation for a clean energy economy that will put people back to work in clean energy jobs,” said Markey. “To create lasting prosperity, we need to create clean energy jobs here in America, so that we can take on China and other foreign competitors.”

“After eight years of the failed economic policies of the Bush Administration that turned record budget surpluses into trillion dollar deficits, President Obama is focusing on essential priorities while eliminating unnecessary spending.”

As the budget indicates, Congress can send comprehensive, budget-neutral energy legislation, like the House-passed Waxman-Markey bill, to the President this year. The president’s budget specifically calls for such legislation, and that the policy should be deficit-neutral, utilizing money from polluters and to help American families and invest in the jobs, technologies and companies that will build America’s clean energy future.

This year’s budget includes important funding increases for the EPA and invests $2.3 billion in applied energy research and development. This funding will position the United States as the world leader in clean energy technology and will help develop new industries and create good paying new jobs. The budget also eliminates more than $2.7 billion in tax subsidies for oil, coal and gas industries.

“For years R&D has been on R&R here in America,” said Markey. “But with this budget, the President is making a commitment to lead the way in the 21st Century clean energy economy. This budget invests in our workforce, so that the clean energy technologies of the next 100 years come from Boston, not Beijing.”

The Obama administration’s Interior Department budget includes provisions championed by Rep. Markey to ensure that American taxpayers are getting their fair share for giving Big Oil the right to drill on public land. The budget ensures that Big Oil companies “Use it or Lose it” on nonproducing leases by incorporating an idea recently reintroduced in the House by Rep. Markey to charge a new fee on non-producing oil and gas leases. Rep. Markey’s “Use it or Lose it” legislation passed the House in the 110th Congress.

The budget highlights the need for legislative action to recover $54 billion in royalty-free drilling that oil companies are poised to keep from American taxpayers that could otherwise be used for deficit control or other important measures. Rep. Markey reintroduced legislation last week, the Royalty Relief for American Consumers Act of 2010, which would correct this error and ensure the oil companies are paying their fair share as a way of protecting taxpayers and reducing our budget deficit.

“High oil prices have busted budgets in households and businesses for years, even as companies like ExxonMobil reap billions in profits,” said Markey. “Instead of oil companies drilling for free on public land, we should be drilling for deficit dollars by fixing this taxpayer rip-off.”

The budget also includes over $5 billion for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a $345 million increase that includes funds to implement the requirement that 100 percent of all cargo carried on passenger planes be screened, a mandate Rep. Markey authored that was included in the law implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

Building on the $7.2 billion Recovery Act program that Rep. Markey championed to expand broadband deployment, the Obama administration’s budget requests an additional $418 million to expand broadband services to rural communities.

“In these difficult economic times, families across the Commonwealth and across the nation are tightening their belts. This budget is no different. President Obama is committed to eliminating wasteful spending, while preserving the core priorities that will improve our health care system, end our dependence on foreign oil and expand access to education,” Markey concluded.

The budget also includes $36 billion more for a loan guarantee program for the nuclear energy industry. The energy department, however, already has $20 billion for the program that has yet to be distributed.

“Any additional taxpayer support for new nuclear power plants has to consider the costs of nuclear power compared to other low-carbon or zero-carbon energy sources,” said Markey. “Ultimately, the best way to establish nuclear energy as cost-competitive is to pass a comprehensive climate and energy bill that finally forces polluters to pay for the carbon pollution they produce.”

Markey: Federal GovaEUR(TM)t Emission Goals Will Create Jobs, Drive Clean Energy Development

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Ambitious Targets for U.S. Government Operations Leads by Example

The Obama administration announced today that the federal government, the nation’s largest energy consumer, would use clean energy solutions to reduce global warming emissions by 28 percent by 2020, compared to 2008 levels. By installing solar panels, using more fuel efficient vehicles, and increasing energy efficiency and management, these measures will cut energy use by the equivalent of 205 million barrels of oil.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, issued the following statement:

“If we intend to embark on a national plan to create more clean energy and pollute less, than that plan must start with our national government. The federal government is the number one consumer of energy in the country, and will now be the number one leader in deploying clean energy technologies. To kick America’s foreign oil habit, we need participation and legislation, and this week President Obama has shown he has the dedication to follow through on these important efforts.”

Markey: U.S. Emissions Targets Reflect Congressional Action

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

House-passed Waxman-Markey Bill, Obama Admin. Show Consistency in U.S. Position

The global warming emission reduction targets submitted today by the United States to the United Nations reflect the targets passed by the House in the Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill. The targets submitted today are part of the Copenhagen Accord process. The U.S. submission includes targets of 17 percent below 2005 emission levels by 2020, 30 percent by 2025, 42 percent by 2030, and 83 percent by 2050, which mirrors the emissions reduction pathway in Waxman-Markey.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey bill and chair of twin climate and energy panels in the House, made the following statement:

"Waxman-Markey provided the Obama administration with the guideposts for emission reductions, and now the Obama administration is trying to guide the world towards an effective agreement that expands clean energy as it cuts pollution. American leadership is back on the map in this planetary effort.

"Waxman-Markey will create clean energy jobs here in the United States, while helping to create a united global front in the fight against the planetary challenge of climate change. The Senate now has the task of continuing this effort to create more clean energy jobs that can’t be sent overseas, and less carbon pollution that won’t be sent into the atmosphere.

"Last night, in his address to the nation, President Obama challenged Congress to pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill ‘that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.’ And like the president, we should not quit until this task is completed, and until we create more clean energy at home and less global warming around the world."

Markey and Van Hollen: Drilling for Deficit Dollars from Oil Companies is Part of Fiscal Responsibility

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

New Legislation Would Recover up to $54 Billion in Lost Royalties from Faulty Drilling Leases

As President Barack Obama steps up measures to decrease the U.S. budget deficit, Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) today introduced legislation that could recover up to $54 billion from oil companies that have been drilling for free on public lands due to faulty agreements made by the government.

"Instead of oil companies drilling for free on public land, we should be drilling for deficit dollars by fixing this taxpayer rip-off," said Rep. Markey, chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. "This legislation would protect American taxpayers and reduce our budget deficit by up to $54 billion."

"As Congress works with President Obama to put the nation's fiscal house in order, it is vitally important that we pay as much attention to closing costly, special interest loopholes as we do to scrutinizing wasteful spending," said Congressman Van Hollen. "The Royalty Relief for American Consumers Act does just that by ensuring taxpayers get a fair return when private corporations profit from public resources. It's common sense reform and should be enacted promptly."

The legislation, the Royalty Relief for American Consumers Act of 2010, would correct errors in the law that allowed oil companies holding drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico to avoid paying royalties to the federal government from leases granted by the Interior Department between 1996 and 2000. By recovering lost royalties, the federal government could take in up to $54 billion, according to a study by the Government Accountability Office.

The legislation would provide a strong incentive for companies holding faulty leases to renegotiate by preventing them from signing new lease agreements unless they renegotiate the old, free-drilling proposals. The Congressional Research Service has concluded that the legislation would protect the federal government from losses relating to royalty-free drilling. Similar versions of the legislation authored by Rep. Markey have repeatedly passed the House of Representatives in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

"Half of our trade deficit in 2008 was from buying foreign oil, and $54 billion of our national budget deficit could be solved by keeping oil companies honest," said Rep. Markey. "The minerals below our public lands belong to the American people and no company should be allowed to exploit them for free."

Markey: New Wind Numbers Blow Past Expectations, Showing Huge Potential

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Capacity Grew 39 Percent in 2009 Following Recovery Act Investments

America’s capacity to generate electricity from wind grew by 39 percent in 2009 due in large part to investments from the Recovery Act, new numbers from the American Wind Energy Association showed today. The growth, even in the face of a recession, shows the huge potential for clean energy once policies like a renewable electricity standard are put in place.

"In 2009, America’s wind capacity grew by nearly 40 percent – blowing past the expectations that existed prior to the passage of the Recovery Act," said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and co-author of the Waxman-Markey clean energy bill. "These numbers show the potential for growth in clean energy, if only our country will make a commitment to these technologies."

The wind industry pointed to the billions of dollars in the Recovery Act for clean energy as a driver for the gains in capacity in 2009, but that policies were still needed to encourage long-term growth, including a renewable electricity standard. The Waxman-Markey clean energy jobs bill that passed the House of Representatives in June would promote the deployment of clean energy technologies through a 20 percent renewable electricity standard, 5 percent of which can be met by energy efficiency.

"These are impressive short-term gains, but we need to put federal policies in place to generate long-term growth in clean energy technologies that can create more jobs in America’s manufacturing and steel industries," said Rep. Markey. "We need to be making wind turbines that say ‘Made in America’ instead of importing barrels of oil that say ‘Made by OPEC.’"

Markey: Clean Energy Means Jobs Here, Jobs Now

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Recovery Act Dollars Must Be Joined by Senate Action, Says Chairman Markey

Today President Obama announced the release of $2.3 billion in funding from the Recovery Act to create clean energy jobs.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey clean energy jobs bill and Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, issued the following statement:

“Millions of new clean energy jobs will be created over the next decade. The question is, will they be created in China or Germany or will we create them here in America? Today the president is saying we are dedicated to creating these clean energy jobs here, and to create them right now.

“These funds from the Recovery Act will continue the near-term advances our country has made in clean energy, but we need a long-term economic plan to create more jobs, and keep them here in America. That’s why the Senate must pass their version of the Waxman-Markey clean energy bill to ensure a robust long-term market for clean energy technologies.

“An American clean energy jobs plan will reduce both our oil imports and job exports. Studies say that a plan like Waxman-Markey would create nearly 2 million new clean energy jobs. The clean energy economy we are building with better fuel economy, more renewable energy, and more American jobs could save all of the oil we import from the Middle East.”

Additional background on today’s announcement:

A variation of the clean energy manufacturing credit used today is in the Waxman-Markey legislation. Up to 20 percent (about $18 billion through 2025) of clean energy development money provided to states through Waxman-Markey can be used for manufacturing incentives.
The investment tax credits, worth up to thirty percent of each planned project, will leverage private capital for a total investment of nearly $7.7 billion in high-tech manufacturing in the United States.
The projects will create more than 17,000 jobs in some of the fastest growing parts of our economy.
More than $5 million goes to support four Massachusetts manufacturing companies that will produce technologies and materials for efficient buildings, solar energy, and smart grid: Airxchange Inc., CertainTeed Corporation, GreenRay, Inc., and Premium Power.

Markey: Obama Ozone Standard Will Get Pollution Levels Out of Danger Zone

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Reverses Bush Administration Anti-Science Decision on Air Pollution

Today the Obama administration’s Environmental Protection Agency announced new stronger rules for ozone pollution, reversing an anti-science position taken by the Bush administration. The new proposed standard sets ozone pollution – the main component of harmful smog – at levels consistent with recommendations from the EPA’s panel of science advisors, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). The Bush administration had set pollution standards above those recommendations.

Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment in the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the EPA, issued the following statement:

“Our ozone standards have been in the danger zone for long enough, and these new pro-science standards encourage the adoption of cleaner, pollution-cutting technologies.

“The Bush administration set flawed standards that failed to protect public health. This new rule will save thousands of lives each year, decrease health care costs, and will continue America’s new push for cleaner energy, air and water.

“We can all breathe a little easier knowing that a pro-science Obama administration and EPA is back on the beat.”

Markey: Chu Answer on Nuke Plant LoansaEUR"No Taxpayer-Backed Money Unless Plants Are Approved

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4012

Markey: Chu Answer on Nuke Plant Loans—No Taxpayer-Backed Money Unless Plants Are Approved

Monitoring of Program, Designs Still Vital to Protect Public, Taxpayers, Says Chairman Markey

WASHINGTON (December 23, 2009) – Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu responded to Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) on questions about the nuclear energy loan guarantee program, especially reactors that could be awarded taxpayer-backed loans even when they have not received full approval for safety. Secretary Chu says in his response that “conditional commitments” could be made, but that “no [loan] guarantee will be issued with respect to a specific project and technology until the design is certified by the NRC and the [construction and operating license] has been issued.”

“Secretary Chu recognizes the inherent uncertainties in putting taxpayer dollars on the line for a nuclear power plant design that hasn’t yet been deemed to be safe,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment in the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over DOE and the NRC. “This process needs to be monitored to ensure public safety, so that public dollars are responsibly provided only when the reactor is truly both safe and shovel-ready.”

Secretary Chu’s letter can be found here.

DOE will soon announce the winners of $18.5 billion in taxpayer-backed loan guarantees to the nuclear energy industry, but recent reports of still-uncorrected design flaws in leading designs led Chairman Markey to send a letter in early November to Secretary Chu about the handling of the loan guarantee program. That letter can be found here.

In today’s response, Secretary Chu notes that his agency is working towards conditional commitments for loan guarantees for nuclear energy designs, but that “a conditional commitment is not, of course, a guarantee; it simply sets forth the terms on which a guarantee may be issued.” He notes that those conditions include completion of an NRC certification of the design, which would include safety requirements. The funds would also have a time limit—or sunset—for the awardees if the conditions for receiving the funds are not met.

The NRC recently announced that the shield that protects the reactor against hurricanes, earthquakes and airplane impact in the AP1000 nuclear reactor design -- a leading design proposed by the Westinghouse Electric Company -- still requires additional analysis, testing or design modifications to comply with safety requirements.

# # #

Markey: Obama Copenhagen Accord Opens Door for World Agreement on Climate

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-494-4486

Markey: Obama Copenhagen Accord Opens Door for World Agreement on Climate

U.S. Leadership Sparks Progress in Climate Talks as Copenhagen Conference Recognizes Accord

COPENHAGEN (December 19, 2009) – The vast majority of the countries here at the Copenhagen climate talks today recognized an accord forged by President Barack Obama, opening the door for continued reengagement on climate change. While only a handful of obstinate countries prevented full adoption of the accord by the entire conference, the broad recognition of the document – crafted less than 24 hours ago by 5 countries, including the United States – signifies a breakthrough in the world’s climate talks.

“President Obama took a climate deal that many considered dead in the water and created a watershed moment in the global effort to combat climate change,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the House-passed Waxman-Markey climate bill and chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Nearly every single country in the world, representing more than 6 billion people, including all nations critical to a final binding agreement, now agree that we should complete that goal by the end of 2010.”

The accord, which was forged yesterday during intense negotiations between the United States, China, India, Brazil and South Africa, was recognized by the full climate conference here in Copenhagen. A handful of dissenting countries like Sudan and Venezuela prevented the entire conference from adopting the agreement.

The deal also signifies a new era in United States leadership on climate change. Along with President Obama’s 11th hour negotiating tour de force, the U.S. House of Representatives sent 21 members to the talks, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Reps. Markey and Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the co-authors of the House-passed climate bill. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) also were vital voices in the talks.

“ There is now a new paradigm of U.S. leadership on climate change, where activity has replaced passivity,” said Rep. Markey. “Today’s recognition by 98 percent of the world of an American-led accord shows that the United States has retaken the mantle as a multilateral negotiating force.”

ObamaaEUR(TM)s Agreement in Copenhagen Signifies New Era of American Leadership

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-494-4486

Markey Statement on Copenhagen Climate Deal

COPENHAGEN (December 18, 2009) -- Following President Barack Obama's announcement that a deal had been reached at the climate talks in Copenhagen, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate and clean energy bill, Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Energy and Environment Subcommittee, released the following statement:

"This morning, Speaker Pelosi and I met with the President shortly before his speech before the Copenhagen conference. It was clear that he faced a difficult situation and was determined to hold steady for an agreement that would turn the tide against global warming. I sat in the hall when the president spoke and I could see the impact that his speech made on the assembled delegates. He was strong, resolute and determined.

"Today's ground-breaking agreement by critical nations is not the end of this process, it is the beginning. It signifies a new era of action where America is willing to be a leader in the fight to combat global warming. This provides an opportunity for the rest of the world to build a comprehensive agreement that so many have been working to achieve for so long.

“The president was successful in reaching an agreement that commits major developed and developing economies to substantially reduce their emissions. By ensuring transparency in reviewing countries’ emissions cuts, America and other countries can now be confident that promises made will be promises kept.

“Further actions will be needed, both internationally and domestically, before we have put in place the full range of policies needed to respond to the challenge confronting the planet, but this agreement is a crucial step forward.”

Markey Statement on President Obama's Speech to Copenhagen

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Following President Obama's speech to the United Nations climate conference today, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the House-passed climate bill and currently part of a Congressional delegation in Copenhagen, issued the following statement:

"President Obama is courageously asserting his leadership during the most complicated political transaction in the history of the planet. This is a multi-dimensional, multi-national chess game, and the message U.S. leaders are sending is that we want to avoid a stalemate in the negotiations and checkmate for the Earth.

"The formula President Obama laid out of emissions reductions, transparency, and financing for developing countries is the political climate calculus that will equal a deal here in Copenhagen. If other countries are willing to heed the president's call to step forward and embrace this accord, Copenhagen can succeed.

"One thing is clear--U.S. leadership is back. The Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill has already passed the House, the president is at the negotiating table, and the U.S. Senate is at the drafting table. The United States will no longer take lightly the issue of climate change."

To read the full text of the President's speech, please CLICK HERE.

Markey: Waxman-Markey Funding Can Aid U.S. Commitment for Developing Countries

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Markey Part of Congressional Delegation Arrived Today in Copenhagen

Funding from the House-passed Waxman-Markey climate bill can help the United States provide its fair share of the financing commitment to developing countries made today by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Sec. Clinton today announced that the United States is prepared to jointly mobilize $100 billion in financing from the developed world to the developing world by 2020, including programs to avoid deforestation and to help poor countries adapt to the increasing effects of climate change.

The Waxman-Markey bill, which passed in June, includes several funding streams for the very mechanisms Sec. Clinton mentioned in her announcement. The funds would be raised by the operation of Waxman-Markey's pollution program.

Over the first ten years of the program, Waxman-Markey dedicates tens of billions to programs to avoid deforestation in developing countries, providing a cost-effective way to reduce emissions.
Over the first ten years of the program, Waxman-Markey provides billions in funds for clean energy technology transfer to developing countries.
Waxman-Markey also includes tens of billions in funds for international adaptation programs.

"The United States must take responsibility for our historical emissions, while also seizing the opportunity that will come with re-engaging with the developing world on emissions-cutting clean energy technologies and other programs," said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of Waxman-Markey bill and chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. "If the United States does its fair share to provide funding to the developing world, I believe we will reap the lion's share of the benefits in the clean energy marketplace."

Rep. Markey is part of the U.S. House congressional delegation led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi that arrived today in Copenhagen to assist with the climate talks.

Markey to Main Street: Job Creation, Strong Clean Energy Industry Central to Economic Recovery

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

House Bill Targets Jobs, Replenishes Renewable Energy Fund

Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $75 billion jobs package that will make targeted investments over the next year in highways and transit infrastructure, schools and teachers, police and firefighters, small businesses, and clean energy.

“Clean energy jobs will help move Americans out of the unemployment line and get them back on the assembly line building wind turbines and solar panels,” said Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who serves as Chairman of key committees on energy and the environment in the House. “The $2 billion included for renewable energy loan guarantees will jump start our manufacturing sector building the tools we need to need to help end our dependence on foreign oil.”

The package includes $2 billion for the Department of Energy’s renewable energy loan guarantee program, an investment Rep. Markey has pushed for since the loan guarantee account was drawn down earlier this year in order to extend the highly successful Cash for Clunkers program.

Last week Markey joined with Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) and more than twenty-five other House colleagues, to send a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey urging the restoration of $2 billion for the Department of Energy's renewable energy loan guarantee program. Originally appropriated $6 billion through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in February, the renewable energy loan account was reduced by $2 billion in July to extend the Cash for Clunkers program. Restoration of these funds will allow DOE to issue additional renewable energy grants through the end of next year.

“Earlier this year, decisive government action saved the economy from another depression.” Markey said. “With the economy now showing signs of recovery, Democrats in the House sent a very clear message to Main Street: job creation and a strong clean energy industry are central to the American economic recovery.”

Scaling up a domestic clean energy industry will drive new job creation in the near term and increase America’s economic competitiveness over the long term. Loan guarantee assistance enables $1 billion in public funding to leverage $10 billion in private investment. Restoration of the $2 billion will allow the DOE to continue committing loan guarantees through 2010, providing valuable fuel to the economic recovery. Last week's letter was signed by a total of thirty-one members of Congress.

Markey praises Obama for commitment to energy efficiency

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of twin climate and energy panels in the House and co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate legislation, today issued the following statement after President Obama’s speech on energy efficiency.

“While the international community works in Copenhagen to reduce the carbon up in the atmosphere, we can start right in our homes,” said Markey. “I applaud the President for reminding us we have a great opportunity to ‘think globally and act locally’—by conducting energy saving measures in our own homes.”

“Energy efficiency programs show that clean energy legislation can create new jobs and save families money. This effort to promote energy efficient retrofits gives new meaning to the Home Depot slogan, ‘you can do it—we can help.’”

The Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454), which passed out of the House of Representatives earlier this year, includes energy efficiency provisions and investments likely to exceed $100 billion through 2025, including:

A renewable electricity and energy efficiency standard that requires utilities to obtain 20 percent of their energy from renewables and efficiency by 2020. This would put utilities in the business of helping their customers use energy more efficiently;
Enhanced building codes that achieve 30% and 50% higher energy efficiency in 2010 and 2016;
Cost-effective energy efficiency programs for natural gas consumers;
State and local government funds for implementing renewable energy and efficiency projects;
Increased appliance and lighting standards;
Building efficiency program for retrofitting existing residential and commercial buildings;
Energy efficient manufactured home program provides rebates toward purchases of new Energy Star-rated manufactured homes for low-income families residing in pre-1976 manufactured homes.

Select Committee Staff Analysis debunks stolen climate email myths

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Earth “CSI’s” – Climate Science Investigators – Have Publicly Proven Global Warming is Unequivocal

A new analysis debunks two of the principal myths generated by the manufactured scandal surrounding stolen climate science emails from the University of East Anglia. The staff analysis, written by the majority staff to Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, explains how two of the key phrases used by climate deniers to trumpet their views have previously been explained in publicly-available, peer-reviewed scientific literature.

CLICK HERE to read the staff analysis

“Global warming has been proven real beyond any reasonable doubt,” said Chairman Markey. “Unless, of course, that last remaining doubt is completely manufactured by the defenders of the fossil fuel status quo. That is the case with these stolen climate emails.”

One email has received the lion’s share of the attention, written by Phil Jones of UEA to several other climate scientists, where he refers to using a “trick” to “hide the decline.”

Critics have alleged that these references indicated a conscious attempt to alter data. In fact the two phrases refer to two distinct issues that were openly discussed in the peer-reviewed scientific literature of the time and are readily available now.

The “trick” was not a trick at all, but rather a technique to combine direct thermometer readings with non-thermometer data, in this case from tree rings, to complete a full picture of temperature history. The technique was openly discussed in a 1998 Nature journal article authored by Michael Mann. The staff report explains the methodology used by the scientists in detail.

“When witnesses aren’t available, crime scene investigators reconstruct events from other information,” said Chairman Markey. “The Earth’s ‘CSI’s,’ our climate science investigators -- and in total there are thousands of them -- are doing the same thing by reconstructing past temperatures when there were no thermometers. And now that we are in the middle of exacting a crime against nature through climate change, the manufactured doubt machine is trying to sully a tiny piece of the mountainous evidence.”

The second phrase in question -- “hide the decline” -- refers to a challenge with the use of anomalous tree-ring data, mostly from Siberian forests, after 1960—and the need to use direct measurements to supplement. In another 1998 article in Nature, Dr. Keith Briffa and his co-authors clearly state that their tree ring data set cannot be used to reconstruct temperatures after 1960. In fact, even the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes the challenges with the data set.

“This responsible, public scientific discussion was not an attempt to hide anything, or trick anyone. In fact, it happened in plain sight,” said Chairman Markey.

CLICK HERE to read the Select Committee Staff Analysis

Markey: Re-power the DOE Renewable Energy Loan Guarantee Program

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Congress Must Replenish the $2 Billion Taken to Fund Cash For Clunkers

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) and more than twenty-five of their House colleagues sent a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey urging the restoration of $2 billion for the Department of Energy's renewable energy loan guarantee program. Originally appropriated $6 billion through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in February, the renewable energy loan account was reduced by $2 billion in July to extend the highly successful Cash for Clunkers program.

"Earlier this year, we successfully got 700,000 clunkers off the road in less than a month. But we've still got plenty of clunker power plants left on the electricity grid," said Rep. Markey. "Replenishing funding for this critical renewable energy program will help ensure that America is able to scale up the clean energy industry and create jobs needed to produce the energy technologies of the future. That is the recipe for ultimately putting the remaining clunkers to rest. This $2 billion is what we committed to this critical job-generating industry back in February in the Recovery Act, and it is important we follow through on that commitment."

Loan guarantee assistance enables $1 billion in public funding to be leveraged to generate $10 billion in private investment. Restoration of the $2 billion will allow the DOE to continue committing loan guarantees through 2010, providing valuable fuel to the economic recovery. Today's letter, which can be found here, was signed by a total of thirty-one members of Congress.

Markey: New Climate Records Show Science is True, Not a Trick

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

2009 On Track to be 5th Hottest Year, This Decade Was Hottest on Record

New temperature findings by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have found that 2009 is on track to be the 5th warmest year on record, and that this decade was the warmest on record. These new findings buttress the overwhelming scientific record that global warming is real and is accelerating.

“Global warming deniers are trying to say this is all a trick, but the truth of the matter is that our world is getting hotter, faster,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate bill and chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “There is a mountain of evidence proving global warming is a fact, but the defenders of the fossil fuel status quo are using a molehill of a scandal to distract the world. The deniers will not win, because they are wrong.”

According to data from NOAA, this decade had an average global surface temperature about 1 degree Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, easily surpassing the 1990s value of 0.65 degree Fahrenheit above average.

Markey: Obama Employment Plan Embraces Clean Energy Jobs Potential

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

With Housing Efficiency Retrofits, New Jobs Will Start at Home

President Obama’s jobs plan released today embraces the potential for new clean energy jobs across America, said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who co-authored the Waxman-Markey clean energy legislation, which includes provisions for building and home efficiency and renewable energy creation. The president’s plan includes a call for a new program to encourage energy efficiency retrofits in America’s homes, and increased industrial energy efficiency and tax incentives for renewable energy manufacturing here in America.

“By embracing the vast clean energy jobs potential here in America, the president’s jobs plan will get people out of unemployment lines and back on assembly lines making wind turbines and solar panels,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “By giving American families the opportunity to permanently reduce their energy bills through energy efficiency, we can ensure that new jobs and energy savings will literally start in the home.”

The House-passed Waxman-Markey bill includes provisions for building energy efficiency retrofits, and sets a nationwide energy efficiency standard.

Markey: With End of U.S. Gov. Climate Denial, Real Endangerment Comes from Forces Stopping Action

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Decision Based on Mountains of Data, Not Molehill of Manufactured Doubt

WASHINGTON (December 7, 2009) – Following the announcement today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that it has finalized the so-called “endangerment finding” and determined that heat-trapping pollution constitutes a danger to human health and the environment, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate bill and chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, issued the following statement:

“Now that the U.S. government has officially ended its era of climate denial, the real endangerment to our planet comes from those who continue to deny the science and delay taking any action.

“The finding that global warming pollution poses a threat to human health and our environment is based on mountains of data accumulated from thousands of scientists over the course of decades. The molehill recently manufactured by a few climate deniers does not change that.

“President Obama and the United States Congress can now travel to Copenhagen armed with regulatory credibility and emission reduction targets from the Waxman-Markey legislation. The world is watching, and the United States is acting.”

Markey Statement on Change in Obama Copenhagen Plans

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Following the announcement by President Obama that he will attend the Copenhagen climate talks at the end of the negotiating session and that the United States would commit its fair share of $10 billion for international climate adaptation assistance, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill and chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, issued the following statement:

“As the world awaits the advent of a new era of climate action, President Obama’s decision to attend the climate talks later in the advent calendar is an early holiday gift to the climate negotiations, and to the health of the planet.

“By extending robust funding to the developing world to help them adapt to the worst impacts of global warming, the president is bridging one of the major gaps preventing a final, binding international agreement.”

Markey: Climate Deniers, Saudi Arabia Both on Wrong Side of Global Warming Science

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4012

Markey: Climate Deniers, Saudi Arabia Both on Wrong Side of Global Warming Science

WASHINGTON (December 3, 2009) – Following news reports that show the chief climate negotiator for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is siding with climate deniers in the wake of hackers stealing emails from British climate scientists, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the House-passed Waxman-Markey legislation and Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, released the following statement:

“Following 8 years when President Bush held hands with Saudi sheiks and climate deniers, we can no longer continue our failed policies of inaction on clean energy and climate change.

“Now it appears that pattern is continuing, where Republicans and backers of the fossil fuel status quo are joining the government of Saudi Arabia in questioning the consensus view that global warming is real and is happening.

“We can no longer allow our energy and climate policy to be dictated by Saudi Arabian oligarchs or Exxon Mobil ‘oil-igarchs.’”

# # #

Markey: Chinese Climate Announcement Proves It - If U.S. Leads, China Will Follow

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 202-494-4486

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Markey: Chinese Climate Announcement Proves It--If U.S. Leads, China Will Follow

WASHINGTON (Turkey Day) -- One day after President Obama announced he would travel to the climate talks in Copenhagen and commit the United States to emission reductions targets in line with the House-passed Waxman-Markey bill, today the Chinese government announced that they, too, would pledge emissions reductions. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and co-author of the Waxman-Markey bill, released the following statement:

"On a day when we sit around a table and give thanks, we should be thankful that leadership on climate change has returned to the negotiating table. China's climate commitment coming one day after President Obama's commitment is no accident, and proves that if America leads, China and the rest of the world will follow. The naysayers and deniers who say that the international climate talks are dead will surely be eating humble pie for dessert today.

"One month ago, I saw the first signs that a U.S.-China deal was possible when Chairman Wang of the National People's Congress and I came to an agreement on international legislative principles for climate and energy issues. We saw more progress when President Obama went to China two weeks ago.

"Today's announcement shows the power of U.S. domestic action. President Obama, armed with emissions targets from the House-passed Waxman-Markey bill and committee action in the Senate, is now able to engage with the world on climate change. The world will no longer just have to cope with what comes out of Copenhagen, they can now hope for a better future emerging from Denmark just three weeks from now."

Background on Markey-Wang agreement:
In October, Congressman Markey, in his role as the Chair of the International Commission on Climate and Energy Security for Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment -- or GLOBE – reached an important agreement in Copenhagen with China’s Congressman Wang Guangtao, Chairman of the People's Congress Environment Protection Committee.

The Markey-Wang agreement established a set of principles that countries will use when crafting domestic policy on energy efficiency, clean energy standards and technology, and other key measures. The principles were approved by the more than 100 legislators from Brazil, India, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, along with many other key economies.

More information on the Copenhagen talks is available on a new Select Committee website here: http://globalwarming.house.gov/files/COP15/

Markey: Obama leading the way to Copenhagen

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

CONTACT: Select Committee, 202 225 4012

WASHINGTON D.C. – In response to the announcement that President Obama would be attending the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen this December, Rep. Edward J. Markey, Chairman of twin climate and energy panels in the House, released the following statement:

"By putting a serious number for U.S. emission reductions on the table, the President just called the world's bet and then raised it for our negotiating partners. The President's attendance in Copenhagen demonstrates his personal commitment to getting a deal that is good for the U.S. and good for our clean energy future. It's a powerful statement that the U.S. is back, ready to lead the world.

“In the effort to protect the planet from climate change, these are the most significant travel reservations ever made. With one trip to Copenhagen, President Obama will put U.S. leadership back on the map in the fight against carbon pollution."

HEARING 12/2: State of Climate Science

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

UPDATED MEDIA ADVISORY FOR 10 AM, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2009

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4012

Select Committee Hearing: State of Climate Science

Drs. Holdren, Lubchenco to Show Urgency of Impacts, Risk

**This hearing will be WEBCAST LIVE.

WASHINGTON – With the international climate change talks in Copenhagen fast approaching, there is real urgency to reach diplomatic consensus on a planetary solution. In a hearing this Wednesday, the Select Committee will explore with climate scientists from the Obama administration the urgent, consensus view on our planetary problem: that global warming is real, and the science indicates that it is getting worse.

At the hearing, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) will host two of America’s preeminent climate scientists, Dr. John Holdren and Dr. Jane Lubchenco.

Dr. Holdren is the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and was formerly a professor at Harvard University and the director of the acclaimed Woods Hole Research Center.

Dr. Lubchenco is the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States’ leading climate office.

The past decade has been the hottest in recorded history, with all of the years since 2001 being in the top 10 of hottest, according to NASA. This summer, the world’s oceans were the warmest in NOAA’s 130 years of record-keeping. Meanwhile, global heat-trapping pollution continues to rise.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing on the State of Climate Science

WHEN: 10 AM, Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

WHERE: B-318 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC
and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

WHO:
Dr. John Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

# # #

Markey: Smart grid helps Massachusetts get smart on energy independence

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of twin climate and energy panels in the House, today hailed the announcement of over $7 million in Recovery Act funding for the deployment of new Smart Grid technologies and demonstration projects in and around Boston that will help build a smarter, more efficient, more resilient electrical grid.

“When it comes to energy independence, we need to work smarter, not harder,” said Rep. Markey, who authored provisions in the recovery package to ensure that Smart Grid technologies could be ‘open protocol,’ allowing them to use a broad range of information technologies. “And where better to start being smart than in creating a reliable, efficient, affordable Smart Grid electricity system.”

Massachusetts-based company NSTAR received the funding as part of a $620 million disbursement from the Department of Energy for Smart Grid projects across the country. The NSTAR projects will include updating homeowners’ meters to allow dynamic pricing of electricity, where homeowners can access lower prices for energy when demand is lower.

The NSTAR grant is one of 32 demonstration projects, which include large-scale energy storage, smart meters, distribution and transmission system monitoring devices, and a range of other smart technologies, will act as models for deploying integrated Smart Grid systems on a broader scale.

The Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate legislation that passed the House in June, and was co-authored by Rep. Markey, includes provisions to encourage the deployment of a Smart Grid nationwide.

“We have created a nationwide, broadband Internet. Now we must create a nationwide, efficient Smart Grid, which is really just an electricity internet,” continued Rep. Markey. “NSTAR will now be one of the companies that will light the way to a better, brighter, smarter energy future."

Markey Meets with World Leaders on Climate

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

With the international climate talks happening days from now, Congressman Markey has been engaging directly with world leaders to find common ground on climate change solutions. After German Chancellor Angela Merkel became the first German leader to address a joint session of Congress since 1957, she met privately with Congressman Markey, along with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Henry Waxman. Chancellor Merkel discussed the Waxman-Markey legislation with the authors in great detail, showing that even clean energy leaders like Germany continue to look to the United States on the international stage.

Congressman Markey also met with a key player in the upcoming climate talks, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. India, along with China, are the two most pivotal emerging economies in the effort to combat climate change and reach an international agreement. That’s also why Congressman Markey, in his role as the Chair of the International Commission on Climate and Energy Security for Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment -- or GLOBE – reached an important agreement in Copenhagen this October with China’s Congressman Wang Guangtao, Chairman of the Peoples Congress Environment Protection Committee.

Chairman Markey joins Speaker Pelosi and scientists at launch of ScienceWorksForUS

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Select Committee Chairman Ed Markey joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Members of Congress, along with representatives of the nation’s leading public and private research universities to launch ScienceWorksForUS, an initiative to highlight the scientific research and related activities made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009.

Markey statement on U.S. - China climate and clean energy agreement

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Follows Similar Agreement Forged Between Markey and Chairman Wang of Chinese Congress

In response to today’s agreement between U.S. President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao to cooperate on clean energy and climate initiatives, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of twin climate and energy panels in the House and co-author of the Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill, issued the following statement:

“This agreement shows that economic competition and cooperation are not mutually exclusive, especially when solving the grave threat of climate change is at stake.

“This significant agreement offers a blueprint for international clean energy cooperation between the U.S. and China, and for the rest of the world. With crucial international climate negotiations in Copenhagen just weeks away, the U.S. and China have proven today that the international community can find common ground on key energy issues.

“Just a few weeks ago, along with 100 other legislators from around the world, Chairman Wang Guangtao of the National People's Congress and I reached a similar accord to cooperate on clean energy and set a clear path forward on combating climate change.

“In just a month, the conventional wisdom on U.S.-Chinese climate politics has been turned on its head, and not a moment too soon. With just days to go before nearly 200 countries meet in Copenhagen to forge a new way forward on climate and clean energy, this agreement shows that the last remaining roadblocks are being pushed aside.”

For more information on the COP-15 climate change conference in Copenhagen, CLICK HERE

Markey statement on new international climate accord strategy

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Following the announcement today by President Obama and other world leaders that a new, two-stage strategy to reach an international climate agreement will not include a binding agreement reached in Copenhagen, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the House-passed Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill and Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, issued the following statement:

"After eight years of the Bush administration being the wallflower of climate negotiations, this climate change two-step is the best diplomatic dance President Obama and other world leaders can do to reach an equitable and effective agreement.

"While it is obviously disappointing that the world is not ready to reach a binding international climate accord, that should not diminish the great strides the United States has made over the last year to achieve success.

"This year, the House passed the Waxman-Markey climate bill, and the Obama administration reached a consensus with automakers and regulators to increase fuel economy standards and cut global warming tailpipe emissions, along with $80 billion investments in clean energy delivered from the stimulus package.

"Because of the momentum here in the United States and abroad to produce more clean energy and less global warming pollution, I remain highly optimistic that we will still reach an international climate agreement."

Markey to Obama Admin: Cape Wind decision needed by Copenhagen

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Finalizing decision would send world strong message on U.S. Clean Energy commitment, says Chairman Markey

With less than a month before pivotal international climate negotiations begin in Copenhagen, Denmark, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today urged the Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to complete a decision on the Cape Wind energy project before those negotiations occur, saying it would send a strong signal to the world that the United States is committed to advancing carbon-free clean energy.

“Approving the Cape Wind project as the nation’s first commercial offshore wind project before the start of the U.N. conference would send a strong message to international negotiators about the United States’ commitment to developing sources of clean energy and reducing global warming pollution,” said Rep. Markey, Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate and clean energy legislation, in the letter. “I strongly support the development of clean, renewable energy, and I believe that wind projects both onshore and offshore hold tremendous promise for our nation and for New England.”

The Interior Department has already completed the environmental review of the Cape Wind project, which Markey notes in the letter is “the bedrock on which valuable and safe energy projects are built.” In the letter, Rep. Markey commends the Obama administration for also “finalizing the regulations for all offshore renewable energy projects on which the Bush administration had dragged its feet for more than three years.”

“With the Obama administration's initiatives and the additional clean energy legislation currently pending before Congress, the tide has turned from the near total focus on fossil fuel extraction towards a comprehensive plan that includes the clean energy promise of the winds and the tides. Approving the Cape Wind project would be another important step towards a clean energy future,” Rep. Markey concludes.

To read the letter, please CLICK HERE.

UPDATE: Select Committee to Hold Hearing on Fraudulent Letters Sent to Congress

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

PLEASE NOTE: This hearing was originally scheduled for October 15. It has been rescheduled to Thursday, October 29 at 9:30 AM

Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming announced today announced the witnesses and location for the investigative hearing into the fraudulent letters sent to Congress on clean energy and climate legislation. The Select Committee has now discovered more than a dozen fraudulent letters were sent to several members of Congress as part of a campaign run by the firm, Bonner & Associates, and contracted by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. This campaign was designed to influence members of Congress on the House-passed Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill.

The hearing will feature some of the central figures in the controversy, including victims of the fraud. The fraudulent letters were staged to appear as if they were sent by groups representing senior citizens, minorities and veterans.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing: “Fraudulent Letters Opposing Clean Energy Legislation.”

WHEN: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:30 AM

WHERE: 1100 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC and online at globalwarming.house.gov

WHO:
Representative Tom Perriello, U.S. House of Representatives
Mr. Jack Bonner, Bonner & Associates
Mr. Steve Miller, President and CEO, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity
Ms. Lisa M. Maatz, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations, American Association of University Women
Mr. Hilary O. Shelton, Director and Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy, NAACP Washington Bureau

Markey: ObamaaEUR(TM)s Speech Reaffirms AmericaaEUR(TM)s Commitment to a Clean Energy Future

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Washington, D.C.- Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of twin climate and energy panels in the House and co-author of the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act, which passed the U.S. House in June, issued the following statement after President Barack Obama delivered a speech on clean energy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday afternoon:

"Today President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to our clean energy future and his vision of America leading the clean energy economy of the 21st Century," said Markey. "With President Obama's leadership in the White House and clean energy legislation making its way through Congress, America can win the race for the next great clean energy technologies that will create jobs and revive our economy."

"President Obama also expertly dispelled the myths surrounding clean energy legislation being spread by naysayers and special interests. President Obama knows we can cap carbon pollution without kneecapping our economy."

"States are the laboratories of democracy, and when it comes to clean energy policy there are few more successful labs than Massachusetts. There could have been no better choice for his speech than MIT and the city of Boston, the hub of the clean energy universe."

For more information on the Waxman-Markey clean energy legislation please CLICK HERE.

Markey to Travel to Copenhagen in Run-up to Climate Negotiations

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Will Release Report, Meet with International Legislators

WASHINGTON (October 23, 2009) – U.S. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the House-passed Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill, will travel to Copenhagen this weekend for preliminary meetings leading up to the United Nations climate negotiations in December.

Rep. Markey will meet with other legislators from around the world as part of GLOBE International (Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment) to discuss how other countries are progressing towards creating an effective and fair international climate agreement.

Rep. Markey also will release a report from the International Commission on Climate and Energy Security. The report will detail the views of leading legislators among dozens of countries, including Brazil, China, the European Union and others, on the steps they can take to combat global warming. Rep. Markey Chairs the Commission, which is a sub-group of GLOBE.

Below is the statement of Rep. Markey, Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming:

"These meetings show that political consensus can be reached by the countries integral to reaching an international climate agreement. And though the final global warming treaty will be negotiated by environmental ministers, it will be implemented by legislators.

"When it comes to U.S. participation in international negotiations, House passage of the Waxman-Markey bill, and Senate action on similar legislation, are vital to America’s ability to reach a final agreement. I look forward to helping the Obama administration and other countries reach our ultimate goal of success in Copenhagen and beyond."

New GAO Report Highlights U.S. Challenges to Adapt to Expected Global Warming Impacts

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Report Says Most Areas of Country Have Not Yet Acted, But Examples of Success Exist

WASHINGTON (October 22, 2009) – A new report released today by the U.S. Government Accountability Office has found that the majority of federal, state and local officials have not yet taken steps to adapt to the impacts of global warming America can expect, even with deep cuts in carbon emissions. The report, "Climate Change Adaption," includes several case studies and examples of how federal, local, state and even international governments can effectively move forward to protect coastlines, infrastructure, and citizens from rising sea levels, intensifying storms, droughts, and other impacts from global warming.

The report, which was requested by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), coincides with a hearing on the topic of adaptation measures held today in Chairman Markey’s Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

"A robust answer to the threat of climate change includes preventing the worst impacts and preparing for the reality that global warming impacts are already occurring," said Chairman Markey. "If we are going to avoid the worst effects of global warming, we must pass comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation. However, we also must prepare for the effects of global warming that will realistically occur."

The report is available on the GAO’s website here

The GAO authors surveyed nearly 200 officials knowledgeable about adaptation to climate change from federal, state and local government offices and agencies, including planners, scientists and public health officials. The survey showed that lack of funding for adaptation measures (83.8 percent of respondents) and the complexity of future impacts (76.7 percent of respondents) are "very or extremely challenging" barriers to addressing adaptation.

However, case studies in the report show that there are examples of effective local, state and international programs to reduce vulnerability from climate impacts. The report focused on the state of Maryland’s efforts to protect low-elevation habitat and infrastructure from future sea-level rise and storms; New York City’s integrated carbon-cutting and infrastructure-protecting campaign; King County, Washington’s plan to protect water systems and prevent flooding; and London’s tidal gates holding back storm surges in the River Thames.

The Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in June, establishes a number of programs and services to encourage adaptation efforts. All told, the Waxman-Markey bill provides nearly $25 billion in the first ten years of the program towards adaptation efforts.

The bill would create a National Climate Change Adaptation Program within the U.S. Global Change Research Program and launch a National Climate Service within NOAA to develop and distribute climate information and forecasts to decision-makers and a Climate Change Adaptation Panel to promote interagency coordination on adaptation. The legislation requires that the Secretary of Health and Human Services and federal agencies prepare adaptation plans. The bill also provides funding for adaptation efforts, including a Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Fund that would provide support to states and federal agencies.

Select Committee Hearing: Preparing the United States for Global WarmingaEUR(TM)s Impacts

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, DC – The consequences of global warming in the United States will be significant even in the case of deep reductions in future heat-trapping emissions. The current and anticipated impacts -- including sea level rise, more frequent heat waves, regional drought and flooding, and more intense tropical storms -- pose a serious threat to our health, environment, economic well-being, and national security.

While Congress works to curb carbon pollution to avoid the worst effects of global warming, America must look at adaptation measures that will protect communities from harm caused by global warming that is already set to occur.

On Thursday October 22, 2009 at 9:30 a.m., the Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming will hold a hearing on adaptation entitled, "Building U.S. Resilience to Global Warming Impacts" in room 2175 Rayburn House Office Building. Witnesses will be by invitation only.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing "Building U.S. Resilience to Global Warming Impacts"

WHEN: Thursday October 22, 2009 at 9:30 AM

WHERE:2175 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC and online

WHO:
John Stephenson, Natural Resources and Environment, Government Accountability Office
Eric Schwaab, Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Stephen Seidel, V.P. for Policy Analysis & Gen. Counsel, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Kenneth Green, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

Markey Cheers on Boston Solar Decathlon Team from Tufts University and BAC on National Mall

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Touring a solar powered home outfitted for New England winters, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Malden) praised students from Tuft’s University and Boston Architectural College who are competing in the Solar Decathlon competition taking place on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

The Solar Decathlon, a competition sponsored by the Department of Energy, brings together twenty teams of students from around the world who design, engineer and construct solar powered, energy saving homes on the National Mall.

Bringing the Boston area students a familiar treat –a box of Dunkin Donuts – Markey stopped in between votes to praise the creativity, originality and cost saving practicality of the solar home.

“I am proud to see Tufts and Team Boston representing Massachusetts here on the National Mall,” said Markey. “These students are not just building a home for a competition; they are building the foundation for a clean energy economy – where families can harness the power of solar and efficiency measures to save energy, save money and help save our planet at the same time.”

Congressman Markey is the Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. He co-authored the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act which includes green building provisions, renewable electricity and efficiency measures that were on display during the Solar Decathlon competition.

“Much like this competition, the United States is currently in a race with China, Spain and other nations for clean energy jobs and technology. The students on the Mall this week represent the best and the brightest, reminding Congress that renewable technology is ready today. We just have to unleash it.” Markey said.

About the Solar Decathlon:

The Solar Decathlon is a competition sponsored by the Department of Energy and features twenty teams of college and university students who compete to design, build, and operate an energy-efficient solar-powered house. The houses are judged in ten separate contests including architecture, engineering, lighting design, and net metering. An overall winner will be announced on Friday, October 16. The solar houses are open for public viewing on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

About Team Boston:

Tufts University and Boston Architectural College students joined forces to form Team Boston. Together the architecture, engineering, and design students built Curio House. Among a host of innovative energy efficiency elements, the house features several unique technologies. A monitoring system on a home computer allows homeowners to track energy use in real time, which enables them to make adjustments to reduce energy bills and environmental impact. The design also incorporates “heat glass”- a new type of glass that traps energy from the sun during the winter- a feature especially suited to cold winters in New England.

Video from the event

Photos from Team Boston

Chairman Markey inside Team Boston's solar house

Chairman Markey brings a box of Dunkin Donuts to Team Boston

Chairman Markey listening to a member from Team Boston

"Team Boston" Solar Decathlon house on the National Mall

The Boston team members chat with visitors on the National Mall

Looking out at the "Team Boston" solar house and Washington Monument

Photos from the Decathlon

University of Minnesota's Solar Decathlon House

Team California's House in front of the Capitol Building

View of the Capitol with Solar Houses in Foreground

Cornell University's Solar House

Virginia Tech's Solar Decathlon House

Rice University's Solar Decathlon House

Select Committee to Hold Hearing on Fraudulent Letters Sent to Congress

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

PLEASE NOTE: This hearing was originally scheduled for October 15. It has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 29 at 9:30 AM

For more information, please CLICK HERE.

Markey: ObamaaEUR(TM)s Nobel Prize Recognizes Connection Between Future of Planet and Choices on Energy and Weapons

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (October 9, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill and a leader on non-proliferation issues, today hailed the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama.

Below is the statement of Rep. Markey, Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the founder of the House Bipartisan Task Force on Non-proliferation:

"This award recognizes the vital connection between the future of our planet and our choices on energy and weapons. Due to Obama’s leadership here in the United States, we can once again take a leading role around the world to solve our energy, environment, and global security problems."

"I congratulate President Obama on this historic honor, and look forward to years of continued success on these challenges that affect all Americans, and all citizens of the world."

Markey to Chamber: Follow Those Companies That Want Action, Not Talk

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (October 8, 2009) -- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill, today noted the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s statements supporting the goals of the Waxman-Markey bill. Rep. Markey called on the Chamber to follow forward-thinking companies like Apple, Nike, Exelon, PG&E and others who have left the Chamber because of the group’s continued failure to match action with their own words.

“It is good to have the Chamber of Commerce on board supporting the tenets of Waxman-Markey. Unfortunately, while the Chamber says they are for everything the Waxman-Markey bill addresses, they are just not for the bill itself,” said Rep. Markey, who Chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “The Chamber should listen to the companies who would rather leave the group than wait for it to back up their talk with action.”

The Chamber today defined a successful piece of legislation as one that “must include all major CO2 emitting economies, promote new technologies, emphasize efficiency, ensure affordable energy for families and businesses, and help create American jobs and return our economy to prosperity.”

The Waxman-Markey bill:

Includes major CO2 emitting economies: Does not regulate China, India or other countries, as that is not under Congressional jurisdiction, but it does promote international technology cooperation, international deforestation prevention, international investments, and sets the stage for an international agreement to be made with all countries;
Promotes new technologies: provides $200 billion to research and deploy clean energy technologies, and establishes a Green Bank that can provide funding for renewable energy, nuclear and other emerging technologies, and creates Clean Energy Hubs that will help link inventors with investors;
Emphasize efficiency: sets a national efficiency standard and updates the efficiency of appliances, homes, buildings, and vehicles;
Ensure affordable energy for families and businesses: according to the CBO, EIA, and EPA analyses, the Waxman-Markey bill would cost about a postage stamp a day, with electricity rates rising no more than 3 to 4 percent—and that’s before the savings from energy efficiency reduces energy bills for all consumers;
Help create American jobs and return our economy to prosperity: several studies have pointed to the millions of jobs that could be created from clean energy legislation, and clean energy innovation and jobs are key to the long-term recovery of our nation’s economy.

Markey: SCOTUS Silence on Kerr-McGee Could Mean $54 Billion in Taxpayer Losses

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (October 5, 2009) -- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy panels and is a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee, today expressed disappointment that the Supreme Court will not hear a case involving tens of billions of dollars in unclaimed oil drilling royalties. Rep. Markey -- who has introduced and passed legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to protect taxpayers from royalty-free drilling -- reiterated his long-standing call for legislation.

The so-called "Kerr-McGee" case involves faulty lease agreements with the federal government that have allowed oil companies to drill for free on public lands. The case, originally brought by oil company Kerr-McGee -- now Anadarko – has served as a test case for every other oil company holding a deepwater Gulf of Mexico lease issued by the Interior Department in 1996, 1997 and 2000. The result of this case could now mean that the federal government could lose between $20 and $54 billion, according to a study by the Government Accountability Office.

"The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear Kerr-McGee’s brazen lawsuit means that the oil industry now stands to see a geyser of tens of billions of dollars in windfall profits at the expense of American taxpayers," said Rep. Markey. "At a time when the federal budget is already in the red, this lawsuit means that oil companies can drill here, drill now, and pay never."

The House-passed legislation authored by Rep. Markey would provide a strong incentive for companies holding faulty leases to renegotiate by preventing them from signing new lease agreements unless they renegotiate the old, free-drilling proposals. The Congressional Research Service has concluded that Rep. Markey’s legislation would protect the federal government from losses relating to royalty-free drilling.

"The minerals below our public lands belong to the American people and no company should be allowed to exploit them for free," continued Rep. Markey. "I have been working to ensure that the American people receive a proper return on these public resources since former Secretary of the Interior James Watt tried to give away the rights to mine the Powder River Basin for a fraction of their value, and I will continue to defend the public interest and the American taxpayer."

Markey: Senate Bill Shows a Congressional Solution on Climate, Clean Energy is Within Sight

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (September 30, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the House-passed Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act, praised his Senate colleagues John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) for their aggressive draft clean energy jobs and climate legislation, released today.

Below is the statement of Rep. Markey, Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee:

"With the release of this Senate draft bill, there is now Congress-wide movement to pass a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill. Given the Senate draft’s structural similarity to the House-passed Waxman-Markey bill, a legislative solution that can pass both chambers of Congress is finally within sight.

"Just as in Waxman-Markey, the Senate draft bill includes many provisions to help America make the transition away from foreign oil and to a clean energy future, including robust consumer protection and worker training measures.

"As the bill moves through the Senate process, I will continue to work with Senators Kerry and Boxer, and any other Senators, to ensure that the final legislation we send to President Obama creates a future with more clean energy and less global warming pollution."

Markey: New report of more than 6 degrees warming not the worst-case scenario

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill, released the following statement concerning a new report released today from the United Nations Environment Program that indicates more than 6 degrees Fahrenheit of warming is predicted, even if the pollution targets in Waxman-Markey and by other international efforts are met:

“As sobering as this report is, it is not the worst-case scenario. That would be if the world does nothing and allows heat-trapping pollution to continue to spew unchecked into the atmosphere.

“Waxman-Markey cuts U.S. global warming emissions 83 percent by 2050, and encourages key international efforts like avoiding deforestation. This alarming report shows the urgency of getting started now, because history shows that we can cut pollution further, faster and cheaper once we get started.”

Markey praises Obama for renewing commitment to international climate agreement

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Waxman-Markey Bill would Meet Climate Targets set by G8 Earlier this Year

Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate bill and Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, issued the following statement after President Barack Obama delivered a speech today at the UN Climate Change Summit renewing his commitment to an international climate agreement.

“Today, President Obama delivered a forceful argument for swift and bold international action to fight the catastrophic effects of global climate change,” said Markey. “To combat this grave threat, we must negotiate globally and act locally. Congress must pass comprehensive clean energy legislation as soon as possible to show the world we are committed to a clean energy future and help make the Copenhagen climate negotiations a success this December.”

The recently-passed Waxman-Markey energy and climate bill would allow the U.S. to meet the new agreement forged recently at a G8 summit to reduce global warming emissions by 80 percent by 2050 among industrialized nations, and a 50 percent worldwide reduction including developing countries. The Waxman-Markey bill reduces U.S. emissions 83 percent by 2050.

Hearing 9/24: Solar Heats Up

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

This hearing will be webcast LIVE on Thursday, September 24 at 1:30 PM.

WASHINGTON – With sales growing 40 percent annually and costs falling rapidly, solar power has emerged as a core technology in America’s transition a clean energy economy. Solar energy brings opportunity in the form of new jobs and rapid technological development. It also presents potential new challenges in the way we use land and infrastructure and the way we distribute and store energy.

On Thursday, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing entitled, "Solar Heats Up: Accelerating Widespread Deployment," examining current issues in solar energy development.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing: "Solar Heats Up: Accelerating Widespread Deployment"
WHEN: 1:30 PM, Thursday, September 24, 2009
WHERE: 2318 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC and online
WHO:
Dr. Stephanie A. Burns, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dow Corning
Frank De Rosa, Chief Executive Officer, NextLight Renewable Power
Steve Kline, Vice President for Corporate Environmental and Federal Affairs, Pacific Gas & Electric
Ms. Nada Culver, Esq., Senior Counsel, The Wilderness Society
Dr. Gabriel Calzada, Economics Professor, King Juan Carlos University

Markey: New Rules Will Solve Fuel Economy RubikaEUR(TM)s Cube

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Chairman Markey Announces Hearing Examining New Rules

WASHINGTON (September 15, 2009) -- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today praised the Obama administration for its swift issuance of proposed fuel economy rules to raise the national standards above 35 miles per gallon by 2016. Rep. Markey is co-author of the updated fuel economy standards adopted by Congress in 2007, a measure that required the federal government to raise standards for both cars and light trucks to a fleet-wide average of at least 35 miles per gallon and that the maximum feasible standard be set each year.

“These new fuel economy rules have finally solved the energy and environmental policy Rubik’s Cube that has kept the auto industry, states and environmentalists in a seemingly endless loop of litigation. Cash for Clunkers showed that there is intense consumer demand for fuel efficient vehicles. These new fuel economy standards will deliver those vehicles to showrooms across America for decades to come,” said Rep. Markey.

Markey announced today that he would soon hold an oversight hearing to review the new proposed fuel economy rule. Markey chairs the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the House Energy and Environment Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over fuel economy standards and tailpipe emissions standards.

The new standards would save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles purchased during 2012-16 and would cut global warming pollution by 950 million metric tons of total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. The vehicles purchased during those years would also save the average driver $3,000 in fuel costs over the life of the vehicle.

“As someone who has pushed for stronger fuel economy standards for decades, the difference between then and now is like being stuck in stop-and-go traffic and hitting every green light on your way home,” said Rep. Markey.

Hearing 9/10: Road to Copenhagen and International Climate Agreement

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY for Thursday September 10th, 2009

Select Committee Hearing 9/10: Roadmap to Copenhagen -Driving Towards Success on International Climate Agreement

Todd Stern, Key Obama Administration Official on Climate Negotiations, to Testify

WEBCAST: CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE

WASHINGTON D.C. – With less than 100 days before the international community will gather in Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Climate Conference, negotiators are engaged in key discussions on clean energy measures and pollution limits that will be central to an international climate agreement.

On Thursday September 10th, 2009 the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing entitled, “Roadmap to Copenhagen – Driving towards Success." The hearing will begin at 9:30 AM, and be held on the U.S. Capitol Complex ROOM NUMBER TBA.

The hearing will focus on progress made thus far and challenges remaining as the December UN climate negotiations approach. It will feature testimony from the Obama Administration’s top climate negotiator, Todd Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State.

WHAT: Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Hearing, “Roadmap to Copenhagen – Driving towards Success."
WHEN: Thursday September 10th, 2009, 9:30 AM.
WHERE: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC, and Online.
WITNESS LIST: Todd Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State.
For more information, please visit: www.globalwarming.house.gov

Select Committee Forged Letter Investigation Update

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

5 More Letters Revealed, Dozens Still Must be Verified

Faked Letters From Elderly Services and Senior Centers; Chairman Markey Demands Full Review of Remaining Letters

A Congressional investigation has discovered five new letters fraudulently sent without consent to Congress on a key energy and climate vote. These new letters purport to represent elderly services organizations and senior centers.

Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the letters today as part of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming's ongoing investigation into the extent of fraudulent letters sent by Bonner & Associates -- a so-called "astroturf" group subcontracted by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity -- to influence members of Congress on the recently-passed Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill.

The five letters revealed today brings the total number of fraudulent letters to 13, now representing 9 different community groups. The letters released today were staged to appear as if they were sent by groups representing senior citizen services like the non-profit Erie Center on Health & Aging. Previous letters already made public were from the Charlottesville NAACP chapter, Creciendo Juntos, a hispanic advocacy organization, the Jefferson Area Board on Aging, and the American Association of University Women.

The letters released today are also the first set to show that letters were sent to Pennsylvania members Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.) and Christopher Carney (D-Pa.), along with Tom Perriello (D-Va.). A full list of all the letters, with links to copies of the documents, is included below.

"We’ve seen fear-mongering with our nation’s senior citizens with health care, and now we’re seeing fraud-mongering with senior citizens on clean energy," said Chairman Markey. "Lately, democratic debate has been deceptively debased by fake facts and harsh rhetoric. We must return to an honest discussion of the issues, and ensure that this sort of campaign does not further poison the well of trustworthy debate."

The letters were sent to the Select Committee in response to investigatory letters to Bonner & Associates and ACCCE. Dozens of letters still remain that must be verified as genuine or false--all told, 58 letters were sent to the three members of Congress. Chairman Markey has called on ACCCE and Bonner & Associates to fully verify whether the remaining several dozen letters were sent under false pretenses, or if they represent the views of the signers.

Below is a list of all fraudulent letters now received by the Select Committee:

Perriello:
Senior Center Inc., Charlottesville, VA
Creciendo Juntos, Charlottesville, VA [previously made public]
Jefferson Area Board on Aging, Charlottesville, VA [previously made public]
American Association of University Women, Charlottesville, VA [previously made public]
NAACP-Charlottesville, Charlottesville, VA [5 letters] [previously made public]
NAACP-1, NAACP-2, NAACP-3, NAACP-4, NAACP-5

Dahlkemper:
Slippery Rock Senior Center, Slippery Rock, PA
Erie Center on Health & Aging, Eire, PA
Butler Senior Center, Lyndora, PA

Carney:
Dunmore Senior Citizens’ Center, Dunmore, PA

Markey hails final passage of cash for clunkers program

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Success Shows Democratic Congress’ Clean Energy Plan is Working

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), one of the authors of the Cash for Clunkers program, today hailed the Senate passage of a bill to extend the highly successful program with an additional $2 billion in funding. In the House, Rep. Markey also pushed to ensure that the money to fund the extension, which will be used from a clean energy fund from the Recovery Act, would be replenished to further America’s clean energy goals. The bill now heads to the President’s desk, where it is expected to be signed quickly.

Below is the statement of Rep. Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the House Energy and Commerce Energy and Environment subcommittee:

“This wildly successful program has already proven to be a win for the economy, a win for energy independence and an overwhelming win for consumers,” said Markey. “The success of Cash for Clunkers shows the Democrats clean energy plan accomplishes the goals it set out to do -- stimulating the economy, increasing our energy independence and helping to preserve our planet.”

According to reports on the more than 200,000 Cash for Clunkers purchases thus far:

The average fuel economy of new vehicles purchased under the program is 25.4 mpg, and the average fuel economy of trade-ins is 15.8 mpg. The average increase in fuel economy is 9.6 MPG, or a 61% improvement. This will result in annual consumer savings of $700-$1000 in gas prices.
83% of trade-ins under the program are trucks, and 59% of new vehicle purchases are cars. Cars purchased under the program are, on average, 21% above the average fuel economy of all new cars currently available, and 63% above the average fuel economy of cars that were traded in.
In July, Ford’s hybrid vehicles (Fusion, Milan, Escape and Mariner) posted combined sales of 5,353, a record for any month and up 323% versus a year ago.
During the week that the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program was launched, GM’s small car sales increased 54.8% over the preceding week. GM Compact car sales were up 36.9% during the same period. Specifically, the Chevy Aveo – one of GM’s most fuel-efficient vehicles at 30 mpg (EPA) – saw a sales increase of 58.9% during the week that the CARS program was launched.

The economic up-side doesn’t end in the auto industry:

Companies that produce sodium silicate, the substance used to ‘kill’ the clunkers, are experiencing record sales.
Sirius XM stock value has experienced a surge because its units are getting installed in the new vehicles
Some economists see more major impacts: "The blowout response to the cash-for-clunkers incentive program has been far stronger than we expected," wrote Morgan Stanley economist Richard Berner in a note Monday. He now thinks GDP will grow 3% to 4%, up from his firm's earlier forecast of 1%.”
Steel demand is beginning to pick up again after eight months and should benefit from the "Cash for Clunkers" auto rebate program, the chief executive of steelmaker Nucor Corp (NUE.N) said on Wednesday.

New Report Validates Affordability of Waxman-Markey

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (August 4, 2009) -- A new report on the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act validates previous estimates that the cost of the legislation would be low—less than a quarter a day on average—while growth in America’s clean energy sector will be huge.

The report, issued by the Energy Information Administration, was requested by Chairmen Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the co-authors of the legislation.

The report is available on the EIA website here: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/hr2454/index.html

A fact sheet is available here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090804/eia.aces.factsheet.pdf

Below are some of the major findings of the report:

The overall impact on the average household, including the benefit of many of the energy efficiency provisions in the legislation, would be 23 cents per day ($83 per year). This is consistent with analyses by the Congressional Budget Office which projects a cost of 48 cents per day ($175 per year) and the Environmental Protection Agency which projects a cost of 22 to 30 cents per day ($80 to $111 per year).
Renewable electricity generation is "dramatically higher" under Waxman-Markey, increasing renewable generation 28 percent by 2030.
Advanced carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology would come online before 2020 and lead to 69 gigawatts of new CCS coal-fired generation by 2030.
Roughly 83 percent of new electricity generating capacity would be low or zero carbon.

Below is the statement of Chairmen Henry Waxman and Edward J. Markey:

"The evidence is now overwhelming that this clean energy legislation is both affordable and effective. American clean energy will grow substantially, and so will clean energy jobs that can’t be shipped overseas."

Markey Announces Investigation into Forged Letters from DC Lobbying Firm

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4012

Markey Announces Investigation into Forged Letters to Congressman

DC Lobbying Firm Sent Fake Letters Opposing Clean Energy Legislation

WASHINGTON (July 31, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, released the following statement in response to news reports of forged letters being sent to a Member of Congress by a Washington lobbying firm working against clean energy legislation:

“This fraud on Congress shows that some opponents of clean energy have resorted to forgery and theft to block progress.

“This is an appalling abuse, and Congressman Tom Perriello deserves great credit for seeing through it and casting a vote that will create clean energy jobs in Virginia and throughout the United States. I encourage all Members of Congress to be on the lookout for other suspicious and illegal materials.

“My Select Committee will immediately begin an investigation of the extent and scope of this activity.”

# # #

Markey: Cash for Clunkers a Success for Economy, Environment - Program Should Continue

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4012

Cash for Clunkers Should Continue, Says One of The Authors of Original Act

Congress Will Work With Administration to Further Wildly Successful
Program, Says Chairman Markey

WASHINGTON (July 30, 2009) – One of the original authors of the Cash for Clunkers program today pledged to work with the Obama administration to ensure the program continues, after reports have emerged that the $1 billion program may have already approached its funding limit after only four days. The program was first created as part of the Waxman-Markey energy bill, and, after the Obama Administration implemented it in record time, has become one of the most successful stimulus programs of 2009.

“Cash for Clunkers may have run out of cash, but America’s consumers haven’t run out of clunkers. We’re going to work with the Obama administration to keep this wildly successful program going until it reaches its goal of helping consumers take 1 million gas guzzlers off the road,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who co-authored the legislation.

Preliminary statistics show that consumers who have participated in the program have received a 69 percent improvement in miles per gallon average from their trade-in vehicles, and will reap an average annual gasoline savings of $750. These preliminary statistics, from www.CashForClunkersInformation.org, also show that 79 percent of trade-ins are SUVs, trucks and vans with over 100,000 miles and most are being replaced with new passenger cars.

Reports Show Efficiency Measures a Clear Win for Consumer Savings

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Waxman-Markey paves the way with over $100 billion in energy efficiency investment

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two reports released this week highlight the potential for energy efficiency to help Americans meet their energy needs while saving massive amounts of money.

In separate reports released by McKinsey & Company and the National Academy of Sciences, energy efficiency is confirmed to be a vast, mostly untapped energy resource in the United States that is a clear winner on three fronts:

Helps meet increasing U.S. energy demand;
Saves Americans money;
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

The McKinsey report released Wednesday finds that a comprehensive energy efficiency strategy executed economy-wide would yield more than $1.2 trillion in energy savings, well above the $520 billion needed for upfront energy efficiency investments. Such a program would reduce energy consumption roughly 23 percent by 2020 and avoid the emission of more than one billion tons of greenhouse gases annually. This is equal to the annual emissions of 200 large coal power plants.

"An efficient economy is an effective economy. These studies support our national efforts to increase the energy efficiency of America's power plants, homes and businesses," said Congressman Edward J. Markey, Chairman of twin energy and environment panels in the House. "My mother always told me, 'work smarter, not harder.' We can use energy in smarter ways, create an electricity internet Smart Grid, and get our smartest inventors working on new energy technologies."

In a joint report released Tuesday, the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering found that "the deployment of existing energy-efficiency technologies is the nearest-term and lowest-cost option for moderating our nation's demand for energy, especially over the next decade." Accelerated deployment of currently available energy-saving technologies in the buildings, industrial, and transportation sectors could reduce energy use by 15 percent by 2020 compared to business as usual and by 30 percent by 2030. This would more than offset future increases in energy consumption projected by the Department of Energy.

The reports also agree that these gains from energy efficiency will not be achieved without targeted policies that support energy efficiency investment. The Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454), which passed out of the House of Representatives last month, includes energy efficiency provisions and investments likely to exceed $100 billion through 2025, including:

A renewable electricity and energy efficiency standard that requires utilities to obtain 20 percent of their energy from renewables and efficiency by 2020. This would put utilities in the business of helping their customers use energy more efficiently;
Enhanced building codes that achieve 30% and 50% higher energy efficiency in 2010 and 2016;
Cost-effective energy efficiency programs for natural gas consumers;
State and local government funds for implementing renewable energy and efficiency projects;
Increased appliance and lighting standards;
Building efficiency program for retrofitting existing residential and commercial buildings;
Energy efficient manufactured home program provides rebates toward purchases of new Energy Star-rated manufactured homes for low-income families residing in pre-1976 manufactured homes.

Hearing 7/29: American Made Energy: Intellectual Property Rights

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Select Committee Hearing to Focus on International Intellectual Property Rights for Global Climate Solutions

The key to solving climate change and developing clean energy is technology, and at the center of technology are intellectual property rights. In the Space Race, America had a singular competitor. In the Clean Energy Race to stop global warming, America is competing with the Chinese, Germans, Koreans, and countless others. How these countries and the world deal with intellectual property rights will have a huge impact on whether technology is available and deployed to solve our global problems.

On Wednesday July 29th, 2009 the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing entitled, "Climate for Innovation: Technology and Intellectual Property in Global Climate Solutions." The hearing will begin at 9:30 AM, and be held in 210 Cannon House Office Building.

This hearing will examine the impact of intellectual property rights on global warming solutions and how to encourage American innovation while spreading climate related technologies globally. Technology transfer and cooperation are part of the international climate regime and have become an important issue regarding negotiations on the future international climate agreement, and in the debate heading into the UN Climate Change Conference this December in Copenhagen.

WHAT: Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Hearing, "Climate for Innovation: Technology and Intellectual Property in Global Climate Solutions"

WHEN: Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 9:30 AM

WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington DC, and Online

WITNESS LIST:
-Mr. Govi Rao, Chairman, Lighting Science Group Corporation
-Mr. Robert T. Nelsen, Co-founder and Managing Director, ARCH Venture Partners
-Ms. Jennifer Haverkamp, Managing Director for International Policy & Negotiations, Environmental Defense Fund
-Dr. Mark Esper, Executive Vice President Global Intellectual Property Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Hearing 7/28: New Technology Solutions - Carbon Capture and Sequestration and Solar

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Hearing to Feature Next Generation Solar Technology, and Companies Sequestering CO2 in Cement and Under Ocean Floor

This hearing will be webcast LIVE on Tuesday, July 28th at 9:30 AM.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Cutting pollution and meeting global warming emissions reduction targets will require the deployment of new technology solutions, opening pathways for job growth in new clean energy industries. Advanced coal and large scale solar projects provide a window to the future of low carbon technology and job opportunities.

On Tuesday, July 28th, the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hear from cutting edge experts in solar and carbon capture technology in a hearing, "New Technologies: What’s Around the Corner." The hearing will begin at 9:30 AM, and take place in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building. This hearing will also be webcast live from the Select Committee website.

The hearing will feature companies that are working to capture CO2 from power plants -- one placing it under the ocean floor and another combining CO2 with seawater to make cement. In addition, the Committee will hear from solar entrepreneurs who are developing solar panels with greater strength and efficiency that use fewer raw materials in production.

Between now and 2030, over $20 trillion will be invested in energy infrastructure worldwide, and an estimated $1.5 trillion will be invested by the U.S. power sector alone. With the recent House passage of the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) the United States government would invest $190 billion in clean energy solutions in order to meet growing international competition for new energy technology. Low carbon solutions will be necessary to meet emissions reduction of 80% by 2050, goals set forth by both the G8 agreement and the Waxman-Markey legislation.

WHAT: Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Hearing, "New Technologies: What’s Around the Corner"

WHEN: Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 9:30 AM

WHERE: 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC and ONLINE

WITNESS LIST:
Dr. Greg Kunkel: Vice President for Environmental Affairs, Tenaska Inc.
Mr. Frank Smith: Chief Executive Officer, PURGeN One LLC
Dr. Brent Constantz: Chief Executive Officer, Calera Corporation
Dr. Emanuel Sachs: Chief Technical Officer, 1366 Technologies Inc.
Mr. Sean Gallagher: Vice President, Tessera Solar
Mr. Gary Spitznogle: Manager IGCC and Gas Plant Engineering, American Electric Power

Landing a Clean Energy Victory

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Originally posted July 20, 2009 on the Huffington Post

The Huffington Post

Landing a Clean Energy Victory

By Edward J. Markey | July 20, 2009 | http://huffingtonpost.com

Forty years ago today, Americans sat transfixed in front of televisions sets watching the first landing on the Moon. We had just won the space race, meeting a technological and political challenge issued by President Kennedy a mere eight years earlier. It was, in Armstrong's words, "one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

A few weeks ago, the House of Representatives took a giant legislative leap in America's historic effort to win the next great technological revolution: the clean energy race of the 21st century. This race is more important for America to win (and, thankfully, easier).

On June 26th, the House passed the first comprehensive clean energy and climate bill in our nation's history--the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act. The bill would--for the first time--set domestic limits on the carbon pollution that causes global warming, establish ambitious policies for the development and deployment of clean energy and efficiency, and invest nearly $200 billion in the next fifteen years to make America once again the leader, not the laggard, in energy technology.

Read the full text at the Huffington Post.

Waxman-Markey Would Meet New G8 Climate Targets

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Legitimacy Has Returned to International Climate Talks, Says Chairman Markey

WASHINGTON (July 8, 2009) – The recently-passed Waxman-Markey energy and climate bill would allow the U.S. to meet the new agreement forged today at the G8 summit to reduce global warming emissions by 80 percent by 2050 among industrialized nations, and a 50 percent worldwide reduction including developing countries. The Waxman-Markey bill reduces U.S. emissions 83 percent by 2050.

Below is the statement of Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Waxman-Markey climate bill and Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming:

“For the first time in history, all the stars are beginning to align in the fight against global warming. Congress, the president, and now the international community are all backing strong cuts in global warming pollution. It is no longer a matter of whether we will forge a robust international agreement to cut dangerous heat-trapping pollution, but when. And that ‘when’ is looking more and more like it will be in Copenhagen this December.

“The Waxman-Markey bill, combined with President Obama’s leadership on this issue, has finally given the United States the legitimacy to sit down with other countries to hammer out an international solution to global warming. Now that the United States and other industrialized countries have moved forward on global warming, it is time for China and India and other large emitters to make commitments to control their emissions as well.”

House Passes Historic Waxman-Markey Clean Energy Bill

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, DC — Today the House of Representatives passed the landmark American Clean Energy and Security Act , sponsored by Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Edward J. Markey, Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

This landmark bill will revitalize our economy by creating millions of new jobs, increase our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and preserve our planet by reducing the pollution that causes global warming.

“Today we have taken decisive and historic action to promote America’s energy security and to create millions of clean energy jobs that will drive our economic recovery and long-term growth,” said Chairman Waxman. “After more than three decades of being held hostage to the influence of foreign energy suppliers, this legislation at long last begins to break our addiction to imported foreign oil and put us on a path to true energy security.”

“Today the House has passed the most important energy and environment bill in our nation’s history,” said Chairman Markey. “Scientists say that global warming is a dangerous man-made problem. Today we are saying clean energy will be the American-made solution. This legislation will create jobs by the millions, save money by the billions and unleash investment in clean energy by the trillions.”

The bill contains the following key provisions:

Requires electric utilities to meet 20% of their electricity demand through renewable energy sources and energy efficiency by 2020.
Invests $190 billion in new clean energy technologies and energy efficiency, including energy efficiency and renewable energy ($90 billion in new investments by 2025), carbon capture and sequestration ($60 billion), electric and other advanced technology vehicles ($20 billion), and basic scientific research and development ($20 billion).
Mandates new energy-saving standards for buildings, appliances, and industry.
Reduces carbon emissions from major U.S. sources by 17% by 2020 and over 80% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. Complementary measures in the legislation, such as investments in preventing tropical deforestation, will achieve significant additional reductions in carbon emissions.
Protects consumers from energy price increases. According to recent analyses from the Congressional Budget Office and the Environmental Protection Agency, the legislation will cost each household less than 50 cents per day in 2020 (not including energy efficiency savings).

For more information on the Waxman Markey legislation, including a resource packet, please CLICK HERE.

Please visit the Committee on Energy and Commerce's website to access the full text of the bill along with additional materials.

Markey Applauds Obama Lighting Standards and Efficiency Move

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 202-225-4012

Markey: Obama Lighting Standards, Waxman-Markey Combine to Create Historic Energy Week

Markey, Author of Original Appliance Standard Legislation and Co-author of Waxman-Markey, Says Massive Political Shift on Energy Is Underway

WASHINGTON (June 29, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy panels in the House and is the co-author of the clean energy incentives legislation that passed the House on Friday, as well as the author of the original 1987 legislation that established mandatory nationwide appliance efficiency standards, hailed today’s move by President Barack Obama to finalize energy efficiency standards for light bulbs and lighting systems, invest in building efficiency and press for quick Senate action on energy and global warming legislation.

“Passing Waxman-Markey late Friday, and the president’s announcement on lighting standards and building efficiency on Monday means that in just one weekend America has made historic strides moving towards a more efficient, clean energy future,” Rep. Markey said today, noting that the Waxman-Markey bill that passed the House last week included a national energy efficiency standard and updates to efficiency standards for buildings, lighting systems, and appliances.

“Today’s move by the president shows that this administration is committed to transforming our nation's energy economy towards a much greater emphasis on energy efficiency.

“We are seeing new momentum from both Congress and the administration on clean energy, global warming, fuel economy and energy efficiency. President Obama recognizes that if we want to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we need to do more to make ourselves more energy efficient and provide the incentives needed to develop clean energy technologies.

“President Obama recognizes this historical moment, and with his leadership, we will unleash a new clean energy revolution in America that will create millions of new jobs.”

# # #

CBO: Waxman-Markey Costs about a Postage Stamp a Day, Saves Low-Income Families Money

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

June 20, 2009

Chairmen Henry A. Waxman and Edward J. Markey, co-authors of the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) said that a new analysis of the bill by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) shows the that the net annual cost of the legislation would be approximately $175 per household in 2020. This analysis comes on the heels of a new study that found 1.7 million jobs would be created by the clean energy legislation.

"This analysis underscores that this legislation is effective and affordable," said Rep. Waxman. "It sets America on a course of energy independence while taking significant steps to reduce dangerous global warming pollution."

"Americans know that building a clean energy economy has real value, and this CBO analysis proves it," said Rep. Markey. "Low-income American families will see a $40 benefit from using more wind and solar energy and less foreign oil. And for the cost of about a postage stamp a day, all American families will see a return on their investment as our nation breaks our dependence on foreign oil, cuts dangerous carbon pollution and creates millions of new clean energy jobs that can't be shipped overseas."

CBO estimated the costs of H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, to ascertain the average cost per household that would result from implementing the provisions that cap carbon emissions, as well as how the costs would affect different levels of household income.

CBO states "the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the net annual countrywide cost of the cap-and-trade program in 2020 would be $22 billion - or about $175 per household."

CBO specifically notes that this figure "does not include the economic benefits and other benefits of the reduction in GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions and the associated slowing of climate change." In particular, CBO did not analyze the energy efficiency improvements and resulting savings in energy costs that will result from the ACES Act's investment of over $60 billion in the next ten years in energy efficiency and required improvements in energy efficiency. One outside group, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), has estimated that the benefits of the energy efficiency provisions in ACES, which generally were not included in the CBO estimate, will save consumers $22 billion in 2020 alone, with cumulative savings of $3,900 per household by 2030.

In addition, CBO found that households in the lowest quintile would see an average net benefit of $40 in 2020. And overall net costs would average 0.2 percent of household after tax income.

To Download a copy of the CBO Letter (PDF) please CLICK HERE.

Markey, Van Hollen, Welch Launch Bill to Tap NationaEUR(TM)s Oil Reserves

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

On 50th Straight Day of Rising Gas Prices, Prudent Action Needed to Alleviate Prices, Bring Balance to Strategic Petroleum Reserve

WASHINGTON (June 17, 2009) – On the 50th straight day of rising gas prices, Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced legislation that would modernize our nation’s oil reserves to help consumers at the pump and save taxpayers money. The national average for a gallon of gas rose to $2.67 today.

The “Enhanced Supply and Price Reduction Act of 2009,” or Enhanced SPR Act, directs the Secretary of Energy to sell 70,000,000 barrels of light sweet crude -- or about 10 percent of the total oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve -- and replace it with heavy crude oil. Swapping oil from the SPR has a proven record of lowering oil prices in the short term. In addition, swapping a small percentage of light crude oil in the reserve for heavier crude has been recommended by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to save taxpayers money. The legislation would also implement GAO’s recommendation to purchase a constant dollar value rather than constant volume of oil to fill the SPR in the future. Finally, the bill would authorize the Department of Energy to purchase refined petroleum product to better protect our national security.

“With gas prices rising again, we must look for ways to help consumers in a down economy. We must pass comprehensive clean energy legislation to reduce our dependence on oil in the long-term, but we can also take action to help American families and taxpayers in the near-term,” said Rep. Markey. “A comprehensive clean energy policy combined with aggressive use of our nation’s oil reserves creates an effective weapon against speculators and petro-dictators.”

“Across the country, Americans are continuing to cope with the effects of a struggling economy. In a bad case of déjà vu, gas prices are creeping back up in the direction of last-year’s record highs, making it harder and harder for families to make ends meet,” said Rep. Welch. “As we work to enact comprehensive energy and climate change legislation, Congress should take preemptive action now to provide relief at the gas pump. This legislation represents a common sense approach to reducing pressure on consumers while saving taxpayer dollars.”

“With gas prices once again drifting higher, modernizing our Strategic Petroleum Reserves is long overdue,” said Rep. Van Hollen. “This common-sense, good government initiative will enhance our nation’s energy security while saving consumers money at the pump. It should be passed and enacted into law without delay.”

The legislation directs the Secretary of Energy to create a plan within 30 days of enactment of the legislation to swap light sweet crude for heavy crude. The process must be “carried out in a manner so as to maximize the monetary value to the Federal Government” and must be completed within 5 years.

Similar legislation introduced by Rep. Markey and former-Rep. Nick Lampson received an overwhelming, bipartisan majority of support in the House last year. In addition, legislation directing DOE to stop buying oil to fill the SPR at high prices authored by Reps. Markey and Welch passed Congress in 2008 and was signed by then-President George W. Bush.

National Climate Science Report Makes Strong Case for Immediate Action on Global Warming

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Chairman Markey Announces Series of “Impacts Hearings”—First Hearing This Thursday on Agriculture and Forest Impacts

WASHINGTON (June 16, 2009) – A new report issued by America’s top climate scientists paints a stark picture of an America already beset by global warming, with more severe impacts to come if we do not cut the carbon pollution causing the problem.

In response to this sobering forecast and recognizing the need for quick action in Congress to move to a low-carbon, clean energy future, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming announced he would hold a series of “impact hearings” on the effects spelled out in the report. The first hearing will be held this Thursday on the impacts of a warming world on America’s agriculture and forests.

“This report reinforces the science, renews our dedication to forging a national solution, and relegates the last bastions of climate denial to the dustbin of history,” said Chairman Markey. “We waited for eight years to take any action on global warming, even as the evidence mounted. Our economy, our environment, and our planet can wait no longer.”

The report, Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, written by the United States Global Change Research Program, is based on more than a dozen other national scientific synthesis reports, the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, and others.

Key findings include:

Temperatures in the United States have already risen 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900. That increase is directly linked to human activities.
Heavy downpours in the last 50 years have increased 67 percent in the Northeast and 31 percent in the Midwest. Unsurprisingly, this time has been marked by record flooding in those regions.
The growing season now starts 2 weeks earlier.

Projections of future impacts include:

Global temperatures could increase 11 degrees Fahrenheit, with greater overall increases in the United States.
Increased heat, pests, water extremes, weeds and other impacts would have significant impacts on the agriculture and livestock sectors.
Sea-level rise would be 3-4 feet by 2100, completely flooding places like the Everglades and Cape Canaveral.

Chairman Markey announced today that the Select Committee will hold a series of hearings based on this new report to further explore the immediate and future impacts of global warming. The first hearing will occur this Thursday on agricultural impacts, and will continue this summer and fall, starting with the following topics:

Impacts on our nation’s transportation system and other infrastructure
Extreme weather events
Sea-level rise

“The American people and my colleagues in Congress need to examine this report so we can all understand the urgency our nation faces from the threat of global warming,” said Chairman Markey. “This Thursday, we will begin that process by looking at how our nation’s farmers and ranchers could be harmed by a warming world.”

Select Committee Hearing (Thurs 6/18) Global Warming's Impact on Agriculture and Forestry

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2009

Contact: 202-225-4012

Select Committee to Explore Global Warming’s Growing Concerns

Hearing Probes Warming World’s Impact on Agriculture and Forestry

On June 18, 2009 the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing at 9:30 a.m. entitled: “Global Warming’s Growing Concerns: Impacts on Agriculture and Forestry.” The hearing will examine the impact global warming is currently having on the productivity and potential risks to these important industries.

Witnesses will discuss the present effects of climate change on agriculture and forestry such as increased drought, changes in precipitation, higher temperatures and increased activity of weeds and pests. The committee will also discuss how America’s agriculture and forestry sectors can help stave off the worst effects of global warming.

WHAT: Select Committee on Energy Independence and global warming hearing-- “Global Warming’s Growing Concerns: Impacts on Agriculture and Forestry.”

WHEN: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:30 AM

WHERE: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

WHO:
Jerry Hatfield, Supervisory Plant Physiologist, USDA
Heather Cooley, Senior Researcher, Pacific Institute
Tom Troxel, Director, Black Hills Forest Resource Association
Dr. Johannes Lehmann, Associate Professor of Soil Fertility Management/Soil Biogeochemistry, Cornell University
Ford B. West, President, The Fertilizer Institute

# # #

CBO: Clean Energy Bill Focuses Revenues to Public Benefit, will NOT Increase Budget Deficit

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (June 8, 2009) – Chairmen Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), co-authors of the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act today said that a new analysis of the bill by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) shows the legislation is a fiscally-responsible clean energy plan.aEUR(th)

“The Waxman-Markey bill will get our planet out of the red, while helping to put our budget back in black,” said Rep. Markey. “Waxman-Markey is a win-win for America’s economy and environment.”

“This is a fiscally responsible approach,” said Rep. Waxman. “We are ensuring that the bill is deficit neutral, while protecting consumers from increases in their utilities bill, particularly low income consumers who are the most vulnerable.”

CBO’s analysis states that Waxman-Markey will raise $846 billion over the next decade in revenues from the new carbon market established by the bill, while not adding to America’s federal budget deficitaEUR(th). Waxman-Markey dedicates the revenues to assist consumers with the transition to a clean energy economy and for other public purposes, including energy efficiency and clean energy research and deployment. At least 50 percent of the allowances will go back to consumers -- with at least 35 percent going to protect against increases in electric, natural gas, home heating and propane bills; and another 15 percent going to assist low income consumers.aEUR(th)

Chairman Markey and Select Committee join Speaker Pelosi in China to advocate for clean energy future

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500

From The Gavel, the Speaker's blog:

This week, Speaker Pelosi and a bipartisan congressional delegation have continued their travels in China–meeting with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and Wu Bangguo, the Chairman of the National People’s Congress on Wednesday.

In separate meetings with each leader, the delegation had candid discussions on issues of concern including human rights, North Korea’s nuclear testing and missile launch, climate change and clean energy, intellectual property rights, and the global financial crisis.

Speaker Pelosi:

We had productive discussions about how the United States and China can cooperate on improving international security, growing our economies and protecting the environment. We urged the Chinese leaders to use their influence to help bring North Korea to the table for Six-Party Talks. On clean energy and climate change, both sides agreed to work together to confront the urgent challenge we face. Our delegation also emphasized the bipartisan concern in Congress on China’s poor record on human rights in China and Tibet.

The congressional delegation also participated in a two-hour working session with the Chinese National People’s Congress’ Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee. Rep. Ed Markey, who co-chaired the meeting with Chinese officials, said, “Our meetings this week reinforced the urgent need for the United States and China to take concrete actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help preserve our planet. Today’s session furthered our commitment to work together.”

The delegation at the Great Hall of the People, National People’s Congress, Beijing:

The delegation also had the opportunity to visit an electric car factory in Tianjin, China and a high speed train–the Beijing to Tianjin line opened in August of 2008 and can go more than 200mph:

Today, the delegation traveled from Beijing to Hong Kong. Speaker Pelosi and the delegation met with labor activists Han Dongfang and Robin Munro of the China Labour Bulletin, a non-governmental organization that seeks to defend and promote workers’ rights in China. Speaker Pelosi described Han Dongfang and Robin Munro as “heroes for the Chinese people. They are fighting for a better future to establish the rule of law and rights for Chinese workers at the grassroots level.”

Meeting with Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang, the delegation discussed how the United States and Hong Kong can work together to address the global financial crisis and climate change and the relationship between Hong Kong and mainland China along with the prospects for universal suffrage in Hong Kong in the near future.

The delegation then traveled to the Hong Kong Legislative Council, known as LegCo, for a vibrant exchange with members on many issues, including elections in Hong Kong, climate change, local pollution, H1N1 influenza, and the 20th Anniversary next week of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Speaker Pelosi said:

The relationship between the United States and Hong Kong is based on our common values: freedom, entrepreneurship, and respect for the rule of law and human rights. The people of Hong Kong have bravely demonstrated their support for universal suffrage, consistent with the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework.

View more photos from the trip on the Speaker’s Flickr page>>

Energy and Commerce Committee Passes Comprehensive Clean Energy Legislation

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, DC —Today the Energy and Commerce Committee approved H.R. 2454, “The American Clean Energy and Security Act,” by a vote of 33 to 25. This legislation is a comprehensive approach to America’s energy policy that charts a new course towards a clean energy economy.

“Today the Committee took decisive and historic action to promote America’s energy security and to create millions of clean energy jobs that will drive our economic recovery and long-term growth,” said Chairman Waxman. “This bill, when enacted into law this year, will break our dependence on foreign oil, make our nation the world leader in clean energy jobs and technology, and cut global warming pollution. I am grateful to my colleagues who supported this legislation and to President Obama for his outstanding leadership on these critical issues.”

“With this plan, we will shape a new energy destiny for our country, where we innovate more and pollute less,” said Subcommittee Chairman Markey. “Today we have chosen bold action to preserve good paying jobs here in America and preserve our planet. In just eight weeks, Chairman Waxman and I, working with our entire committee, have moved us farther down the path toward energy independence than our country had moved in the past eight years.”

The American Clean Energy and Security Act will create millions of new clean energy jobs, save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs, enhance America’s energy independence, and cut global warming pollution. To meet these goals, the legislation has four titles:

A clean energy title that promotes renewable sources of energy, carbon capture and sequestration technologies, clean electric vehicles, and the smart grid and electricity transmission.
An energy efficiency title that increases energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy, including buildings, appliances, transportation, and industry.
A global warming title that places limits on emissions of heat-trapping pollutants. This legislation would cut global warming pollution by 17% compared to 2005 levels in 2020, by 42% in 2030, and by 83% in 2050. These are science-based targets and within the range agreed to by USCAP.
A title that protects U.S. consumers and industry and promotes green jobs during the transition to a clean energy economy.

The legislation has received wide support from electric utilities; energy companies; manufacturing, industry, and corporate companies; labor unions; and community and environmental organizations.

A copy of the bill is posted online at the Energy and Commerce Committee's website. An updated summary of the bill is also available.

Markey: Auto Standards Signal Full Speed Ahead to Energy Independence

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (May 19, 2009) -- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today hailed President Barack Obama's announcement that he will raise fuel economy standards to 35.5 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2016 with the support of automakers as a historic moment. Rep. Markey is co-author of the original 35 mpg standard adopted by Congress in 2007, a measure that required the maximum feasible fuel economy standards be set each year.

Rep. Markey has long been an outspoken advocate of increasing fuel economy standards and has long believed that the use of realistic future gas prices and technology cost assumptions would support a cost-effective standard of more than 35 miles per gallon by 2016. Markey has worked with then-Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) and Rep. Todd Platts (R-Pa.) to urge that the 2007 energy law be faithfully implemented by the Department of Transportation (see links below). Rep. Markey also co-authored legislation in the 110th Congress requiring that realistic future gasoline prices be used when setting fuel economy standards.

“With this historic announcement, President Obama is firing on all cylinders by getting the automakers to simultaneously agree to higher fuel economy standards and drop their litigation against California,” said Rep. Markey. “As someone who has pushed for stronger fuel economy standards for decades, the difference between then and now is like being stuck in stop-and-go traffic and hitting every green light on your way home.”

“Combining today’s announcement with a comprehensive clean energy plan being considered by Congress this week will deliver a one-two punch against America’s dangerous dependence on foreign oil.”

The original Waxman-Markey energy bill, which is expected to pass out of committee this week, contained language that would have created a federal fuel economy program by harmonizing federal standards with California’s stronger rules. The language was removed when Chairmen Waxman and Markey learned of President Obama's expected announcement.

“Instead of fighting an uphill battle to increase fuel economy, as Congress did under the Bush administration, we are now working hand-in-driving-glove with the Obama team," said Rep. Markey. “For years, the auto industry claimed it would be impossible for them to implement the fuel efficiency standards that they have just agreed to. Their change of heart reflects not only how much has changed in the auto industry, but how much has changed in Washington.”

March 23, 2009 Letter from Markey and Colleagues urging President Obama to adopt the maximum feasible fuel economy standard.

June 26, 2008 Letter from Markey and Colleagues urging Transportation Secretary Mary Peters to adopt the maximum feasible fuel economy standard.

June 17, 2008 Letter from Markey and Emanuel urging President Bush to adopt the maximum feasible fuel economy standard.

Waxman, Markey Introduce aEURoeH.R. 2454, The American Clean Energy and Security ActaEUR?

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500

UPDATE: May 18, 2009 - Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Edward J. Markey introduced an amendment in the nature of a substitute to the American Clean Energy and Security Act. It is available through the Energy and Commerce Committee website.

Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Edward J. Markey introduced “H.R. 2454, The American Clean Energy and Security Act” on May 15, 2009. The Energy and Commerce Committee will begin markup of the bill on Monday, May 18, 2009, at 1:00 p.m., and will complete consideration before the Memorial Day recess.

“The legislation will create millions of new clean energy jobs, save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs, promote America’s energy independence and security, and cut global warming pollution,” said Chairman Waxman. “In support of these goals, this legislation ensures that consumers and industries in all regions of the country are protected. I look forward to working with all members of the Committee to approve this legislation to make America the world leader in new clean energy and energy efficiency technologies.”

“This bill marks the dawn of the clean energy age,” said Subcommittee Chairman Markey. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revive our economy and create millions of good-paying clean energy jobs. After months of hearings and discussions with my colleagues, I am pleased that we have produced a bill that has widespread support from all regions of the country.”

Full Text of H.R. 2454, "The American Clean Energy and Security Act"

A document summarazing how the emissions allowances will be allocated is also available here.

55% directly to consumer protection measures

30% to protect consumers from energy rate increases using existing regulated electricity distribution centers and efficiency measures
15% direct protection to low/middle income consumers
10% for natural gas and heating oil consumer protection

35% to grow and protect American jobs and invest in a clean energy future for all communities

17% to defend US jobs from foreign polluters (steel, glass, paper and refineries)
10% to renewable and efficiency programs in the states
3% to build clean electric and other advanced, fuel efficient vehicles
2-5% to CCS technology, ensuring coal companies must develop new technology without passing costs to consumers
2% for domestic adaptation to protect people from the impacts of pollution and climate change
1% to Research & Development for clean energy technologies of the future

**The remainder will go to other programs, like clean energy job training, international measures, funds to keep the program revenue-neutral, and other initiatives.

A high resolution version of this chart is also available. Please note, it may take some time to load.

Markey Statement on 'Cash for Clunkers' Agreement

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee issued the following statement after members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee reached an agreement on a fleet modernization, or “cash-for-clunkers,” proposal:

“This deal is a triple play for our country,” said Rep. Markey. “Consumers can trade in their old gas-guzzlers for a new, more efficient vehicle, we can reduce our dangerous dependence on imported oil, and help the struggling American auto industry get back on its feet. This deal is about saving American consumers money both at the pump and at the dealership.”

“As with most compromises, this one took a great deal of work and time, and I salute my Colleagues – Ms. Sutton, Mr. Inslee, Mr. Stupak, Mr. Dingell, and of course Chairman Waxman, for all their leadership. I also want to thank the President for his support and White House assistance as we worked through the details.”

“This deal also demonstrates how Representatives from both coasts and the Rust Belt can reach agreement on difficult issues, and I expect more of the same as we continue to negotiate comprehensive energy and climate legislation.”

Below is a fact sheet on the details of the agreement:

“Cash for Clunkers” Agreement

Consumers may trade in their old, gas-guzzling vehicles and receive vouchers worth up to $4,500 to help pay for new, more fuel efficient cars and trucks. The program will be authorized for up to one year and provide for approximately one million new car or truck purchases. The agreement divides these new cars and trucks into four categories. All mpg below relate to the values displayed on new vehicle window stickers.

Passenger Cars: The old vehicle must get less than 18 mpg. New passenger cars with mileage of at least 22 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new car is at least 4 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new car is at least 10 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

Small Trucks (and SUVs): The old vehicle must get less than 18 mpg. New small trucks or SUVs with mileage of at least 18 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new truck or SUV is at least 2 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new truck or SUV is at least 5 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

Large Light-Duty Trucks: The old vehicle must get less than 18 mpg. New large trucks (pick-ups and vans weighing between 6,000 and 8,500 pounds) with mileage of at least 15 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new truck is at least 1 mpg higher than the old truck, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new truck is at least 2 mpg higher than the old truck, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

Work Trucks: Under the agreement, consumers can trade in a pre-2002 work truck (defined as a pick-up truck or cargo van weighing from 8,500-10,000 pounds) and receive a voucher worth $3,500 for a new work truck in the same or smaller weight class. There will be a finite number of these vouchers based on this vehicle class’s market share. There are no EPA mileage measures for these trucks; however, because newer models are cleaner than older models, the age requirement ensures that the trade will improve environmental quality. Consumers can also “trade down,” receiving a $3,500 voucher for trading in an older work truck and purchasing a pick-up or van weighing between 6,000-8,500 lbs.

Summary of Cash for Clunkers Agreement
	Passenger Car	Small Truck	Large Light-Duty Truck (6,000 – 8,500 pounds)	Work Truck(8,500 – 10,000 pounds)
Minimum Fuel Economy for New Vehicle	22 mpg (EPA combined)	18 mpg (EPA combined)	15 mpg(EPA combined)
$3,500 Voucher	Mileage improvement of at least 4 mpg	Mileage improvement of at least 2 mpg	Mileage improvement of at least 1 mpg, or involving trade-in of a Work Truck	Trade-in must be at least pre-2001
$4,500 Voucher	Mileage improvement of at least 10 mpg	Mileage improvement of at least 5 mpg	Mileage improvement of at least 2 mpg

Markey: Under Obama Admin., ESA Scientists No Longer Wandering in Regulatory Wilderness

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (April 28, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who was first to call for Congressional review of Bush administration Endangered Species Act rule changes and held a hearing on the midnight rule changes, praised President Obama and his administration today for reversing one of the last industry giveaways of the Bush administration. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced today that they will restore scientific review as the driver in determining the threat to species from government or private actions.

“After the previous administration relegated our scientists to the proverbial regulatory wilderness, the Obama administration is today ensuring that scientists are no longer an endangered species in our government,” said Rep. Markey, whose Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming held a hearing on this and other Bush midnight rules the same day the now-cancelled rule was issued. “These scientists objectively assess the threat to animals in danger, and it is critical that the Obama administration has brought them back into the discussion.”

More information from the Bush rules hearing can be found on the Select Committee website:.

The House included language passed in February in the omnibus spending bill that gave 60 days for the Obama administration to withdraw or reissue the ESA rule.

Rep. Markey was first to propose using Congressional Review Act authority to overturn this and other harmful executive rules in November of last year. Rep. Markey highlighted this ESA rule as one of the more egregious examples of poor rulemaking.

Rep. Markey also challenged the previous Interior Department Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne on the Bush administration’s budget cuts to the endangered species program. For a video of the exchange, CLICK HERE.

Chairmen Waxman and Markey Announce Hearings on aEURoeThe American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009aEUR?

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, DC — Today Chairman Henry A. Waxman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Chairman Edward J. Markey of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee announced that the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold four days of legislative hearings on the discussion draft of “The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.”

The hearings will examine the views of the Administration and a broad range of stakeholders on the discussion draft. The schedule for this week follows:

Note: This schedule updated as of 7:30 PM Thursday, April 23 2009

Tuesday, April 21, 2009: Day 1

Opening Statements
WHEN: 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Wednesday, April 22, 2009: Day 2

WHEN: 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Panel 1: Administration Views on “The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009” Legislation

The Honorable Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Honorable Steven Chu, Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation

Panel 2: “United States Climate Action Partnership Views on the ACES Discussion Draft”

Mr. Charles Holliday, Jr., Chairman, DuPont
Mr. Red Cavaney, Senior Vice President for Government & Public Affairs, ConocoPhillips
Mr. Jim Rogers, Chairman, President and CEO, Duke Energy Corp.
Dr. Frances Beinecke, President, Natural Resources Defense Council
Ms. Meg McDonald, Director, Global Issues, Alcoa Inc.
Mr. David Crane, President and CEO, NRG Energy, Inc.

Panel 3: “Additional Views on the ACES Discussion Draft"

Mr. Paul N. Cicio, President, Industrial Energy Consumers of America
Myron Ebell, Director, Energy and Global Warming Policy, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Mr. David Kreutzer, Senior Policy Analyst in Energy Economics and Climate Change, The Heritage Foundation
Dr. Steven Hayward, F.K Weyerhaeuser Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Mr. John Fetterman, Mayor, Braddock, Pennsylvania
Mr. Kevin Knobloch, President, Union of Concerned Scientists
Dr. Nathaniel Keohane, Director of Economic Policy and Analysis, Environmental Defense Fund

Panel 4: “Green Jobs and Economic Benefits”

Ms. Denise Bode, CEO, American Wind Energy Association
Ms. Kate Gordon, Co-Director, Apollo Alliance
Mr. David Manning, Vice President, External Affairs, National Grid
Mr. Frank Ackerman, Senior Economist, Stockholm Environment Institute- US Center, Tufts University
Mr. David Foster, Executive Director, Blue Green Alliance

Thursday, April 23, 2009: Day 3

WHEN: 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Panel 1: “Allocation Policies to Assist and Benefit Consumers”

Mr. Jeff Sterba, Chairman and CEO, PMN Resources, Inc. (on Behalf of the Edison Electric Institute)
Mr. Glenn English, CEO, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Mr. Mark Crisson, President and CEO, American Public Power Association
Mr. John W. Somerhalder II, Chairman, CEO and President, AGL Resources (On behalf of the American Gas Association)
Mr. Richard Morgan, Commissioner, District of Columbia Public Service Commission (On behalf of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners)
Mr. Richard Cowart, Director, Regulatory Assistance Project
Mr. Robert Greenstein, Executive Director, Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.
Dr. Robert Michaels, Professor of Economics, California State University
Mr. Darryl Bassett, Empower Consumers

Panel 2: “Ensuring U.S. Competitiveness and International Participation”

Mr. Rich Wells, Vice President for Energy, The Dow Chemical Company
Mr. Tom Conway, International Vice President, United Steel Workers
Mr. Jack McMackin, Principal, Williams and Jensen, LLC (On behalf of the Energy Intensive Manufacturers Working Group on Greenhouse Gas Regulation)
Dr. Trevor Houser, Visiting Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Mr. Eliot Diringer, Vice President for International Strategies, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Pastor Doug Smith, Virginia Interfaith Society for Public Policy
Mr. Lee Lane, Resident Fellow and Codirector of the AEI Geoengineering Project, American Enterprise Institute

Panel 3: “Low Carbon Electricity: Carbon Capture and Storage, Renewables and Grid Modernization”

Dr. Howard Gruenspect, Acting Administrator, United States Energy Information Agency
Ms. Dian M. Grueneich, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Mr. Dan Reicher, Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives, Google, Inc.
Mr. Jim Robo, President and Chief Operating Officer, FPL Group
Mr. David Hawkins, Director of Climate Programs, Natural Resources Defense Council
Dr. Gregory Kunkel, Vice President for Environmental Affairs, Tenaska, Inc.
Mr. Jonathan Briggs, Regional Director of the Americas, Hydrogen Energy International
Mr. Eugene Trisko (On Behalf of the United Mine Workers of America)
Mr. James Kerr, Partner, McGuire Woods LLP, former Commissioner, North Carolina Public Utilities Commission
Dr. Jay Apt, Executive Director, Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center, Associate Professor, Carnegie Mellon University

Friday, April 24, 2009: Day 4

WHEN: 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 24
WHERE: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Panel 1: Vice President Al Gore and Senator John Warner: Bipartisan Leaders’ Views on the ACES Legislation

The Honorable Albert Gore Jr., former Vice President of the United States
The Honorable John Warner, former United States Senator

Panel 2: Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich

The Honorable Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House of Representatives

Panel 3: Energy Efficiency, Transportation, Building Appliances, and Utilities

Mr. Ian Bowles, Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Mr. David Gardiner, President, David Gardiner & Associates, LLC (On behalf of the Energy Future Coalition)
Mr. Jeff Genzer, Counsel, National Association of State Energy Officials
Mr. Andrew Delaski, Executive Director, Appliance Standards Awareness Project
Mr. Dave McCurdy, President and CEO, Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers
Mr. Alan Reuther, Legislative Director, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
Dr. Dan Sperling, Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California Davis
Mr. David Friedman, Research Director, Clean Vehicles Program, Union of Concerned Scientists
Charles T. Drevna, President, National Petrochemical and Refiners Association
National Association of Homebuilders

Panel 4: “Carbon Market Assurance, State Roles, Clean Air Act and Adaptation”

Ms. Tia Nelson, Executive Secretary, Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, State of Wisconsin
Mr. Bill Becker, Executive Director, National Association of Clean Air Agencies
Mr. Carl Royal, Counsel, Schiff Hardin LLP, formerly Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Mr. Jon Anda, Executive-in-Residence, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, Visiting Fellow Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solution
Mr. David Doniger, Policy Director, Climate Center, Natural Resources Defense Council
Ms. Patricia Mulroy, General Manager Las Vegas Valley Water District/Southern Nevada Water Authority
Dr. Anne Smith, Vice President, Practice Leader of Climate and Sustainability, CRA International
William L. Kovacs, Vice President, Environment, Technology and Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

** Witness list is subject to change
The hearings will be webcast at http://energycommerce.house.gov.

Earth Day Message in a Bottle: Increasing Recycling Will Decrease Pollution and Energy Use

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Markey’s National Bottle Bill Would Cut Heat-Trapping Emissions, Energy Needs

WASHINGTON (April 22, 2009) – Coinciding with the 39th celebration of Earth Day, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today re-introduced the Bottle Recycling Climate Protection Act, which would decrease global warming pollution and cut down on energy use by encouraging large-scale recycling of cans, metal, plastic water bottles and other beverage containers throughout America. Rep. Markey re-introduced the legislation with Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.).

“Earth Day is an important reminder that it is time for America to take action to reduce its global warming pollution and dependence on foreign energy. A national bottle bill can help America quench its thirst for imported oil. We can still have carbon dioxide in our fizzy drinks, while cutting down on heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,” said Rep. Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee.

The bill builds on the success of existing state programs and would establish a national 5 cent deposit on beverage containers, including plastic water bottles and other containers that have become more prevalent in recent years after many state programs were established. These bottles and other containers pour into landfills and use far more energy to produce the raw materials. In 2006, more than half of the 200 billion beverage containers that could have been recycled in the United States were incinerated or littered.

“A national bottle recycling program would have profound economic benefits from energy savings for trade affected industries, like aluminum and glass. The energy use and cost of manufacturing an aluminum can from virgin materials is far greater than the cost of using recycled materials. In fact, recycling aluminum requires 95 percent less energy than making it from scratch,” said Rep. Markey.

Currently, 11 states have deposit programs that encourage consumers to return containers to claim the refund on the deposit. In the states that have passed bottle bills, recycling rates are twice that of states without deposit laws. Rep. Markey’s national bottle bill recognizes the leadership of the states on this issue, and exempts states that have high recycling rates or existing state legislation from the national standard for 3 years, or as long as they maintain high recycling rates.

In the last Congress, Rep. Markey’s national bottle bill gained the support from leading environmental and recycling organizations, including the Container Recycling Institute, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Public Interest Research Group when it was first introduced as the Bottle Recycling Climate Protection Act of 2007 (H. R. 4238).

EPA Analysis: Waxman-Markey Moves America to Clean Energy Economy

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Legislation Dramatically Increases Clean Energy While Reducing Overall Demand

WASHINGTON (April 21, 2009) – A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency preliminary analysis of the draft comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation put forward by Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) says that the bill would succeed in “moving the U.S. to a clean energy economy.” The analysis also finds that the cap on global warming emissions would accelerate renewable energy deployment by 150 percent over the next two decades, and that energy efficiency measures will significantly decrease energy demand.

The EPA analysis, which was requested by Reps. Waxman and Markey, focused mainly on the global warming pollution cap, and because of limitations on time did not take into account many of the cost-saving and technology-driving renewable energy, energy efficiency and other provisions in the bill.

"This analysis confirms that the Waxman-Markey legislation will create a clean energy economy that will continue economic growth and cut harmful pollution," said Rep. Markey, who chairs key energy and climate panels in the House. "When you combine this analysis with cost-saving measures from updated energy efficiency measures and weatherization, the savings will pile up for consumers."

Below are some of the other findings from the analysis, which can be found on the EPA website here:

The nation’s gross domestic product grows robustly - from $15-16 Trillion in 2015 to $22-23 Trillion in 2030 - while deploying clean energy technology and reducing global warming pollution.
Carbon capture and sequestration technology will be deployed for coal plants by 2015, to both new and existing plants.
Major investments in energy efficiency means that energy consumption levels will be reduced such that levels that might have been reached by 2015 are not reached until the middle of the century.
Consumption growth -- a measure of a household’s purchasing potential -- would grow by up to 10 percent from 2010-2015, 19 percent by 2020, and 40 percent by 2030.
The pollution permit price would be significantly lower than previous Senate proposals, reducing costs to consumers and industry.

Recent studies, which use government models, found that adding a renewable electricity standard and energy efficiency programs would save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars. For example, a study released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists uses Department of Energy models to look at a comprehensive program similar to Waxman-Markey, and finds that an average American household would receive a net savings of $900 on its energy bill.

And while the analysis did include some of the impacts on emissions by the 2007 energy bill, it did not include the recent recovery package, which a Department of Energy study on Friday said would reduce household energy expenditures 4.5 percent by 2028.

DOE Report: Recovery Package Clean Energy Provisions Are Working

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its updated 2009 Energy Outlook Report last Friday to assess the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), passed by Congress in January, on the U.S. energy outlook. The Recovery Act’s energy-specific provisions aim to create more than 500,000 jobs, by accelerating deployment of smart grid technology, providing energy efficiency funds for the nation’s schools, offering support for the nation’s governors and mayors to tackle their energy challenges, and establishing a new loan guarantee program to keep our transition to renewable energy on track during the economic crisis.

The EIA report shows that the recovery bill’s clean energy provisions are working. As Congress begins consideration of the Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill this week, the EIA report signals that America’s economy should be fueled by clean energy that will grow jobs, decrease energy costs and oil dependence, and reduce heat-trapping pollution.

The report’s key conclusions on the impact of ARRA’s energy-specific provisions versus business as usual are below:

INCREASES IN RENEWABLES: ARRA’s clean energy tax credits and loan guarantee program will result in “a significant expansion in the use of renewable fuels for electricity generation, particularly in the near-term.”

WIND: The recovery package doubles the amount of wind energy built by 2012 with a 67 percent overall increase by 2030
GEOTHERMAL: 16 percent increase in installed geothermal capacity by 2013
BIOMASS: 18 percent increase in biomass installed capacity by 2030
PHOTOVOLTAIC: 15 percent increase in commercial sector photovoltaic capacity by 2011

DECREASES IN CONSUMER PRICES: ARRA weatherization and efficiency improvements will permanently reduce consumer consumption and lower household energy bills

3.4 percent drop in household heating and cooling consumption by 2030
4.5 percent drop in household energy expenditures by 2028
3 percent drop in commercial fuel oil consumption by 2030

REDUCES GLOBAL WARMING EMISSIONS: ARRA’s provisions promoting clean energy, greater efficiency and lower energy consumption will reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

1.3 percent reduction in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2013, the equivalent of the emissions from nearly 168,000 barrels of oil.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, expressed optimism upon reading the EIA report.

“The EIA report supports the movement in Congress to pass clean energy legislation to reduce our dependence on oil, save consumers money, and create clean energy jobs,” said Rep. Markey. “If we want a lasting and sustainable economic recovery, we must pass comprehensive clean energy legislation.”

The hearing schedule is available here.

Markey: EPA Global Warming Finding Says Planet is in Danger, Now Up to Congress to Finalize Clean Energy Cure

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Chairman Announces Roster for Legislative Hearings Next Week, Including EPA Administrator and Other Cabinet Officials

WASHINGTON (April 17, 2009) – Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson announced today that her agency has concluded that global warming emissions pose a threat to public health and welfare. The proposed finding, issued in response to the landmark 2007 Supreme Court case Massachusetts v. EPA, now puts the focus on the congressional process to create a clean energy solution to global warming. To that end, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee announced a hearing schedule for next week.

“Today, the EPA concluded that our health and our planet are in danger. Now it is time for Congress to create a clean energy cure,” said Rep. Markey. “Taking action on clean energy and global warming has a national security imperative, an economic imperative to create jobs, and now a clear legal and public health imperative.”

While today’s actions mean that EPA can now proceed to develop rules to limit global warming emissions, President Barack Obama and his top climate and energy adviser, Carol Browner, have both stated that Congressional action would be preferable to create a comprehensive energy and global warming package. Chairmen Markey and Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) released their draft legislative proposal two weeks ago, with the aim of reporting comprehensive legislation out of the committee in the coming weeks.

In anticipation of passing comprehensive clean energy legislation, Chairman Markey today announced the hearings schedule for next week along with Chairman Waxman. The hearings will begin on Wednesday with Administrator Jackson, joined by the Secretary of the Department of Energy, Stephen Chu, and Ray LaHood, Secretary of the Department of Transportation. There will be nine panels in total, including nearly 80 witnesses.

The EPA also issued a second finding today, saying that heat-trapping emissions from motor vehicles cause or contribute to the global warming danger. They cited the science on global warming as “compelling and overwhelming.” Today’s finding is in proposed form, and will be open for 60 days of comment and public hearings.

Under the Bush administration, an endangerment similar finding was nearly issued, but was found to have been blocked. An investigative report issued in the Summer of 2008 by Chairman Markey and his Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming found that members of government at the highest levels, including the office of President George W. Bush’s Chief of Staff and numerous heads of Cabinet departments, had decided to issue an endangerment finding, but reversed their decision in the face of strong opposition from ExxonMobil and others within the oil industry, as well as from at least one senior adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney.

More information on that investigation can be found here.

Markey: New Obama Offshore Renewable Rules Will Unleash aEURoeClean Energy WaveaEUR?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (April 22, 2009) – New offshore renewable energy rules finalized today by President Barack Obama and Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar makes the clean energy goals set forward in Congressional legislation even more attainable. The rules, which stalled under the Bush administration, will set a framework to grant leases, easements, and rights-of-way for offshore renewable energy development.

“These rules will unleash a wave of American clean energy development,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who is co-author of energy legislation that includes strong targets for renewable energy. “Looking beyond our shores, to the winds, tides and waves for discoveries should not be the solitary providence of explorers, but for clean energy entrepreneurs who will chart the course to America’s energy independence.”

Recently Rep. Markey and Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) introduced clean energy and global warming legislation that includes a renewable electricity standard calling for 25 percent of America’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2025. Establishing clear rules for offshore renewable energy development will allow enormous resources to be used. The shores off New England, for example, could supply 185,000 megawatts of electricity, more than 6 times the peak demand for the region and roughly the equivalent of nearly 400 average coal plants.

Top Obama Advisers, Energy Experts to Join Rep. Ed Markey at MIT Forum

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Energy Luminaries Browner, Holdren, Yergin, Moniz and Others to Discuss Massachusetts’ Role in Developing Clean Energy Jobs, Technology, Global Warming Policies

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Malden) will host President Obama’s top climate, energy and science advisers along with other energy experts at a forum at MIT on Monday, April 13 to discuss the future of clean energy in national policy and in the Massachusetts economy. As leaders in Washington strive to stabilize and grow our economy, clean energy solutions are showing the most promise. World-renowned energy experts will discuss how decisions made in Washington relate to the Massachusetts economy, our national security, and the threat of global warming.

Last week, Rep. Markey released draft legislation that will be the main congressional vehicle to push clean energy technologies and create millions of new jobs. Massachusetts is already seeing the benefits of clean energy jobs from the economic recovery package. The recovery package is expected to create or save nearly 80,000 jobs in the Bay State over the next two years alone.

WHAT:
Energy forum at MIT -- “Clean Power: Building a New Clean Energy Economy.” Sponsored by MIT in cooperation with Rep. Markey.

WHO:
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Malden), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and Energy and Environment Subcommittee
Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change
John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology
Ernest J. Moniz, Professor of Physics and Cecil and Ida Green Distinguished Professor, MIT
Dr. Susan Hockfield, President, MIT
Daniel Yergin, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates
Massachusetts clean energy CEOs and others

WHERE:
Wong Auditorium, Tang Center, Building E51, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

WHEN:
Forum 10:00 AM-12:30 PM

The forum will be webcast, CLICK HERE to view.

Republican Energy and Climate Distortions "Wrong in so many ways"

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

An Analysis by the Majority Staff of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

For a PDF version of the Committee's analysis, please CLICK HERE.

Now that Chairmen Edward J. Markey and Henry Waxman have released their American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) to create millions of clean energy jobs that can’t be shipped overseas and end our dependence on foreign oil, the inevitable attacks from entrenched special interests and obstructionist Republicans have started. And just as they did in last year’s fight over energy policy--when they made countless false statements, like no oil was spilled during Hurricane Katrina--they are now spreading misinformation about clean energy legislation.

The Republican campaign to kill clean energy legislation uses the names of respected organizations like the Congressional Budget Office and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and then distorts their trusted analyses. It takes the gloom and doom predictions from industry-hired consultants like Charles River Associates to prey on fears of hard-working Americans over the future of our economy.

And while the Republicans are offering no real alternatives, this energy misinformation campaign assumes that no actual benefits will result from moving to a clean, energy efficient future or from reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil. It assumes American ingenuity and technological innovation are dead. It depends on recycling all the stale arguments and policies that have led to America’s dangerous dependence on foreign oil and harmed our national security.

The ACES Act includes cost-saving energy efficiency technologies, more electric vehicles to cut oil use, and a renewable electricity standard that will save consumers nearly $100 billion dollars by reducing energy prices. The additional economic benefits from more clean energy jobs that can’t be shipped overseas, health protections from reduced pollution, and other factors, will make clean energy an American economic engine for decades to come.

Here are the major Republican and industry-peddled distortions, and the facts:

Distortion #1—Clean energy and climate legislation will cost $1,300 per family.

FACT: The Republican “experts” who did this math should get an F for “False.” This number assumes that the revenues from a cap on global warming pollution would never make it back into the economy, which is the exact opposite of the program. Newt Gingrich and industry henchmen are taking CBO estimates of the value of the carbon market and applying the total value as a direct cost on consumers.

This analysis ignores the benefits of a clean energy future, as if the value and gains from the program disappear into thin air. In the real world, it will be refunded to consumers, invested in efficiency projects that lower energy bills and in energy technologies that will drive economic growth and job creation over the next century.

Distortion #2: Democratic proposals would cost families up to $3,100 per year.

FACT: More fuzzy math from Republicans, this time by distorting a study by MIT. Republican leaders like Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) are attacking clean energy and climate legislation, claiming that it would “cost every American family up to $3,100 per year in higher energy prices” By drawing on an MIT study.

The author of the MIT study has said this figure is “wrong in so many ways, it’s hard to begin,” and sent a sharply-worded letter to Rep. Boehner pointing out the inaccuracies in his statements about the report. The letter can be found by clicking here.

House Republicans took the total revenues from a hypothetical global warming pollution system analyzed by MIT and crudely divided it by the number of households in America, getting approximately $3,100 per family. What they omitted is that MIT had determined the costs on a typical family and the burden would only be less than 1/40th than what Boehner and others claim, and that rise would not occur until 2015.

Mr. Reilly also notes in the letter that: “Many of the proposals currently being considered by Congress and as proposed by the Administration have been designed to offset the energy cost impacts on middle and lower income households and so it is simplistic and misleading to only look at the impact on energy prices of these proposals as a measure of their impact on the average household.”

Rep. Boehner and others don’t mention that revenues from a carbon pollution control program could be returned to consumers, or used to invest in clean energy jobs and cost-saving energy efficient technology. So it focuses on all the costs and ignores the benefits. It’s just more of the same, tired arguments from a party out of ideas on energy policy.

Distortion #3—There are great costs to transitioning to a low-carbon economy, but no benefits.

FACT: Oscar Wilde once said that cynics “know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.” In a real cost-benefit analysis, you look at both sides of the equation. Industry-friendly analysis like that done by Charles River Associates, commissioned by the Edison Electric Institute, grossly overstate the cost of climate protection on things like allowance price, electricity rates, and GDP (they project GDP impacts for 2015 that are 300 to 400 percent higher than those found by other models). Further, this industry analysis ignores the massive costs of and climate inaction, which the Stern Review estimates will reach at least 5 percent of global GDP annually. Industry analysis also ignores the benefits of building up a robust domestic renewable energy industry, which the ACES Act would dramatically accelerate. Revenue growth in the wind, solar, and biofuel sectors alone was 53 percent last year.

Here are the benefits from clean energy provisions in the American Clean Energy and Security Act:

--According to an analysis using Department of Energy models, increasing renewable energy to 25 percent by 2025 would save Americans nearly $100 billion in electricity costs, stretching across all regions of the country.
--Increasing energy efficiency nationwide to fifteen percent by 2020 will save American families and businesses nearly $170 billion on electricity bills, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.
--Investing in renewable energy creates more than twice as many jobs per unit of energy and per dollar invested than traditional fossil fuel-based technologies.

Distortion #4—The technology isn’t ready for us to move to a clean energy economy.

FACT: This is Republican pessimism that runs directly counter to American optimism, ingenuity and our proven ability to meet great challenges. History has demonstrated over and over again that if policy creates the right ground rules, entrepreneurs and American businesses find solutions that were previously unimaginable.

If, in 1962, Republicans and their industry friends had a similar response to President Kennedy’s call to put a man on the moon, they would have come back and said we lack the trees to build a ladder that tall.

Here are two examples of industry nay-saying on technology:

--During the 1990 debate on the Acid Rain Program, manufacturers warned that the health benefits of the Program “are not clearly supported by science, and their adoption could deal a crushing economic blow to U.S. business.” Result: OMB finds “the Acid Rain Program accounted for the largest quantified human health benefits—over $70 billion annually—of any major federal regulatory program implemented in the last 10 years, with benefits exceeding costs by more than 40:1.”

--In 1995, as chemical manufacturers opposed the phase out of ozone-depleting chemicals, DuPont warned the costs in the U.S. would exceed $135 billion and “entire industries would fold.” Result: actual costs were almost one hundred times less, and DuPont has made millions selling substitutes for phased-out chemicals.

The reality is, this is a technological race we cannot lose. Right now, only about one out of every four top clean energy companies are from the United States. Germany’s second largest export, after cars, is wind turbines, and they also deploy nearly half of the world’s solar panels. We are losing the race to build the next generation of hybrid batteries to Korea and China, and we cannot trade a reliance on Middle East oil for East Asian batteries.

Chairmen Waxman, Markey Release Discussion Draft of New Clean Energy Legislation

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, DC — Chairman Henry A. Waxman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Chairman Edward J. Markey of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee today released a draft of clean energy legislation that will create jobs, help end our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, and combat global warming. The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) is a comprehensive approach to America’s energy policy that charts a new course towards a clean energy economy.

“This legislation will create millions of clean energy jobs, put America on the path to energy independence, and cut global warming pollution.” said Chairman Waxman. “Our goal is to strengthen our economy by making America the world leader in new clean energy and energy efficiency technologies.”

“This legislation will create clean energy jobs that can’t be shipped overseas, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and make America the global leader in energy technology. We will create jobs by the millions, save money by the billions, and unleash energy investment by the trillions,” said Chairman Markey, who held many hearings on the major issues in the bill. “Chairman Waxman and I will work with our colleagues to ensure that we are protecting American consumers and that our clean energy future helps all parts of the country.”

A clean energy title that promotes renewable sources of energy, carbon capture and sequestration technologies, low-carbon fuels, clean electric vehicles, and the smart grid and electricity transmission;
An energy efficiency title that increases energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy, including buildings, appliances, transportation, and industry;
A global warming title that places limits on emissions of heat-trapping pollutants; and
A transitioning title that protects U.S. consumers and industry and promotes green jobs during the transition to a clean energy economy.

The Energy and Commerce Committee will complete consideration of the legislation by Memorial Day. The preliminary schedule follows:

Week of April 20: Energy and Environment Subcommittee Hearings
Week of April 27: Energy and Environment Subcommittee Markup Period Begins
Week of May 11: Full Energy and Commerce Committee Markup Period Begins

For the discussion draft summary, please CLICK HERE.
For the full text of the discussion draft, please CLICK HERE.

What Others Are Saying About Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman Henry A. Waxman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Chairman Edward J. Markey of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee today released a draft of clean energy legislation that will create jobs, help end our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, and combat global warming. Political, business and environmental leaders have issued the following statements in strong support of the discussion draft:

“The discussion draft of comprehensive clean energy legislation released this morning by Chairmen Waxman and Markey is a strong starting point….for landmark legislation to launch a clean energy economy that will build prosperity and balance the needs of the American people and industry.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

“USCAP hails the discussion draft released by Chairmen Waxman and Markey as a strong starting point for enacting legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
U.S. Climate Action Partnership
Members include - BP America - Caterpillar - Chrysler - ConocoPhillips - Dow - Duke Energy - Exelon - Ford - GE - GM - Johnson & Johnson - NRG Energy - PG&E - Shell

“Chairman Waxman and Chairman Markey have outlined a bold blueprint for dealing with America’s energy crisis.”
Florida Power & Light Company
Lew Hay, Chairman and CEO

“Tackling climate change through a coordinated energy policy is absolutely vital, and the time to act is now. The Waxman-Markey announcement issued today is a positive and welcome step forward to meeting that challenge.”
National Grid U.S.
Tom King, President

“I am pleased to see Congress finally taking action today to drive our nation toward cleaner energy, improved national security, enhanced economic growth and reduced global warming pollution. This legislation takes a page from California by adopting many of the innovative strategies we have pioneered like our Low Carbon Fuel Standard and energy efficiency standards, and now it’s time for our nation to take a leadership role.”
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-California)

"This is a pivotal moment for our transition to the clean energy economy. I applaud Chairman Waxman and especially our own Chairman Markey for responding forcefully to President Obama's call for Congressional action on energy and climate change." aEUR(th)aEUR(th)
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D-Massachusetts)

"We are pleased that the Waxman-Markey draft bill recognizes the need to stop carbon leakage and ensure the competitiveness of our domestic industries."
Alliance for American Manufacturing
Scott Paul, Executive Director

“With the release of this discussion draft, Chairmen Waxman and Markey have taken the next critical step toward passing a comprehensive clean energy and global warming bill this year….LCV applauds these two forward-thinking legislators for their vision.”
League of Conservation Voters
Gene Karpinski, President

“Following the bold vision of President Obama, Chairmen Waxman and Markey are setting the stage for the strong action on energy and climate we need to move America in new direction…. This draft takes bold steps forward to create a clean energy economy, with millions of jobs that will repower our country and protect our planet.”
Natural Resources Defense Council
Frances Beinecke, President

"The Waxman-Markey draft bill is a strong start and is testament to their decades of leadership on clean energy and other environmental issues.”
Sierra Club
Carl Pope, Executive Director

“The American Clean Energy and Security Act, released today in draft form by Chairmen Waxman and Markey, is a major first step toward a strong cap and trade bill that will cut emissions, jumpstart a new clean energy economy, and strengthen the ability of the Obama administration to negotiate a fair and effective global climate deal this December in Copenhagen.”
World Wildlife Federation
Dr. Richard H. Moss, Vice President for Climate Change

“Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) deserve high praise for introducing legislation that could break the congressional stalemate that has prevented this nation from tackling the potentially catastrophic challenge posed by global warming.”
Wilderness Society
David Moulton, Climate Policy Director

"This improves the prospects for a new global agreement at the Copenhagen summit this December."
Union of Concerned Scientists
Alden Myer, Policy Director

For more information on the discussion draft, including the bill’s full text and a section-by-section, please CLICK HERE.

Markey Welcomes New Fuel Economy Standard

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

As gas prices rise, Markey looks ahead to revitalizing standard setting process

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of twin energy and climate panels in the House, today welcomed the announcement of new fuel economy standards for Model Year 2011 by President Obama. Rep. Markey has spent over two decades aggressively pushing for an increase in fuel economy standards.

“With gas prices once again on the rise, I am pleased to see the Obama administration taking this historic first step towards reducing our dependence on foreign oil and helping revitalize the domestic auto industry,” said Markey. “I look forward to working with the President to ensure that future standards are based on realistic assumptions and sound science.”

On Monday, Markey and more than 80 other Members of Congress sent President Obama a letter urging him to change flawed assumptions on calculating fuel economy standards put in place by the Bush Administration, including an assumption that the price of gasoline in 2030 would be $2.51/gallon, which had the effect of artificially lowering the maximum feasible standard that the law requires be set. The model year 2011 standards that were issued today corrected this grave deficiency, and the Administration indicated that as it moved forward to set standards for Model Year 2012 and beyond, that it would take a comprehensive new look at making further changes to NHTSA’s methodology.

The full text of the letter is available here: http://markey.house.gov/docs/090323_cafeletter.pdf

Earlier this week, Chairman Markey also sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting that they examine the methodology with which NHTSA sets fuel economy standards in order to better inform the future standard-setting process.

Rep. Markey was a principal House author of the first mandated increase in fuel economy standards since 1975, which was contained in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The new law directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to raise fuel economy standards for both cars and light trucks to a fleet wide average of at least 35 miles per gallon in 2020, starting with model year 2011 vehicles, and additionally requires that the maximum feasible standard be set each year.

Lessons of Valdez: Protect the Arctic from Global Warming, Dangerous Drilling Practices

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Markey, Inslee, McCollum, Dozens of Members Urge Obama to Defend Arctic from Threats

WASHINGTON (March 24, 2009) – Twenty years ago today, the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, blackening the Alaskan coast with nearly 11 million gallons of oil, killing wildlife and covering clear Pacific waters with sludge. Today, Congressional leaders identified the new threats to America’s northern waters, sending a letter to President Obama asking him to protect America’s Arctic region against the looming threat of global warming and ill-planned industrial activity. For the last eight years, the Bush administration pursued a reckless energy strategy in America’s arctic that sought to rush oil and gas leasing while disregarding climate science and protections for iconic species like the polar bear.

Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) and Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), today were joined by dozens of their colleagues calling upon the president and his administration to take several actions to protect the Arctic, which is endangered by global warming and oil and gas exploration. The letter commends the Interior Department for its plans to prepare a comprehensive offshore energy strategy, and issues the following recommendations:

--Support the strongest level of protection for the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and protect vital habitats of Teshekpuk Lake, both in Alaska.
--Establish an interagency task force to develop a science-based comprehensive conservation and energy plan for the Arctic.
--Suspend the expansion of all industrial activities in the region until such a plan may be completed.

“Two decades have passed since the Valdez ran aground, and we are still cleaning up that mess,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs key energy and climate panels in the House and this January re-introduced the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act (H.R. 39) to designate the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness with permanent protections. “Twenty years from now, we can’t look back and think ‘what should we have done to save the Arctic?’ The time to create a comprehensive plan to fight global warming and create sane energy policies is now, for the future of the Arctic and for us all.”

“The Arctic is melting, and it’s not doing so on Al Gore’s timeline -- Mother Nature is calling the shots here,” said Rep. Inslee. “We should pause to ensure we’re making informed decisions on the use of this land before expanding industrial activity in the area. These lands belong to all Americans, and we should make sure they’re used for the benefit of the people -- instead of the enrichment of business and industry.”

“Our country must adopt a comprehensive energy policy that is based on sound science and meets the needs of America’s economy and our ever fragile environment – including the Arctic. President Obama is committed to protecting our environment and I will be working closely with his administration to enact responsible policies to promote investments in clean energy, while preserving our environment and natural treasures for generations to come,” said Rep. Betty McCollum.

The lawmakers’ letter notes the increasing threats of global warming on the Arctic region, saying that “no place on Earth is being more rapidly or radically impacted by climate change.” The impacts on the Arctic—sea ice loss, risk to wildlife—are potentially exacerbated by development of oil and gas, both by the pollution the fuels cause, and by the potential danger from accidents like oil spills.

To read the letter, please CLICK HERE.
For a PDF of the letter including a list of the 67 signers, please CLICK HERE.

Markey: EPA Endangerment Finding Will End aEUR~Era of DenialaEUR(TM)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Markey Investigation Discovered Bush Admin. Switched Positions on Endangerment;
Finding Would Aid in Enacting Federal Cap on Emissions, Says Chairman

WASHINGTON (March 23, 2009) – Media reports indicate that the Environmental Protection Agency sent a proposal to the White House on Friday determining that global warming is, in fact, a danger to public health and welfare, as part of a long-awaited response to the landmark 2007 global warming Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v EPA. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key global warming panels in the House, praised the move by the Obama administration, after years of avoidance by the previous administration.

“This finding will officially end the era of denial on global warming,” said Rep. Markey. “Instead of allowing political interference in scientific and legal decisions, as was the case in the previous administration, the Obama administration is letting the sun shine in on the dangerous realities of global warming.”

An investigative report issued in the Summer of 2008 by Chairman Markey and his Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming found that members of government at the highest levels, including the office of President George W. Bush’s Chief of Staff and numerous heads of Cabinet departments, had decided to use the Clean Air Act to regulate global warming emissions not only from vehicles, but also from power plants, refineries, and other so-called stationary sources – but reversed their decision in the face of strong opposition from ExxonMobil and others within the oil industry, as well as from at least one senior adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney.

For more details on that investigation, CLICK HERE.

Chairman Markey and Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) of the Energy and Commerce Committee are currently drafting climate and energy legislation to control the emissions that cause global warming. An endangerment finding would send a strong signal to companies and industries that pump heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere that they will, one way or another, have to curb such emissions -- thereby enhancing prospects for enactment of a federal cap on global warming emissions.

Markey Urges President Obama to Change Flawed Bush Fuel Economy Assumptions

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Urges sound science and realistic assumptions on future gas prices

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of twin climate and energy panels in the House, today sent a letter to President Obama, urging the administration to change flawed assumptions in calculating fuel economy standards. The draft regulations currently being considered were developed by the Bush Administration.

Republican Rep. Todd Russell Platts of Pennsylvania also authored the letter, which was co-signed by over 80 Democratic and Republican House lawmakers.

“We cannot allow American drivers to be shortchanged by overestimating the costs of implementing fuel economy standards and underestimating the benefits,” said Markey. “The draft regulations were based on flawed assumptions that must be fixed in order to get our national energy policy back on track.”

On April 22, 2008, the Bush Administration issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that included proposed standards that should result in a projected fleet-wide average of 31.6 mpg by 2015. The proposal was based on a systemic overestimation of the costs of implementing fuel efficient technologies and a systemic underestimation of its benefits, including an assumption that the price of gasoline in the year 2030 would be $2.51/gallon.

“This decision on fuel economy standards provides you with a historic opportunity to promote the development of more efficient, climate-friendly and technologically advanced vehicles that will put the American automotive industry back on a path to commercial viability,” Markey and Platts wrote in the letter.

To read the full text of the letter, please CLICK HERE.

Markey: Shell Does About Face on Renewables, Contradicting Congressional Testimony

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Company Drops Plans for Wind and Solar Projects as Oil Companies Increase Lobbying by 64 Percent

Washington, D.C. – After telling a Congressional panel that they were investing heavily in renewable energy, Shell Oil Company did an about-face and announced that it has dropped plans to invest in crucial renewable energy technologies like wind and solar. The then-president of the company appeared before the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming last year and touted the company’s investments in alternatives as a solution to rising oil and gas prices.

Meanwhile, Shell increased its total lobbying budget in 2008, and the industry as a whole increased lobbying expenditures by 64 percent, according to new figures from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee issued the following statement: “I am disappointed, but cannot say I am surprised. Apparently Shell Oil only wants to place wind turbines and solar panels is in its big-budget commercials, rather than in places where they can help consumers.”

“Less than a year ago, the president of Shell Oil testified before Congress that they were committed to investing in renewables, singling out its wind and solar projects. Now he is gone and, yesterday, Shell dropped this ruse. The only thing big oil companies like Shell are interested in investing in is more lobbyists,” continued Rep. Markey.

On April 1, 2008, Mr. John Hofmeister, the then-president of Shell Oil Company, pledged his company’s dedication to renewable energy investment and research at a hearing of the Select Committee.
“Shell has invested in alternative and renewable technologies, as well as additional conventional and new unconventional energy sources,” Mr. Hofmeister testified. “Shell is becoming a significant wind energy producer.…Our activities focus on the development and operation of commercial-scale wind developments that can add significant power and capacity to the grid.”

Mr. Hofmeister continued, “Shell is an international developer of thin-film solar technology. We believe thin-film technology – although in the early phases of development – could prove to be the most commercially viable form of photovoltaic solar technology to generate electricity from the sun’s energy.” (For Mr. Hofmeister's full testimony, please CLICK HERE)

Rep. Markey concluded, “Shell’s refusal to invest in a renewable energy technologies ignores the future of clean energy. The economic recovery legislation passed by Congress last month included key measures that will enable American businesses to harness the power of green energy to help consumers save money and heal our planet. I urge Shell and the other major oil companies to seize this historic opportunity and join us in creating a clean energy future.”

Markey: StudyaEUR"Energy Efficiency Standard Would Save Consumers and Businesses $170 Billion, Create 220,000 Jobs

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Chairman Markey’s Bill Important Part of Comprehensive Energy and Climate Strategy

WASHINGTON (March 18, 2009) – A national energy efficiency standard would save consumers and businesses nearly $170 billion dollars on their energy bills and create 220,000 jobs, according to a report released today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The study bolsters the case for a national energy efficiency standard to become law as part of a comprehensive energy and climate strategy. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy panels in the House, has introduced a national efficiency standard--the Save American Energy Act--that matches the one tested in the ACEEE study.

“$170 billion in savings plus 220,000 new jobs equals a good energy program,” said Rep. Markey. “Energy efficiency is the cheapest, easiest way to reduce carbon emissions and improve our energy economy.”

ACEEE’s report, Laying the Foundation for Implementing a Federal Energy Efficiency Resource Standard, analyzes 2008 economic and energy data and estimates benefits of a federal energy efficiency resource standard (EERS) requiring utilities to reduce electricity demand by 15 percent and natural gas demand by 10 percent by 2020.

The standard Rep. Markey has introduced would, according to the study:

create 222,000 permanent, high quality jobs in construction, manufacturing and other fields;
prevent 262 million metric tons of global warming emissions– equal to a year of heat-trapping pollution from 48 million cars;
eliminate the need to build 390 new power plants.

ACEEE also analyzed the benefits of a federal EERS for each state by 2020. For example:

Florida will create more than 19,500 new jobs and save $14 billion in energy costs.
Illinois will create more than 6,500 new jobs and save $3.6 billion in energy costs.
Indiana will create more than 5,000 new jobs and save $3.6 billion in energy costs.
North Carolina will create nearly 6,500 new jobs and save $3 billion in energy costs.
Tennessee will create more than 5,000 new jobs and save $3.5 billion on energy costs.

The ACEEE report is available at www.aceee.org/pubs/e091.htm.

Hearing 3/19: Getting from Point A to Point Green

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Select Committee Hearing on Green Transportation Policies

Please note, this hearing will NOT be webcast.

With global warming, clean energy and job-creating infrastructure projects high on the agenda for Congress and the Obama administration, and our nation’s primary transportation bill up for Congressional reauthorization, green transportation measures are gaining increasing attention. America’s transportation sector is responsible for approximately one-third of our country’s heat-trapping carbon emissions.

With these political and environmental factors as a backdrop, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Vice Chair Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) announced the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing on how various transit modes and the methodology and materials to build our transportation system can reduce global warming and cut our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing titled, “Constructing a Green Transportation Policy: Transit Modes and Infrastructure.”

WHEN: Thursday March 19, 2009, at 9:30 AM

WHERE: 2203 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC

WHO:
Panel One:
Peter Varga, CEO, Interurban Transit Partnership, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Andy Clark, Executive Director, League of American Bicyclists
Chris Zimmerman, Arlington County, Virginia Board Member
Mr. John Boesel, President and CEO, CalStart

Panel Two:
Don Weaver, Association of General Contractors Highway Division Chairman
Erika Guerra, Holcim (US) Inc.
Domenic G. Ruccolo, Senior Vice President, Construction and Forestry Division, John Deere

Saudi Arabia to U.S.: YES to Oil Addiction, NO to Renewable Energy

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Markey to Saudi Arabia: We Won’t Slow Down on Renewable Energy

WASHINGTON (March 16, 2009) – The Saudi Arabian Oil Minister today cautioned against the world moving too fast in developing clean, renewable energy, even as the country plans to move forward on solar energy. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy panels in the House, decried the sentiment by the Saudi government, saying it was the clearest argument yet for pushing even harder and faster to increase renewable energy in the United States and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

“We can’t allow oil cartels to scare America and the world away from developing renewable energy,” said Rep. Markey. “America is on the path to break our addiction to foreign oil, and the Saudi oil dealers are just trying to keep customers.”

Rep. Markey is the author of a renewable energy bill that would increase the amount of energy produced by wind, solar and other sources in America to 25 percent by the year 2025. The American Renewable Energy Act would save families and business money on electricity bills while dramatically reducing our nation’s global warming pollution. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia have passed renewable electricity requirements.

Adopting a Renewable Electricity Standard of 25 percent is estimated to create more than 185,000 green jobs by 2025. Additionally, adopting a renewable electricity standard is projected to save consumers money by reducing their energy costs. A recent study showed that adopting a national standard of 25 percent is projected to save consumers $94 billion by 2030 in lower natural gas and electricity costs.

Markey: EPA Emissions Reporting Rule Crucial Step to Successful Climate and Energy Legislation

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON (March 10, 2009) – Since the United States must significantly cut global warming emissions, it is imperative that utilities, and the nation, know how much heat-trapping pollution we are sending up into the atmosphere. Today, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) took a giant, long-overdue step towards setting a baseline for emissions when they announced a draft rule to implement a national system for reporting global warming emissions. Today’s EPA announcement complies with Congress’s mandate on emission reporting, one that the Bush administration had ignored. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy and environment panels in the House with jurisdiction over the EPA, praised the announcement as a crucial step towards curbing heat-trapping emissions.

“The first step to recovery is acknowledging you have a problem. The second step is understanding the size of the problem,” said Rep. Markey. “This new program creates a global warming pollution map to tell us where we are and where we need to go.”

Last week, Rep. Markey’s Energy and Environment Subcommittee hosted a briefing with European environmental leaders. One lesson from the EU’s experience with their carbon control system is the importance of a full accounting of emissions at the beginning of the program, or else regulators will not know how many pollution credits to distribute. An excess of credits leads to false price signals in the market and underinvestment, whereas a shortage of credits makes compliance unnecessarily expensive.

“The European Union’s initial failure to accurately identify their emission levels severely handicapped their carbon pollution control system. We must learn from the EU’s mistakes in moving forward our clean energy policies,” continued Rep. Markey. “EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson’s quick action in producing this draft rule is vital as the Energy and Commerce Committee moves forward in drafting climate legislation this Spring. Accurate and timely reportage of U.S. global warming emissions is crucial to the successful implementation of climate legislation.”

Congress mandated that the EPA institute such a reporting rule as part of the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2764; Public Law 110–161).

The full text of the EPA’s draft rule can be found by clicking here.

Markey: Obama Coal Ash Rule Will Plug Regulatory Leaks

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Markey Exchange with EPA Paved Way to Decision

WASHINGTON (March 9, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy and environment panels in the House, today praised the announcement by President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency that they would seek to regulate how toxic coal sludge is managed at dozens of sites across the country. In late December, 2008, an earthen dam holding millions of cubic yards of coal byproducts at a Kingston, TN coal facility owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

"President Obama and his environmental officials are thankfully plugging these regulatory leaks on coal byproducts," said Rep. Markey. "We shouldn’t wait for another dam to break before taking concrete action to shore up these coal sites."

Rep. Markey, who chairs the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over EPA, wrote to former EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson in January, 2009, asking about the lack of regulation of coal byproducts. The Obama administration’s EPA responded in mid-February that they did have the authority to regulate, paving the way for today’s announcement.

The January letter to the EPA from Chairman Markey can be found by clicking here.

The February response from the EPA can be found by clicking here.

In the January letter, Rep. Markey noted that, according to the EPA, at least 63 sites in 26 states existed where water was contaminated by dangerous heavy metals that had leached out of coal byproduct repositories. Coal sludge contains many heavy metals like arsenic and other toxic substances that can lead to cancer, birth defects and ecosystem damage.

Markey & Upton: Time Really is Money with Daylight (and Energy) Saving Bill

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

DOE report vindicates money and energy savings from Markey-Upton legislation extending Daylight Saving Time

WASHINGTON, DC (March 5, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, today said that the Markey-Upton Daylight Saving Time (DST) program saved American families nearly $500 million and 2.9 million barrels of oil during the extension of the program in 2007, according to a government report.

“This is one of the few times in life when we can actually prove the old adage that time is money,” said Markey. “Government analysis has proven that extra sunshine provides more than just smiles. Daylight Saving Time not only saves consumers money, but also curbs the nation’s energy consumption, while reducing carbon emissions that lead to global warming.”

“Between energy conservation, fewer traffic accidents and keeping kids safe on Halloween, the benefits of extending Daylight Saving Time are many – not to mention the additional hour of sunshine in the evening will help chase away the winter blues,” said Upton. “Government studies have proven the more daylight during the waking hours, the less electricity people use – most importantly, America’s families struggling to get by are now seeing real savings in their power bills.”

As part of the 2005 Energy Bill, Markey and Rep. Fred Upton amended the Uniform Time Act of 1996 to increase the portion of the year that is subject to DST, providing longer hours of daylight and helping consumers cut back on peak-hour electricity usage. The Markey-Upton Amendment extended the duration of DST in the spring by changing its start date from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March, and in the fall by changing its end date from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November.

The amendment required that the Department of Energy prepare a report evaluating the impact of the extended DST program. The key findings of the DOE report, issued in October 2008, included:

The total electricity savings of Extended Daylight Saving Time were about 1.3 Tera Watt-hour (TWh). This corresponds to a reduction in total use per individual of 0.5 percent per each day of Extended Daylight Saving Time.
These savings translate to $498 million in electricity savings and reduced oil usage of 2.9 million barrels of oil.
During Extended Daylight Saving Time, electricity savings generally occurred over a three- to five-hour period in the evening with small increases in usage during the early-morning hours.

CLICK HERE for the full DOE report.

Markey: Scientists No Longer Endangered Species under an Obama Admin.

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Markey: Scientists No Longer Endangered Species under an Obama Administration

Chairman Called for Legislative Language to Reverse Rules, Held Hearing on Bush Midnight Rules Same Day ESA Rule Was Issued

WASHINGTON (March 3, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who was first to call for Congressional review of Bush administration Endangered Species Act rule changes, praised President Obama and his administration today for reversing one of the last industry giveaways of the Bush administration. The president is set to announce today at a speech at the Interior Department that he will issue a presidential memorandum to put a hold on a rule issued by the Bush administration that would strip scientific review from the Endangered Species Act process and prevent scientists from considering the impacts of global warming.

“Today proves that, under an Obama administration, scientists are no longer an endangered species,” said Rep. Markey, whose Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming held a hearing on Bush midnight rules the same day the Endangered Species Act (ESA) rule was issued. “Thankfully, ESA in the Obama administration now means we are ‘Ending the Scientific Aversion’ that characterized the Bush administration’s tenure.”

More information from the Bush rules hearing can be found here: http://globalwarming.house.gov/pubs/pubs?id=0061#main_content

The House included language passed last month in the omnibus spending bill that would give 60 days for the Obama administration to withdraw or reissue the ESA rule, as well as the special polar bear rule. And in the December, 2008 hearing on Bush midnight rulemakings, Chairman Markey said, “today's announcement that the Bush administration will be removing fish and wildlife experts from key decisions to protect the safety of iconic animals like the polar bear from global warming’s effects is absurd and a recipe for disaster.”

Rep. Markey also challenged the previous Interior Department Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne on the Bush administration’s budget cuts to the endangered species program. You can see a video of this exchange here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZLaV_JaJyc

“We stand at the ready here in Congress to help the Obama administration clean up the deregulated mess left over from the last eight years,” said Rep. Markey. “We applaud the president for taking such decisive action on this and other environmental rules.”

# # #

Hearing 3/4: Fighting Climate Change in Developing Countries

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Select Committee to Hold Hearing on Emerging Economies and Global Warming

CLICK HERE to WATCH LIVE.

WASHINGTON -- Historic emissions of industrialized countries like the United States are far higher than those of developing countries, and per capita emissions of industrialized countries are much higher than in developing countries. Nevertheless, looking at the absolute emissions of countries, it is becoming clear that the climate crisis cannot be solved without efforts of all major emitters. This includes countries like Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.

On Wednesday, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming will hold a hearing entitled, “Preparing for Copenhagen: How Developing Countries Are Fighting Climate Change” to look at current efforts of developing nations to fight climate change and what this means for the climate negotiations in Copenhagen at the end of 2009.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing: “Preparing for Copenhagen: How Developing Countries Are Fighting Climate Change”

WHO: Mr. Carter Roberts, President and CEO, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Ms. Barbara Finamore, China Programme Director, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Mr. Ned Helme, Presiden, Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP)
Mr. Lee Lane, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

WHEN: Wednesday, March 4, 9:30 AM

WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC
and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

Markey to Hold Congressional Briefing with Youth Climate Leaders and Address Power Shift 09 Conference

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

WASHINGTON DC – This weekend more than 11,000 student climate leaders will descend on Washington, DC to take part in the Power Shift Climate Action Conference and Capitol Hill day of action. Congressman Ed Markey (D-Mass), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, will hold a special Congressional briefing with student leaders on Monday, March 2, 2009, at 1:30 PM, in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building.

The Congressional briefing, entitled "Youth Climate: Green Jobs, Clean Futures," will feature testimony from campus leaders and youth activists whose lives have been impacted by global warming and are meeting the climate challenge by building a clean energy future. Witnesses include a young cancer survivor who is now fighting to curb pollution in her local community, the son of an oil worker who is working to bring green jobs to New Mexico, a United Nations Climate Change youth delegate, a student entrepreneur who started a clean energy fund, and the head of the Energy Action Coalition.

In addition, Chairman Markey will be addressing the Power Shift 09 Conference on Saturday night, February 28, 2008 at the Washington D.C. Convention Center.

SATURDAY 2/28/09:

WHAT: Rep. Ed Markey to address more than 11,000 attendees of the Power Shift 2009 Conference
WHERE: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Pl, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001, HALL D & E, (press entrance on L Street)
WHEN: Estimated Start Time: 8:00 PM

MONDAY 3/2/09:

WHAT: Select Committee Congressional briefing: "Youth Climate: Green Jobs, Clean Futures”
WHERE: 2172 Rayburn, U.S. Capitol Complex, and on the web at: http://www.globalwarming.house.gov/
WHEN: Monday, March 2, 2009 at 1:30 PM

CONTACT: Jeff Sharp, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

Markey: Obama's Budget Reflects Momentum Towards Global Warming Bill

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Author of Cap-and-Invest System Lauds “Visionary” Budget

WASHINGTON (February 26, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who leads key global warming panels in the House and is writing the House version of an energy and global warming bill, today praised the Obama administration’s budget as a confirmation that the United States is on a path to a clean energy future that will protect the planet.

“This visionary budget reflects the congressional momentum to deliver a comprehensive global warming and energy package to President Obama,” said Rep. Markey, who is Chairman of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee in Energy and Commerce, which is tasked with writing global warming and energy legislation. “This budget is a confirmation that we are on a path to a clean energy, climate-friendly future that will create jobs, protect consumers, and save the planet.”

Rep. Markey is the author of the cap-and-invest system, which caps pollution and then invests the revenues from carbon pollution credits back to consumers, clean energy technology, and other vital programs. The Obama administration’s budget reflects this approach.

“I agree with the president’s goal to adopt a cap-and-trade proposal and dedicate a large percentage of the revenue from polluters to consumer protection and clean energy technology,” said Rep. Markey. “The president and a majority of Congressional members are now all rowing in the same direction on climate and clean energy.”

Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Chairman Edward J. Markey, 202-225-4012

Hearing 2/25: Get Smart on Smart Grid

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Select Committee Hearing to Focus on Technology Solutions for Updating Nation’s Energy Grid to Incorporate Renewable Energy

PLEASE NOTE: This hearing will NOT be webcast. YouTube clips will be posted later in the week.

WASHINGTON – Central to building a green economy will be updating the nation’s energy grid with technology solutions that improve efficiency, save consumers money and create new jobs.

Smart grid and smart metering technology will be needed to incorporate renewable energy from wind, solar and geothermal sources. The economic recovery package provided $11 billion for smart grid technology and development and an additional $6 billion for renewable energy transmission construction.

Chairman Edward J. Markey and the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing entitled, “Get Smart on the Smart Grid: How Technology Can Revolutionize Efficiency and Renewable Solutions” on Wednesday February 25th, 2009 at 9:30 AM EST. They will hear from energy experts and business leaders regarding energy efficiency gains that can be made by updating the nation’s energy grid using 21st century technology.

WHAT: Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming hearing, “Get Smart on the Smart Grid: How Technology Can Revolutionize Efficiency and Renewable Solutions.”

WHEN: Wednesday, February 25th, 2009, 9:30 AM EST

WHERE: 2247 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

WHO:
Allan Schurr, Vice President, IBM
Robert Gilligan, Vice President, General Electric
Tom Casey, CEO, CURRENT Group, LLC
Shirley Coates Brostmeyer, CEO, Florida Turbine Technolgies, Inc.
Charles Zimmerman, Vice President, Wal-Mart
Mr. James Hoecker, Hoecker Energy Law & Policy

CONTACT: Eben Burnham Snyder, Select Committee, 202.225.4012

Markey: Energy Provisions in Final Recovery Package Will Create Jobs, Lay Groundwork for Energy Revolution

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

Markey: Energy Provisions in Final Recovery Package Will Create Jobs, Lay Groundwork for Energy Revolution

Chairman Markey Championed Increased Funding for Weatherization, Hybrid Batteries, State Energy Grants and Smart Grid Provisions

WASHINGTON (February 12, 2009) -- Today Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) praised the conference report of the economic recovery package as the first forward-looking energy and climate package put forward by a new administration and Congress that will establish necessary programs for long-term clean energy growth. Chairman Markey championed several energy measures that are included in the final package.

“By pushing renewables and efficiency, we will re-energize our economy, re-invigorate our workforce, and renew our commitment to a better environment,” said Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. “American workers will now help build an energy vision for the future, where plug-in hybrid cars and trucks are powered by clean energy transmitted across a technologically-advanced grid.”

Chairman Markey held many hearings on key energy issues that are included in the package, and pushed for several initiatives that are included in the economic recovery package, including:

--Increased investments in building weatherization projects totaling $5 billion.
--Grants for state energy programs totaling $6.3 billion.
--Grants and loans totaling $2 billion for advanced hybrid battery and clean car technology.
--Investments totaling $11 billion to create a smart grid that delivers electricity more securely and efficiently.

# # #

Markey: Offshore Proposal Shows Tide Has Turned Towards Reason in Obama Interior Department

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: Offshore Proposal Shows Tide Has Turned Towards Reason in Obama Interior Department

WASHINGTON (February 10, 2009) – In announcing a full review of offshore energy activities, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and the Obama administration are bringing much-needed sanity back into our nation’s energy policy, said Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.). The Interior Dept. announce today that it would extend the comment period on the so-called 5 year plan for offshore drilling by 180 days, would execute a resource assessment, and would finalize the rules for renewable energy development in offshore areas.

Below is the statement of Chairman Markey of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee:

“By exercising proper caution on potentially harmful offshore drilling, and establishing clear rules for the potential to create clean renewable energy in our nation’s oceans, the Obama administration is bringing much-needed regulatory sanity back into our energy policy.

“Secretary Salazar’s announcement today will put an end to the Bush administration’s policy of ‘drill first and ask questions later’ when it comes to opening new offshore areas.

“The tide has turned back towards reason and a comprehensive energy plan for our country that sees promise in the winds and the tides, not just in drills and rigs.”

# # #

Markey: Obama Appliance Updates Will Save Money, Cut Pollution

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Edward J. Markey, 202-225-4012

Markey: Obama Appliance Updates Will Save Money, Cut Pollution

Markey, Author of Original Appliance Standard Legislation, Says Move is Long-Overdue After Years of Delay by Bush Administration

WASHINGTON (February 5, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy panels in the House and is the author of the original legislation to require appliance efficiency standards, hailed today’s move by President Barack Obama to immediately update energy efficiency standards for dozens of appliances. Yesterday Rep. Markey introduced legislation that would set a national energy efficiency standard, which would include updates to appliance efficiency to meet the national efficiency goal.

“From ovens to lamps to dishwashers, President Obama is ensuring that the appliances we buy will be better for our pocketbook, for our environment, and for our economy,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee in the Energy and Commerce Committee. “Updating appliance efficiency is a common sense move that allows consumers to save real dollars and cents.”

Rep. Markey was the author of the first act to set mandatory standards for appliances, the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, which passed in 1987. After the Bush administration missed dozens of deadlines to update appliance efficiency, Rep. Markey succeeded in putting an amendment in the 2005 energy bill that required the Department of Energy to report to Congress every six months on appliance standards that were behind schedule and on its plans for eliminating the backlog. A General Accounting Office report requested by Rep. Markey and released in early 2007 found that the Bush administration had missed 34 straight deadlines for updating appliance efficiency.

“We all want to buy the best appliances and gadgets for our homes and businesses, and finally we have a president who understands that energy efficiency is good energy and consumer policy,” said Rep. Markey. “Updating appliance efficiency, which hardly ever happened under the previous Bush administration, will save consumers money, encourage the use of better technology, and reduce pollution.”

“I have fought for better, more efficient appliances for more than 20 years” continued Rep. Markey. “It is refreshing to have a president who shares my faith in the power of energy efficiency.”

Please CLICK HERE for more information on Rep. Markey’s Save American Energy Act.

# # #

Markey, Platts Introduce Renewable Energy Legislation to Create Jobs, Build Clean Power and Fight Global Warming

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Edward J. Markey, 202-225-4081

Markey, Platts Introduce Renewable Energy Legislation to Create Jobs, Build Clean Power and Fight Global Warming

Markey Also Introduces Energy-Saving National Efficiency Plan

WASHINGTON (February 4, 2009) -- In a bi-partisan effort to create jobs and re-power the American energy sector, Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.) today introduced a renewable electricity standard that would ensure that America is generating a quarter of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2025. To compliment this expansion of clean energy with effective energy efficiency measures, Rep. Markey also introduced an energy efficiency standard that will cost-effectively cut electricity demand. The two measures will create more than a half million jobs and will save consumers more than $180 billion.

“With our economy in crisis, renewable energy can create hundreds of thousands of new green jobs, revitalize declining manufacturing sectors, and decrease global warming pollution,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs key energy panels in the House. “If we follow an ambitious clean energy path, American families will save money, construction and manufacturing workers will be back on the job, and our environment will be safer for generations to come. Massachusetts and more than half of the country already have renewable energy standards, and so should our entire nation.”

“This legislation takes a significant step - similar to what is already taking place in many states, including my home state of Pennsylvania - to help ensure America reduces its dependency on foreign oil and creates a more stable energy supply for our nation," said Rep. Platts. "Establishing a federal Renewable Electricity Standard will help to protect our environment as well as promote economic development and energy security.”

Reps. Markey and Platts joined together to pass the 35 mile per gallon fuel economy standard in the previous Congress.

The American Renewable Energy Act:
Click HERE for bill text

The American Renewable Energy Act creates a national renewable electricity standard (RES) that calls for generating 25 percent of electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar and geothermal by 2025. While the American Renewable Energy Act creates manufacturing jobs, it will also save families and business money on electricity bills while dramatically reducing our nation’s global warming pollution. Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia have passed renewable electricity requirements, and a national standard will further unleash technology innovation and put Americans back to work, creating more than 350,000 green jobs over the next decade. During the last Congress, the House repeatedly passes RES legislation with bipartisan support, and a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll said that 84 percent of Americans support requiring utilities to increase their use of renewable energy.

The American Renewable Energy Act embodies President Obama’s goal of ensuring that 25 percent of our electricity come from renewable sources by 2025.

The Save American Energy Act:
Click HERE for bill text

In addition to the American Renewable Energy Act, Rep. Markey also introduced an energy efficiency resource standard, which sets a clear goal for reducing electricity demand.

“Energy efficiency is all about working smarter, not harder,” said Rep. Markey, who authored previous key energy efficiency measures like the 1987 Appliance Efficiency Act. “This legislation has the effect of producing more energy without ever having to build a power plant. It is the most cost-effective, money-saving measure for consumers and utilities.”

The Save American Energy Act will obtain significant cost savings by instituting an energy efficiency resource standard that reduces electricity demand by fifteen percent by 2020. Efficiency measures are not only the fastest, cheapest and cleanest source of energy, they will also lead to $130 billion in consumer savings over the next 20 years. Efficiency measures in the Save American Energy Act will lead to the creation of 260,000 new jobs, putting people to work in retrofitting buildings and weatherizing homes. As efficiency measures decrease energy consumption, The Save American Energy Act will reduce peak electricity demand by 90,000 megawatts by 2020, eliminating the need to build 300 medium-size power plants.

President Obama has stated a goal of reducing electricity use 15 percent by 2020, which this legislation would achieve.

# # #

HEARING 2.4.09: Roadmap from Poznan to Copenhagen aEUR" Preconditions for Success

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Select Committee Hearing: Roadmap from Poznan to Copenhagen – Preconditions for Success

International Roadmap Hearing to Explore Challenges in Crafting Successor to Kyoto Agreement

To watch the webcast live, please CLICK HERE.

Ahead of the next round of ambitious United Nations climate talks, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will convene a hearing to explore the challenges facing both the United States and the international community in creating an effective international response to climate change.

The conference next month in Bonn, Germany takes up where the conferees left off last December in Poznan, Poland during the latest round of U.N. Climate Change talks. The deadline for updating the world's approach to battling climate change is December 2009, when nearly 200 countries will meet at a pivotal climate conference in Copenhagan, Denmark. At the same time, Rep. Markey’s Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee is developing ambitious climate legislation to tackle global warming and energy independence.

A panel of diplomatic and climate expert witnesses will inform the Select Committee on what must be accomplished prior to the Copenhagen meeting, what to expect with regard to the ongoing negotiation processes, and the challenges for success post-Copenhagen. Appearing before the Committee will be John Bruton, the European Commission's ambassador to the United States, and two veteran observers to the international climate talks: Elliot Diringer of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Rob Bradley from the World Resources Institute.

WHAT: Select Committee briefing and hearing, "Roadmap from Poznan to Copenhagen – Preconditions for Success"

WHERE: 2318 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

WHEN: Wednesday, February 4th, 2009, 10:00 AM

WHO: John Bruton, Delegation of the European Commission and Ambassador to the U.S. Elliot Diringer, Vice President of International Strategies at the Pew Center on Global Climate Change Rob Bradley, Director of the International Climate Policy Initiative at the World Resources Institute Karen Alderman Harbert, President and CEO, Institute for 21st Century Energy.

Markey Urges Obama Admin. to Strengthen Markey-authored Fuel Economy Standards

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey Urges Obama Admin. to Strengthen Markey-authored Fuel Economy Standards

Gas Price Scenarios, Technology Assumptions Can Have Huge Effects on Law, Says Chairman

WASHINGTON (January 26, 2009) – Following the announcement today that the Obama administration would reconsider how to implement the fuel economy standards he authored, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and of the House Energy and Environment Subcommittee, sent a letter to the new Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood with vital information on how to effectively implement the fuel economy law.

Chairman Markey’s letter to Secretary LaHood can be found here: http://globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/letters?id=0030#main_content

“I am thrilled that after eight years of fighting the Bush administration to pass my fuel economy law, the Obama administration is acting within eight days to make sure it is implemented correctly,” said Chairman Markey. “By using better science, and having faith in the automotive industry’s capacity to innovate, America can make great strides towards ending our dependence on foreign oil and revitalizing our auto industry.”

The letter outlines three major items to which Secretary LaHood and the Obama administration should pay close attention:

--Gas price scenarios: instead of using the lower future gas price scenarios to analyze the costs and benefits of fuel-saving technology, as the Bush administration had done, Secretary LaHood should use more realistic scenarios. Chairman Markey, former-Rep. and now President Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel sent a letter to then-President Bush last year suggesting this course of action.

The letter on gas price scenarios from Chairman Ed Markey and Rahm Emanuel, among others, can be found here: http://globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/letters?id=0023#main_content

--Technology assumptions: The Bush Administration yielded to auto industry requests to dramatically revise downwards the benefits fuel-saving technologies would yield, and slow down the rates at which they should be incorporated into the automotive fleet. The Obama administration should not make the same mistake, or have the same lack of faith in the automotive industry to adapt.

--Eradicate language stopping global warming regulation: Previous versions of the fuel economy rules promulgated by the Bush administration contained language that is in direct conflict with the California clean car law, which President Obama said today he will reconsider allowing to go forward. Future fuel economy regulations should eliminate this language, especially following today’s announcement.

# # #

Markey: Obama Keeping Pledge on Fuel Economy, Global Warming

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Author of Fuel Economy Standards Praises "Energy Triple Play" by Visionary President

WASHINGTON (January 26, 2009) – Reports indicate that President Barack Obama will announce today that he will reassess America's fuel economy standards and how they could be strengthened; will grant a waiver to allow California, Massachusetts and other states to proceed with a landmark global warming tailpipe standard; and will announce an effort to increase the energy savings from federal agencies.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) who chairs key energy and global warming panels in the House, and is a chief author of the new fuel economy standards being considered in the new Obama administration, issued the following statement today:

“Eight years ago, we had a president who broke his campaign promises to fight global warming and increase our energy independence. Today, President Obama is keeping his pledge to rebuild our economy, protect our climate, and move America towards an efficient, clean energy future.

“This is an energy triple play that will cut global warming pollution, increase innovation, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It shows what a visionary president is capable of doing, and the faith he has in the economic revival that America's automotive and energy industries can produce.

“After more than a decade of fighting for stronger fuel economy standards, I was worried the Bush administration would scuttle the progress we had made and turn strong policy into shaky results. President Obama is right to reconsider the way these fuel economy standards are implemented, and will undoubtedly use sound science and realistic analysis to achieve the strongest results that benefit consumers.

“Granting the waiver to California, Massachusetts and other states to go forward with reducing global warming emissions from vehicle tailpipes is what even the Bush Administration’s own experts concluded must be done, and I’m delighted that the era of politics trumping science and the law is over. I call upon the auto industry to use the billions in bailout funds they have received to engineer a cleaner, more efficient future, instead of continuing to litigate their way to protecting a dirty, inefficient past.

“And as we push to weatherize and update millions of homes and buildings in an effort to create jobs, making our federal agencies more energy efficient is a perfect way to practice what we are preaching.

“President Obama is choosing technology innovation over traditional stagnation, and it will make our cars and trucks better, our buildings more efficient and our planet safer.”

# # #

Markey Praises aEUR~Green and BoldaEUR(TM) Stimulus Package

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Markey Praises ‘Green and Bold’ Stimulus Package

Bill includes billions for plug-in batteries, renewable energy and weatherization

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass), who chairs key energy and global warming panels in the House, praised the stimulus package released today for its robust funding of smart energy policies that will create jobs and set a path for long-term growth of the American economy. Chairman Markey held a hearing today on the job growth potential from the economic stimulus package, specifically “Green Jobs” from the energy and environment sector.

For years Chairman Markey has pushed for increased action to support clean energy programs, and has held multiple hearings in the Select Committee on plug-in hybrid technology, energy efficiency and weatherization programs, and the need to fully support America’s clean energy industries.

Below is the statement from Chairman Markey, which he delivered at today’s Select Committee hearing:

“This is a green and bold stimulus package that will help our economy and protect our environment,” Rep. Markey said.

“As some of you may know, the stimulus package was released earlier today. I, and the Select Committee, are pleased that many of the proposals we have discussed in multiple hearings over the last two years have been included.

“There are important incentives and innovative policies to support the wind industry, and billions in funding for a “Smart Grid” that will use internet technology to help deliver electricity to Americans in a smarter, more efficient manner.

“There is a sizeable investment in the batteries that will power the plug-in hybrid vehicles we will all one day drive, and ensure that the batteries will be produced here in America, so we’re not exchanging our dependence on Middle East oil for Southeast Asian batteries.

“We will provide $10 billion dollars for cities to become more energy efficient, and $6.2 billion to weatherize homes and buildings across America.”

# # #

Markey, Rahall Introduce Legislation to Undo Bush Midnight ESA Rule

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey, Rahall Introduce Legislation to Undo Bush Midnight ESA Rule

Legislation Would Reverse Weakening of Key Environmental Law

WASHINGTON (January 15, 2009) – Today, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy panels and is a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced a joint resolution with Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and other leading House Democrats, disapproving of the Bush administration’s recent actions to weaken Endangered Species Act protections. In its final days in office, the Bush administration has finalized a rule change that would remove Fish and Wildlife scientists from key decisions about the health of endangered species and ignore the impacts of global warming. Congress has the authority to undo such last-minute rule changes through legislative action.

“These endangered species can’t protect themselves from last-minute Bush giveaways, so we will take action on their behalf,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee. “The anti-science, anti-regulatory days of the Bush administration are over, and our government must once again address environmental questions with care.”

The legislative mechanism Rep. Markey and others have used in this legislation to battle the ESA rulemaking is the Congressional Review Act, which allows the Congress an opportunity to overturn rules issued by the executive branch in its final days in office. It has been used only once before in 2001 by the then Republican-controlled Congress to overturn a Clinton administration OSHA rule. The resolution of disapproval requires majority support in both chambers, and the signature of the sitting president.

The joint resolution is co-sponsored by George Miller (D-Calif.), Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.), Lois Capps (D-Calif.), Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), Rush Holt (D-N.J.), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), John Dingell (D-Mich.), Norm Dicks (D-Wash.), Sam Farr (D-Calif.), and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.).

# # #

Markey: New Oil Royalty Ruling Could Cost Taxpayers $60 Billio

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: New Oil Royalty Ruling Could Cost Taxpayers $60 Billion

Legislation Needed to Avoid Oil Company Windfall, Says Chairman

WASHINGTON (January 13, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy panels and is a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee, today assailed a court’s decision to allow oil companies to drill for free on public lands due to faulty lease agreements. The case, originally brought by oil company Kerr-McGee -- now Anadarko -- is a test case for every other oil company holding a deepwater Gulf of Mexico lease issued by the Interior Department in 1996, 1997 and 2000. Should Anadarko prevail in its lawsuit, it could lead to a flurry of lawsuits from other companies seeking to drill for free. The Department of Interior has estimated that, if the oil companies are successful, it could cost taxpayers as much as $60 billion in lost royalties.

“While American families are counting pennies to get by, the oil companies are counting on this litigation to reap a multi-billion dollar windfall from American taxpayers,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, along with being a senior member of the Natural Resources Committee. “Big Oil is litigating a loophole to avoid paying billions of dollars to which the public is fully entitled.”

The House has repeatedly passed legislative language in previous Congresses introduced by Rep. Markey, which would recover the estimated $10 billion in unpaid royalties from faulty 1998-99 leases in the Gulf of Mexico. If enacted into law, according to the Congressional Research Service, Rep. Markey’s language would also protect taxpayers from losing up to $60 billion that they are rightfully owed from the leases issued in 1996, 1997 and 2000, if the Anadarko ruling were ultimately allowed to stand.

“I will continue the fight to ensure that Big Oil does not rob billions of dollars from the federal treasury,” continued Rep. Markey. “This money is intended to serve the American people, not oil executives.”

# # #

Markey: New Bush Power Plant Rule Latest Loophole in Last Minute Rulemakings

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

WASHINGTON (January 12, 2009) – Today the Bush administration’s Environmental Protection Agency released a new power plant pollution rule under the New Source Review program which could prove to be yet another in a long line of loopholes given to energy industries. This new revision of the NSR program, which regulates whether power plants should be required to install new pollution controls when they upgrade their facilities, changes EPA's aggregation policy – aggregating emissions from multiple projects when considering whether the changes should trigger NSR action.

Below is the statement of Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the Clean Air Act:

“With eight days to go before leaving office, the Bush administration today finalized yet another midnight rulemaking that will harm public health and our planet. By allowing industrial facilities to artificially avoid triggering New Source Review requirements for pollution controls, the Bush administration has today created a loophole the size of a smokestack.”

# # #

Van Jones & Philadelphia Mayor to Headline Hearing on Green Jobs and Economic Stimulus

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2008

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Hearing on Green Jobs, Efficiency Opportunities in Economic Stimulus Package: Creating Opportunities for All

Van Jones, and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter to Headline Select Committee’s First Hearing of the 111th Congress

This Hearing will be Webcast LIVE at 2:00 PM Today, CLICK HERE to watch.

WASHINGTON – This Thursday, January 15th, the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will devote its first hearing of the 111th Congress to creating jobs and stimulating our economy through renewable energy and efficiency programs. The economic stimulus package being worked on by Congress and President-elect Barack Obama presents an opportunity for America to take a step forward by investing in renewable technology and infrastructure that will put people to work while transitioning our nation to a clean energy economy.

The panel will include Van Jones, founder of Green for All, an organization promoting green-collar jobs and opportunities for the disadvantaged; Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia; Trevor Houser, an expert on energy markets and climate change; and Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association. The hearing will be held on January 15th, at 2:00 PM -- 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing, “Stimulus Package and Energy: Creating Jobs, Opportunities for All”

WHEN: Thursday, January 15th, 2009, 2:00 PM
WHERE: U.S. Capital Complex, 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC
WHO:

Van Jones, Director, founding president of Green For All
The Honorable Michael Nutter, City of Philadelphia
The Honorable Douglas Palmer, Mayor, City of Trenton
Denise Bode, CEO, American Wind Energy Association
Trevor Houser, Visiting Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and Partner, Rhodium Group, LLC (RHG)
Dr. David Kreutzer, Senior Policy Analyst in Energy Economics and Climate Change at the Heritage Foundation

Markey to get Expanded Role on Energy & Environment in 111th Congress

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

SELECT COMMITTEE UPDATE

From the The Markey Memo, January 8, 2009
CLICK HERE to sign up

Two pieces of exciting news to report. First, in addition to chairing the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming during the new 111th Congress, which was reauthorized this week, Congressman Ed Markey will also become Chairman of the new Subcommittee on the Energy and the Environment over in the Energy and Commerce Committee (this new subcommittee combines the Energy and Air Quality and the Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittees).

To read the press release, CLICK HERE.

Leading both committees will give Chairman Markey a 1-2 punch and unprecedented capacity on Capital Hill to investigate, legislate and educate. Markey will be able to draw on information gathered during Select Committee hearings and investigations as he works with Members of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee to develop and advance new legislation that will increase renewable energy technology, create green jobs and fight global warming.

As the Select Committee learned during our over 50 hearings last Congress, the climate crisis is impacting a number of areas which extend beyond traditional energy and environmental policy, including: national security, public health, transportation and building construction. The Select Committee will continue to have jurisdiction to investigate and educate the public on these and other areas.

Second, the Select Committee has announced its first hearing of the year which will focus on our nation’s most pressing priority: stimulating the economy and creating jobs. The hearing will feature green jobs champion Van Jones, of Green for All, who is profiled in this weeks New Yorker Magazine.

The hearing will be held on THURSDAY, January 15th, at 2:00 PM. Additional information, including room number and additional witness list will be available on the Select Committee website next week.

MUST READ - News Stories:

1) TIME: America’s Untapped Resource –Boosting Efficiency
2) BOSTON GLOBE: Markey to Lead Powerful Energy Subcommittee
3) GRIST: Markey to take Chairmanship of new Energy and Environment Subcommittee

NEW VIDEO HIGHLIGHT CLIPS ADDED:

1) Video of Robert Kennedy Jr. testimony from Oversight hearing on Bush Administration's Last-Minute Rulemakings, CLICK HERE to WATCH
2) Video highlights from hearing on the Green Future of the Auto Industry, CLICK HERE to WATCH

MARKEY REINTRODUCES BILL TO PROTECT ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

MARKEY REINTRODUCES BILL TO PROTECT ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

WASHINGTON (January 6, 2009) – Today, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) reintroduced the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act (H.R. 39) to designate the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness with permanent protections. Rep. Markey is a Senior Member of the Natural Resources and Energy and Commerce committees, and is the Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

Rep. Markey said, “The 111th Congress marks a time of real change, ending the shortsighted era of ‘drill, drill, drill’ and looking towards smart, green policies that will grow our economy and protect our environment. The Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act honors two great American visionaries by designating the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness in their names and giving permanent protection to this great unspoiled wild place.”

“The Arctic Refuge is the crown jewel of the Wildlife Refuge System,” Markey continued. “Protecting the Refuge will send a strong statement of our nation’s intent to preserve America’s pristine wilderness areas, break our dangerous addiction to oil, and kick-start a green revolution that will create jobs, grow the economy, and promote energy independence.”

Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower began the bipartisan legacy of fighting to protect the Artic Refuge for future generations when he set aside the core of the Refuge in 1960. Twenty years later, in 1980, Democratic Representative Morris Udall succeeded in doubling the size of the Refuge, protecting even more of this untrammeled wilderness from oil drilling with the Alaska Natural Interest Lands Conservation Act. Rep. Markey is reintroducing this bill as H.R. 39, the original bill number given to Rep. Udall’s bill that became law. Rep. Markey has led the fight in the House to protect the Arctic Refuge since 2001.

# # #

Markey: Massachusetts Leading on Global Warming with Low-Carbon Fuel Standard

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

Markey: Massachusetts Leading on Global Warming with Low-Carbon Fuel Standard

Chairman Has Introduced Fuel Standard in Congress As Part of Comprehensive Climate Program

WASHINGTON (January 5, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Malden) today praised Massachusetts and the other leading states for their move towards enacting a low-carbon fuel standard, and pledged to continue fighting for a federal standard for all states. Rep. Markey’s climate bill, iCAP (Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act) includes a federal low-carbon standard, which would cut global warming emissions from the fuels we use for transportation and other activities.

“While Massachusetts leads the way for states combating global warming, we in Washington will push for strong federal action, including cutting global warming emissions in our vehicles,” said Rep. Markey, who is Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, and was the chief House author of the 35 mile per gallon fuel economy standard that passed last Congress. “Cleaner fuels require cleaner technologies, and energy innovation is what will heal our planet and strengthen our economy. This is a winning strategy for our economic climate and our planetary climate.”

# # #

DOE Responds to Markey Request: Will Start Filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve While Cost of Oil Is Low

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

DOE Responds to Markey Request: Will Start Filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve While Cost of Oil Is Low

Consumers and Taxpayers Benefit by Government Taking Advantage of Low Price of Oil

WASHINGTON DC (January 2, 2009) – After a request issued earlier this week from Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and others to start re-filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced today it will seek to purchase approximately 12 million barrels of crude oil. Rep. Markey and other members of Congress passed a bill last year that forced the Bush administration to cease filling the reserve during the record price spike of 2008, and encouraged DOE to begin filling the SPR again when prices lowered. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated that had the DOE filled the SPR using a constant dollar value -- rather than a constant volume between 2001 and 2005 -- it could have reduced costs to taxpayers by more than 10 percent, saving approximately $590 million.

Rep. Markey, who is Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, released the following statement:

“Now that the holiday shopping season is over, it appears the Bush administration is finally joining other consumers in shopping for some bargains. Filling our nation’s oil reserves now, when prices are low, is smart energy and economic policy that will benefit consumers and taxpayers. It made little sense to buy oil for the reserve when it was more than $140 a barrel. But now, with prices about $100 lower, resuming the purchase of oil for our reserves is warranted in order to advance America’s long-term energy security goals and save taxpayer money.”

To read the letter on SPR sent by Rep. Markey and others, please CLICK HERE.

# # #

Letter to Bush Admin, Time to Buy Oil for Strategic Reserves

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: Bush Administration New Year’s Resolution Should Be to Buy Oil for Reserves

WASHINGTON (December 30, 2008) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and other lawmakers today called upon the Department of Energy to resume buying oil for America’s national oil reserves, calling it the prudent response to lower oil prices, just as stopping the fill of the reserves was a prudent response when oil rose above $100 per barrel. Rep. Markey, along with Reps. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and John Yarmuth (D-Ky.), were principal authors of the bill that forced the Bush administration to stop filling the reserves in May of 2008.

“At current prices, a smart New Year’s resolution for the Bush administration is to start buying oil again for our national reserves,” said Rep. Markey, who is Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Just as it was prudent to stop buying oil at record high prices, we should continue to fill the reserves now that prices have plummeted. That’s sensible fiscal policy, plain and simple.”

The letter, sent by Reps. Markey and Welch to DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman, explains that while the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-232), which was enacted into law on May 19, 2008, mandated that the Department suspend filling the SPR through December 31, 2008, lower prices now dictate a need to start buying oil once again. The legislation said that oil could be purchased again when average prices dipped below $75 per barrel for 90 consecutive days. However, because oil has declined so precipitously—by more than $100 since the high of $147 this summer— the letter says “once again entering into contracts to fill the SPR would appear to be financially prudent for the Department, and consistent with Congressional goals for this program.”

The letter notes the recommendation of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that the Department seek to “acquire more oil [to fill the SPR] when prices are low and less when prices are high.” GAO has estimated that had the Department of Energy filled the SPR using a constant dollar value rather than a constant volume between 2001 and 2005 it could have reduced costs to taxpayers by more than 10 percent, saving approximately $590 million.

To download a PDF of the letter, please CLICK HERE.

# # #

MARKEY: Solis is Green Jobs Champion

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

MARKEY: Solis is Green Jobs Champion

Select Committee Member Is Bridge to New Green Future for America’s Labor Force

WASHINGTON (December 19, 2008) – Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy independence and Global Warming released the follow statement on the nomination of Select Committee Member Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) as Secretary of Labor for President-Elect Barack Obama:

“Rep Solis understands that reinvigorating America’s economy must involve millions of new green jobs, with America’s workers building the solar panels, plug-in hybrids, and energy efficient buildings that will power our nation’s future for decades to come.

“Rep. Solis is one of the most thoughtful Members of Congress I have every had the privilege to serve with. Her leadership qualities were on display in our Select Committee, where Hilda skillfully employed both her ability to communicate and to listen in order to advocate for green jobs legislation.”

# # #

MARKEY: Instead of Being aEUR~CaretakersaEUR(TM), Bush Admin. Taking Care of Polluters Wishes

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

MARKEY: Instead of Being ‘Caretakers’, Bush Admin. Taking Care of Polluters Wishes

Newest Midnight Global Warming Memo Another Black Mark on Bush Legacy

WASHINGTON (December 19, 2008) – Late yesterday EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson circumvented his own agency’s -- and the public’s -- review process and ruled that EPA does not need to consider global warming pollution when issuing permits for new coal-fired power plants. This potentially illegal action follows a long pattern of obstructionism on global warming from the Bush administration’s EPA, and is yet another last minute midnight rulemaking from the administration that will force an incoming Obama administration and new Congress to divert energy away from addressing serious challenges to instead reversing blatant industry giveaways.

“Instead of being caretakers for the next administration and the planet, President Bush and the EPA are making sure that polluters are getting their needs taken care of before January 20,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “This new, illegal ruling, along with many other midnight rulemakings, continues a stunning pattern of disregard for the law, the planet, and for the change Americans say they want in our energy and environmental policies.”
This new memo continues a disturbing trend in the Bush administration to block any real action on global warming, and could allow the progress of dozens of coal-fired power plants that do not capture heat-trapping pollution. Chairman Markey has authored legislation that would prevent the construction of new coal-fired power plants that do not use carbon capture and sequestration technology.

Chairman Markey has conducted vigorous oversight over the Bush administration’s EPA, including a Select Committee investigation that found that members of government at the highest levels, including the office of President George W. Bush’s Chief of Staff and numerous heads of Cabinet departments, had decided to use the Clean Air Act to regulate global warming emissions from power plants, but reversed their decision.
# # #

MARKEY: Salazar Will Remove aEURoeFor SaleaEUR? Sign on AmericaaEUR(TM)s Lands, Restore Respectability at Interior Dept.

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

MARKEY: Salazar Will Remove “For Sale” Sign on America’s Lands, Restore Respectability at Interior Dept.

WASHINGTON (December 17, 2008) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a 30-plus year veteran of the House Natural Resources Committee and Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, released the following statement on the nomination of Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) to be Interior Secretary:

“Ken Salazar will bring respectability back to the Interior Department by removing the ‘For Sale’ sign the Bush administration has placed on our public lands for the last eight years, giving away millions of acres to fossil fuel barons.

“He will choose protecting American taxpayers over padding the pockets of Exxon. And he will push for better oversight of his own agency, which has had some of the most severe ethical problems during the Bush administration’s tenure.”

# # #

Markey Applauds Obama Energy and Climate Appointments

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Select Committee, 202.225.4012
Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-2836

Markey Applauds Obama Energy and Climate Appointments

Team will show leadership on climate policy, energy independence and creating green jobs

WASHINGTON (December 15, 2008) -- Today, Congressman Edward J. Markey, Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, released the following statement in response to President-elect Barack Obama’s selection of Dr. Steven Chu for Secretary of Energy, Carol Browner as Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, Lisa Jackson as EPA Administrator, Nancy Sutley as head of the Council on Environmental Quality, and Heather Zichal as Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change:

“After eight long years of global warming denial and delay by the Bush administration, President-elect Obama has assembled a team that will put ‘energy’ back into the Department of Energy, ‘protection’ back into the Environmental Protection Agency, and finally bring climate into serious discussion at the White House.

“Finding the perfect mix of science, experience, and political savvy, President-elect Obama has assembled a world class team to lead America in the fight against global warming and place our nation on a path to a clean energy future.

“The unprecedented selection of Dr. Steven Chu as Secretary of Energy marks the first time a Nobel laureate has been nominated to serve at the cabinet level. Carol Browner brings unmatched climate experience and political leadership to the White House, while Heather Zichal -- who proudly served my home state of Massachusetts as Senator John Kerry’s legislative director -- will help the Obama Administration navigate Capitol Hill. Rounding out the new team are Lisa Jackson and Nancy Sutley, who have demonstrated success in creating efficiency and climate programs in the true action centers of clean energy fight - our cities and states.

“I commend the president-elect for his selection of Dr. Chu. Not since President Kennedy named MIT's Jerome B. Wiesner to serve as his science advisor, has a presidential appointment reflected the importance of harnessing the talents and energies of our nation's most brilliant scientists and engineers to transform national policy.

"Moreover, with Carol Browner and Heather Zichal at the White House, Lisa Jackson at the EPA, and Nancy Sutley over at the Council on Environmental Quality, the new administration will have an energy and environment team with the skills and judgment needed to meet our energy and environmental challenges. I look forward to working with this excellent team.”

For more information on Chairman Markey, and the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming website please visit: www.globalwarming.house.gov

Markey: Poznan's Flat Earth Retirement Party Bodes Well for 2009

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Chairman Ed Markey, 48-694-498-384 (Poland)

Markey: Poznan's Flat Earth Retirement Party Bodes Well for 2009

Developing Countries, EU, Others Make Progress as World Is Encouraged by Incoming Obama Administration

POZNAN, Poland (December 12, 2008) – As the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol concludes, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the author of the global warming bill with the strongest targets to date in Congress, issued the following statement:

"This climate conference will go down in history as the retirement party for the flat-earth society of the United States of America. The world is excitedly anticipating the first climate-friendly administration in eight years, and the U.S. Congress is ready to work with President-elect Obama to ensure that next year's negotiations will go down in history as a celebration of the re-birth of U.S. leadership and the salvation of the planet.

"Congressional leaders are ready to enact strong, bi-partisan legislation this year that will follow the science and lead our economy into a cleaner, more prosperous future. Our intention is to help President-elect Obama arrive in Copenhagen next year in a position of strength where the U.S. is again a leader."

# # #

Markey: Bush Determined to Weaken Endangered Species Protections in Final Days

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Select Committee, 202-225-4012
Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-2836

WASHINGTON (December 11, 2008) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, decried the Department of Interior's announcement today that they will be attempting to weaken protections under the Endangered Species Act in the final hours of the Bush Administration.

“The Bush Administration appears to be determined to use every last minute in office to wreak as much havoc as possible on our nation. Today's announcement that they will be removing fish and wildlife experts from key decisions to protect the safety of iconic animals like the polar bear from global warming’s effects is absurd and a recipe for disaster," said Chairman Markey.

This morning, the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming held a hearing chaired by Rep. Markey to investigating last-minute Bush Administration energy and environment rulemakings.

“As I said during our hearing this morning, our committee will remain vigilant in these final hours of the Bush administration, casting light on all their attempts to surgically gut policies and programs that impact the land we love, the air we breath, the water we drink and the endangered species we cherish,” Markey said.

Markey Reacts To Bush EPA Dropping Plant Regulatory Loophole

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4012

December 10, 2008:

Markey Reacts To Bush EPA Dropping Plant Regulatory Loophole

The following statement from Chairman Edward J. Markey, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, is in response to notification from the Environmental Protection Agency that they will not make last minute changes to the New Source Review program for power plants.

“I am glad to see that a little sunshine at midnight persuaded the Bush Administration to back off its attempts to push through a loophole for dirty power plants that would have significantly degraded air quality for all Americans and exacerbated the climate crisis.”

“The EPA staff had estimated that this rule change would have led to an increase in global warming emissions of at least 74 million tons per year by 2020. My Select Committee will continue to keep the pressure on the Bush Administration until they turn off the lights at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.”

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will be holding a hearing tomorrow (December 11th, 2008 at 10 AM in 210 Cannon House Office Building) to examine this and other Bush Administration proposed last-minute rulemakings that would present a threat to air and water quality as well as endangered species. For a full report on this topic, please CLICK HERE.

Hearing 12/11:Investigating Last-Minute Bush Energy and Environment Rulemakings

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TOMORROW, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2008

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4012

Hearing to Investigate Last-Minute Bush Energy and Environment Rulemakings

Interior Department Announces Alarming Rule to Skirt Congressional Oversight Authority and Push Forward on Illegal Uranium Mining

For testimony, photos and video highlights, please CLICK HERE.

The announcement by the Interior Department of a new rule eliminating Congress’s authority to prevent new mining on public lands escalated concerns about the Bush administration's last ditch efforts to push through major regulatory rule changes to energy and environmental policies. From global warming to water quality to endangered species to clean air, the Bush administration is pushing harder than ever to advance its anti-environmental agenda by rescinding, changing, or issuing rules, with negative consequences for our natural resources, environment, and America’s energy policy.

A panel of environmental and regulatory experts will discuss the ramifications of these last-minute rulemakings at a hearing tomorrow before Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

The Select Committee recently released a report detailing these frightening possible significant regulatory rule changes by the Bush administration in its final days. The report is entitled “Past is Prologue: For Energy and the Environment, the Bush Administration's Last 100 Days Could Rival the First 100” and is available HERE. It highlights the major issues the public and the media should look out for in the closing days of an administration that possesses a sharp deregulatory bent.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing: "Approaching Midnight: Oversight of the Bush Administration's Last-Minute Rulemakings."

WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

WHEN: Thursday, December 11th, 2008, 10:00 AM

WHO:
Mr. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Chairman, Waterkeeper Alliance
Ms. Jamie Rappaport Clark, Executive Vice President, Defenders of Wildlife
Mr. John Walke, Clean Air Director, Natural Resources Defense Council
Mr. Jeffrey R. Holmstead, Partner, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP

HEARING 12/9: Energy Independence Implications of Auto Bailout

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Auto Bailout Hearing to Explore Energy Independence Implications

New Analysis Released Today Says GM, Ford Can Meet Higher Fuel Economy, Global Warming Standards

For testimony, photos and video highlights from this hearing, please CLICK HERE.

As Congress considers a multi-billion dollar program of loans to America’s auto industry, many measures of success or failure exist for the industry and the government’s attempts to help the automakers. Chief among those measures of success is how effectively America’s auto industry, and the industry as a whole, is transformed to build cars for the future that reduce our dependence on oil. Will the auto industry meet the fuel economy rules passed by Congress and signed into law nearly a year ago, which could revitalize the industry? Should American taxpayers expect even higher fuel economy performance in return for their investment of additional billions in loans? Do the auto companies’ plans impair their ability to meet the current fuel economy regime?

A panel of auto industry and fuel economy experts will discuss these issues and other energy implications of the automotive industry loan program at a hearing tomorrow before Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Chairman Markey authored the House language that became the current fuel economy standards of at least 35 mile per gallon by 2020.

Today an analysis of the car companies’ own data revealed that General Motors and Ford are now positioned to comply with California's landmark global warming standards if they are applied nationwide, which could represent a significant increase in fuel economy. According to the analysis of the companies’ data released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the two major automakers are in a position to meet the California global warming tailpipe standards. This analysis is important because some lawmakers in the House and Senate have proposed imposing a condition on the auto bailout that would grant the California waiver or prohibit the automakers from fighting the waiver in court or in state legislatures.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing: “The Energy Independence Implications of the Auto Bailout Proposal.”

WHERE: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

WHEN: Tuesday, December 9th, 2008, 10 AM

WHO:
Ms. Joan Claybrook, President, Public Citizen
Mr. Reuben Munger, Chairman and Co-founder, Bright Automotive
Dr. Peter Morici, Professor of International Business, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland
Mr. Geoff Wardle, Director of Advanced Mobility Research, Art Center College of Design
Mr. Richard Curless, Chief Technical Officer, MAG Industrial Automation Systems

# # #

End of Session Report Released, Speaker Pelosi Asks Select Committee to Continue Work

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: Select Committee Still Has Work to Do

Thanks Speaker Pelosi for Opportunity to Continue Serving as Chairman, Releases End of Session Report

WASHINGTON (November 21, 2008) – Following an announcement by the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) today that she intends to reauthorize the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement:

“I thank Speaker Pelosi for the opportunity to continue serving as Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Our committee has worked on a bipartisan basis to raise the profile of global warming and energy solutions during the last Congress and I look forward to another productive session in the next two years. With a new, climate-friendly administration, we have an historic opportunity to put the American economy on a green road to recovery and finally solve the greatest challenge the planet has ever faced.”

The Select Committee, in conjunction with this announcement, released its end-of-session report today. The report reviews the key findings, recommendations, and activities from the Select Committee during the 110th Congress. The executive summary, with links to the full report, can be found below. For an HTML version of theexecutive summary, please CLICK HERE.

Executive Summary(pdf)

FULL REPORT (By Section):

PART ONE: The Climate & Energy Challenge

PART TWO: Energy & Climate "Win-Win" Solutions

PART THREE: Oversight of Bush Administration

PART FOUR: International Efforts

PART FIVE: Additional Views, Full Hearing & Witness List

COMPLETE REPORT: Please be warned, this is a large file. Slower connections should use the above links

Over the past 18 months, the Select Committee has held more than 50 hearings on a broad array of subjects ranging from the national security, economic, and environmental threats posed by climate change, to advanced vehicle and renewable energy technologies, to policy options for lowering prices at the gasoline pump.

Many hearings were groundbreaking “firsts” for Congress, including:

--   The first Congressional hearing on the national security implications of climate change
--   The first “green jobs” hearing
--   The first hearing with the Nobel-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
--   The first hearing on U.S. cities’ efforts to combat climate change
--   The first hearing with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision in Massachusetts v. EPA
--   The first hearing on the Department of the Interior’s handling of the decision whether to list the polar bear as an endangered species
--   And the first hearing on the voluntary carbon offset market

The Select Committee played a pivotal role in the passage of major energy legislation this Congress. Chairman Markey was the principal House author of the 35 mile per gallon fuel economy standard in the energy bill of December, 2007. The Select Committee held numerous hearings on the major energy proposals from this Congress, focusing on biofuels, energy efficiency, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and many others.

All told, the energy legislation passed during the Select Committee’s term will, by 2030, save twice the amount of oil we currently import from the Persian Gulf, and cut U.S. heat-trapping emissions by a quarter of what is necessary to avert catastrophic global warming. The Select Committee’s final report summarizes the legislation passed this Congress.

“This has been one of the most successful sessions of Congress on energy issues, but there is still much more to be done,” continued Chairman Markey. “We still must pass a Renewable Electricity Standard, we must improve the efficiency of our homes and other buildings, and we absolutely must pass global warming legislation. The Select Committee will work tirelessly to pass all three of these bills, and many others.”

This summer, after chairing dozens of hearings in the Select Committee, and following more than 30 years as a leader in the Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources Committees, Chairman Markey introduced new legislation called iCAP (the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act, H.R. 6186) that will slash global warming emissions and make America the leader in clean technology solutions. The bill introduces a "Cap and Invest" system, cuts heat-trapping emissions 85 percent by the year 2050, sets up a system for 100 percent auctions and invests money generated from polluters back to consumers and clean technology solutions.

The Select Committee organized or participated in several major Congressional delegations focused on energy security and climate change issues. These include delegations led by Speaker Pelosi to Greenland and the European Union in May 2007 and to India in March 2008, as well as a Select Committee delegation to Brazil in February 2008. In addition, Select Committee staff delegations have traveled to the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia in December
2007, to China to explore cooperative steps on global warming, and to the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s Earth Systems Research Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratories in Colorado.

The Select Committee has worked to break new ground in the way Congress communicates with the American public about energy security and climate change issues— principally through its website, which has won the “Golden Dot” Award for the best e-Gov website (presented by the School of Political Management at George Washington University), an Honorable Mention from the Webby Awards, and a Pollie Award from the American Association of Political Consultants. Chairman Markey—by “avatar”—delivered the first international address on climate using virtual world (“Second Life”) technology to the United Nations climate change conference in Bali, Indonesia, in December 2007.

# # #

Markey: DonaEUR(TM)t Bail on Fuel Efficiency in Automaker Bailout

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

Markey: Don’t Bail on Fuel Efficiency in Automaker Bailout

Fuel Efficiency Factory Retooling Provisions in Auto Loans Must Stand to Reform, Revitalize Industry

WASHINGTON (November 20, 2008) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the principal House author of 2007’s fuel efficiency standards, decried the potential rollback of fuel efficiency retooling provisions in the deal being proposed to loan automakers billions of dollars. Provisions included in the law Congress passed in 2007 would require new plants built using the money to produce more fuel efficient cars.

“We can’t bail on the fuel efficient vehicles of the future in order to bailout the automakers,” said Markey, who is Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Detroit is suffering today not just from the credit crisis, but from decades of poor product decisions and refusal to increase the fuel economy of our cars, trucks and SUVs. If they truly want to compete again in a global marketplace, they should welcome loans to retool factories to make the plug-in hybrids of the future, not fight these conditions.

“Any financial aid to the auto industry needs to be tied to strong fuel economy requirements and to taxpayer protections that assure this money is not wasted,” Markey continued. “This proposal doesn’t even measure up to the fuel efficiency conditions put on the Chrysler bailout of 1979, which is unacceptable.”

# # #

Markey: Obama YouTube Climate Address is a Breath of Fresh Air

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

In response to the comments made by President-Elect Barack Obama in his YouTube address on climate change policy, Congressman Ed Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming released the following video response:

Click to Watch

TEXT:

Hi, I am Congressman Ed Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

I just wanted to congratulate President Elect Barack Obama on his speech today which laid out a new direction for the United States in the battle to fight Global Warming.

After 8 years of inaction from the Bush Administration, it’s a breath of fresh air to hear that an Obama White House understands the clean energy steps that must be taken to lift America out of economic turmoil are the same steps we must take to fight the climate crisis.

Investing in clean energy will create new green jobs, putting Americans back to work and breaking our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels.

President-Elect Obama also understands the potential clean energy technology brings. President-Elect Obama used YouTube to deliver his important climate message today. In 1995, not a single home in America had broadband access. Today, the next President of the United States was able to reach millions of people around the world using high-speed internet connections. . .and even some on mobile devices!

If, in just a decade’s time, we can successfully engineer an Information Technology Revolution, we can also have a Clean Energy Revolution.

Again, I want thank the President-Elect for his commitment to fighting climate change and I look forward to continuing to work with Congress on a green economic recovery.

Select Committee Report: Last 100 Days Could Rival First 100 for Bush Administration and Environmental Deregulation

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Select Committee Report: Last 100 Days Could Rival First 100 for Bush Administration and Environmental Deregulation

From Global Warming to Nuclear Safety, Many Rules Could be Changed in Final Days

WASHINGTON (October 31, 2008) – On the scariest day of the year, the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming is releasing a report detailing the frightening possible major regulatory rule changes the Bush administration could make in its final days in energy and environment issues. From global warming to water quality to endangered species to nuclear safety, the report highlights the major issues the public and the media should look out for in the closing days of an administration with a sharp deregulatory bent.

“If you thought the first 100 days of the Bush administration were bad, just wait and see what the last 100 could bring,” said Select Committee Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.). Chairman Markey has already sent a letter to the Bush administration voicing his concern over possible changes to the Endangered Species Act. “We already know this administration has a deep, unwavering ideology of deregulation that has negatively affected our environment and our economy. And with scant time left, there’s no reason to think they’ll stop deregulating now.”

In 2001, the Bush administration presaged years of deregulatory, anti-environmental action. In that year, the administration refused to reduce the arsenic levels in drinking water, opened wilderness areas to new roads, and rejected the Kyoto Protocol after promising to cut emissions.

The report is entitled “Past is Prologue: For Energy and the Environment, the Bush Administration’s Last 100 Days Could Rival the First 100” and is available HERE.

# # #

Markey: Exxon Record Profits Put Oil Cos. On Track for $150 Billion in aEUR~08

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: Exxon Record Profits Put Oil Cos. On Track for $150 Billion in ‘08

As Economy Slips into Recession, Top 5 Oil Cos. Would Eclipse Last Year’s Record Haul

WASHINGTON (October 30, 2008) – With a new record quarterly profit of $14.83 billion, Exxon Mobil and the other top four oil companies are now on track to reap more than $150 billion in profits in 2008, shattering last year’s record haul. Meanwhile, investments in renewable energy continue to lag with the world’s most profitable company, and as an industry as a whole.

The up-tick in profits for these companies has not been reflected in the health of America’s economy, with figures released today showing a slide in U.S. GDP for the third quarter of 2008, indicating a recession. Profits have increased for the companies, even as prices have slipped.

“Our economy is suffering from many factors, but one of them is the price of oil and our nation’s dependence on it,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Instead of just accepting the $150 billion in oil profits as status quo, our country needs a plan like Senator Obama’s to invest $150 billion in renewable energy alternatives. Because for these oil companies, there are hundreds of billions of reasons why they want to keep the status quo intact.”

Exxon’s prior profit record was $11.68 billion in the second quarter of 2008. Shell Oil announced profits of $8.45 billion in the third quarter, and BP announced $10 billion over the same period, an increase of almost 150 percent compared to the same period in 2007. All told, the five top oil companies in the world—Exxon, BP, Shell, Chevron and Conoco—made $123 billion in 2007. Current profits now put these companies on track to make more than $150 billion in 2008.

The main thrust of Senator Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) plan to achieve American energy independence and create 5 million new jobs is to invest $150 billion over 10 years in clean energy development. Exxon, by contrast, is spending just $10 million a year, a figure they admitted to Chairman Markey at a hearing on April 1 of this year, and in documents released to the Select Committee after the hearing. Chairman Markey also challenged the head of the top five oil companies at the April hearing to invest 10 percent of their profits in renewable energy development, which would roughly equal the yearly commitment Sen. Obama is making, according to current profit projections. All five companies refused.

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Markey: Bush Administration Shifting from Speed Reading to Speed Commenting

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: Bush Administration Shifting from Speed Reading to Speed Commenting

Chairman Decries New Twist in Endangered Species Rulemaking, Demands More Time for Public Comment

WASHINGTON (October 28, 2008) – After spending 32 hours of last week reviewing 300,000 public comments on rule changes to the Endangered Species Act, the Bush administration’s Interior Department announced yesterday that it will only allow 10 days of public comment on the Environmental Assessment portion of the proposed rules. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence, sent a second letter to the head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today decrying the current state of play on the rulemaking, and demanded more time for public comment on the proposed rules.

“The Bush administration seems intent on setting new records in administrative futility,” said Chairman Markey. “They’ve gone from speed reading to speed commenting, showing no regard for public input in either instance.”

The proposed rules would take expert scientific review out of many ESA processes, and could exempt the effects of global warming pollution on threatened or endangered species. The letter notes: “The proposed rule changes would weaken the ESA by undermining the Section 7 consultation requirements in the Act and excluding global warming emissions as a consideration under the ESA. The FWS notes on page 4 of the draft EA that in the absence of the proposed rule change that ‘[t]here will likely continue to be an increase in the number of section 7 consultations given the emerging challenge of global climate change.’ In other words, the FWS is proposing to deal with an increase in Section 7 consultation requests due to activities that increase global warming emissions by eliminating the requirement.”

The letter is included below:

October 28, 2008

Mr. Dale Hall
Director
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240

Dear Director Hall:

Last week I wrote you regarding my concern that the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) was short changing the approximately 300,000 public comments on the Agency’s proposed rule changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by reviewing them in just 4 working days and without the expertise of FWS biologists. The proposed rule changes would weaken the ESA by undermining the Section 7 consultation requirements in the Act and excluding global warming emissions as a consideration under the ESA. The FWS notes on page 4 of the draft EA that in the absence of the proposed rule change that “[t]here will likely continue to be an increase in the number of section 7 consultations given the emerging challenge of global climate change.” In other words, the FWS is proposing to deal with an increase in Section 7 consultation requests due to activities that increase global warming emissions by eliminating the requirement.

Yesterday, you followed that rushed review process with a notice in the Federal Register announcing a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on the environmental impact of the proposed ESA rule changes that provided a mere 10 days for public comment. This is an unacceptably short time period. The public should be given at least 60 days to comment on the draft EA, just as they were given to comment on the proposed rule change.

This proposed regulation, the associated environmental assessment and the public comments on both must receive the proper level of review. Such a hasty review seems certain to ensure that the public will not be properly heard in evaluating this proposed significant change and its environmental impact to one of our nation’s most important environmental laws. Moreover, this truncated public comment periods give the unseemly impression that the Administration may be attempting to rush these rules changes through before it leaves office, regardless of their environmental impact.

In order to assure that these proposed changes to the ESA do no harm, you must immediately extend the comment period for the draft EA to give the public enough time to consider and provide their comments to the Agency. Please respond to this request, and the request in my initial letter, by October 30, 2008 with:
The actions you are taking to ensure that the public is receiving an acceptable opportunity to comment on the draft EA, and
The actions you are taking to ensure that comments are receiving the thorough consideration that they deserve given this proposed major change to the ESA.

Sincerely,
Edward J. Markey
Chairman

# # #

Markey: Times Too Tough for OPEC to Cut Supply

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Chairman Sent Letter to Bush Asking for Political Pressure on Oil Cartel

WASHINGTON (October 24, 2008) – In a prescient letter sent yesterday to President Bush, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) asked the president to use whatever political means he had left to pressure OPEC into not cutting the supply of oil during this tough economic period and as the winter heating season begins. OPEC today announced they will be cutting supply, which could have serious ramifications for millions of Americans already struggling to keep up with bills in the face of job losses and rising expenses.

“During President Bush’s 2000 campaign, he said America should ‘jawbone OPEC’ into increasing supply,” said Rep. Markey. “Unfortunately for American consumers and our economy, it’s clear that when it comes to OPEC, the president’s jawbone is broken.”

The letter to the president is included below:

October 23, 2008

The Honorable George W. Bush
President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

News reports indicate that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has scheduled an emergency meeting tomorrow in order to cut petroleum production. OPEC’s current president, Chakib Khelil, was quoted as saying that he expects the cartel to decide in favor of a “significant” production cut at the meeting –as much as 2 million barrels per day. Any increase in energy prices right now would further compound our economic troubles and adversely impact American families. As a result, I am writing to urge you to use every tool at your disposal in order to pressure OPEC to not reduce production.

While oil and gas prices have declined in recent weeks, American consumers and our economy are still feeling the strains of the record prices we saw this summer. Earlier this year, oil hit record highs of nearly $150 per barrel and gas averaged more than $4 per gallon nationwide. Consumers have been spending more on everything from gas to groceries and are in desperate need of relief.

American consumers are also facing an impending home heating crisis this winter. According to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook, “Average household expenditures for all space-heating fuels are projected to be $1,137 this winter (October 1 to March 31), a 15-percent increase over the estimated $986 spent last winter. The largest increases will be in households using heating oil and natural gas.” With consumers already facing home heating costs that will be significantly higher than last year, any additional increase as a result of OPEC cutting production could mean that many families will face choices between purchasing food or purchasing fuel this winter.

Meanwhile, according to the EIA, OPEC member nations have already earned an estimated $821 billion in net oil export earnings through September and could ultimately earn more than $1 trillion in 2008. It would be unconscionable for OPEC to cut production as our economy is reeling and its countries are already seeing profits gush into their pockets.

I strongly urge you to take immediate action to help American consumers and our economy by pressuring OPEC to keep production at current levels at their meeting tomorrow.
Sincerely,

Edward J. Markey
Chairman

# # #
Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey to Bush Admin: Don't Rush Endangered Species Process

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Markey to Bush Admin.: Don’t Rush Endangered Species Process

Public Comment Review Process “Reckless”, Says Chairman

WASHINGTON (October 23, 2008) – In response to reports that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is attempting to review 300,000 public comments on changes to Endangered Species Act rules in just four days, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, sent a letter to the director of the U.S. F&WS today asking him to stop this “reckless” process.

The proposed rule changes would undermine the Section 7 consultation requirements in the Act and exclude global warming emissions as a consideration for listing animals like polar bears under ESA, even though global warming has been recognized by the Bush administration as a main cause for listing the bear as threatened under ESA earlier this year.

“Predictably, the Bush administration is trying to ram through anti-environmental laws in its final days in office, and this is yet another example of their agenda. Attempting to read hundreds of thousands of public comments in a matter of hours is odd given that the Bush administration budget has never contained any money for speed reading classes,” said Chairman Markey. “After taking years to make a decision on the polar bear and other Endangered Species Act listings, the Bush administration is now taking hours to completely roll back key protections in this cornerstone of our environmental laws.”

The letter is pasted below.

Mr. Dale Hall
Director
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240

Dear Director Hall:

I am writing to strongly oppose the Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) reported plan to dramatically shorten the review of public comments submitted on the Agency’s proposed rule changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This proposed regulation and all associated public comments must receive the proper level of review.

According to an article published yesterday by the Associated Press, the director of the FWS Endangered Species Program sent a letter to Fish and Wildlife managers outlining the Administration’s plan to read through the approximately 300,000 public comments on the proposed rule change over the course of four work days this week. To attempt to read through this volume of public comments in such a truncated period of time, including comments submitted by myself and 80 other Members of Congress, seems arbitrary and capricious. Moreover, such a hasty review seems certain to ensure that the public will not be properly heard in evaluating this proposed significant change to one of our nation’s most important environmental laws.

While agencies typically spend months reviewing public comments on proposed regulations, it can only be surmised that the reason for FWS’ desire to drastically speed up this process is in order to finalize this rule change before the end of the current Administration. A change of this magnitude to the ESA should not be done in such a reckless, haphazard fashion. The e-mail sent on October 16, 2008 states that “The team needs to compile the comments, review the[m] (sic) and categorize them and then provide them to the Department for their analysis and preparing responses.” For the FWS biologists with expertise on this issue to not participate in analyzing and responding to the public comments raises significant concerns that the Administration, which has a history of politicizing ESA decisions, will allow politics to again trump science in making this decision.

You must immediately halt the reckless review process that your agency is undertaking and review the public comments on the proposed regulations with proper care. Please respond by October 30, 2008 with the actions you are taking to ensure that thorough consideration of the public comments on this proposed major change to the ESA.

Sincerely,

Edward J. Markey
Chairman

Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Select Committee

Markey Welcomes Release of Dingell-Boucher Climate Bill

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

WASHINGTON (October 7, 2008) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, praised the release of a discussion draft of climate legislation by Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Chairman Rick Boucher (D-Va.) as an important step towards the enactment of legislation to combat global warming in the next Congress.

Chairman Markey is the author of iCAP (H.R. 6186, the “Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act”), which would cut global warming emissions 85 percent by the middle of the century, set a price on heat-trapping emissions by auctioning 100 percent of pollution allowances, and re-invest the revenues from polluters back to consumers, clean energy technology development, and other key measures.

Below is the statement of Chairman Markey:

“The American people should be encouraged by the draft legislation released today by Chairman Dingell and Chairman Boucher. This draft recognizes that, to combat global warming and unleash a clean energy revolution, America needs to set long-term targets, protect consumers, and invest in energy efficiency and clean technologies.”

“The draft legislation lays out a range of options for structuring a cap and trade system that are likely to trigger a vigorous and healthy debate about how best to reduce global warming pollution. In the next year, I look forward to working with Chairmen Dingell and Boucher, our Energy and Commerce colleagues, and a new, climate-friendly administration as we put the American economy on a green road to recovery and finally solve the greatest challenge the planet has ever faced.”

# # #

Members Support Principles for Global Warming Legislation

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Rep. Markey: (202) 225-4081
Rep. Waxman: (202) 225-5051
Rep. Inslee: (202) 226-7040

October 2, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC — Today 152 Members of Congress, led by Rep. Waxman, Rep. Markey, and Rep. Inslee, sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi detailing a set of principles to guide Congress as it produces legislation to establish an economy-wide mandatory program to address the threat of global warming.

The principles outlined in the letter lay out a comprehensive approach to tackling the climate crisis. The principles recognize that we must transition to a clean energy economy to avoid dangerous global warming, create green jobs, and boost America’s long-term economic prosperity. The principles emphasize that we must act based on the science and strengthen our response as necessary.

To read the letter CLICK HERE.

For a PDF of the letter CLICK HERE.

EPAaEUR(TM)s New Nuclear Safety Standards Send DOE Back to the Starting Gate

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

CONTACT: Select Committee, 202.225.4012

EPA’s New Nuclear Safety Standards Send DOE Back to the Starting Gate

Markey Calls for Yucca Mountain Application to be Resubmitted

WASHINGTON (September 30, 2008) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today their public health and safety standards for the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste facility. This announcement came four months after the Department of Energy (DOE) filed its application for the facility.

“Today’s action by the administration only reinforces how their entire approach to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste project has put politics and the financial health of the nuclear industry ahead of science and the health of the public,” said Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Today’s new rules make clear that the Department of Energy jumped prematurely with an answer before the question had been finished. They need to withdraw the application, finish their homework assignment, and resubmit it.”

“The rules on Yucca Mountain are especially critical given that some in Congress, including Senator McCain, are calling for an explosion in nuclear construction that would generate the need for a new Yucca Mountain every 17 to 24 years,” Markey added.

Today's regulations came after EPA's original Yucca regulations were found to be inadequate by the D.C. Circuit Court in 2004. Those regulations failed to set exposure limits at all for the period in which the risk of harmful exposure to humans would be the greatest. The standards issued today establish a dose limit for what constitutes an acceptable level of radiation exposure from the nuclear waste facility for the next million years, the amount of time the facility is expected to emit toxic radiation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was already evaluating the Yucca application despite the absence of these final standards.

The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA) called for disposal of spent nuclear fuel in a deep geologic repository. The NWPA directed the Department of Energy to develop such a repository. Originally, DOE was considering the suitability of numerous sites for the geologic repository. But in 1987, before determining its suitability, Congress legally barred DOE from considering any site other than the Yucca Mountain site as the potential location for the repository.

While DOE is responsible for developing the application for the repository, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is responsible for developing the regulations that will ensure the safety of any such facility and reviewing the application to determine that the repository design meets those safety standards. In the area of radiation protection, the NRC was directed to adopt the standards that were to be developed by the EPA.

###

GAO to Markey: Carbon Sequestration WonaEUR(TM)t Happen Without National Strategy

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

GAO to Markey: Carbon Sequestration Won’t Happen Without National Strategy

Regulation Would Create Incentives, Coordination Severely Lacking Among Agencies, Says Report

WASHINGTON (September 30, 2008) – A Government Accountability Office report released today says climate-fighting carbon sequestration technologies won’t significantly advance until a national strategy to regulate carbon emissions and interagency cooperation measures are established. The report shines a light on the lack of leadership from the Bush administration on global warming and climate-friendly technologies.

“If carbon sequestration technologies are going to get off -- and into -- the ground, we must have national limits on global warming pollution and an administration dedicated to promoting climate-friendly technologies,” said Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, who requested the study. “Solving coal’s climate conundrum is as vital as any challenge we face in battling global warming, and half-measures just won’t cut it.”

To read the GAO Report, please CLICK HERE.

The report says a lack of a national strategy to control heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions has hamstrung efforts to expand CCS technologies, saying it leaves the power sector with “little incentive to reduce their emissions . . . [and] little reason to devise the practical arrangements necessary to implement the reductions.”

It also points to a lack of coordination among agencies involved in developing and regulating CCS infrastructure in the United States, for example with pipeline transportation of carbon dioxide emissions. A national CCS program “would require an elaborate network of interstate CO2 pipelines” that would involve many agencies and jurisdictional issues, the report notes. To date, however, “no federal agency has claimed jurisdiction over siting, rates, or terms of service” for the pipelines, according to the GAO. In addition, the report finds that a lack of clear liability and ownership rules for underground carbon dioxide injection is an obstacle to expansion of CCS technologies, but that the administration has provided little or no leadership in developing such rules.

“The Bush administration can’t hang their hat on this technology when they haven’t even created the hat rack,” said Chairman Markey. “If the Bush administration were running the water department like they run their carbon sequestration programs, we’d all have sinks and no water pipes.”

# # #

HEARING 9/25: Oil Prices Threaten to Leave Families in the Cold this Winter

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR 2 PM, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th, 2008

CONTACT: Select Committee, 202.225.4012

Oil Prices Threaten to Leave Families in the Cold this Winter

Massachusetts Governor to Testify Before Select Committee Hearing on the Future of Home Heating Assistance Program and Consumer Protection Measures

WASHINGTON (September 23, 2008) – The dramatic increase in the price of oil this summer caused consumer havoc at the pump. Now, as the winter months quickly approach, families are facing the cold reality that the cost to heat their homes will skyrocket as well. Home heating oil prices are expected to spike upwards of $4.60 per gallon this winter, a record. That could drive the total heating costs for average families above $4,000.

On Thursday, the Select Committee on Energy Independence will hold a hearing looking into immediate funding concerns of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as well as long term reform measures to help families cope with rising prices. The hearing will feature Governor Deval Patrick from Massachusetts, where 4 out of 5 homes use heating oil or natural gas.

In 2005, 5.3 million households received LIHEAP heating or winter crisis assistance, yet this represented only 15 percent of federally eligible households. Following the largest single day spike in oil prices ever, Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and 94 of his Congressional colleagues sent a letter calling for full funding of LIHEAP at $5.1 billion to stave off what could be a disastrous winter for millions of American families. Last year the program only received $2 billion in regular funds. The crisis is not just isolated in cold-weather areas, however.

WHAT:    Select Committee Hearing: “The Future of LIHEAP Funding: Will Families Get the Cold Shoulder this Winter?”

WHERE:    1324 Longworth House Office Building, U.S. Capitol Complex

WHEN:    Thursday September 25, 2008 at 2:00 PM, EST

WHO:
Honorable Deval Patrick, Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Mr. Howard Gruenspecht, Acting Administrator, Energy Information Administration
Mr. Mark Wolfe, Executive Director, National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association
Mr. John Drew, Executive Vice President, Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.

# # #

Markey: American Families Need Full Funding of Heating Assistance Program

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-0412

Markey: American Families Need Full Funding of Heating Assistance Program

With Billions for Bailouts, Families Must Not be Frozen Out this Winter, Says Chairman

WASHINGTON (September 23, 2008) – Following the largest single day spike in oil prices ever, Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and his colleagues are calling for full funding of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program at $5.1 billion to stave off what could be a disastrous winter for millions of American families.

“If we are looking to give hundreds of billions in bailouts to Wall Street, providing five billion dollars to ensure American families aren’t frozen out this winter should be a no-brainer,” said Rep. Markey, who is Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, which will hold a hearing this Thursday on the LIHEAP program and the home heating crisis.

Rep. Markey helped lead an effort to collect signatures on a letter sent late yesterday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) and Appropriations Ranking Member Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) requesting that the LIHEAP program receive the full funding level of $5.1 billion this year in any continuing resolution to fund the government. Rep. Markey was joined on the letter by 94 of his colleagues in the House. Reports have indicated the program will receive the full funding level after years of being under-funded. Last year the program only received $2 billion in regular funds.

The letter can be found HERE.

Last week the Bush administration released the last $121 million of LIHEAP “contingency” funds, drying up the emergency funds months before the coldest weather hits the nation.

“Millions of families are already struggling with rising gas and food prices, home payments, and the specter of a troubled economy,” said Rep. Markey. “Now they are seeing some of the highest oil prices in history and wondering ‘how will I keep my family warm this winter?’ For many families this winter, this extra funding will be a big help when they need it the most.”

Home heating oil prices are expected to spike upwards of $4.60 per gallon this winter, a record. That could drive the total heating costs for average families above $4,000.

The crisis is not just isolated in cold-weather areas, however. Energy bills in Phoenix are up 36 percent this year, and millions of families in both warm and cold weather climates could face utility shutoffs this year due to an inability to pay their bills.

# # #

Markey: Speculation Bill Sends Wall Street Cops Back on the Beat

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: Speculation Bill Sends Wall Street Cops Back on the Beat

WASHINGTON (September 18, 2008) – Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming issued the following statement on the House passage of the Commodity Markets Transparency and Accountability Act by a vote of 283 to 133:

“Whether it’s the housing market, AIG, or oil traders run amok, Wall Street has lost its direction, and so has our economy. This legislation puts the financial cops back on the beat on Wall Street, which will help bring economic security back to Main Street.

“Just today, we saw how speculation can toy with markets. Oil spiked above $100, and then fell again, as traders moved in massive, collective swings. When speculation in commodities like oil can have very real effects on American consumers at the pump, it is essential that we make the markets fair and transparent.

“Today’s legislation moves America towards a more fair and transparent market system, and will provide relief to families, truckers, airlines and anyone who pumps gas into a tank.”

# # #

Markey: Big OilaEUR(TM)s Role in Interior Department Scandal Must Be Scrutinized -Chevron Responds

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Chevron Responds to Markey Investigation, Raises New Questions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a hearing held this morning to examine recent revelations about ethical failings within the Bush administration’s Department of the Interior, Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA) closely questioned both Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and Earl Devaney, Inspector General of the department and author of the governmental report on the scandal, over the Bush administration’s lax oversight.

“This is a blistering scalding indictment of the Bush administration’s oversight of the Department of Interior,” Rep. Markey lamented during the House Natural Resources committee hearing. “This is something that is a stain on the Department of Interior and its operations.”

In response to Rep. Markey’s questioning, Mr. Devaney recommended that the Department of the Interior’s Ethics Committee initiate an internal investigation into the conduct of the big oil companies involved in this scandal. “I’m charged with oversight over our employees and am satisfied that we are on track. I wish I had the same oversight and authority with outside entities, but I don’t,” Mr. Devaney said.

Late last week, Rep. Markey launched an investigation into Chevron, Shell Oil and Gary Williams, the three companies involved in the scandal from his position as chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Chevron responded today, admitting that employees provided “meals, drinks, and other entertainment” to Minerals Management Service employees. Chevron also concedes that several employers “were unable to arrange interviews” with the investigators on this matter, instead sending “non company counsel” in their stead.

In his testimony today before the Natural Resources Committee, Mr. Devaney agreed with Rep. Markey that “[this investigation] is incomplete because [employees of Shell and Chevron] didn’t make themselves available.” Mr. Devaney went on to say that, “I’ve been doing this for a long time and this isn’t the first time that I’ve been disappointed by decisions made over there… I would have liked a more aggressive approach and I would have liked to see some other people prosecuted here.”

Letters to Shell Oil and Gary Williams remain unanswered, but these discrepancies already raise new questions on the interference from the oil companies and the investigation.

“It takes two to tango, and it appears that employees of Big Oil may have danced over just as many ethical lines as their government counterparts. It is vital that we protect the American taxpayers by rooting out not only the ethical misconduct within the Interior Department, but also ensure that if any employees or executives at oil companies were involved in illegal activities, they also must be held accountable,” concluded Rep. Markey.

The letter to Chevron can be found HERE and the response to Rep. Markey HERE.

# # #

Markey: Energy Bill Will Unleash Renewable Revolution

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: Energy Bill Will Unleash Renewable Revolution

Congressman Worked to Protect Georges Bank, Increase LIHEAP Funding

WASHINGTON (September 16, 2008) -- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today hailed the expected passage of a comprehensive energy measure that will lower costs to consumers and American taxpayers, invest in renewable energy sources to create American jobs, expand domestic energy supply and create greater energy efficiency and conservation. Rep. Markey, as Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, fought to include important provisions for more efficient buildings, plug-in hybrid vehicles, low-income heating assistance, and protections for the important New England fishing region of Georges Bank.

“This is the culmination of a Congress dedicated to strengthening our nation’s energy policy,” said Rep. Markey. “This legislation, along with the energy bill we passed nearly a year ago, will make our buildings, cars, trucks, and appliances more efficient, and unleash a renewable revolution that will reinvigorate our stagnant economy.”

Among its provisions, the Comprehensive American Energy Security & Consumer Protection Act would roll back Big Oil tax breaks in a time of record oil company profits and require oil companies to pay royalties already owed to taxpayers; invest in wind, solar and natural gas, and 21st century energy sources to create millions of jobs; responsibly open up additional offshore areas for drilling with oil companies footing the bill instead of taxpayers; and release oil from the government’s stockpile to bring down gas prices.

“After eight years of a Bush-Cheney-Big Oil energy plan, it is time for an oil change,” said Rep. Markey today on the House floor in support of the bill. “It’s time to change our dependence on foreign oil and OPEC. It’s time to change from the dirty fossil fuels of the past to the renewable energies of the future. It’s time to change to invest in wind and solar. It’s time to change to start building green to save families money. The Republicans like to say ‘drill, baby drill,’ but for our nation’s energy policy the American public is saying it’s high time we started saying ‘change, baby, change.’”

Rep. Markey also worked to include key provisions for Massachusetts, New England, and the nation in this package. He ensured that Georges Bank would be off-limits to drilling, protecting New England’s important fishing industries; and he pushed for more funding for LIHEAP heating assistance programs; and for an increase in incentives for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which will save consumers money and cut pollution.

Saving Georges Bank is vital to New England’s economy. The greater Northeast region fishery landings are valued at approximately $800 million dockside, of which a large proportion is produced on Georges Bank. New Bedford, MA is by far the most productive fishing port in the United States, in terms of value of catch. The city’s $268 million catch in 2007 was nearly twice the value of the second and third most valuable fishing ports combined. The collective catch of New Bedford, Gloucester, and Provincetown-Chatham -- all of which principally fish Georges Bank -- accounts for 9 percent of the value of the entire U.S. annual catch, or nearly $350 million.

“This bill protects low-income families from painful ‘heat-or-eat’ decisions this winter, encourages the manufacture of the next generation of vehicles, and protects vital areas like Georges Bank from offshore drilling” said Rep. Markey.

The New Direction Congress has taken critical steps to address our nation’s energy independence. Last year, Congress passed and the President signed historic energy legislation with provisions to combat oil market manipulation, increase vehicle fuel efficiency to 35 miles per gallon in 2020 – the first Congressional increase in more than three decades – and promote the use of more affordable American biofuels.

When the emissions savings are combined, the energy bill expected to pass today and last December’s energy legislation will cut U.S. global warming emissions by a third of what scientists say is needed to save the planet, by 2030.

For more information on the Comprehensive American Energy Security & Consumer Protection Act, click here.

Select Committee Hearing 9/18: The Green Road to Economic Recovery

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2008

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Going Green to Get Back America’s Greenbacks

As Financial Sector Falters, Select Committee Hearing Explores Sustainable Path for American Economic Recovery

WASHINGTON – As Wall Street and Washington pick up the pieces from a broken financial sector, and families across the Gulf Coast assess the damage from multiple hurricanes, America is asking: how do we recover? How can we strengthen and stimulate our economy, protect our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil?

Tomorrow Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will explore the substantial role clean energy and climate-friendly policies should play in any economic stimulus and recovery plan. Several reports, including a recent study by the University of Massachusetts and Center for American Progress, say that investments in clean energy, energy efficiency and green buildings could create millions of jobs in America, including hundreds of thousands in the construction sector.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing: “The Green Road to Economic Recovery.”

WHO:
Mr. Bracken Hendricks, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
Dr. Robert Pollin, Co-Director, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Mr. Fred Redmond, Vice President, United Steelworkers
Mr. Byron Kennard, Executive Director, Center for Small Business and the Environment
Dr. Margo Thorning, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, American Council for Capital Formation

WHERE: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC
and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

WHEN: 1:30 PM, Thursday, September 18, 2008

# # #

Markey Launches Investigation into Oil CompaniesaEUR(TM) Involvement in Interior Dept. Scandal

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey Launches Investigation into Oil Companies’ Involvement in Interior Dept. Scandal

WASHINGTON (September 15, 2008) – Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) has launched an investigation into the growing scandal involving members of the Bush administration’s Interior Department oil division. Chairman Markey sent letters late Friday to the heads of the oil companies involved in the scandal, probing the companies’ knowledge of the unethical dealings between oil company officials and the regulators.

“Sniffing out the bad actors in the Bush administration’s oil division is important, but we need to be just as vigilant with the companies involved in this crude distortion of government ethics,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “It takes two to tango, and the oil companies appear to have danced over just as many ethical lines as the Bush administration officials.”

The letters were sent to Marvin Odum, President of Shell Oil; David O’Reilly, Chairman and CEO of Chevron; and Ronald Williams, President and CEO of Gary Williams Energy Corporation (Click on names for PDF versions).

In the letters, along with asking for detailed records of lobbying expenditures, the following questions are asked, among others:

--Did any senior executives at the companies have any knowledge, at any point in time, that employees were providing gifts to Interior Department employees or officials in violation of federal law?

--Did any senior executives at the companies direct any employee to seek out inappropriately close relationships with Interior Department employees or officials?

--Were any company funds used directly or on a reimbursable basis to provide prohibited gifts to Interior Department employees?

--Did the oil companies allocate funds in advance for the purchase of gifts for Interior Department or any other Bush administration employees or officials?

“From funding global warming deniers to fighting the expansion of renewable energy, Big Oil has done America no favors,” said Rep. Markey. “In doing many unethical favors for Bush administration officials, and expecting reciprocation when oil is bought and sold, the oil companies are continuing a long-established, disappointing trend.”

# # #

The TEXT of the LETTER is BELOW:

September 12, 2008

Mr. Marvin Odum
President
Shell Oil Company
North America Headquarters
Two Houston Center, Plaza Level I
909 Fannin Street
Houston, Texas 77010

Dear Mr. Odum:

On September 9, 2008, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of the Interior issued the final results of three separate investigations into allegations of misconduct by current and former employees of the Minerals Management Service (MMS), which oversees the leasing and management of our nation’s oil and gas resources. The OIG investigation uncovered multiple instances of misconduct by MMS employees.

According to the OIG reports, nearly one-third of the employees in MMS’ Royalty in Kind (RIK) department “socialized with, and received a wide array of gifts and gratuities from, oil and gas companies with whom RIK was conducting official business” and received gifts “with prodigious frequency.” Given the fact that oil and gas royalties comprise one of the largest non-tax revenue streams for the federal government and that the RIK department oversees the collection of nearly $4 billion of per year rightfully owed to American taxpayers by oil and gas companies, the discovery of these sorts of “textbook example[s] of improperly receiving gifts from prohibited sources” is profoundly troubling.

According to the OIG, employees from Shell were involved in inappropriately close relationships with Interior Department employees, including providing gifts in violation of federal law, in what has the appearance of an attempt to illegally influence the management and oversight of your company’s oil and gas activities and collection of royalty payments owed to the federal government. Therefore, I request that you or your company provide answers to the following questions by close of business on Wednesday, September 17, 2008:

1. Did any senior executives at Shell Oil Company have any knowledge, at any point in time, that Shell Oil Company employees were providing gifts to Interior Department employees or officials in violation of federal law? If so, please identify the name and position held by those senior executives.

2. Did any senior executives at Shell Oil Company direct any Shell employee to establish unprofessional relationships with Interior Department employees or officials? If so, what was the reason for those relationships? Were they in any way in an attempt to influence the management and oversight of Shell Oil Company’s oil and gas activities?

3. Were Shell Oil Company funds used directly or on a reimbursable basis to provide prohibited gifts to Interior Department employees? If so, who within Shell Oil Company authorized the use of such funds and how much was authorized?

4. Did Shell Oil Company allocate funds in advance for the purchase of gifts for Interior Department or any other Bush Administration employees or officials?

5. Please detail Shell Oil Company’s expenditures from 2002 to 2006 on lobbying Interior Department or Bush Administration employees or officials concerning the RIK program.

I look forward to your response. Should you have any questions about this request, please have your staff contact my staff at (202) 225-4012.

Sincerely,

Edward J. Markey
Chairman

cc: Mr. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
Ranking Member

American Universities/Students Lack R&D Funds to Meet Global Warming Challenge

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

American Universities Lack R&D Funds to Meet Global Warming Challenge

Best Student Minds Heading Overseas to Find Climate and Clean Energy Programs, Say Top Educators

WASHINGTON DC – In Congressional testimony yesterday, representatives from several of the nation’s leading universities warned that research and development money dedicated to solving the climate crisis was woefully lacking on our college campuses. Even as a record number of students in math, science and technology are seeking curricula that focus on global warming and energy solutions, they are being shut out due to lack of resources.

In turn, other nations such as Portugal and Germany have aggressively invested in clean energy R&D, placing the United States at risk of falling behind in the global race to invent the green technologies of the future.

“These days, the funding of global warming and clean technology research on American campuses isn’t making the grade,” said Congressman Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, which hosted the educators yesterday in a hearing. “Instead of opening up classrooms to create the clean energy future we all want, we’re slamming the doors in the faces of our nation’s greatest students.”

Below are excerpts from the administrators and professors from the nation’s leading research universities who testified before the Select Committee:

Dr. Susan Hockfield, President of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, testified:
•   “If we fail to make major strategic investments in energy research now, we will swiftly forfeit the advantage to our competitors, from China and India to Germany and Japan. Other countries have the money and motivation, and they are chasing the technology almost as fast as we are. We must make sure that in the energy technology markets of the future, we have the power to invent, produce and sell, not the obligation to buy.”

•   “The (MIT) students' interest is absolutely deafening, and one of my fears is that if we don't fund the kind of research that will fuel innovation, these very brilliant students will see that a bright future actually lies elsewhere, even despite their passion for solving what I believe is the greatest challenge of our era.”

Dr. Stephen Forrst, VP of Research, University of Michigan, wrote in his testimony:
•   “Many of the young researchers I encounter are eager to join in and devote their entire careers to this grand effort. However, their enthusiasm is tempered by what has been the unpredictable and steadily declining level of support for energy R&D over the last two decades. Simply put, the U.S. has not responded in a manner proportionate to the threat posed by entering an energy-insecure future”

Dr. Daniel Kammen, Professor, University of California-Berkeley, testified:
•   “While investment in research and development is roughly 3 percent of gross domestic product, it is roughly one-tenth that in the energy sector. By contrast, R&D investments in the medical and biotechnology field are roughly 15 percent of sales, almost a staggering 40 times more than in the energy field.

•   “The fact that we see three to five times more jobs per dollar invested in the clean tech energy area -- and I am including energy efficiency that we have not mentioned explicitly here, but it is vital to the equation, this job dividend, green collar jobs, inner city jobs, as well as the high end jobs    is a critical benefit that we can capture. And right now many of those jobs are going to Germany, Norway, Portugal. So we are losing out. In fact, little Portugal just set up a clean energy research investment fund larger than the entire U.S. investment in this area.”

•   “When I came to Berkeley from Princeton in 1998 there were 45 students in the graduate level energy class. We capped the class this semester of 320. And to let you know, I have a huge problem finding qualified teaching assistants because we have so swamped the potential spaces.”

Dr. Jack Fellows, VP, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, testified:
•   “There has been an erosion of key observational and science programs at NASA, NOAA, and NSF at precisely the time when they are most needed.”

For additional information and full testimony from this hearing, please visit the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

Hearing 9/10: Investing in the Future - R&D needs to meet America's Energy and Climate Challenges

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

SELECT COMMITTEE HEARING: Investing in the Future: R&D needs to meet America’s Energy and Climate Challenges

WASHINGTON -- Investment in scientific and technological innovation has been critical to the growth of the U.S. economy. Much of the technology available today to help meet the energy and climate challenges confronting our nation is due to our previous investments in energy and climate research and development (R&D).

Chairman Edward J. Markey and the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing entitled, “Investing in the Future: R&D needs to meet America’s Energy and Climate Challenges,” on Wednesday September 10th, at 10:00 AM EST in order to asses the future energy needs required for combating climate change and the necessary continued investment in R&D.

WHAT: Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Hearing, Investing in the Future: R&D needs to meet America’s Energy and Climate Challenges

WHEN: Wednesday September 10, 2008, 10:00AM, EST.

WHERE: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building, US Capitol Complex

WHO/WITNESS LIST:

Dr. Susan Hockfield, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr. Stephen Forrest, Vice President of Research, University of Michigan
Dr. Jack Fellows, Vice President, University Corporation on Atmospheric Research
Dr. Daniel Kammen, Professor, UC-Berkley

Fact Sheet: The Exporting of US Oil Supply by Big Oil

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

DID YOU KNOW:

In 2008, the year when gas hit $4 a gallon, Big Oil actually EXPORTED more U.S. oil to foreign countries than at any other time in history. That’s right. While consumers suffered at the pump, 2.027 million barrels per day of domestically-produced, American oil and petroleum products were shipped overseas in one month alone. That export level amounts to approximately 10 percent of all the oil the United States consumes every day.

Record Breaker:

Big Oil companies, who are projected to make $160 billion in profits this year alone, increased domestic exports to record levels in 2008 – the same year the price of gas has broken $4 a gallon.

Where Has Big Oil Been Sending U.S. Oil Supply?:

Since 2002, Big Oil has been sending American oil and petroleum products to many foreign nations including:

China
Venezuela
Taiwan
France
Mexico
South Korea

Questions Surround Republican Offshore Drilling Agenda:

President Bush, Minority Leader John Boehner and the Republican caucus have promised the American people that drilling off America’s beaches is the answer to the current energy crisis. This despite Bush’s own Department of Energy stating that additional drilling will have an “insignificant” impact on the price at the pump, and not for 7 to 10 years at the earliest.

Meanwhile, speculators -- who are responsible for driving the cost of a barrel of oil to a record $140 per barrel this summer -- blamed the spike in the price of oil on demand pressure from China and India. This raises serious questions about the Republican plan –are they planning to give Big Oil more public lands, just so these profit rich companies can Drill Here, Drill Now, only to send our oil to places like China and Venezuela?

For additional information, and a copy of a letter Cong. Edward Markey sent to President Bush on oil export issue, please CLICK HERE.

Markey to Bush: Keep Our Oil At Home

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey to Bush: Keep Our Oil At Home

U.S. Exporting 9 Times More than Potential Offshore Resources

WASHINGTON (August 19, 2008) – Even as calls to open up large swaths of America’s offshore areas to oil drilling continue, America is setting new records for exports of domestically produced oil and petroleum products. Today Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, sent a letter to the president asking him to explore stopping the exports of U.S. oil to foreign nations.

“Mr. President, keep our oil at home. While American families have been shelling out big bucks at the pump, we’ve been shipping American oil and petroleum products abroad to places like China, Singapore and Venezuela,” said Markey. “If we want to help America become energy independent, we should first look to American oil being shipped to foreign countries.”

According to the letter, the United States’ record export levels this year amounts to nearly 10 percent of all the oil the United States consumes every day. U.S. oil exports increased to 1.806 million barrels a day in May 2008 -- the most recent month for which data is available -- from last year’s average export level of 1.433 million barrels a day of oil and petroleum products. In addition, the United States reached the highest level of oil exports in our nation’s history in February of this year.

These oil exports far exceed projections for oil from offshore drilling. The letter notes that projections from the Department of Energy for offshore drilling say that “at the height of production, in 2030, increased offshore drilling would produce only 200,000 barrels per day – one ninth the amount of oil we currently send to foreign countries every day.” The letter also notes that, at the current export rate, by the time the first barrel of oil could be produced from increased offshore drilling, America would have already exported the equivalent of nearly 40 percent of the oil that is projected to lie beneath protected areas offshore.

“This is yet more proof that there are countless efforts America could make to increase our energy independence that dwarf any results from offshore drilling,” continued Markey. “We should be stopping oil exports and increasing the production of renewable energy and plug-in hybrid vehicles, not depend on Big Oil’s offshore drilling pipeline dream.”

# # #

The letter is available on the Select Committee’s website HERE

Bush Admin. Denies Congressional Access to More Global Warming Documents

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jeff Sharp, Select Committee, 202.225.4079

Jessica Schafer, Congressman Markey, 202.225.2836

Bush Admin. Denies Congressional Access to More Global Warming Documents

NHTSA Holding Back Information on California Clean Cars, Fuel Economy Regulations

WASHINGTON (August 8, 2008) – The Bush administration is again denying Congressional access to documents pertaining to important global warming and fuel economy decisions. Chairman Edward Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, the committee seeking the documents, responded today, again asking for documents related to the Department of Transportation’s assertion that California’s rights to issue regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles using Clean Air Act authority are preempted by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, even though two Federal courts have ruled otherwise. The chairman again asked for copies of drafts and about which individuals within the administration were involved in the decision to include the assertions in recent proposed fuel economy rules.

This action follows a long process by the Select Committee to gain access to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) documents on national global warming emissions regulations from vehicles, which revealed significant political influence on a scientific decision and a complete reversal on the part of many within the administration.

"We have seen how EPA’s national vehicle emissions regulations were twisted by political forces from deep within the White House," said Chairman Markey. "It’s imperative that we now discover if there were similar machinations within the Department of Transportation trying to shoot down California’s right to reduce global warming pollution from vehicles."

Chairman Markey asked in June for documents and information pertaining to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on fuel economy standards. The NPRM was responding to the energy bill passed in December that raised fuel economy standards to at least 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Chairman Markey asked about the gas price estimates used for creating fuel economy targets, and whether those estimates were high enough to reflect the current and future prices of gas, given the estimates used in the NPRM were below $3 per gallon.

Chairman Markey also asked for information pertaining to California’s rights to proceed with its clean car regulations. The NPRM contained the administration’s view that state regulations to reduce heat-trapping pollution from motor vehicles were preempted by national policy. In subsequent exchanges, when asked for more information on how this decision was reached, and by whom, NHTSA responded that they would not provide any of the documents to the Select Committee because the documents were "pre-decisional." In today's response letter, Chairman Markey notes: "I am not aware of any court that has recognized ‘pre-decisional’ as an adequate basis to withhold documents from a valid Congressional request." The letter further stated that if the agency is relying on a claim of executive privilege to withhold the documents, then that claim should be formally asserted.

Along with a request for the documents themselves, in all forms, Chairman Markey also asks whether any White House or other executive branch officials assisted in drafting NHTSA’s NPRM, and lists of any names, dates of any meetings, conversations, correspondence or any other interactions between NHTSA and other administration officials.

The letters can be found on the Select Committee website and below:

Chairman Markey’s letter calling on NHTSA to stop stonewalling on its views on the California regulations (8.7.08):

http://globalwarming.house.gov/tools/2q08materials/files/0141.pdf

Response from NHITSA General Council (7.28.08):

http://globalwarming.house.gov/tools/2q08materials/files/0140.pdf

Response from Department of Transportation General Counsel (7.28.08):

http://globalwarming.house.gov/tools/2q08materials/files/0142.pdf

Chairman Markey’s original request for information (6.17.08):

http://globalwarming.house.gov/tools/2q08materials/files/0143.pdf

Markey: ObamaaEUR(TM)s Energy Plan Has Majority House Support

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

Obama’s Energy Plan Has Majority House Support

Republicans Blocking Responsible Drilling, Oil Reserve Use, Renewable Energy Policies

WASHINGTON (August 4, 2008) – The major tenets of an energy plan announced today by Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has the support of a majority of House members, but is being blocked by Republican leadership who have voted against policies to encourage responsible drilling, short-term price relief, and a long-term shift to renewable energy.

“When it comes to energy and global warming policies, Senator Obama gets it. America has an opportunity to finally move beyond oil and towards renewable energy, but Republicans continue to block this shift and only focus on what they can do to help profit-rich oil companies,” said Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Senator Obama will be in Boston tonight. “In fact, the House has won a majority of votes on many of Senator Obama’s proposals, only to have the initiatives blocked by Senator McCain, the White House and other allies of Big Oil.”

Senator Obama’s plan included the following initiatives that have won majority support in the House, only to be blocked by Republicans either in the House or Senate:

--“Use It or Lose It” legislation to compel oil companies to drill on the 68 million acres of land and sea they have but on which they are not producing.

--A release of 70 million barrels of light crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and modernizing the system by swapping in heavy crude oil.

--A renewable electricity standard to set a percentage of energy produced by clean energy like wind and solar.

--An extension of tax incentives for renewable energy, plug-in hybrids and other technologies.

“While the House and Senate passed an energy bill in December which will increase the fuel economy of America’s vehicles and the amount of advanced biofuels available for drivers’ fuel tanks, Republicans are continuing to block further measures to help consumers at the pump and lay the groundwork for a long-term shift to clean, renewable energy,” said Chairman Markey.

This fall, the House will push to bring a renewable electricity standard and tax incentive extensions for renewable energy and high-mileage vehicles. Chairman Markey, Speaker Pelosi and other House leaders have committed to push for these important policies.

# # #

Markey: Top Five Oil Cos. On Track for $160 Billion in Profits in 2008

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: Top Five Oil Cos. On Track for $160 Billion in Profits in 2008

Companies Must Stop Protecting Billions in Tax Breaks Meant for Renewables

--UPDATED STAFF REPORT ON BIG OIL PROFITS BELOW--

WASHINGTON (July 31, 2008) – With ExxonMobil’s report of a $11.68 billion haul in the second quarter of 2008, the world’s top five oil companies are now on track for more than $160 billion in profits this year, easily outpacing last year’s $123 billion. And while Americans continue to call for a shift away from expensive fossil fuels and towards renewable energy, the oil companies are protecting billions of dollars in tax breaks that Democrats want to shift to renewable energy and clean fuels.

“Exxon’s profits are excessive. Shell’s profits leave us shellshocked. And BP now stands for Bloated Profits,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “These oil companies cannot continue to earn these profits, spend a pittance on renewable fuels to move America beyond oil, and then block any efforts to shift billions in tax breaks to companies trying to bring about the next generation of clean energy.”

The Select Committee on Energy Independence today released an updated report on the profits from Big Oil and where their money is being spent. The top five oil companies are now on track to hit $160 billion in profits for the year, but much like last year, money from the pockets of American drivers is being spent on stock buybacks more than on research and development of renewable fuels.

The report is available at the Select Committee’s website HERE.

According to the report, Exxon made $40.6 billion in profits in 2007, spent $31.8 billion on stock buybacks, and invested only $10 million dollars in renewable energy resources. This year, Exxon has already spent $16 billion in stock buybacks.

The oil companies have also lobbied against releasing light crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and replacing that oil with heavy crude and against legislation that would compel production on the 68 million acres of leases the oil companies currently own on American land and sea, but are not using.

# # #

Markey: Cheney-Bush to Big Oil: Can We Get You Anything Else??

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4079 / Cong. Markey office, 202-225-2836

Markey: Cheney-Bush to Big Oil: Can We Get You Anything Else??

WASHINGTON (July 30, 2008) – In response to the Interior Department’s announcement today that it would solicit comments to develop a new offshore oil and gas leasing program, which could include areas not currently open to drilling, Rep. Edward J. Markey, Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming issued the following statement:

"The results are in: seven and a half years of the Bush-Cheney energy policy have resulted in $4 gas and a projected $168 billion in profits for their friends in Big Oil this year alone. And today in its final hours, the Bush Administration has formally announced a Going Out of Business Sale of all of our nation's public lands offshore.

“While American families are thinking about the beaches where they would most enjoy their summer vacations, the Bush Administration is asking Big Oil to start thinking about the beaches where they would most like to start drilling. Rather than telling Big Oil to come up with a wish list of new public lands to be opened for drilling, the Bush Administration should join Democrats in Congress in telling Big Oil to drill on the 68 million acres of public land they already hold that they are not using.”

# # #

Select Committee Report Details Fuel Economy Regret

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Select Committee Report Details Fuel Economy Regret

Analysis Shows Republican-blocked Standards Would Have Reduced Oil Imports 1.5 Million Barrels a Day, Saved Consumers Billions

WASHINGTON (July 29, 2008) – How much would American consumers be saving at the pump and how much less dependent on oil would America be if Congress had passed fuel economy standards years before the 2007 energy bill? Those are the questions a new report by the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming explored, and it serves as a lesson to stay aggressive on the recently-passed fuel economy standards and on fuel-saving policies.

The Select Committee staff report details the oil, consumer and national expenditure savings America would currently be enjoying had Republicans passed a 35 mile per gallon standard as the Democrats did in 2007. The report examines the years 1994, when the Clinton administration began to formulate a new fuel economy proposal, only to be blocked by a new Republican-led Congress from advancing the proposal; and 2001, when the Republican Congress first allowed a vote on a fuel economy proposal, authored by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee.

“I’m proud that Congress finally passed fuel economy standards last December, putting us on a path to break our dependence on imported oil,” said Rep. Markey. “But it’s clear this should have happened much sooner, and Republicans should have serious regret over their years of blocking higher fuel economy standards.”

The full report is available on the Select Committee website HERE.

The report found that had Republicans allowed the same 35 mpg standard to be adopted in 1994 as the Democrats passed in 2007:

--By model year 2008, new cars and light trucks sold would have already had a fleet-wide average of 35 mpg for two years, instead of 2022, as would occur under the current standards.
--In 2008, America would be saving 1.5 million barrels of oil per day, or 547.5 million barrels of oil per year.
--American drivers would be saving $90 billion a year, and the American economy would avoid spending $71.2 billion per year buying oil.
--The average annual consumer savings at the pump per vehicle would be $391, a savings of almost 20 percent from what consumers are currently spending (about $2,375/vehicle).

And if the Republican Congress had adopted the 35 mpg standard in 2001:

--By 2008, we would be in year five of the standards, instead of 2015, as would occur under the current standards.
--America would already be saving 150,000 barrels of oil per day, or 54.75 million barrels of oil per year.
--American drivers would be saving $9 billion, and the American economy would avoid spending $7.12 billion per year buying oil.
--The average annual consumer savings at the pump per vehicle would be $39, with greater savings for new vehicles.

The report serves as a cautionary tale for current efforts to strengthen the path of the current standards by using higher, more realistic gas price assumptions. Under the standards passed last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) must require the maximum feasible fuel economy increase – even if the maximum feasible increases result in the 35 mpg standard being met earlier than 2020.

On April 22, 2008, NHTSA issued proposed fuel economy standards for model years 2011-15 which are projected to result in a projected fleetwide average of 31.6 mpg. However, NHTSA drafted its proposed regulations using Energy Information Administration (EIA) assumptions about gas prices that do not match up with current or projected prices. At a time when gasoline prices are at $4 per gallon, NHTSA used EIA’s 2008 forecast for gasoline prices that range from $2.42/gallon in 2016 to $2.51/gallon in 2030.

Using a more realistic, higher gas price assumption would greatly impact the fuel economy feasibility calculation, but NHTSA’s reliance on unrealistic projections have the effect of artificially lowering the calculated “maximum feasible” fuel economy standards. If NHTSA used EIA’s higher gasoline price scenario range of $3.14/gallon in 2016 to $3.74/gallon in 2030, its own analysis showed that technology is available to cost-effectively achieve a much higher fleet-wide fuel economy of nearly 35 mpg in 2015.

On June 11, 2008, EIA Administrator Guy Caruso testified before the Select Committee and agreed that NHTSA should use EIA’s higher gas price scenario in setting fuel economy standards. However, at a June 26, 2008 hearing before the Select Committee, a Department of Transportation witness refused to commit to doing so.

“If there is one lesson in all of this, it’s that when you have a chance to be aggressive on fuel-saving policies, you should be as aggressive as possible,” said Rep. Markey. “We can’t get back the years of inaction on this issue, but looking ahead, we must drive harder towards higher fuel efficiency.”

# # #

Hearing 7/31:Future Power, Select Committee Gives Glimpse Into Energy World of Tomorrow. . .Today

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2008

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Future Power: Select Committee Hearing Gives Glimpse Into Energy World of Tomorrow. . .Today

Gore Initiative CEO, “Father of Plug-In Hybrids”, Clean Energy Technology Experts Lay Out Transition to Clean Energy Age

For decades, consumers have been teased with fantastical visions of the future. From the “kitchen of tomorrow” to flying cars, predicting the technological wonders ahead is as American as apple pie made by an automated oven. With gas prices soaring and climate concerns growing, America and the planet don’t have the option to keep the future of energy wrapped within magazine pages or celluloid reels. And the good news about clean energy is that the future is already here.

On Thursday, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will peer into the possibilities of current technologies flourishing into a new clean energy age, and what America and the world must do to advance this era. The CEO of Vice President Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection will discuss his ambitious proposal to be carbon-free within a decade, and the “father of plug-in hybrids” and experts in superconductors and other important technologies will offer expertise on current and future technologies that can break our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels, create jobs, save money and save our planet from global warming.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing: “Renewing America’s Future: Energy Visions of Tomorrow, Today.”

WHO:
Ms. Cathy Zoi, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Climate Protection
Dr. Andrew Frank, Professor, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of California at Davis
Gregory Yurek, Ph.D, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, American Superconductor Corporation
Aristides A. N. Patrinos, Ph.D, President, Synthetic Genomics
Steven Lockard, CEO, TPI Composites

WHEN: 1:30 PM, Thursday, July 31, 2008

WHERE: 2325 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

# # #

Hearing 7/30: WhataEUR(TM)s Cooking with Natural Gas?

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Select Committee Hearing: What’s Cooking with Natural Gas?

Hearing to Examine Fuel’s Role in Global Warming Solutions

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing on what role natural gas can play in a climate-friendly energy future. Natural gas plays a critical role in numerous sectors of our economy from home heating to chemical production to electricity generation to transportation fuel. With 3.4 percent of global natural gas reserves, the United States has the fifth largest reserves in the world.

Since a low in 1986, domestic consumption of natural gas has generally increased and its uses have broadened. Natural gas has especially become popular as a cleaner alternative to coal in the electrical utility sector and gasoline and diesel in the transportation sector. As Congress considers energy policies that will increase our energy independence and help solve global warming, understanding the role of natural gas in our economy and how it might contribute to energy policies is critical.

WHAT: Hearing of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming entitled, “What’s Cooking with Gas: the Role of Natural Gas in Energy Independence and Global Warming Solutions.”

WHEN: Wednesday, July 30, 1PM

WHERE: B-318 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

WHO:
Aubrey McClendon, CEO, Chesapeake Energy
Clay Harris, CEO, Suez LNG North America
David Manning, Executive VP, National Grid
Rich Wells, Vice President Energy, The Dow Chemical Company
John German, Manager Environmental and Energy Analysis, American Honda

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SELECT COMMITTEE TO HOLD NEW ENGLAND GLOBAL WARMING FIELD HEARING

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MONDAY, 11 AM, JULY 28, 2008

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

SELECT COMMITTEE TO HOLD NEW ENGLAND GLOBAL WARMING FIELD HEARING

(Hartford, CT) – Chairman Ed Markey (MA-07), Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will bring Congress to New England for a special field hearing on the economics of global warming. Please join the members of the Select Committee as they hear from local businesses about how they are leading the way on developing alternative energies and adapting to a new climate change reality.

Climate change will have a direct impact on New England’s businesses and economy, from a changing marketplace to new regulatory constraints. This hearing will examine the current and future business opportunities and challenges that global warming presents. Witnesses will include George David of United Technologies, Dan Esty of Yale University, and John Rice of General Electric.

WHAT: A Select Committee Field Hearing titled; “The Economics of Global Warming:
How Climate Change is Shaping the Way U.S. Companies Do Business.”

WHO:
Congressman Ed Markey (MA-07), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus Members of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

WITNESSES:
George David, Chairman, United Technologies Corporation Dan Esty, Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy at Yale University, Director of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy an the Center for Business & Environment John Rice, Vice Chairman, General Electrics and CEO, General Electrics Infrastructure

WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2008 at 11:00 am

WHERE: Mark Twain House and Museum
351 Farmington Avenue
Hartford, CT 06112
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Markey: Bush-Cheney Oil Profit Agenda Blocks Consumer Relief

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

Markey: Bush-Cheney Oil Profit Agenda Blocks Consumer Relief

Oil Reserves Vote a Missed Opportunity to Help American People, Says Chairman

WASHINGTON (July 24, 2008) – Below is the statement of Rep. Edward J. Markey (-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, and co-author of the Consumer Energy Supply Act of 2008 (H.R. 6578), with Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Tex.), which missed passage by 16 votes today on the House floor (final vote count: 268-157, with all Democrats voting in the affirmative).

“When it comes to helping consumers at the pump, President Bush, Vice President Cheney and the Republican allies of Big Oil never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

“Today’s vote featured all Democrats and nearly 40 enlightened Republicans voting for immediate consumer relief, but 157 Republicans still sided with the oil profit agenda of President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

“Democrats are pushing for near-term price relief and a long-term shift towards renewable energy and clean energy technologies to shift our economy away from expensive and dirty fossil fuels. Today’s vote will not deter Democrats, and forward-thinking Republicans, from pushing a new, American clean energy future.”

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Hearing 7/23: Deploying Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2008

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Select Committee to Hold Hearing on Deploying Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve

On Wednesday, July 23, 2008, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing on how releasing oil from America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve can bring immediate relief to high oil and gas prices. The past three presidents, including President George W. Bush, have successfully used the SPR to reduce oil prices during times of crisis.

WHAT: Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming hearing, “Immediate Relief from High Oil Prices: Deploying the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.”

WHEN: 9:15 AM, Wednesday, July 23, 2008

WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

WHO:
Mr. C. Kyle Simpson, Policy Director, Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Schreck
Dr. Joe Romm, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
James May, President and CEO, Air Transport Association of America (invited)

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Select Committee Investigation: Oil Industry Behind White House Switch on Global Warming

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Select Committee Investigation: Oil Industry Behind White House Switch on Global Warming

President’s Chief of Staff Office, Cabinet Officials, Electric Utility Industry Originally Agreed to Regulation Of Emissions from Vehicles, Power Plants

WASHINGTON (July 18, 2008) – An investigation by the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming has found that members of government at the highest levels, including the office of President George W. Bush’s Chief of Staff and numerous heads of Cabinet departments, had decided to use the Clean Air Act to regulate global warming emissions not only from vehicles, but also from power plants, refineries, and other so-called stationary sources – but reversed their decision in the face of strong opposition from ExxonMobil and others within the oil industry, as well as from at least one senior adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney.

"This is the dysfunctions and motivations of the Bush administration laid bare," said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee. "The fact that they can, with near unanimity, completely switch positions on global warming to please the oil industry is shocking, and yet disappointingly predictable."

The investigation by the Select Committee is based on an on-the-record interview with a former high-ranking EPA official, Jason Burnett, confidential discussions with other EPA staff, and review of EPA documents obtained in response to a Select Committee subpoena.

The full investigative report and transcript of the interview with Mr. Burnett is available on the Select Committee website here:

http://globalwarming.house.gov/tools/2q08materials/files/0110.pdf (report)

http://globalwarming.house.gov/tools/2q08materials/files/0109.pdf (transcript)

The report reveals the following major findings, among others:

--President Bush’s Deputy Chief of Staff Joel Kaplan and numerous heads of cabinet agencies --including Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, Office of Management and Budget’s Susan E. Dudley, and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairman James L. Connaughton, among others -- and White House offices endorsed EPA’s finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public welfare, and EPA’s proposals that greenhouse gas emissions from both vehicles and stationary sources including power plants and refineries should be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

-- White House Deputy Chief of Staff Kaplan personally approved EPA’s plan to go forward with a positive endangerment finding, which would necessitate the regulation of greenhouse gas regulations for motor vehicles and fuels, as well as trigger regulation of stationary source emissions under the Clean Air Act.

--While electric utility representatives, including the Edison Electric Institute (which represents the nation’s major investor-owned utilities), agreed that it would be best for EPA to proceed with regulation of both vehicles and stationary sources using Clean Air Act authority, oil industry representatives from ExxonMobil, the American Petroleum Institute, and the National Petrochemicals and Refiners Association, adopted a "not on my watch" approach – arguing that such regulations would tarnish President Bush’s conservative anti-regulatory legacy, and should be delayed until the next President took office.

--Doing the oil industry’s bidding, the Bush administration reversed course on regulating heat-trapping emissions – opting to do nothing and leave it to the next president to respond to the serious environmental threat of global warming. This decision was made at the very highest level within the White House. The winning argument against regulatory action had the support of the Office of Vice President Cheney, including Vice President Cheney’s energy adviser, F. Chase Hutto III.

--Most of the cabinet secretaries and heads of White House offices who recently wrote letters opposing use of the Clean Air Act to regulate global warming emissions – which were appended to the release of EPA’s July 11, 2008 "Advance Notice of Proposed Regulation" – had previously supported regulation of both vehicles and stationary sources under the act.

The report follows months of action by Chairman Markey and the Select Committee to unearth decisions and findings on global warming within the Bush administration. Starting in January of 2008, Chairman Markey requested documents from Administrator Johnson, leading to a lengthy subpoena process which resulted in the Select Committee achieving exclusive access to December 2007 EPA global warming findings on regulating emissions that were eventually scuttled by the White House.

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Markey: GoreaEUR(TM)s Climate Challenge Deserves Strong Answer from Congress

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

Markey: Gore’s Climate Challenge Deserves Strong Answer from Congress

Renewable Revolution Waiting in Wings, Says Chairman

WASHINGTON (July 17, 2008) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, today applauded Vice President Al Gore for his call to reform America’s electricity sector and bring fairness and sanity back to America’s energy system.

Chairman Markey is the author of the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act, or iCAP, which has the highest targets—85 percent reductions in global warming emissions by 2050—of any Congressional proposal, including reductions from 100 percent of America’s electricity sector. The bill also reflects Vice President Gore’s call for fairness through a cap-and-invest system that helps low- and middle-income Americans and fossil fuel workers and industries equitably transition to a clean energy future.

Below is the statement of Chairman Markey:

“Vice President Gore’s call today reflects not just the urgency of global warming, but the pent up renewable energy revolution that is waiting in the wings, ready to be unleashed. At a time when fossil fuels are dragging down our economy, we should be looking to free fuels like the wind and the sun to power our economy, and we should be moving swiftly to bring these promising energy sources to the entire world.

“Congress must take this clarion call from our nation’s climate sage and act, swiftly and fairly. Climate legislation can grow our economy, assist low and middle income families and workers, and transition us to a stable, clean energy future, but we are running out of time.

“It has been more than two years since the release of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, and we have still not answered the call to save our planet and save our economy. We cannot go another two years, or even one year, without passing legislation to significantly cut global warming emissions and unleash a renewable energy future.”

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Markey: President DoesnaEUR(TM)t Think WeaEUR(TM)re In an Oil Emergency??

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: President Doesn’t Think We’re In an Oil Emergency??

Record Inflation, $4 Gasoline, and Still the President Opposes Using Strategic Petroleum Reserve

WASHINGTON (July 15, 2008) – During President Bush’s news conference today, he was asked about the use of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to release oil into the marketplace and bring down the price at the pump. He responded by saying “ [The reserve] is for emergencies . . .” indicating that he has no intention of using any of the 700 million barrels of oil currently residing in the SPR.

“The president is once again demonstrating that he is a leader with blinders on,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Four dollar gasoline, bogged down in a war in Iraq, the economy entering a recession, the stock market down more than 15 percent since January, the housing market in crisis, banks failing, the highest inflation in almost 30 years, and he still doesn’t think we’re in an emergency?”

Chairman Markey yesterday announced he is finalizing a bill that will force the president to deploy oil from the reserve at an average rate of 500,000 barrels a day of light sweet crude oil for approximately six months. The bill would then swap in cheaper heavy crude oil to the reserves, replenishing the SPR, using the additional money raised from the swap to fund low-income energy assistance and renewable energy development.

Today at a press conference with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chairman Markey, three leading economists -- former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and former Council of Economic Adviser Alan Binder and renowned economist Allen Sinai -- endorsed the use of the SPR and a ‘swap’ of oil as proposed by Chairman Markey as a way to address oil prices.

Since the SPR was established, multiple presidents, including the current President Bush after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, have released oil from the SPR to bring down the price of oil. Earlier this year, Chairman Markey and other Democratic leaders pushed a successful bi-partisan effort to stop the president from continuing to fill the SPR at a rate of 70,000 barrels a day, a move the president opposed before a veto-proof majority was won on the measure.

Democratic leaders are pushing for immediate relief by releasing oil from the SPR, and long-term solutions through increased fuel economy standards and renewable fuels like cellulosic ethanol, which the Democrats passed in December. Democrats are also pushing for more plug-in hybrid vehicles and renewable energy to break our dependence on oil and fossil fuels.

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MARKEY: BushaEUR"In Big Oil We Trust

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

MARKEY: Bush—In Big Oil We Trust

WASHINGTON (July 11, 2008) -- In response to comments made by President George Bush this morning on the energy and environmental crisis facing the nation, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, released the following statement:

“With millions of families hurting at the pump, President Bush continues to tell the American people to put their trust in Big Oil and hope things get better decades from now. He refuses to use the 700 million barrel Strategic Petroleum Reserve that could immediately help consumers, yet continues to sell the oil companies’ drilling proposal as if he worked in their PR department.

“The Bush administration’s own energy experts say that if Congress allowed drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines today, we could not produce a single drop of oil or gas there for at least 10 years, and we would not reach peak production until 2030. And even then, the additional production would have no significant impact on prices. Despite these facts, the President continues to try to fool the American public into believing that drilling in these areas will magically drive down prices at the pump this summer. This is a complete and total fraud.

“While continuing his crusade to help Big Oil exploit America’s beaches and pristine coastlines for offshore drilling, the president still has yet to answer why oil companies are not drilling now on the 68 million acres of land on which they currently have access. Bush continues to threaten a veto of any renewable energy legislation that will provide domestic energy for every American faster and cheaper than his beach-side drilling schemes.

“This summer, Democrats in Congress have pushed an immediate energy relief package that includes releasing millions of barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve and cracking down on rampant oil market speculators. We will continue to push for long-term renewable solutions and immediate gas price relief .”

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Markey: On Global Warming Decision, White House Hacks Slash While Planet Burns

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: On Global Warming Decision, White House Hacks Slash While Planet Burns

Today’s Climate Document A Shadow of Previous Drafts Reviewed by Select Committee

Timeline and Comparison Chart Provided by Select Committee Below

WASHINGTON (July 11, 2008) – In a shameful display of political interference with potential regulation of global warming pollution, the Bush administration has watered down findings on global warming in a rulemaking notice released today by the Environmental Protection Agency. The so-called Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released today, a response to last year’s Supreme Court’s decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, pales in comparison to earlier drafts, including a draft of findings from December of 2007 that was reviewed by staff of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. A draft of the ANPR from May 2008 was leaked and widely examined.

“Today’s sanitized and censored global warming proposal is a shadow of what the scientific experts say is needed to save the planet,” said Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee, which was the only committee to access all drafts of the documents. “The White House has taken an earnest attempt by their own climate experts to respond to the Supreme Court’s mandate to address global warming pollution, and turned it into a Frankenstein’s monster.”

“On global warming, the White House uses the slash-and-burn technique. They slash any meaningful statements or action on global warming, and allow the planet to burn,” continued Rep. Markey.

A full timeline of the ANPR process, including the Select Committee’s process to gain access to the December drafts, and a chart comparing key portions of the various drafts of the document, is available below this release.

Today’s proposal also includes an unprecedented airing of grievances by the head of the Office of Management and Budget, Susan Dudley, and other cabinet officials, sharply criticizing the very exploration of regulatory options EPA is issuing.

“This is Bush administration dysfunction on full display,” said Rep. Markey.

The proposal released today scrubs much of the significant language and decisions on global warming from the December draft findings. The December draft showed that, among other findings: EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson determined that man-made global warming is unequivocal, the evidence is both compelling and robust, and the administration must act to prevent harm rather than wait for harm to occur before acting; that global warming could harm human welfare (the so-called “endangerment finding”); and that fuel economy standards could be much higher.

“This ANPR is really the Administration’s Notice of Prior Result – the failure of President Bush to regulate global warming pollution. Even when the supreme court of climate science, the IPCC, and the actual Supreme Court agree that carbon dioxide has serious consequences for America, the president is unwilling to do his duty to protect the nation,” continued Rep. Markey.

The regulations today were created in response to the Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, which directed the administration to make a determination on the danger posed by global warming and to propose regulations under the Clean Air Act for reducing global warming emissions from motor vehicles and fuels.

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The Bush Administration’s Evolution on Massachusetts v EPA: From Progress to Politization

Overview

On April 2, 2007, the Supreme Court ruled that the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles fall under the authority of EPA and the Clean Air Act, and directed EPA to determine whether they endanger public health or welfare (the so-called endangerment finding), and, if so, to regulate them . While EPA initially began to respond to the Supreme Court’s charge and formulated a positive endangerment finding and drafted proposed regulations in December 2007, the White House ultimately scuttled the effort in favor of an “Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” (ANPR), released on July 11, 2008 (after a May 30, 2008 version was leaked). The July 11 ANPR does not contain EPA’s finding of endangerment and regulatory recommendations, and guarantees that President Bush will leave office without acting on the Supreme Court’s charge. An analysis and timeline detailing the evolution of the EPA’s response to the Supreme Court decision is included in this document.

In addition, the July 11 ANPR demonstrates what can only be described as a bizarre and dysfunctional policy-making process — highlighting the deep conflicts within the Bush Administration on how best to respond to climate change. While all three drafts of the EPA’s response to the Massachusetts v. EPA decision (December 2007, May 30, 2008 and July 11, 2008) clearly signal that EPA legal and scientific personnel have concluded that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public welfare and therefore can and must be regulated under the Clean Air Act, the final ANPR also contains political statements to the contrary made by high-level White House officials and Bush Administration cabinet members, as exemplified below:

Susan E. Dudley, Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, White House Office of Management and Budget: “The issues raised during interagency review are so significant that we have been unable to reach interagency consensus in a timely way, and as a result, this staff draft cannot be considered Administration policy or representative of the views of the Administration…. [T]he Clean Air Act is a deeply flawed and unsuitable vehicle for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Interagency reviewers concluded upon reading the draft that trying to address greenhouse gas emissions through the existing provisions of the Clean Air Act will not only harm the U.S. economy, but will fail to provide an effective response to the global challenge of climate change.”
EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson: “One point is clear: the potential regulation of greenhouse gases under any portion of the Clean Air Act could result in an unprecedented expansion of EPA authority that would have a profound effect on virtually every sector of the economy and touch every household in the land…. I believe the ANPR demonstrates the Clean Air Act, an outdated law originally enacted to control regional pollutants that cause direct health effects, is ill-suited for the task of regulating global greenhouse gases. Based on the analysis to date, pursuing this course of action would inevitably result in a very complicated, time-consuming and, likely, convoluted set of regulations. These rules would largely pre-empt or overlay existing programs that help control greenhouse gas emissions and would be relatively ineffective at reducing greenhouse gas concentrations given the potentially damaging effect on jobs and the U.S. economy.”
Edward T. Schafer, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Mary E. Peters, Secretary, Department of Transportation, Samuel W. Bodman, Secretary, Department of Energy: “[T]he Clean Air Act is fundamentally ill-suited to the effective regulation of GHG emissions.”
Edward P. Lazear, Chairman, White House Council of Economic Advisors, John H. Marburger III, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy: “First, the Clean Air Act would result in excessive regulation… Second, the Clean Air Act may be inadequate…. Third, regulation of GHG through the Clean Air Act will prove inordinately burdensome….Fourth, the Clean Air Act entails redundancy… Finally, any GHG regulation imposed under the Clean Air Act is almost certain to fail…. We believe that the Clean Air Act is not the appropriate statutory framework for dealing with climate change. The Clean Air Act was never intended to address issues with the global complexity of GHG emissions.”

Both the May 30, 2008 leaked draft ANPR and the draft ANPR released by EPA on July 11, 2008 contain a remarkably broad and open discussion of potential options for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources, such as power plants, refineries, and cement plants. This discussion provides an evenhanded treatment of the pros and cons of regulation under various sections of the Clean Air Act. While acknowledging potential legal hurdles, the drafts include extensive discussion of options for overcoming such hurdles. They also include extensive discussion of technologies and policy options for increasing flexibility and reducing costs, including the use of market-based cap-and-trade mechanisms. Finally, both drafts make reference to a “technical support document” appendix that analyzes the options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from specific source categories (such as power plants) – a precursor to moving forward with regulations targeting such categories.

However, in keeping with the White House’s view that addressing global warming pollution under the Clean Air Act is unworkable and too costly, Administrator Johnson’s introduction to the July 11, 2008 ANPR, together with the appended letters from OMB OIRA Administrator Susan Dudley and other agency heads, sharply disavow the Agency’s analysis in the December 2007, May 30 and July 11 documents, and instead amplify remarks made by President Bush on April 16, 2008 that the Clean Air Act was “never meant to regulate global climate change” and that using it to do so could “have crippling effects on our entire economy”.

The Endangerment Finding and Proposed Vehicle Regulations

After the Massachusetts v. EPA decision, EPA engaged in a lengthy and laborious inter-agency process resulting in its conclusion that greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles do endanger public welfare as well as an aggressive regulatory framework to reduce those emissions.

What follows is a comparison of three versions of EPA’s analysis related to its specific response to Massachusetts v. EPA: The proposed endangerment finding and greenhouse gas motor vehicle regulations approved by Stephen Johnson in December 2007, the May 30 2008 leaked draft ANPR that was submitted by EPA to OMB, and the final version of the July 11 2008 ANPR released by EPA. In addition, a timeline of events that led to today’s ANPR release is also included.

Other than the Bush Administration, only the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming has had access to all of these documents.

This comparison demonstrates that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson determined – consistent with the views of his scientific and technical advisors – that greenhouse gas emissions are dangerous and that motor vehicle emissions should be regulated by EPA, but that the Bush Administration ultimately refused to allow these steps to be taken. Moreover, each draft of the documents that ultimately were folded into the July 11, 2008 ANPR contained fewer recommendations, weaker conclusions and less extensive analysis such that the final, publicly released version says almost nothing whatsoever.

Topic	December 2007 documents submitted to OMB	May 30 2008 draft ANPR submitted to OMB	July 11 ANPR released by EPA
Draft regulatory proposal?	YES, for cars and light trucks	NO	NO
Endangerment finding made?	YES – greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles endanger public welfare.	NO, EPA asks for comment on whether science supports endangerment, and what the scope of the finding should be if it is made	NO – Invites comment on question of whether greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles of fuels endanger public health or welfare.
Scientific basis for endangerment included?	YES – Some benefits of climate change may exist, but these are said not to undermine the positive endangerment finding, which was based on all evidence for risks and adverse impacts.	Some, and reference to technical appendix. “Some elements of human health, society and the environment may benefit from climate change (eg. Short-term increases in agricultural yields, less cold-related mortality). We seek comment on how the potential for some benefits should be viewed against the full weight of evidence showing numerous risks and the potential for adverse impacts.”	Similar to May 2008 draft
Are regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles proposed?	YES	NO, but gives detailed consideration of how Clean Air Act could be used to develop such regulations, using analysis developed for the December 2007 documents.	NO, states that EPA has not made a determination on what sort of regulations would be appropriate, but includes some options based on May 2008 draft
Stringency of Proposed regulations	35 mpg by 2018 car and light truck average, and using a higher gas price led to 43.3 mpg for cars by 2018 of 30.6 mpg for light trucks by 2017.	N/A 35 mpg by 2018 car and light truck average cited as feasible but not proposed. Possible standards for higher gas price scenario were removed.	Similar to May 30 draft
Discussion of impact higher oil prices might have on stringency?	YES. All gasoline price estimates used were from EIA’s 2007 projections, and the 2007 high price projections ($3.20/gallon in 2030) were used to calculate 43.3 mpg for cars in 2018 and 30.6 mpg in 2017 for light trucks. Expectation that final regulation would be based on EIA’s 2008 numbers.	YES, discussion updates gasoline price to reflect current prices of $3.50/gallon Using higher gas price said to increase standards and dramatically increase consumer benefits to up to $2 trillion in 2040, but results of stringency calculation on actual standards have been removed.	All analysis has been removed.
Discussion of options for regulation of stationary source greenhouse gas emissions	N/A – Supreme Court decision did not relate to stationary sources.	YES – broad and open discussion of potential options for regulating emissions from stationary sources like power plants, e.g. through performance standards for individual sources or market-based cap-and-trade systems	Similar to May 2008, but conclusions disavowed by introductory statements by EPA Administrator Johnson and other Bush Administration officials

A LANDMARK GLOBAL WARMING DECISION AT THE SUPREME COURT, AND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S BEGINS TO RESPOND

April 2, 2007: The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the State of Massachusetts in Massachusetts v EPA, finding that:

Greenhouse gases are air pollutants that can be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
EPA's excuses for refusing to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles were all inadequate.
Under the Clean Air Act, EPA must determine whether these emissions cause, or contribute to, air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare, a determination often referred to as an 'endangerment finding,' and
If the EPA does make a positive endangerment finding, it must regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.

May 14, 2007: President Bush directed EPA, along with other agencies, to prepare a regulatory response to the Supreme Court decision, to publish the proposal by the end of 2007 and to complete it by the end of 2008.

May – December 2007: EPA staff worked to develop both a positive endangerment finding and aggressive regulations to ensure that the fleet of cars and light trucks achieve the equivalent of 35 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2018.

July 22, 2007: EPA Administrator Johnson:“[I]n May, the President directed us to move ahead and take the first regulatory step to address greenhouse gas emissions from cars. We’re working across agencies to develop a proposed regulation under the Clean Air Act by the end of this year, with final rules due out by the end of next year.”

November 8, 2007: EPA Administrator Johnson: “In addition, since the Supreme Court decision, we have announced that we are developing a proposed regulation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from mobile sources. That is the first time in our Nation's history, and I have committed to members of Congress and to the President that we will have that proposed regulation out for public notice and comment beginning by the end of this year and to work toward a final rule by the end of next year.”

THE WHITE HOUSE BEGINS TO TRY TO STOP EPA’S EFFORTS

December 3, 2007: Director of the National Economic Council Al Hubbard sends a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Congress’ pending completion of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), stating that “Unfortunately, while assigning new requirements to the Department of Transportation, the proposed legislation leaves ambiguous EPA’s role in CAFE regulations, and likely creates substantial amounts of regulatory uncertainty and confusion. The failure to clearly identify the relative roles of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation in national fuel economy regulations could greatly undermine our shared objective of reducing gasoline consumption in the United States. Legislation should clarify that there should be consultation between the agencies, while clearly establishing a single national fuel economy standard.

Early December, 2007: The positive endangerment finding and vehicle regulations were approved by EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. The endangerment finding was submitted by EPA to the White House Office of Management and Budget, and the draft vehicle regulations were submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for review.

December 6, 2007: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) submitted a Statement of Administration Policy on EISA, stating as part of the veto threat that “Unfortunately, H.R. 6 leaves ambiguous the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in regulating vehicle fuel economy, and as a result would likely create substantial regulatory uncertainty, confusion, and duplication of efforts. The bill could also delay effective implementation of new fuel economy requirements due to inevitable litigation. The double regulation that would result from this failure to clearly identify the relative roles of EPA and DOT in national fuel economy regulations could greatly undermine our shared objective of rapidly reducing gasoline consumption. The bill needs to clarify one agency as the sole entity, after consultation with other affected agencies, to be responsible for a single national regulatory standard for both fuel economy and tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.”

December 13, 2007: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) submitted a Statement of Administration Policy on EISA, stating as part of the veto threat that “the Administration compliments the Senate for giving the Department of Transportation (DOT) the authority to establish a new CAFE standard, which would both improve fuel economy and reduce tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions. The bill should clarify, however, that DOT should establish this single national regulatory standard, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, and that neither agency should add additional layers of regulation.”

December 19, 2007: The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was signed into law, requiring NHTSA to promulgate regulations to ensure that the car and light truck fleet achieve a fuel economy average of at least 35 mpg by 2020. Congress included a provision in EISA expressly rejecting the White House requests to remove EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases from motor vehicles.

AND THEN, ALL WORK ON THE EPA REGULATORY EFFORTS STOPPED

January, 2008: White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairman James Connaughton said that the Administration was studying “the need for further regulations and additional policies on heat-trapping greenhouse gases from automobiles and industrial emitters following passage last month of a new fuel economy standard.”

February 27, 2008: A press report indicated that “EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson says he is ‘taking a step back’ to analyze a slew of greenhouse gas (GHG) litigation, permits and petitions facing the agency in order to decide the best way to proceed given that taking one action under the Clean Air Act can impact a host of other provisions in the statute. Johnson also hedged on whether the agency will issue a long-awaited endangerment finding on the risks posed by GHG emissions, a possible retreat from his statement to the Senate environment committee last month that the agency was planning to issue the finding.”

March 13, 2008: At a hearing of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said “that it is very evident that as one looks at the Clean Air Act, there are many interconnections, and a decision on one part of the Clean Air Act could have significant consequences both in how greenhouse gas is regulated as well as other unintended consequences, perhaps such as significant harm.”

March 27, 2008: EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson sent a letter to Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Chairman Edward J. Markey and Ranking member James Sensenbrenner informing them that EPA had decided to issue an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) later in the spring which would “present and request comment on the best available science including specific and quantifiable effects of greenhouse gases relevant to making an endangerment finding and the implications of this finding with regard to the regulation of both mobile and stationary sources”, including the Agency’s response to Massachusetts v U.S. EPA. After reviewing the comments submitted in response to the ANPR, EPA “will then consider how to best respond to the Supreme Court decision and its implications under the Clean Air Act.”

April 2, 2008: The Select Committee On Energy Independence and Global Warming voted unanimously to authorize the Chairman to issue a subpoena to Administrator Johnson for the endangerment finding and greenhouse gas motor vehicle regulations prepared by EPA in its response to Massachusetts v EPA. On the same day, at a Select Committee hearing, Robert Meyers, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of the EPA Office of Air and Radiation, indicated in response to a question that a formal endangerment finding or regulatory proposal would normally not be included in an ANPR, but would rather be included in a subsequent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would be issued after the ANPR responses were received and analyzed. This demonstrated the high probability that the Bush Administration would leave all regulatory decisions related to the response to Massachusetts v EPA to the next President. The subpoena for the December 2007 documents was issued the following day.

April 16, 2008: President Bush said in a speech that “the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act were never meant to regulate global climate change. For example, under a Supreme Court decision last year, the Clean Air Act could be applied to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. If these laws are stretched beyond their original intent, they could override the programs Congress just adopted, and force the government to regulate more than just power plant emissions. They could also force the government to regulate smaller users and producers of energy from schools and stores to hospitals and apartment buildings. This would make the federal government act like a local planning and zoning board, and it would have crippling effects on our entire economy. Decisions with such far-reaching impact should not be left to unelected regulators and judges. Such decisions should be debated openly and made by the elected representatives of the people they affect. The American people deserve an honest assessment of the costs, benefits and feasibility of any proposed solution.”

March –July 2008: EPA staff worked to prepare the ANPR.

May 30, 2008: A draft of the ANPR was submitted by EPA to OMB, and a copy thereof was obtained by the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. It did not propose either an endangerment finding or vehicle greenhouse gas regulations for motor vehicles, but did contain some of the analysis used to formulate EPA’s December 2007 endangerment finding and regulatory response to Massachusetts v EPA.

June 20, 2008: The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming obtained access to the EPA’s December 2007 endangerment finding and regulatory response to Massachusetts v EPA via an agreement reached with the White House and EPA.

June 24, 2008: Chairman Markey sent a letter to President Bush detailing the Select Committee staff’s review of the December 2007 documents and indicated that any “legal and scientific-based” ANPR released by EPA must include the key recommendations of those documents. “To do less would be a blatant denial of the overwhelming scientific evidence indicating that greenhouse gas emissions are dangerous, would overrule the scientific and legal recommendations of the EPA, and would further undercut your Administration’s credibility on matters related to climate change both here and in the rest of the world.”

July 11, 2008: The ANPR is released by EPA.

Markey: Aggressively Using Strategic Petroleum Reserve Will Bring Immediate Consumer Relief

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chairman Ed Markey, 202-225-4081

Markey: Aggressively Using Strategic Petroleum Reserve Will Bring Immediate Consumer Relief

Chairman Joins Speaker Pelosi, Others Calling on President Bush to Deploy “Consumer Price Weapon”

WASHINGTON (July 10, 2008) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House leaders in calling on the president to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

“We have millions of barrels of oil we could release into the market today, without drilling one single well and giving away our coastline to Big Oil,” said Rep. Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Congress has already instructed the president to stop filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Now he must use this weapon against high gas prices.”

Rep. Markey was a principal co-sponsor of the House legislation that in May forced the president to stop filling the SPR at a rate of 70,000 barrels a day. He has previously called on the president to release oil from the SPR.

He has also called for the exchange in the SPR of light sweet crude, which is the most desirable source material to refine into gasoline and diesel fuels, for heavy crude oil, which will be needed for home heating oil later in the year. Because heavy crude is cheaper than light sweet crude, the bill would also raise revenues that can be re-directed to renewable energy and low-income fuel assistance funds.

The SPR currently holds well over 700 million barrels of oil, and is at more than 97 percent capacity. The president has broad authority to deploy oil from the reserves during times of national emergencies, and previous actions to use the SPR by the current president and past presidents have reduced the price of oil.

The high price of gasoline has consistently polled as the number one concern of Americans today and has become a serious economic hindrance on overall economic growth and on American families’ budgets.

# # #

Select Cmte. to Hold Hearing on Extreme Weather and Global Warming

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, JULY 10th, 1:30 PM

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Select Cmte. to Hold Hearing on Extreme Weather and Global Warming

California Wildfires, Midwest Floods, Other Events Prompt Question: What is Warming’s Link to Wild Weather?

In the aftermath of severe storms across America and throughout the world, and with Bertha strengthening to the first hurricane of the season, extreme weather is on the minds of people around the globe. And while storms, floods and droughts have always occurred, science points to our changing climate as having a real effect on the severity and frequency of extreme weather events. Extreme precipitation events have increased over North America over the past 50 years. For the past decade, the West and Southwest regions have experienced drought conditions which are impacting agriculture, and contributing to the wildfire epidemic in the Western United States.

On Thursday, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing examining the links between global warming, extreme weather events, and how these events affect the world now and will in the future.

WHAT: Select Committee Hearing, “Global Warming Effects on Extreme Weather”

WHEN: Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:30 PM

WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

WHO:
Jimmy O. Adegoke, Ph.D, Associate Professor, University of Missouri – Kansas City

Heather Cooley, Senior Research Associate, Pacific Institute

Dr. Jay S. Golden, Director, National Center of Excellence, SMART Innovations for Urban Climate & Energy, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University

Angela Licata, Deputy Commissioner, New York City Bureau of Environmental Planning and Analysis

Dan Keppen, Executive Director, Family Farm Alliance

# # #

Markey: G8 Global Warming aEURoeGoalaEUR? DoesnaEUR(TM)t Reach the Goal Line

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Markey: G8 Global Warming “Goal” Doesn’t Reach the Goal Line

With Other G8 Countries Already on Emission-cutting Path, U.S. Again Holding World Back, Says Chairman

WASHINGTON (July 8, 2008) -- Today the G8 leaders announced their vision of a goal to cut global warming emissions by 50 percent by 2050 to be adopted as part of the ongoing international climate negotiations. Scientists have said that global emissions must be cut by 50 percent by the middle of the century, and industrialized countries must make even steeper cuts to avoid the worst effects of global warming.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, today called the agreement another attempt by the Bush administration to avoid taking any real action until the end of the president’s term.

Rep. Markey has introduced the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act, or iCAP, which would cut emissions by 85 percent of current levels by 2050, representing the effective contribution scientists say the United States must make as the world's largest per capita and historical emitter of heat-trapping pollution.

Below is the statement of Chairman Markey:

“With most of the other G8 countries already committed to significant cuts, the United States is once again proving to be the lowest common denominator in global agreements to cut heat-trapping emissions. The ‘goal’ announced today doesn’t reach the global warming goal line.

“And while greater cuts are needed here at home to avert a climate catastrophe, even this new goal means that as soon as Air Force One touches down in America, President Bush should get working on an aggressive plan to cut United States emissions. Unfortunately, I have little confidence that he will do so. This administration appears more interested in passing the buck than in passing climate change legislation that would make the necessary cuts in global warming emissions.

“The bottom line is that 50 percent cuts by 2050 is the minimum effort to avert a climate catastrophe, and America must make the maximum effort possible as the number one per capita and historical emitter of heat-trapping pollution.”

# # #

Katrina Students Bring Climate Vulnerability Story to Congress

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, JULY 10, 10:00 AM

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Katrina Students Bring Climate Vulnerability Story to Congress

As Hurricane Season Begins, Gulf Coast Youth Release Study on Risks from Global Warming

As the first hurricane of the season thunders through the Atlantic Ocean this week, Gulf Coast students, along with a U.S. Forest Service expert, will brief Congress on the vulnerability of the Cumberland, Mobile, and Tennessee River Basins and tell their story on how global warming can affect our water, our land, and our lives.

Due to their experience with Hurricane Katrina, these two dozen students from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are taking action to prevent further deterioration of the climate for the sake of their coastal home and their generation which will live through the impacts to come. They will present their own research and perspectives on how their findings will affect the future, and on the needs for strong policy in the government, and a scientifically informed public dialogue on issues related to climate change.

Chairman Edward J. Markey and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming are hosting the students, who were selected for the World Wildlife Fund Allianz Southeast Climate Witness Program based on their academic achievements, their interest in the environment and climate change, and their leadership experience.

WHAT: Select Committee briefing on climate vulnerability

WHO:
25 Gulf Coast high school students from WWF Allianz Southeast Climate Witness Program
Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.)
Dr. Steve McNulty, US Forest Service
Ginette Hemley, Senior Vice President of Conservation Strategy and Science, World Wildlife Fund
Rev. Christopher Worthley, Executive Director, Allianz Foundation for North America

WHEN: Thursday, July 10, 10 AM

WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC

# # #

EPA Documents - Global Warming a Danger, Vehicle Emissions Should be Regulated

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4012

EPA Documents—Global Warming a Danger, Vehicle Emissions Should be Regulated

Select Committee Review of Subpoenaed December Draft Regulations Shows EPA Moving Towards Climate Regulations, Higher Fuel Economy, Before Administration Pullback

WASHINGTON (June 24, 2008) – The Environmental Protection Agency was on its way towards finding global warming emissions to be a danger to public welfare, and that these emissions should be regulated in vehicles and fuels, according to a review of subpoenaed global warming documents by the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. The review of the documents follows a lengthy process of negotiation with the EPA and the White House, which started in January of 2008, and brings into serious question the administration’s u-turn on regulating global warming emissions.

The documents are the draft regulatory recommendations from December 5 and December 14 of 2007, and were sent to the White House and to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for approval before reports indicate all work was stopped on the recommendations. The White House is now in the process of completing an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR), which would be a step backwards in what the Select Committee has found to be an already advanced process towards regulating global warming emissions.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee, today sent a letter to the President on the documents, saying that any proposed rules disseminated from his administration should live up to the quality of recommendations put forward by his own EPA experts in climate and transportation.

“This administration has shown its contempt for Congress, its contempt for the rule of law, and this administration’s handling of the Massachusetts v. EPA decision has shown its contempt for science,” said Chairman Markey. “The president has a short amount of time to alter his legacy as running the most environmentally-unfriendly administration in history, and he can start by listening to his own climate scientists and take action on global warming.”

The letter, which is available on the Select Committee’s website at http://globalwarming.house.gov/tools/2q08materials/files/0064.pdf, outlines how the documents reviewed by the committee indicate that, along with global warming being a danger to public welfare and in need of regulation:

--EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson determined that man-made global warming is unequivocal, the evidence is both compelling and robust, and the administration must act to prevent harm rather than wait for harm to occur before acting.

--EPA found that global warming risks include severe heat waves, sea level rise, reduced availability of water, increased wildfire and insect outbreaks, an increase in heavy precipitation events, an increase in regional ground-level ozone pollution, and changes in the range of vector-borne diseases.

--EPA proposed that regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles be implemented in order to achieve the equivalent of a 35 mpg car and light truck fleet average by 2018 (with the car fleet averaging 38.4 mpg by 2018 and the truck fleet averaging 29.5 mpg by 2017).

--When EPA used the EIA 2007 high gasoline price projections of $2.75 in 2017 to $3.20 in 2030 to calculate standards, it found that the car fleet could achieve a standard of 43.3 mpg by 2018 and light trucks could achieve a standard of 30.6 mpg by 2017.

EPA is set to release its draft ANPR soon, and the letter makes clear that any future regulations from the administration on global warming will be measured against the standards put forward by its own environmental and energy experts.

The regulations reviewed were created in response to the Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, which directed the administration to make a determination on the danger posed by global warming and to propose regulations for reducing global warming emissions from motor vehicles and fuels. On May 14, 2007 the President directed EPA, along with other agencies, to prepare a regulatory response to by the end of 2007 and to complete it by the end of 2008. According to reports, EPA staff spent about 6 months developing this proposal, and transmitted both a positive finding of endangerment to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and a draft regulatory proposal to require the equivalent of a 35 miles per gallon (mpg) fuel economy standard from the fleet of cars and light trucks by 2018 to NHTSA in early December, 2007.

A timeline of the negotiations between Chairman Markey and the administration on these documents is available on the Select Committee’s website here: http://globalwarming.house.gov/tools/2q08materials/files/0047.pdf

HEARING 6/26: Select Committee to Discuss Fuel Economy As Solution to High Prices

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 26th, 1:30 PM

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4012

More Miles Per Gallon: Consumer Solutions to $4 Gas

Select Committee Hearing to Discuss Fuel Economy As Solution to High Prices

WASHINGTON (June 24, 2008) – At a time when gasoline costs $4 or more no matter where you go, high mileage cars, trucks and SUVs play a key role in helping consumers fight against record high gas prices. Money-saving hybrid and electric technology solutions exist today that can increase the gas mileage of cars to over 100 miles per gallon, but have not yet permeated the market to give consumers more choice on car lots across the country. Along with aggressive moves by the auto industry, the federal government could speed up the process, reaching higher mileage standards faster by using more realistic gas price assumptions when deciding what fuel economy standards to set.

On Thursday, the Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming will discuss the future role of the auto industry and our federal government in fighting gas prices and examine the fuel economy standards proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in response to the enactment of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. NHTSA’s proposal calls for the fleet of cars and light trucks to average 31.6 miles per gallon by model year 2015 – but when calculating these standards, NHTSA used Energy Information Administration (EIA) assumptions about gas prices that defy reality, ranging from $2.42/gallon in 2016 to $2.51/gallon in 2030.

The administration concedes that gas prices are the most critical element in determining mile per gallon increases in America’s vehicle fleet. At a hearing before the Select Committee earlier this month, the EIA said NHTSA should use the high end analysis for gas prices, which would have the effect of significantly raising the achievable miles per gallon in future vehicles.

WHAT: Select Committee Hearing, “$4 Gasoline and Fuel Economy: Auto Industry at a Crossroads”

WHEN: Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 1:30 PM

WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC
and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

WHO:
The Honorable Tyler Duvall, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Department of Transportation
Mr. Dominique Thormann, Senior Vice President, Nissan North America, Inc.
Mr. Shai Agassi, Founder and CEO, Project Better Place
Mr. Torben Holm, Consultant, DONG Energy A/S
Mr. Jeffrey R. Holmstead, Partner, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP

JOINT HEARING 6/25: Intelligence Subcommittee and Select Committee to Examine National Security Implications of Global Warming

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008, 9:30 AM

CONTACT:
Select Committee, (202) 225-4081
HPSCI, (202) 225-7690

JOINT HEARING 6/25: Intelligence Subcommittee and Select Committee to Examine National Security Implications of Global Warming

First-ever Government Analysis of Security Risks From Warming World to be Discussed

On Wednesday, June 25, the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Intelligence Community Management (ICM) Subcommittee, will hold a joint hearing on “National Security Implications of Global Climate Change.”

Members will hear and discuss the results of the first-ever U.S. Government analysis of the security threats posed by global warming.

WHAT: Joint Hearing on the National Security Implications of Global Warming

WHO:
PANEL ONE

Dr. Thomas Fingar, Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis and Chairman of the National Intelligence Council

Mr. Rolf Mowatt-Larsen, Director, Intelligence and Counterintelligence, U.S. Department of Energy

PANEL TWO

Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett, MP, Former Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom

VADM Paul Gaffney, President, Monmouth University and Former President, National Defense University

Dr. Kent Hughes Butts, Professor of Political-Military Strategy, Center for Strategic Leadership, U.S. Army War College

Marlo Lewis, Senior Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute

Lee Lane, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC

WHEN: Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 9:30 AM

Markey: Bush, Cheney, McCain Turning GOP into aEUR~Gas and Oil PartyaEUR(TM)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081
Cong. Ed Markey, 202-225-2836

Markey: Bush, Cheney, McCain Turning GOP into ‘Gas and Oil Party’

WASHINGTON (June 18, 2008) – Rep. Ed Markey decried the drill-drill-drill policies of President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Senator McCain today, and called on the president to support legislation that would call Big Oil’s bluff by requiring the oil companies to use the 68 million acres they already own and are not using, rather than asking for more public land.

Below is the statement of Rep. Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming:

“The shortsighted, drill-first policies pushed by President Bush and Senator McCain is turning the GOP into the Gas and Oil Party.

“The oil companies already own 68 million acres of drillable land and sea, which is the size of Georgia and Illinois combined, but they’re not producing oil there. Today’s call for more land and sea is nothing more than a drilling decoy, and Democrats in Congress are calling their bluff.

“President Bush and Senator McCain have become the ventriloquist’s doll for Big Oil, simply repeating a fossil fuel wish list that was so preposterous, even the Republicans controlled Congress refused to adopt it. President Bush and Senator McCain should stand up to Big Oil and tell them to use the land they already own before asking for more public land.

“Democrats in Congress are calling their bluff by proposing legislation that will force Big Oil to use it or lose it, imposing a fee on unused oil leases, and using that revenue to fund energy efficiency and assistance programs that will help American families.

“Democrats in Congress have already started putting America on a long-term path towards energy independence by increasing fuel economy standards and the production of advanced biofuels. Democrats have made multiple attempts to push for renewable energy alternatives but have been blocked by the president. We are looking to the future. President Bush and Senator McCain are stuck in the past, singing the same song they have for years, with lyrics written by Big Oil.”

# # #

HEARING 6/18: Select Committee Looks to Smart Planning as Response to Fuel Costs, Global Warming

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 9:30 AM

Select Committee Looks to Smart Planning as Response to Energy Costs, Global Warming

New Cities Being Developed in Tornado-ravaged Kansas Town, Abu Dhabi Are Shining Examples of Better Development Practices

Watch it live! This hearing will be WEBCAST live HERE.

With fuel prices at an all-time high, a housing market gone sour, and heightened concerns about global warming, smart urban and rural community planning can help all three by reducing the miles traveled in vehicles, improving infrastructure and establishing economically strong communities.

On Wednesday, the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing titled, “Planning Communities for a Changing Climate—Smart Growth, Public Demand and Private Opportunity.” The committee will explore examples of better development practices happening here in a tornado-ravaged Kansas town and on the sands of Abu Dhabi in the Middle East.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing: "Planning Communities for a Changing Climate—Smart Growth, Public Demand and Private Opportunity."

WHO:
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO, Masdar Initiative, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Steve Hewitt, City Administrator, Greensburg, Kansas
Gregory Cohen, President and CEO, American Highway Users Alliance
David Goldberg, Director of Communications, Smart Growth America
Steve Winkleman, Transportation Director, Center for Clean Air Policy

WHERE: 311 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC

WHEN: 9:30 AM, Wednesday, June 18

Report: No Chinese Drilling Off FloridaaEUR(TM)s Coast: Republicans Promoting Unfounded Myth to Push Drill-Drill-Drill Philosophy

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Report: No Chinese Drilling Off Florida’s Coast

Republicans Promoting Unfounded Myth to Push Drill-Drill-Drill Philosophy

WASHINGTON (June 12, 2008) – How are Republicans pushing their drill-drill-drill policy this week? By scaring up the ghosts of communism and xenophobia, perpetuating a myth that China is drilling off the coast of Florida.

A Congressional Research Service report from February of this year, however, disproves that myth, saying there is no offshore drilling partnership between Cuba and China, and any drilling has been focused on land in Cuba, not off Florida’s beaches.

“By perpetuating this myth, the Republicans and their friends in Big Oil are acting as the modern day masters of deception,” said Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “It’s not the Chinese who are looking to drill off Florida’s beaches, it’s the Republicans and Big Oil.”

The CRS report notes that “while there has been some concern about China’s potential involvement in offshore deepwater oil projects, to date its involvement in Cuba’s oil sector has been focused on onshore oil extraction in Pinar del Rio province [in Cuba] through its state-run China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation.”

Rep. Markey, along with Reps. Nick Rahall (D-W.V.), Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.), Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) and others announced pieces of legislation today that would force the oil companies to drill on the 68 million acres of land and sea they already own, an area equivalent to Georgia and Illinois combined. The acreage could produce 4.8 million barrels of oil a day, nearly twice America’s current domestic production.

“Big Oil could drill in millions of acres today, without Congress even lifting a finger,” said Markey. “This is yet another drilling decoy proffered by the Republicans and their friends in the oil and gas industry.”

The CRS report is available on the web at http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33819.pdf and the specific passage cited above is on page 30.

# # #

Emanuel, Hinchey, Markey, Rahall to Introduce Legislation to Force Big Oil to Use Owned Leases

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Rep. Markey, 202-225-4081
Rep. Emanuel, 202-225-1400
Rep. Rahall, 202-226-9019
Rep. Hinchey, 202-225-6335

Emanuel, Hinchey, Markey, Rahall to Introduce Legislation to Force Big Oil to Use Owned Leases

WASHINGTON – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Chairman Edward J. Markey and Chairman Nick Rahall today announced plans to introduce legislation that will help lower gas prices by compelling oil companies to utilize the 68 million acres onshore and offshore that are being leased by big oil companies, but not used to produce energy. The members were also joined by Reps. John Yarmuth and Peter Welch.

Currently, oil companies are not producing oil or gas on the nearly 68 million acres of federal land already under their control. Offshore, big oil is producing on only about 20 percent of the acres they hold, while onshore, companies are producing on less than 30 percent of the acres they hold. These unused areas could produce an additional 4.8 million barrels of oil and 44.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas each day, nearly double current domestic oil production.

“With nearly 68 million acres of on-shore and off-shore public land already leased for oil and gas drilling untouched by the energy companies who hold those leases, it's time for Republicans and oil company executives to stop making the false claim that the U.S. is not making enough land available for energy production,” Hinchey said. “Oil corporations are trying to take control of as much land now during the oil-friendly Bush administration years, but are holding off on drilling until the price of oil soars to $200 or $300 a barrel so that they can make even greater profits. By stalling energy production, these major energy corporations are cheating the American people out of a domestic oil and natural gas supply, causing prices to unfairly and unnecessarily soar at the pump. The federal government has made tens of millions of acres available for oil and gas development. It's the energy companies that are refusing to produce and now we will make them pay if they continue to refuse to increase our domestic supply.”

Markey, Hinchey and Emanuel will introduce legislation that would assess a fee on land energy companies have leased but are not using for production. This fee will escalate if leases go unused over the course of several years. Revenue raised from these fees will go towards renewable energy and energy efficiency investments, as well as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Chairman Rahall will also introduce legislation that employs a “use it or lose it” tactic that will compel oil and gas companies to either produce or give up the federal onshore and offshore leases they are stockpiling by barring the companies from obtaining any more leases unless they can demonstrate that they are producing oil and gas, or are diligently developing the leases they already hold.

“Big Oil, as many Americans already suspect, are perfectly fine with high gasoline prices at the pump, while they hold back domestic production on federal leases and enjoy world record profits. I am calling them on the carpet. I am calling their bluff. We are not going to continue to allow them to speculate and profiteer with public resources to the detriment of the American people,” said Rahall, Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

“Big Oil seems more concerned with pumping up prices than pumping more oil,” said Markey. “When Big Oil already has tens of millions of acres available to them right now, it’s cynical of them to come to Congress and ask for more drilling territory. This is a drilling decoy. With gas prices increasing by the day, it’s time for Big Oil to produce or pay.”

“It's time for oil companies to use it or lose it,” added Emanuel. “These companies have access to millions of acres and there is nothing stopping Big Oil from using this land to produce energy.”

# # #

EVENT PHOTOS

Select Committee Reaches Agreement with White House on EPA Documents

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Select Committee Reaches Agreement with White House on EPA Documents

WASHINGTON (June 9, 2008) – The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming has reached an agreement with the White House on access to documents pertaining to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decisions on two global warming regulatory issues.

Under the agreement, the EPA will allow the Select Committee access to the documents in a timely fashion, but to not interfere with the current regulatory deliberations currently underway within the administration. The Select Committee will not withdraw the subpoena still outstanding against EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.

“The agreement will allow Congress the right to conduct oversight on important executive decisions,” said Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.). “Our goal all along was to acquire access to these global warming documents, and the committee has succeeded in that effort in a bi-partisan way.”

The committee has been pursuing two sets of documents, both easily accessed by the agency. The documents relate to EPA’s decisions on global warming emissions regulations for vehicles, and on the agency’s ruling on the risks of heat-trapping pollution to public health or welfare.

Starting in January, Chairman Markey requested the documents from Administrator Johnson, and has offered several proposals since then to accommodate the agency’s wishes to keep the documents private, while still recognizing Congress’ right to the documents.

A timeline of the exchanges between Chairman Markey and the administration is available on the Select Committee website HERE.

# # #

HEARING 5/11: The Future of Oil - Peak Prices, Peak Production, Piqued Consumers

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11th, 9:30 AM

Contact:Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Oil Hearing: Peak Prices, Peak Production, Piqued Consumers

Select Committee to Discuss “The Future of Oil”

WASHINGTON (June 9, 2008) – As prices at the pump reach record levels on a daily basis, many consumers and analysts are asking the same questions: How bad could prices get? And what policies are needed to address America’s oil crisis?

On Wednesday, June 11, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will examine the long term prognosis for oil’s global supply and demand, and what solutions could be implemented to reduce demand and decrease prices.

A barrel of oil reached a new record price on Friday, and many analysts are saying $200 oil is a potentially imminent threat. Yet our own government energy analysts are saying oil could slide back to $50 a barrel, and supplies could increase, even as the private sector disagrees. The Select Committee will discuss this disconnect, as well as the global warming concerns of non-traditional oil retrieval methods like oil shale and oil sands.

WHAT: Select Committee Hearing, “The Future of Oil.”

WHEN: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 at 10:00 AM

WHERE: 1300 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC
and on the web at globalwarming.house.gov

WHO:
Guy Caruso, Administrator, Energy Information Administration
Adam Sieminski, Chief Energy Economist, Deutsche Bank
Amy Myers Jaffe, Energy Studies Fellow at the James Baker Institute for Public Policy
Athan Manuel, Director of Land Protection Programs, Sierra Club

# # #

Markey: House Will Keep Global Warming Discussion Alive

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 202-225-4081

Markey: House Will Keep Global Warming Discussion Alive

WASHINGTON (June 6, 2008) – Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the author of the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act (HR 6186) today gave the following statement following the United States Senate’s cloture vote on the Climate Security Act.

“Today a majority of Senators went on record saying they would support mandatory limits on global warming pollution, and it is now time for the House to continue this urgent discussion and move closer towards a national pollution solution.

“I look forward to a robust and effective discussion on climate legislation in the Energy and Commerce Committee with Chairman Dingell, Chairman Boucher, and all of my colleagues.

“Senators Boxer, Lieberman and Warner and many others have taken us farther down the road towards planetary salvation than Congress has ever gone before. With scientists saying time is running out to cut heat-trapping emissions and avoid the worst effects of global warming, it is time for all of us to band together and take the final strides necessary to complete this race against planetary destruction.”

# # #

House Passes 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

From Speaker Pelosi's website:
On June 4, the House passed the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, H.R. 3021.
This critical bill provides a five-year authorization for a green school construction program, authorizing $6.4 billion for school construction projects in fiscal year 2009, and ensuring that school districts will quickly receive funds for school modernization, renovation and repairs that improve the teaching and learning climate, health and safety, and energy efficiency. The bill requires that the majority of funds (90 percent by fiscal year 2013) be used for projects that meet green building standards.
School buildings should be safe and healthy learning environments for children. But according to recent estimates, America’s schools are hundreds of billions of dollars short of the funding needed to bring them up to good condition. Meanwhile, research shows a correlation between school facility quality and student achievement. Despite the need to modernize school buildings, since 2001 the federal government has provided almost no direct aid to help states and schools pay for school construction and repair. Modernizing school buildings would also create jobs in the construction industry, one of the industries hit hardest by the recent economic downturn. And by modernizing school buildings to make them more energy efficient and more reliant on renewable sources of energy, modernized school buildings can also help reduce the emissions that contribute to global warming.
The 21st Century High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act (H.R. 3021) would:
Provide schools with access to funding for modernization, renovation and repair projects
Authorizes $6.4 billion for school construction projects for fiscal year 2009, and ensures that school districts will quickly receive funds for school modernization, renovation, and repairs that improve the teaching and learning climate, health and safety, and energy efficiency.
Allocates the same percentage of funds to states and school districts that they receive under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, except that it guarantees each such district a minimum of $5,000.
Encourage energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources in schools
Requires the majority of funds (90 percent by 2013) be used for projects that meet green building standards.
Allows states to reserve one percent of funds to administer the program and to develop a plan to create a statewide database of schools’ facilities, modernization and repair needs, energy uses, carbon footprints, and schools’ energy efficiency quality plans.
Requires school districts to publicly report the educational, energy and environmental benefits of projects, how they comply with the green building requirements, and the percentage of funds used for projects at low-income and rural schools.
Requires the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to create a database of the best practices in school construction and to provide technical assistance to states and school districts regarding best practices.
Provide additional aid to Gulf Coast schools still recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Authorizes separate funds – half a billion dollars over five years – for public schools that were damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Ensure fair wages and benefits for workers by applying Davis-Bacon protections to all grants for school modernization, renovation, and repair projects

Renewable Direction Plan for Energy Independence

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

For a PDF version of this document, please CLICK HERE.

With consumers paying $4 for a gallon of gas and our dependence on foreign oil rising from 46% to 61% between 1994 and 2006, there has never been a more urgent time to move America down the road towards Energy Independence.

Breaking our addiction to oil calls for immediate action, conservation and a smart long-term renewable energy policy that will protect consumers from skyrocketing energy costs, grow our economy and result in a cleaner, safer planet.

The New Direction Energy Plan

The New Direction Congress has already begun the transition to Energy Independence by increasing fuel economy for automobiles by 40% -- the first increase in over 30 years. The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act , adopted by the Democratic Congress, will, by 2030, save more than 4 million barrels per day -- the equivalent of stopping all the oil currently being imported from Middle East.

Better fuel economy is just the first step in the New Direction agenda that includes:

Unleashing the Renewable Revolution: Clean power sources like wind, solar and geothermal.
Efficient Vehicles: Bringing to market plug-in hybrid and electric cars that get more than 100 miles per gallon..
American Alternative Fuels: Aiding farmers in Middle America and not oil barons in the Middle East in our quest for fuel solutions that don’t depend on food crops but cellulosic ethanol made from biomass and algae.
Investing in Clean Technology: Ensuring that America is first in the race for green technology solutions of the future.

Fighting for Immediate Consumer Relief

While moving America out from under the thumb of Big Oil calls for long-term renewable investments, $4 gasoline is here now. Immediate action must be taken to help consumers at the pump. The New Direction Congress is fighting to protect consumers from Big Oil policy and provide immediate relief by:

Releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Drilling: Use It or Lose it: Making the oil companies drill now on the 68 million acres of land they already own
Fighting Price Gouging at the pump
Fighting Excessive Oil Speculation and closing the Enron Loophole
Increasing Mass Transit options

Transforming the future of global energy resources requires America to invest in our energy Strengths…not our Weakness. Weakness:

Weakness:	The United States only has 2% of the world’s oil supply. Yet America currently consumes 25% of the world’s oil resources. As developing nations like India and China increase the amount of oil they consume, it is clear that America must look to alternative sources as soon as possible.
Strength:	Wind: The United States has more wind energy potential than any other country on the planet; we can no longer afford to let millions of megawatts of renewable wind energy sit untapped. Just one windmill can power over 3000 plug-in cars or nearly 1500 homes.
	Solar: The solar capacity of the United States is equally impressive and untapped.
	Technology: America has led every technological revolution for the last century. If we focused on developing the clean energy technology solutions of the future, instead of sticking with the dirty technologies of the past, we will create an American economic driver for the next century. Make no mistake, America is in a global race for next generation renewable technologies. Even oil-rich Middle East nations, such as United Arab Emirates, are investing billions into wind and solar. These are the technologies that will drive the 21st century econonomy. America can not afford to fall behind.

The Road to $4 Gas and Fighting the Big Oil Agenda

Bad policy choices and lack of leadership have pushed America down the road to dependence on foreign oil.

Big Oil currently receives billions in tax payer dollars per year. Exxon Mobil made more than $40 billion in profits last year alone –more than any other company in history. How do they spend our money

The Big Oil companies are making record profits on the backs of consumers paying $4 gas at the pump, while also pocketing billions in taxpayer dollars per year. Now, Big Oil lobbyists are pressuring Congress to end a 27 year bi-partisan ban on offshore drilling. They want to turn America’s beaches and coastlines – the very places where our children swim and the primary engine for many states’ tourism industry– into oil drilling, distribution and refinery zones.

That is why it is critical to understanding the Truth about Drilling: It comes down to Delay, Distraction, Delusion, Dependence and Danger:

Delay:Big Oil is not drilling on 68 million acres they currently lease from the American people. Even with $40 billion in record profits, Exxon Mobil still spent more money on stock buy backs last year than they did on exploration.

Distraction:Contrary to their multi-million dollar advertising campaigns, Big Oil is an impediment to a renewable energy future. They are actively lobbying to defeat renewable energy legislation on Capitol Hill. Their beach drilling campaign is a distraction peddled by their Congressional allies who are opposing clean wind, solar and geothermal tax incentives. These incentives continue to be blocked in the Senate by JUST ONE VOTE.

Delusion:New drilling won’t save consumers a penny at the pump for the next 10 years. Economists report that additional barrels of oil from wildlife areas would only yield savings of 1.8 cents a gallon nearly 20 years from now. Conversely, if we invest in cars that can get more miles per gallon, and in clean wind, solar and geothermal energy over the next ten years, we will save U.S. consumers money.

Danger:The Department of Interior reports that more than 17 thousand barrels of oil were spilled from offshore rigs as a result of Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita, and independent analyses have shown even greater totals rivaling some of the largest spills in history. Last Fall, almost 12 thousand barrels were dumped into the Gulf of Mexico due to a rig accident. The 257 thousand barrels spilled from the Exxon Valdez was one of the worst ecological disasters in history. The 1969 oil spill that covered California beaches was the catalyst for Earth Day, and should not be forgotten.

Dependence:The signs of a green, renewable revolution are evident across America. But Big Oil is still trying to ensure that American energy policy remains shackled to the dirty, carbon-heavy fossil fuels of the past. That includes fighting to keep home grown biofuels out of your local gas station, giving no alternative to $4 gasoline. Meanwhile, other countries with less natural wind and solar capacity are breaking free from oil and moving aggressively toward renewable resources.

Support the Renewable Alternative

Charts and Resources

(Right Click on Image to Download)

Understanding the Difference Between Energy Plans

CLICK HERE to read point-by-point breakdown of the various energy plans.

Action the New Direction Congress Has Already Taken:

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act

Chairman Markey takes part in ASU Sustainability Summit Panel

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

On September 18th, Chairman Markey attended the Arizona State University Sustainability Summit. He joined a panel with representatives from corporations, environmental groups, and the President of Arizona State University. The panel was moderated by Aaron Brown, Professor at Arizona State's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and formerly an anchor for CNN News.

More information on the summit and a webcast of the event can be found HERE.

Panelists:

Francis Beinecke, President, Natural Resources Defense Council
Brad Casper, President and CEO, The Dial Corporation
Anthony Cortese, President, Second Nature
Michale Crow, President, Arizona State University
William Ford, Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company
John Hofmeister, Former President, Shell Oil Company, President, Citizens for Affordable Energy
US Representative Edward Markey (D-MA)
Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)
Susan Rochford, Vice President, Energy & Sustainability Initiatives, Council on Competitiveness
US Representative Fred Upton (R-MI)
Rob Walton, Chairman of the Board, Wal-Mart

Moderated by:

Aaron Brown, former CNN News Anchor; Professor, Walter Cronkite School of Journalims and Mass Communication; Host, PBS' Wide Angle

Photos from the event:

Briefing 6/23: Dr. James Hansen: The Climate Threat to the Planet

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MONDAY, JUNE 23, 3:00 PM

Contact: Eben Burnham Snyder, Select Committee, 202-225-4081

Dr. James Hansen: The Climate Threat to the Planet

Select Committee welcomes Dr. Hansen on the 20th anniversary of his landmark Congressional testimony

WASHINGTON (June 20, 2008) – On the 20th anniversary of testimony that sounded the alarm bell on our climate crisis, the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will host pre-eminent climate scientist Dr. James Hansen as he gives a briefing Monday on his vision of the climate challenge as it stands now.

In 1988, discussion of climate change was confined mainly to scientific journals. But on June 23, Dr. Hansen was the lead witness at a hearing of the Senate Energy Committee to explore the issue. His testimony marked the first time a top climate scientist declared that global temperatures had risen beyond the range of natural variability. Since then, scientists from around the world have built an unassailable body of evidence that supports his 1988 testimony. Climate change now looms as a more immediate and serious threat than ever before and in need of swift, effective Congressional action.

WHAT: Select Committee Briefing featuring Dr. James Hansen, “The Climate Threat to the Planet”

WHEN: Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 3:00 PM

WHERE: 2318 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

# # #

Principles for Global Warming Legislation Page

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

152 Members of Congress, led by Representatives Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), and Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) have joined together to solve both our climate and economic crisis. In a letter outlining principles for global warming legislation, the members stress the need to invest in a clean energy economy that will create millions of new green jobs here at home while simultaneously cutting the heat-trapping emissions responsible for global warming.

To Download a PDF of the letter, CLICK HERE.
To read the press release from Rep. Waxman, Markey and Inslee, CLICK HERE.

The principles outlined in the letter are science-based, technology-driven, and consumer-focused. Proposing an emissions cap with an auction system, the Members suggest taking revenues generated from polluters and investing in clean technology programs.

Every dollar invested in clean energy technologies produce 3 to 5 times more jobs per dollar than would be created in the fossil fuel industry.

In the formulation of climate legislation, the members want consumers to be the first to benefit from energy efficiency and new technology innovations. And vulnerable communities – those in harm’s way of hurricanes, floods and sea level rise caused by increased global warming -- must have the resources necessary to protect and rebuild their neighborhoods.

The letter was sent to Speaker Pelosi in order to help guide the next Congress as it produces legislation to establish a mandatory program to address the threat of global warming.

The text of the letter follows:

Dear Madam Speaker,

We salute your leadership on one of the critical issues of our time: the effort to save the planet from calamitous global warming. You have listened to the scientists and recognized the scope and severity of the threat that global warming poses to our nationâ€™s security, economy, public health, and ecosystems. You have made enacting legislation to address global warming a top priority for Congress for the first time in our history. We stand ready to help develop this legislation and enact it into law.

As part of this effort, we have developed a set of principles to guide Congress as it produces legislation to establish an economy-wide mandatory program to address the threat of global warming. Acting in accordance with these principles is critical to achieving a fair and effective bill that will avoid the most dangerous global warming and assist those harmed by the warming that is unavoidable, while strengthening our economy.

The following are the principles we have developed to guide the creation of comprehensive global warming legislation.

Comprehensive legislation to address global warming must achieve four key goals:

Reduce emissions to avoid dangerous global warming;
Transition America to a clean energy economy;
Recognize and minimize any economic impacts from global warming legislation; and
Aid communities and ecosystems vulnerable to harm from global warming.

To meet each of these goals, climate change legislation must include the following key elements.

Reduce Emissions to Avoid Dangerous Global Warming

The United States must do its part to keep global temperatures from rising more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial levels. The scientific community warns that above this level, dangerous and irreversible changes to the Earthâ€™s climate are predicted to occur. To meet this goal, the legislation must:

Review and respond to advancing climate science. The effects of global warming are happening much faster than scientists predicted several years ago, and there may be tipping points at which irreversible effects occur at lower levels of greenhouse gas concentrations than previously predicted. A mechanism for periodic scientific review is necessary, and EPA, and other agencies as appropriate, must adjust the regulatory response if the latest science indicates that more reductions are needed.
Make emissions targets certain and enforceable. Our strong existing environmental laws depend on enforceable requirements, rigorous monitoring and reporting of emissions, public input and transparent implementation, and government and citizen enforcement. All of these elements must be included in comprehensive global warming legislation. Cost-containment measures must not break the cap on global warming pollution. Any offsets must be real, additional, verifiable, permanent, and enforceable. The percentage of required emissions reductions that may be met with offsets should be strictly limited, and should be increased only to the extent that there is greater certainty that the offsets will not compromise the programâ€™s environmental integrity.
Require the United States to engage with other nations to reduce emissions through commitments and incentives. The United States must reengage in the international negotiations to establish binding emissions reductions goals under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The legislation must encourage developing countries to reduce emissions by assisting such countries to avoid deforestation and to adopt clean energy technologies. This is a cost-effective way for the United States and other developed nations to achieve combined emissions reductions of at least 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, as called for by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Transition America to a Clean Energy Economy

Global warming legislation provides an opportunity to create new jobs, while transforming the way we live and work through renewable energy, green buildings, clean vehicles, and advanced technologies. To realize this opportunity, the legislation must:

Invest in the best clean energy and efficiency technologies. A significant portion of revenues from auctioning emissions allowances should be invested in clean energy and efficiency measures, targeted to technologies and practices that are cleaner, cheaper, safer, and faster than conventional technologies, as determined through the application of clear standards set by Congress.
Include and encourage complementary policies. Complementary policies can lower program costs by producing lower-cost emissions reductions from economic sectors and activities that are less sensitive to a price signal. Smart growth measures, green building policies, and electricity sector efficiency policies are important types of complementary policies. The legislation should include federal complementary policies and encourage state and local complementary policies in areas better addressed by states and localities.
Preserve statesâ€™ authorities to protect their citizens. Federal global warming requirements must be a floor, not a ceiling, on statesâ€™ ability to protect their citizensâ€™ health and state resources. Throughout our history, states have pioneered policies that the nation has subsequently adopted. Addressing global warming requires state and local efforts, as well as national ones.

Recognize and Minimize Any Economic Impacts from Global Warming Legislation

Reducing global warming pollution will likely have some manageable costs, which would be far lower than the costs of inaction. To minimize any economic impacts, the legislation must:

Use public assets for public benefit in a fair and transparent way. Emissions allowances should be auctioned with the revenues going to benefit the public, and any free allocations should produce public benefits. If any allocations are given to polluters, they must be provided only to existing facilities for a brief transition period and the quantity must be limited to avoid windfall profits.
Return revenues to consumers. Revenues from auctioned allowances should be returned to low- and moderate-income households at a level sufficient to offset higher energy costs.
Return revenues to workers and communities. Workers and communities most affected by the transition to a clean energy economy should receive a portion of the revenues to ease the transition and build a trained workforce so that all can participate in the new energy economy.
Protect against global trade disadvantages to U.S. industry. In addition to providing incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions, the legislation should provide for an effective response to any countries that refuse to contribute their fair share to the international effort. These elements will protect energy-intensive U.S. enterprises against competitive disadvantage.

Aid Communities and Ecosystems Vulnerable to Harm from Global Warming

Global warming is already harming communities and ecosystems throughout the world, and even with immediate action to reduce emissions and avoid dangerous effects, these impacts will worsen over the coming decades. To ameliorate these harms, the legislation must:

Assist states, localities, and tribes to respond and adapt to the effects of global warming. A portion of auction revenues should be provided to states, localities, and tribes to respond to harm from global warming and adapt their infrastructure to its effects, such as more severe wildfires, intensified droughts, increased water scarcity, sea level rise, floods, hurricanes, melting permafrost, and agricultural and public health impacts.
Assist developing countries to respond and adapt to the effects of global warming. A portion of auction revenues should be provided to help the developing countries most vulnerable to harm from global warming and defuse the threats to national security and global stability posed by conflicts over water and other natural resources, famines, and mass migrations that could be triggered by global warming. Vulnerable countries include least developed countries, where millions of people are already living on the brink, and small island states, which face massive loss of land.
Assist wildlife and ecosystems threatened by global warming. A portion of auction revenues should be provided to federal, state, and tribal natural resource protection agencies to manage wildlife and ecosystems to maximize the survival of wildlife populations, imperiled species, and ecosystems, using science-based adaptation strategies.

These principles, if adopted as part of comprehensive climate change legislation, will meet the United Statesâ€™ obligations to curb greenhouse gas emissions and also will provide a pathway to the international cooperation that is necessary to solve the global warming problem.

We commend these principles to you and hope that you find them helpful as we move forward together to develop and adopt global warming legislation.

	Sincerely,
Rep. Henry A. Waxman Rep. Thomas H. Allen Rep. John Lewis Rep. Lloyd Doggett Rep. Jim McDermott Rep. John P. Sarbanes Rep. Chris Van Hollen Rep. James P. McGovern Rep. Rush D. Holt Rep. Albio Sires Rep. John Conyers, Jr. Rep. Jane Harman Rep. Steven R. Rothman Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney Rep. Keith Ellison Rep. Zoe Lofgren Rep. Patrick J. Murphy Rep. Brian Baird Rep. Joe Sestak Rep. Andre Carson Rep. Tim Ryan Rep. Kathy Castor Rep. Brad Sherman Rep. Maxine Waters Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard Rep. Eliot L. Engel Rep. Donald M. Payne Rep. Peter Welch Rep. Linda T. SÃ¡nchez Rep. Dennis Moore Rep. Lynn C. Woolsey Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro Rep. Kirsten E. Gillibrand Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee Rep. Joseph Crowley Rep. Loretta Sanchez Rep. William D. Delahunt Rep. James L. Oberstar Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz Rep. Ben Chandler Rep. Brian Higgins Rep. Fortney Pete Stark Rep. Donna F. Edwards Rep. Robert E. Andrews Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson Rep. Ed Pastor Rep. John A. Yarmuth Rep. Xavier Becerra Rep. Alcee L. Hastings	Rep. Edward J. Markey Rep. Earl Blumenauer Rep. Betty McCollum Rep. John W. Olver Rep. Mike Thompson Rep. Robert Wexler Rep. Raul M. Grijalva Rep. James P. Moran Rep. Henry C. "Hank' Johnson, Jr. Rep. Howard L. Berman Rep. Paul W. Hodes Rep. Michael M. Honda Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher Rep. John F. Tierney Rep. Adam B. Schiff Rep. Bruce L. Braley Rep. Bobby L. Rush Rep. Anna G. Eshoo Rep. Neil Abercrombie Rep. Barbara Lee Rep. Steve Cohen Rep. Michael R. McNulty Rep. Betty Sutton Rep. Robert A. Brady Rep. Diana DeGette Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Rep. Doris O. Matsui Rep. Jose E. Serrano Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton Rep. Shelley Berkley Rep. Eni F.H. Faleomavaega Rep. Kendrick B. Meek Rep. Jackie Speier Rep. Phil Hare Rep. Charles B. Rangel Rep. Gwen Moore Rep. Timothy H. Bishop Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Rep. Steve Israel Rep. Tammy Baldwin Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo Rep. Al Green Rep. Stephen F. Lynch Rep. Gregory W. Meeks Rep. Leonard L. Boswell Rep. Ron Klein Rep. Mel Watt	Rep. Jay Inslee Rep. Maurice D. Hinchey Rep. Lois Capps Rep. Bob Filner Rep. Barney Frank Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky Rep. Mazie K. Hirono Rep. Susan A. Davis Rep. Steve Kagen Rep. Yvette D. Clarke Rep. Emanuel Cleaver Rep. Christopher S. Murphy Rep. Sam Farr Rep. Elijah E. Cummings Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz Rep. Nita M. Lowey Rep. James R. Langevin Rep. Chaka Fattah Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. Rep. Anthony D. Weiner Rep. Jerrold Nadler Rep. Russ Carnahan Rep. Jerry McNerney Rep. Danny K. Davis Rep. Grace F. Napolitano Rep. David E. Price Rep. Hilda L. Solis Rep. David Wu Rep. Niki Tsongas Rep. Diane E. Watson Rep. Adam Smith Rep. Joe Courtney Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter Rep. Brad Miller Rep. Gary L. Ackerman Rep. Daniel Lipinski Rep. Norman D. Dicks Rep. Timothy J. Walz Rep. Corrine Brown Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez Rep. Carolyn McCarthy Rep. Donna M. Christensen Rep. Bennie G. Thompson Rep. John J. Hall Rep. David Loebsack Rep. Richard E. Neal Rep. Laura Richardson Rep. Rick Larsen Rep. Michael A. Arcuri

Green Community: Markey Delivers Speech at the National Building Museum

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Congressman Ed Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, spoke at the opening on the Green Community exhibit at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC on October 20, 2008.

To Watch the Speech CLICK HERE.

PHOTOS from the event:

Chairman Markey

Past is Prologue: For Energy and the Environment, the Bush AdministrationaEUR(TM)s Last 100 Days Could Rival the First 100

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Past is Prologue: For Energy and the Environment, the Bush Administration’s Last 100 Days Could Rival the First 100

Deregulatory Risks Abound for Environment and Energy Policy in Final Months of Bush Administration

A Majority Staff Report by

For a PDF of this report, please CLICK HERE. Be warned, the file is large.

In 2001, the Bush administration began its radical, anti-environmental agenda by rescinding, changing, or issuing rules that degraded America’s environment. From refusing to reduce the arsenic levels in drinking water, to opening wilderness areas to new roads, to rejecting the Kyoto Protocol after promising to cut emissions, early actions merely presaged later damaging activities on global warming, clean air laws, and myriad other environmental and energy issues.

And while the first 100 days of the Bush administration initiated perhaps the worst period of environmental deregulation in American history, the last 100 days of a Bush presidency could be even worse. With the recent reports showing that the Interior Department is rushing the review of changes to rules implementing the Endangered Species Act, with far-reaching consequences for threatened species and global warming, past is prologue for the anti-regulatory ideologues in the White House.

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming has prepared the following report on what administrative actions the Bush administration could take in the final days of its second term.

The report will cover the following major rulemaking topics:

New Source Review and other air pollution rules under Clean Air Act
Fuel economy
Biofuels
Endangered Species Act
Mountaintop mining, oil shale, tar sands and other resource extraction rules
Clean water rules
Global warming
Nuclear energy and safety
Rules already issued

Clean Air Act

Power plant New Source Review (NSR): New Source Review, a program that forces power plants to improve their pollution performance when making updates to facilities, could be completely gutted in the next few weeks. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to finalize an NSR rule before the end of the administration that would essentially exempt all existing power plants from having to install new pollution control technology when these plants are updated. Currently, EPA looks at whether a modification to a facility increases the annual emissions of the facility to determine whether NSR is triggered. The Bush EPA plans to change this to focus whether a modification increases the hourly emission rate. The upshot is that changes that keep the

hourly rate the same, but greatly increase overall annual emissions, will no longer trigger NSR. NSR will essentially become worthless, as polluters will be able to expand operations without changing the hourly emissions rate. Duke Power had advocated this faulty methodology in its challenge to current NSR rules, which it ultimately lost in the Supreme Court in Duke v. EPA – decided the same day as the global warming case Massachusetts v. EPA. If put in place, the effect of the rule will be to allow old, dirty power plants to continue to increase emissions without having to install emissions control technologies.

Fugitive emissions exemption: In a separate NSR rule, EPA plans to exempt so-called “fugitive” emissions – meaning emissions that don’t come out of the end of a stack such as volatile organic compounds emitted from leaking pipes and fittings at petroleum refineries – from consideration in determining whether NSR is triggered. This represents another significant weakening of the NSR program.

NSR aggregation Rule: EPA is also set to finalize a third rule weakening the NSR program, by allowing so-called “batch process facilities” – like oil refineries and chemical plants – to artificially ignore certain emissions when determining when NSR is triggered. For example, if such a facility installs a new boiler that simultaneously increases pollution from production lines, the rule would allow EPA to ignore the production-related pollution in determining whether the boiler upgrade triggers NSR.

The three NSR rules are expected to be issued within the next month.

Air quality impacts on parks: EPA is also working towards weakening air pollution regulations on power plants and other emissions sources adjacent to national parks and other pristine, so-called “Class I” areas. By changing the modeling of new power plants’ impact on air quality in national parks – using annual emissions averages as opposed to shorter daily or monthly periods – the EPA rule will make it easier for such plants to be built close to parks. The EPA rule is set to be finalized in late November.

Fuel Economy

In December of 2007, the President signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), which requires fuel economy standards for the fleet of cars and light trucks to be increased by the maximum feasible amount each year, such that it reaches at least 35 miles per gallon by 2020. This change is the first Congressionally mandated increase in fuel economy standards in 32 years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued proposed regulations to implement the EISA standards in April 2008, and final regulations are expected soon. In determining whether fuel economy standards should be increased so as to reach 35 miles per gallon before 2020, NHTSA looks at the cost-effectiveness of higher standards—based in large part on predicted gasoline prices. The Bush administration has

proposed to use unrealistically low predictions of future gasoline prices for these calculations—contradicting the recommendations of both the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) and EPA.

Using EIA’s “reference scenario” projections, NHTSA’s proposed regulations are based on the following predicted gasoline prices: $2.42/gallon in 2016 to $2.51/gallon in 2030. Even with the recent dip in gas prices to just under $3.00/gallon, these figures are unrealistically low, and using them has the effect of biasing modeling of the “maximum feasible” fuel economy standards towards lower levels. If NHTSA used EIA’s higher gasoline price scenario—a range of $3.14/gallon in 2016 to $3.74/gallon in 2030—the technology is available to cost-effectively achieve a much higher fleet wide fuel economy of nearly 35 mpg in 2015 – instead of the 31.6 mpg in 2015 under the lower gas prices used in NHTSA’s proposed rule. In June, Chairman Markey sent a letter to NHTSA suggesting that the agency use the higher gas price estimates in setting the standards.

NHTSA’s proposed fuel economy regulations also include an estimate of the economic benefits of reducing carbon dioxide emissions that many consider to be unjustifiably low ($7 per metric ton of carbon dioxide) – perhaps setting an adverse precedent for future accounting of such benefits by NHTSA or other federal agencies

NHTSA’s proposed fuel economy regulations also include NHTSA’s view that State vehicle greenhouse gas regulations such as California’s clean car standards (which more than a dozen other States wish to adopt), are preempted by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. That view has been rejected by several courts that have addressed it, but there is concern that including this view as an appendix in federal regulations may give it additional legal weight in future litigation challenging the state standards.

Finally, NHTSA has also come under pressure by the auto industry to alter its assessments of how quickly fuel efficient technologies could be incorporated into the fleet, and if it bows to industry’s demands, the final fuel economy standards could also be lower than the “maximum feasible” standards required by law.

Renewable Fuel Standard (EPA)

EPA is expected to issue proposed regulations soon on the renewable fuels provisions passed in EISA that required America’s fuel supply to include 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022 – together with more specific volumetric requirements and lifecycle greenhouse gas benchmarks for “advanced” renewable fuels, cellulosic ethanol, and biodiesel.

The major issue of the rulemaking is how EPA will count “lifecycle” greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of different types of biofuels, especially how they will address significant indirect land use impacts as required by the law. Reports indicate that the agency’s calculations of lifecycle emissions for some biofuel feedstocks may prevent them from being used to satisfy the advanced biofuels targets. This may delay the timing of release for the proposed lifecycle calculation methodology and how much information on EPA’s calculations on specific feedstocks will be released. The EPA’s intention is to release the proposal before the end of the year, but a final rulemaking seems unlikely before the end of the Bush administration.

Department of Interior – Natural Resources, Endangered Species

Endangered Species Act: The Department of the Interior (DOI) has already telegraphed its intention to gut the Endangered Species Act by rushing through 300,000 comments on proposed rules in 32 hours, then providing a mere 10-day public comment period on the Environmental Assessment of the proposed rules change. The proposed rules would take expert scientific review out of many Endangered Species Act (ESA) processes, and could exempt the effects of global warming pollution on threatened or endangered species.

A letter sent by Chairman Markey to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on October 28, 2008 notes: “The proposed rule changes would weaken the ESA by undermining the Section 7 consultation requirements in the Act and excluding global warming emissions as a consideration under the ESA.

The letter continues, “The FWS notes on page 4 of the draft Environmental Assessment that, in the absence of the proposed rule change, “[t]here will likely continue to be an increase in the number of section 7 consultations given the emerging challenge of global climate change.” In other words, the FWS is proposing to deal with an increase in Section 7 consultation requests due to activities that increase global warming emissions by eliminating the requirement.”

DOI may also issue pending decisions on whether to list candidate species as threatened or endangered, or on designation of “critical habitat” for threatened or endangered species.

For example, the Bush administration is already taking steps to de-list the gray wolf. FWS reopened the comment period this week on the 2007 proposal to de-list the animal, a controversial proposal that was struck down in court after lawsuits from environmentalists.

Oil shale development: It has been reported that DOI intends to finalize new regulations governing commercial development of oil shale on more than 2 million acres of public lands in the West. In light of the recent lifting of the Congressional moratorium on oil shale development, these rules will now have a direct impact on these lands. Oil shale development presents serious risks of adverse environmental effects – both at the extraction stage, and because refining oil shale into usable product generates substantially higher lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than conventional petroleum sources and requires large amounts of water.

Mountaintop removal coal mining: DOI’s Office of Surface Mining is expected before the end of the administration to issue a final rule that would extend the current rule (which requires a 100-foot buffer zone around streams to protect them from mining practices) so that it also applies to all other bodies of water, such as lakes, ponds and wetlands. But the rule would also exempt many harmful practices – such as permanent coal waste disposal facilities – and could even allow for changing a waterway’s flow. The public comment period on the Environmental Impact Statement accompanying the rule lasts until November 23, 2008. Under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, EPA is also required to “concur” that the rule satisfies applicable environmental requirements. Reports indicate that EPA plans to do so, notwithstanding its serious negative impacts on water quality in mining areas.

Bureau of Land Management: The sub-agency that oversees land-based extraction practices like mining and oil shale is expected to issues a host of resource management plans and rules in the final days of the Bush administration. The plans will reportedly ignore the advice of the EPA on environmental protection measures and bypass the public comment process, in conflict with requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other regulations.

Plans for oil shale and tar sands development have been sent up the chain in DOI, forgoing the normal public comment period. In the case of oil shale, many say BLM is ignoring comments from an EPA regional office that say these extraction processes may cause harm to water and air quality, and could potentially fail to win approval under NEPA.

Water Quality

Factory farms: EPA has already missed several deadlines to finalize a rule addressing whether concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are required to obtain permits under the Clean Water Act. Concerns abound from states, environmentalists, and the farming industry over the details of the rule. Will the rule allow farms to “self-certify” they have not discharged pollution, perhaps making it too easy for CAFOs to avoid regulation and fines for infractions? Will states with progressive CAFO rules be pre-empted by the new federal standard? Will fines be retroactively applied? Will farms have to treat manure to eliminate dangerous pathogens?

The final rule could come as early as this week, or at the very end of the Bush administration. Either way, challenges to the final rule – from one or both sides of the issue – appear inevitable.

Definition of “Waters of the United States”: There is concern that EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers may issue a revised guidance memo on how to interpret the phrase “waters of the United States” in the Clean Water Act, which determines what water bodies are subject to regulation under the Act. The current guidance was issued last June in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Rapanos v. United States. Many in the environmental community and the States see the current guidance as unjustifiably excluding too many waters from coverage under the Act, and that potential forthcoming revisions could further limit such coverage.

Climate Change

Clean Air Act greenhouse gas regulations: The die has already been cast on agency regulations relating to greenhouse gas emissions. On July 11, 2008, EPA issued a non-regulatory Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) regarding potential regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. The ANPR has made clear that the Agency does not intend to propose any regulations under the Clean Air Act, but rather will leave this issue to the next administration.

Greenhouse gas reporting: Under the Omnibus appropriations bill for FY 2008, EPA was directed to establish a mandatory reporting rule for greenhouse gas emissions, using its existing authority under the Clean Air Act, by September 2008. EPA has been working on a proposed rule, which may or may not be issued before the end of the Bush administration. EPA will not issue a final rule before the end of the administration. The emissions reporting rule is considered to be an important foundation for future regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, either under the Clean Air Act or under new federal legislation.

There is some concern that the Bush administration may try to preemptively undermine the rule. However, because the rule will not be made final until after the end of the administration, the next administration could correct any problems with a proposed rule by “re-proposing” the rule within a relatively short time period. The main adverse effect would be delay in finalizing the rule.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission:

Waste confidence: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has a proposed rule changing its environmental regulations to update the NRC’s so-called “waste confidence” finding, which determines the safety of spent nuclear fuel. The proposed rule updates the NRC finding that spent fuel generated at any reactor can be stored safely and without significant environmental impacts for at least 30 years after the reactor shuts down.

The NRC, in the proposed rule, maintains that it still has this confidence, but is updating the findings that support this confidence since the current findings were based upon the premise that a geologic repository, like the controversial Yucca Mountain facility, would be available by 2025. The industry has long touted this rule as necessary for any future of the nuclear industry, but opponents of the rule have argued that the current rule ties the agency’s confidence too closely to timing of a Yucca Mountain facility and thus places the NRC in an awkward position as it reviews the Yucca Mountain application. The agency could amend the rule by basing its findings solely on science, leaving the politics out of the equation, or not.

Comments to the rule are due by December, so a final rule may or may not come before the end of the Bush administration.

Aircraft impact rule: The NRC is currently deliberating a final rule to require new nuclear reactor applicants to provide an assessment of how the reactor would respond in the event of a large commercial aircraft impact. The original proposal was for each new reactor to be required to withstand a large commercial aircraft impact, not simply to require that they issue a report on the potential harm from an impact. The NRC is reportedly split on the issue and the decision timeline is currently unknown. Congressman Markey has a proposal that would require new reactors to withstand impacts of a large commercial aircraft in his nuclear security bill, H.R. 6816.

Rules already issued:

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead: The final rule was issued this month, setting a standard of 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter of airborne lead. Environmentalists have expressed concern that the rule allows averaging of lead levels over three months in determining compliance with the standard, which may allow for short-term spikes that adversely affect health. In addition, it appears that the White House intervened at the last minute to increase the rule’s threshold for monitoring – without any policy justification – with the effect of dramatically reducing monitoring required under the rule.

Chairman Markey at the MIT Energy Forum

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Energy Luminaries Browner, Holdren, Yergin, Moniz and Others Discussed Massachusetts’ Role in Developing Clean Energy Jobs, Technology, Global Warming Policies

An archive video of the event is available through the MIT website HERE.

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Malden) hosted President Obama’s top climate, energy and science advisers along with other energy experts at a forum at MIT on Monday, April 13 to discuss the future of clean energy in national policy and in the Massachusetts economy. As leaders in Washington strive to stabilize and grow our economy, clean energy solutions are showing the most promise. World-renowned energy experts will discuss how decisions made in Washington relate to the Massachusetts economy, our national security, and the threat of global warming.

Forum Participants:
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Malden), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and Energy and Environment Subcommittee
Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change
John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology
Ernest J. Moniz, Professor of Physics and Cecil and Ida Green Distinguished Professor, MIT
Dr. Susan Hockfield, President, MIT
Daniel Yergin, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates
Massachusetts clean energy CEOs and others

PHOTOS:

From the forum

Clean Energy Tour

An archive video of the event is available through the MIT website HERE.

Earth Week 2009

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

FRIDAY 4/24:

Former Vice President Al Gore and former Senator John Warner, R-VA, joined in bi-partisan support for the Waxman-Markey clean energy jobs bill.

Former Vice President and Nobel recipient Al Gore supports Waxman-Markey legislation - he sees it as an opportunity to create jobs and fight the climate crisis.

Foreign policy expert and statesman Senator John Warner (R-VA) testified in favor of clean energy and security legislation. Calling for a ‘beachhead" against pollution and letting the committee know his grand children are the reason he advocates for clean energy and climate policy.

Al Gore condemns industry executives who sought to suppress public health warnings and the science regarding the danger of global warming.

Chairman Markey and Former Speaker Newt Gingrich discuss appliance efficiency standards, nuclear energy and oil.

THURSDAY 4/23:

'Industry Ignored its Scientists on Climate' - In a front page New York Times story today, reporter Andrew Revkin reports that an organization worked to supress global warming science, concealing the danger to the public well-being, using the same tactics the tobacco companies that were used to supress the link to lung cancer.
Business leaders continued to join with labor and environmental leaders to support clean energy jobs legislation and putting a cap on pollution.

WEDNESDAY 4/22:

Three cabinet level officials from the Obama Administration testified in support or clean energy jobs legislation. Steven Chu (Secretary of Energy), Ray LaHood, (Secretary of Transportation) and Lisa Jackson (EPA) all testified.
Chairman Markey introduces the recycling bottle bill.
The Earth Week celebration went virtual as TechSoup and OneSky/OneClimate launched the EcoCommons Island in Second Life. Select Committee staff delivered the keynote address.
President Obama marked Earth Day by visiting a wind turbine factory in Newton, Iowa –a plant that was left idle after a refrigerator factory left town. Now it has been retooled to make wind turbines and saved those manufacturing jobs in Iowa. The CEO of the company, Steven Lockard, testified before the Select Committee last year.
John Fetterman, Mayor of the Pennsylvania steel working town of Braddock, testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee that his community, and the country, are ready to tackle the green jobs that capping carbon pollution will generate.
WalMart announces they will double their use of solar power.
White House Council on Environmental Quality advisor Van Jones green jobs quote: "There's a wingspan on these jobs goes from GED to Ph.D."
Hilda Solis, Former Select Committee member now serving as Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis joined with Energy Secretary Chu for an op-ed on green recovery jobs.
Chairman Markey welcomed constituents from Massachusetts 7th District to Washington, DC for Constituent Day.

TUESDAY 4/21:

The Energy & Commerce Committee and the Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment began hearings on the Waxman-Markey climate change legislation.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi held an event with House committee chairmen, faith and business leaders.
The Catholic Church launched an intiative to fight climate change and stand up for vulnerable communities in harms' way across the world.
A new savings report released today from the Union of Concerned Scientists found that implementinga suite of energy, climate and transportation features would save consumers and businesses $465 billion in 2030 - including $900 on electricity bills and $580 on transportation.

MONDAY 4/20:

China is outspending the United States in the race for clean energy technology and jobs, according to a new report by the Center for American Progress. The report suggests China is spending $12.6 million an hour to green their economy.

SUNDAY 4/19:

Thousands gathered on the National Mall to kick off Earth Day events. Chairman Markey spoke before young climate activists as part of the Earth Day on the National Mall celebration. He was joined by Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the EPA, along with musical artists Moe and The Flaming Lips.

SATURDAY 4/18:

At 103 events across the country, 70 members of Congress took part in Focus the Nation town hall events to discuss the clean energy economy and creating green jobs with students and community leaders across the country.

SATURDAY 4/18:

The Environmental Protection Agency released a key finding: that global warming emissions pose a threat to public health and welfare.

Markey on Markup

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Waxman-Markey Comprehensive Clean Energy Legislation passes the Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 33-25

Follow the Committee on Twitter & Facebook.

Markup Hearings: Day 4

H.R. 2454, as amended, was reported favorably by the Energy and Commerce Committee by a recorded vote of 33-25.

Chairman Waxman's closing remarks

Representative Barton's closing remarks

Representative Upton's closing remarks

Chairman Markey's closing remarks before the final Energy and Commerce Committee vote on H.R. 2454

Markup Hearings: Day 3

A summary of Day 3 of the markup is available through the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Rep. Boyle speaks on behalf of steelworkers in his district.

Rep. Stupak outlines elements of his amendment.

Markup Hearings: Day 2

A summary of Day 2 of the markup is available through the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Chairman Markey

Congressman Weiner

Other Materials

Letters in support of the legislation

Clean Energy Update

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The Clean Energy Update, by the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

Welcome to the Clean Energy Update, your resource for news, facts and useful points on energy, environment, and climate issues. Congress is moving to pass historic clean energy jos legislation that will retool the American economy, help consumers and businesses, and end our dependence on foreign oil.

6.16.09 • A Strong Case for Immediate Action on Global Warming
6.15.09 • How the Pollution Cap Works
6.12.09 • Jobs news from coast to coast
6.11.09 • Savings and Jobs: Clean energy legislation to save $3,900 per household
6.9.09 • The fiscally responsible plan to a clean energy future
6.5.09 • Editorials - Support from diverse regions of the country for Congressional Clean Energy Jobs Plan
6.4.09 • International Competition
6.2.09 • Jobs

6.16.09 • Focus: A Strong Case for Immediate Action on Global Warming

A new report released at the White House today by America's top climate scientists paints a stark picture of an America already beset by global warming, with more severe impacts to come if we do not cut the carbon pollution causing the problem.

The report, Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, written by the United States Global Change Research Program, is based on more than a dozen other national scientific synthesis reports along with others, including the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports.

Key Findings and Future Projections Impact All Regions of the US:

Heavy downpours in the last 50 years have increased 67% in the Northeast and 31% in the Midwest. Unsurprisingly, this time has been marked by record flooding in those regions.
Water supplies in the rapidly growing Southwest will become increasingly scarce.
Global temperatures could increase 11 degrees Fahrenheit, with greater overall increases in the United States.
The growing season now starts 2 weeks earlier, impacting farming and crops in rural America.
Increased heat, pests, water extremes, weeds and other impacts would have significant effects on the agriculture and livestock sectors.
Sea-level rise would be 3-4 feet by 2100, completely flooding places like the Everglades and Cape Canaveral.

News Stories & Opinion

THE HILL [Op-Ed by Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-IL)]: ACES Act lays solid foundation for nation's clean-energy future

This bill addresses another one of my top priorities by providing new opportunities for quality, career-oriented jobs for low-income communities, as well as funding for minority- and women-owned businesses. The inclusion of the Low-Income Community Energy Efficiency Program (LICEEP), which was an amendment I offered that was adopted unanimously in the committee, will provide grants to mission-driven community development organizations as a means to increase the flow of capital and technical assistance to low-income communities, as well as minority- and women-owned businesses.

THE HILL [Op-Ed by Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)]:Poorest Americans, contributing least to climate change, will not be hurt by legislation to rectify

Most importantly, the poorest Americans, who contributed least to this problem and are least able to endure any increases in costs, are held harmless. The 15 percent of allowance value devoted to these struggling households guarantees the recoupment of any lost purchasing power, and does not phase out over the 40-year life of the program.

Low-income households spend considerably more on energy as a percentage of total income than the average household.

Our goal in the consideration of this legislation was to lower greenhouse gases, bring sustainable new jobs to America, and aid the consumer, and particularly low- and moderate-income consumers who have contributed the least to the problem.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Government Study Warns of Climate Change Effects

The impact of global warming is expected to become more severe in coming years, the report says, affecting farms and forests, coastlines and floodplains, water and energy supplies, transportation and human health.

The study also cites an increase in drought in the Southwest and more intense heat waves in the Northeast as a result of growing concentrations of carbon dioxide and other climate-altering gases in the atmosphere.

Reduced mountain snowpack means earlier melt-offs and reduced stream volumes across the West and Northwest, affecting residential and agricultural water supplies, habitats for spawning fish and reduced hydroelectric power generation, the study found.

NEWS & OBSERVER: Green jobs growing swiftly

"Clean energy is job-creating opportunities for our nation," U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, a North Carolina Democrat, said in a conference call about the report. "We don't know the opportunities that will be available with new ideas. We're Americans, the most creative, innovative entrepreneurs in the world."

REVIEW JOURNAL: Nevada clean energy thrives

Nevada benefits from some of the nation's best solar energy and geothermal energy, he said. Geothermal energy comes from hot underground water and steam.

KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL: Tennessee third in clean energy jobs

Tennessee is on the forefront of clean energy job creation - long before two major solar manufacturers coming to the state have hired their first employees.

TAMPA BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL: Kathy Castor: Clean energy jobs come at 'critical time'

A report on $85 billion in stimulus funding slated for direct spending on and tax incentives for energy and transportation programs prompted Congresswoman Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, to review the importance of clean energy jobs to Florida’s economy.

REUTERS: U.S. report to press case for quick moves on climate

Among the January draft's key findings:

climate change is already affecting water, energy, transportation, agriculture, ecosystems and health, differing from region to region and expected to grow if the climate changes as projected;
agriculture is one sector most able to adapt to climate change, but increased temperature, pests, diseases and weather extremes will challenge crops and livestock production;

TC PALM: Eric Draper, pro-con: Do you support cap-and-trade legislation? Yes

Why is it urgent that the nation deal with energy and climate change? The bill’s title says much: Clean energy means security for Florida’s economy and environment. Our low-lying coastal areas are vulnerable to saltwater intruding into our estuaries and drinking water aquifers. Sea level rise threatens our beaches. And more extreme weather events, such as droughts and intense storms can result in lost agricultural production and higher insurance rates.

USA TODAY: Gas prices rise for 48th day, but oil sells off

Gasoline prices rose Monday for the 48th straight day with prices now up nearly two-thirds since the beginning of the year even as demand from motorists remains weak.

MICHGAN BUSINESS INNOVATION: Dow Chemical CEO and Ford chairman: Manufacturing base is critical to new energy technologies

Pursuing clean energy technologies and preserving America's manufacturing base are not mutually exclusive objectives, executives said this morning at the National Summit in downtown Detroit.

Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris and Ford Motor Co. executive chairman Bill Ford Jr. called for the U.S. to form a cohesive industrial policy and to invest in alternative energy.

"We have an opportunity to preserve the environment and our manufacturing base by applying breakthrough technologies to create energy-efficient products and processes," Ford said.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Illinois wind farms bought by Irish energy company

Three Illinois wind farms within 100 miles of Chicago were acquired Monday by an Irish energy company making its first U.S. investment amid hopes that President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package will bolster the renewable energy business.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES: U.S. western states gain key support for renewable energy

"Governors have shown a commitment to addressing the critical issue of climate change and the challenges it presents to state and local governments," said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality on a statement.

Among the actions taken today, the DOE announced:

$80 million for the development and implementation of the next generation high voltage transmission networks.
$50 million for assistance to state electricity regulators commissions to accelerate reviews of energy projects
$39.5 million for state and city governments to integrate smart grid technologies into the transmission network, critical infrastructure, interdependencies and cyber security.

The DOA announced $57 million to fund 30 biomass projects including wood-to-energy grants and biomass utilization.

Return to the table of contents

6.15.09 • Focus: How the Pollution Cap Works

Democrats have put forward a comprehensive solution to address our energy, economic and climate challenge that will create clean energy jobs in every region of the country.

Meanwhile, opponents have argued against new jobs, and launched a series of misleading attacks focused on one element of our plan - putting a cap on carbon pollution.

The truth is the Waxman-Markey emission reduction plan to fight global warming is simple. It makes polluters pay and helps clean companies prosper.

It's the same American solution we put in place to successfully fight ACID RAIN in 1990- after which time electricity rates fell 10 percent, and the U.S. economy added 16 million new jobs.

A market-based cap on pollution puts a limit on the amount of carbon and other heat-trapping emissions large power plants and other sources can emit. It then uses the power of a well-regulated market to get companies competing to produce the cleanest and cheapest energy and materials. It then re-invests revenues from the market back to consumers, energy research and development, and job-creation measures.

Over time, pollution is reduced and our energy, vehicles, appliances, and other parts of our economy will be cleaner, cheaper and American-made.

It's important to point out that the Acid Rain solution had bi-partisan support and was signed by the first President Bush. Former Senator John Warner (R-VA) endorsed the Waxman-Markey bill, and even Sen. John McCain and Newt Gingrich have backed market-based pollution caps as the best vehicle for fighting pollution.

The Waxman-Markey approach not only fights pollution, it also invests resources into consumer and worker protection, clean energy and efficiency savings for businesses and families.

This video from the Environmental Defense Fund, a USCAP Member, provides a simple explanation of how a market-based emissions reduction plan works.

News Stories & Opinion

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Green + Green = ?

A believer that information breeds action, Mr. Parker's next project is to raise awareness about the daily greenhouse-gas emissions around the world by setting up a second-by-second counter in New York City.

MR. PARKER: Until you can see the amount of carbon emissions in the atmosphere and the price of carbon every single day, I don't think the world is going to be sensitive enough to the urgency that is required to attack the problem. So you sensitize everybody to it, you remind them daily about it. Then you put a price on it, and let the market figure it out.

LA TIMES: Gasoline price surge comes at bad time

"The gasoline rise is like a tax we feel very painfully every time we go to a gas station," said Ed Leamer, director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast. For consumers struggling to regain their confidence, "it adds uncertainty. It will tend to retard the economic recovery and make it less powerful."

"That really opened my eyes," said Persinko, 51. "It's speculators driving the commodities market, or the oil companies are pillaging again. Last time it happened, it helped bring the whole economy down. Now it's happening again.

EP ONLINE: Farmers' Group Outlines Cap and Trade Bill Priorities

"Agriculture has a vested interest in participating in cap and trade and climate change legislation," says Jon Scholl, president of American Farmland Trust. "There are many stewardship and economic opportunities for producers to capture under a cap and trade system and in climate change legislation in general, but we must include agriculture or we'll face potentially onerous regulations that were not designed to address the agriculture sector well."

REUTERS: Global PC makers vying for "Green" crown

"It's really a green arms race, in which they're trying to one up each other, ... the good news is they're all working in this direction and that's going to benefit themselves, their customers and the environment."

GRIST: Labor teams up with enviros to pass climate bill and promote green jobs

After working for the United Steelworkers International Union for 30 years, Lauren Horne left in January to take on a new role within the labor movement-rallying union members to help fight climate change. Horne, a Pittsburgh native, is now coordinating an education campaign in Pennsylvania for the Labor Climate Project, a program run by the Blue Green Alliance. She spends her days traveling to union meetings throughout the state, where she teaches members about the problem of global warming and the ways that solutions could lead to new, green jobs for blue-collar workers.

WASHINGTON POST [Letter to the Editor]: A Federal Role in Energy-Saving Buildings

More than 40 states enforce energy codes. This bill will simply require them to be more effective.

Complementary policies such as building codes and standards, along with financial incentives for energy efficiency, as this bill would provide, offer the most effective way of meeting a cap at the lowest cost. These policies could reduce or eliminate the possibility that the cost of emissions permits will lead to higher energy prices, and they could cut electricity bills by reducing consumption.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Catching the Wind

Instead of fighting offshore-wind power like most of their peers, some East Coast commercial fisheries are trying a different tack: They're angling for a piece of the action.

The company they formed, incorporated as Fishermen's Energy LLC in 2007, moved a step closer to that goal in October when it won a $4 million grant from the state of New Jersey to begin the initial stages of development on a proposed 350-megawatt wind farm off Atlantic City.

THE GUARDIAN [UK]: Emerald Isle plots green revolution

The good news is that Ireland's predicament makes it a prime candidate for a "green new deal" - policies aimed not just at helping the economy through a difficult time but also to make it better able to face the twin challenges of a world where fossil fuels are dwindling and the temperature is rising.

Return to the table of contents

6.15.09 • Focus: Jobs News from Coast to Coast

News Stories & Opinion

DAILY HERALD [Editorial]: Consider climate bill despite costs

"The idea [of climate legislation], of course, is we'll avoid polluting, use better energy sources, be better stewards to avoid the higher cost.

Opponents worry that means costs will rise. Supporters admit that's the case. But they say we'll use less energy, meaning the bottom line will be lower. They also note that the bill includes a number of cost containment measures to limit the impact.

Taking this action to improve our environment will cost, no question. But inaction will undoubtedly cost far more."

FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER: Green energy economy is growing, and fast

PACIFIC BUSINESS NEWS: Hawaii's clean-energy jobs outpace total growth

NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW: N.H. clean-energy economy grows jobs

DETROIT FREE PRESS: Michigan is No. 10 in clean energy jobs

REUTERS: U.S. green economy needs plan to hit potential: study

FAST COMPANY: A Clean Energy Economy Generates Job Growth

AP: Study: Clean energy will stimulate Calif. economy

LA TIMES: California leading growth in nation's green jobs economy, study finds

ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS: State's green firms get the green

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: New report says "green" jobs outpacing others in Missouri

THE OREGONIAN: Green jobs grew seven times faster than overall jobs in Oregon, study finds

REUTERS: 1-LG Chem to invest $794 mln in new car batteries in Korea

CNN: GM's 'reinvention' starts with $25 million battery lab

CAP'S WONK ROOM: GOP American Energy Act: Impact Of Global Warming 'Shall Not Be Considered For Any Purpose'

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6.11.09 • Focus: Savings and Jobs: Clean Energy Legislation to Save $3,900 per Household

Efficiency measures in the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) will save households $3,900 according to a new report released by The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

In addition to helping consumers save money and transition off dangerous foreign oil, the report indicates that energy efficiency measures will keep money in local communities, creating a multiplier effect that will generate economic activity and create 650,000 new jobs by 2030.

PEW Finds Clean Energy Generates Jobs

Clean energy jobs continue to light the path to economic recovery. A new comprehensive study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that growth in clean energy jobs continue to rise at a rate of 9.1 percent, while traditional jobs grew by just 3.7 percent over the last decade.

This report covers all fifty states and the District of Columbia.

The clean energy and manufacturing sectors are poised to expand significantly with the passage of the Waxman-Markey legislation, which will unleash investment and technology to meet growing consumer demand for cost saving solutions.

Business Leaders Support Clean Energy Jobs Legislation

A group of business leaders, ranging from Nike and Starbucks to Duke Energy and Exelon, placed a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal calling for congressional action on emissions and clean energy legislation.

News Stories & Opinion

Indianapolis Star [Op-Ed by Rep. Baron Hill]: Focus our energy on common ground

I believe enacting energy legislation that addresses energy independence, green jobs and climate change is both pressing and productive. And I believe it can and should be done in a way that takes into account the current economy and geographic disparities.

... the goal of this bill is to find common ground -- to reduce dangerous greenhouse gas emissions, spur energy independence, create green jobs and ensure future generations can enjoy our environment, all while protecting Hoosier ratepayers. I believe these goals can all be achieved simultaneously.

Politico: Chamber of Commerce, NAM Rebuked For Opposition to Climate Change Bill

An alliance of 14 organizations that support climate change legislation has sent letters to companies that are members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, urging them to demand a refund of any dues being used by the two groups to oppose a cap-and-trade system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

The Chamber of Commerce already is taking heat from several corporate members over its opposition to the global warming legislation.

Washington Times: Speculation leads to gas spike

A surprise spurt in consumer demand and a growing wave of investor speculation have sent the prices of crude oil and gasoline soaring, creating worries for the overall economy and legislative peril for energy companies in the nation's capital.

Some analysts see financial speculation as a major cause of the price spurt.

Traverse City Record-Eagle: Forum: Green jobs go from hype to reality

We found that Michigan currently has 109,067 private-sector green jobs, including 96,767 direct jobs and 12,300 support jobs. Already, green jobs make up 3 percent of private-sector employment...

From 2005 to 2008, a sample of 358 green-related firms added more than 2,500 jobs. They grew by 7.7 percent while Michigan's overall private-sector employment shrank 5.4 percent...

There's more good news: Green jobs tend to pay well. Thirteen of the top 15 green employment sectors boast average weekly wages above Michigan's overall private sector average, several of them far above.

Washington Post: Report says climate change is adding to migration

Estimates vary on how many people are on the move because of climate change, but the report cites predictions from the International Organization for Migration that 200 million people will be displaced by environmental pressures by 2050. Some estimates go as high as 700 million, said the report, released at U.N negotiations for a new climate treaty.

Asheville Citizen-Times: Retrofitting schools could mean more green jobs

"We can't move forward with leaking windows and buildings bleeding energy. We can't be short-sighted and put money into just keeping these old buildings warm when we need to put the money toward educating our kids," Asheville city Councilwoman Robin Cape said.

Grist: Waxman-Markey could save $3,900 per household and create 650,000 jobs by 2030

The bill’s authors clearly understood that energy efficiency is THE core climate solution - the biggest and lowest cost carbon-free resource by far.

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6.9.09 • Focus: the fiscally responsible plan to a clean energy future

The Clean Energy Jobs plan is both environmentally sound and fiscally responsible.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released a new analysis of the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act and found that it will NOT raise the federal budget deficit. That means it will not require a PAYGO.

CBO's analysis states that Waxman-Markey will raise $846 billion over the next decade in revenues from the new carbon market, with the revenues dedicated to investing in clean energy jobs and to protecting consumers who have suffered under the weight of our old energy economy and OPEC-driven gas spikes.

More than 50 percent of the revenues from the pollution-cutting program will go back to consumers -- with at least 35 percent protecting against increases in electric, natural gas, home heating and propane bills; and another 15 percent to assist low income families.

Even before efficiency savings, consumer benefit measures and cost-saving technology gains are factored into the program, the EPA has indicated that the Waxman-Markey clean energy jobs plan would cost less than a postage stamp per day.

News Stories & Opinion

AP: Midwest governors seek aggressive emissions goals

The plan calls for a nearly 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2020, with an 80 percent reduction by 2050...

While the group prefers a federal cap-and-trade system, the recommendations give governors in the Midwest a possible framework for a regional system should Congress fail to act by 2012.

AP: Climate bill to pay hundreds of dollars in rebates

Low-income families will recieve hundreds of dollars a year to help pay higher energy bills if Congress enacts the first-ever limits on the gases blamed for global warming, according to a new analysis.

NYT/ClimateWire: House Climate Bill would trim budget deficit, CBO says

CBO's scoring of H.R. 2454 projects the bill's requirement that companies reduce their emissions or purchase alowances on an open market would bring in federal revenue of about $845.6 billion during the first decade of its operation. By contrast, federal spending is expected to increase by $821.2 billion, meaning the Treasury can expect a $24.4 billion net gain.

Boston Globe [Op-Ed by Chairman Markey]: The race for clean-energy innovation

American companies would get an edge with passage of the Waxman-Markey bill, the most sweeping energy legislation Congress has considered in a generation. The plan would end America's dangerous dependence on foreign oil, increase the amount of clean energy we produce, make our buildings, homes, cars, and trucks more eficient, and cut the harmful carbon pollution causing global warming.

Reuters: NY sees clean energy creating up to 50,000 jobs

New York could create as many as 50,000 jobs by converting 45 percent of its electricity needs to renewable energy sources by 2015...

The State [Op-Ed by Alston F. Lippert]: Wilson misses boat on cap and trade

First, a cap-and-trade system is neither ineffective nor necessarily a high-tax proposal. It only becomes a high-tax proposition for industries that are unable to met the goals set. The industries that can meet these goals are rewarded by being able to sell their excess permits to those that need them, resulting in profit. Thus, profit-seeking, a corner-stone of capitalism, drives the system and encourages efficiency and research and development efforts.

NYT: China and U.S. Seek a Truce on Greenhouse Gases

Many take the simple fact that the two nations, jointly responsible for more than 40 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, are even talking seriously to each other about the issue as a propitious sign after years of mutual distrust.

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6.5.09 • Focus: Editorials - support from diverse regions of the country for congressional Clean Energy Jobs Plan

INDIANAPOLIS STAR: Lighten up on carbon reduction

Gov. Mitch Daniels and U.S. Reps. Mike Pence and Steve Buyer have some significant non-allies in their vehement opposition to the carbon reduction legislation now moving through Congress.

Among them are most of the Midwest's governors, who already have signed a regional cap-and-trade agreement; and Indiana's largest electric utility, whose boss accepts the need for congressional action and insists it will benefit rather than punish this coal-dependent region -- if the region's leadership pulls up to the table.

HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Cap-and-trade off: Compromise bill to cap greenhouse gas emissions spreads the cost

The compromise legislation crafted by committee chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Edward Markey, D-Mass., preserves the original intent of the Obama administration to begin addressing the causes of climate change, while insulating emissions-producing industries and consumers from economic damage.

The legislation has attracted an unusual coalition of supporters, including Duke Energy, Alcoa and the Environmental Defense Fund. Former Vice President Al Gore, whose film An Inconvenient Truth helped raise public awareness of global warming, plans to campaign for its passage.

THE TENNESSEAN: Economy no excuse to ignore global warming

Markey has said a climate change bill would "create jobs by the millions, save money by the billions and unleash energy investments by the trillions." While critics may react to such statements as hyperbole, look no further than what is happening right now in Tennessee. This state has chosen to be a leader in renewable energy technology. The state has attracted huge recent investments in solar power, from Hemlock Semiconductor for a site near Clarksville and one by Wacker Chemie AG in southeast Tennessee. Together, those investments involve more than $2 trillion. That's real money.

Gov. Phil Bredesen has called for establishing a solar institute in the state. The quest for new energy sources is not just a dream. It's real. It's happening. The only question is the level of commitment others will have to develop new energy sources. Tennessee is positioned to be a global leader. That didn't happen by making excuses.

NEW YORK TIMES: Leadership Long Delayed

For anyone eager to see the United States take a serious leadership role on the issue of global warming, this week was enormously encouraging.

It began with the White House’s announcement that it will impose the first-ever limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. It ended with a House committee approving a comprehensive energy and global warming bill — an important first step on legislation that seeks to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, reverse emissions of carbon dioxide and create millions of clean energy jobs.

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6.4.09 • Focus: International Competition

The nation that leads the race for clean energy technology will have a global economic advantage for the next century. With millions of manufacturing and high-tech jobs on the line, the United States cannot afford to fall behind.

Though we invented solar technology, the United States now lags behind Germany in solar power and manufacturing. The Germans control 47% of the global photovoltaic market, and Europe deployed 13 times more solar photovoltaic power than the United States last year.
Denmark leads the world in wind power, even though our shores stretch thousands of miles longer.
50 percent of all new jobs created in Ireland last year were clean energy jobs.
China is spending $12.6 million PER HOUR on clean energy development.
By the end of 2009, China will be the world's biggest exporter of renewable energy technology. China is preparing to invest $440 to $660 billion this year in clean energy development.
China brought the world's first mass-produced plug-in hybrid car to market, ahead of the Chevy Volt, and has plans to develop a network of electric vehicle charging stations. Korea and Japan are leapfrogging America in battery and electric vehicle technology that will power the vehicles of the future.

The Waxman-Markey legislation will launch a renewable revolution, one that draws on our manufacturing might and technological advantage and positions us to lead the world in wind, solar, efficiency, and carbon capture and sequestration technology.

It's time to put America back in the driver's seat in the global race for clean energy jobs and technology.

News Stories and Reports

New York Times/Green Inc: Assessing China's low carbon dragon

...China is already a leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic technology, according to the report, with 820 megawatts of production in place by the end of 2007, second only to Japan. Output of solar panels has doubled for each of the last four years, and by the end of 2009, China is expected to become the world’s leading exporter of wind turbines.

Irish Examiner: Green sector creates 50% of jobs

NEW figures show that more than 50% of new Irish jobs created this year come under the green category which has the capacity to create at least 55,000 jobs by 2020.

Research shows more than 10,000 of the jobs created over the past three months were generated by the green economy with substantial potential down the line provided the Government gives greater backing to green issues.

Report: Climate Progress in China (Center for American Progress)

By 2020, China plans to tap wind power for 100 gigawatts of electricity, which is triple the original target; solar power for 10 gigawatts— a fivefold increase; and hydroelectric power by 300 gigawatts, twice its current capacity. In addition, China moved 40 million solar-water heaters into Chinese homes in 2007, accounting for two-thirds of the global market demand, with a target of 30 percent of households by 2020.

Report: We Must Seize the Energy Opportunity or Slip Further Behind (Center for American Progress)

China's leaders are investing $12.6 million every hour to green their economy. Other countries are equally energetic in their embrace of alternative energy technologies; they are setting targets and investing billions of dollars to spur the development of entirely new markets in wind, solar, geothermal, biofuels, energy efficiency, high-speed rail, and other clean and innovative solutions to global warming.

Speech by Todd Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change:

And this energy-intensive, coal-driven growth has had toxic consequences for China’'s environment and public health. Sixteen of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in China, particulate pollution in Beijing is six times higher than in New York, and premature deaths from respiratory disease are estimated in a joint World Bank/China research project at 750,000 per year. Water pollution is just as bad – 90 percent of the aquifers in China's cities are polluted, and more than 75 percent of river water in urban areas is unsuitable for drinking or fishing. Moreover, on any given day, 25 percent of the particulate pollution in Los Angeles is made in China, as is the acid rain problem in Japan and Korea. Pan Yue, a former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, famously said a few years ago – "The economic miracle will end soon because the environment can no longer keep pace."

Chinese leadership has increasingly come to recognize the importance of changing course, for many reasons – climate change, energy security and the pressing need to clean up its environment, but also because of the country's daunting employment needs. With U.S. consumers tightening their belts and Chinese exports declining, Beijing needs a new engine of job creation. And the industries responsible for most of China's emissions growth don't create many jobs. The five most energy-intensive industries in the country account for nearly half of China’s CO2 emissions, but employ only 14 million people combined. That's less than they did a decade ago and a drop in the bucket in a labor pool of 770 million.

And so China has taken significant steps to rebalance its economy towards labor-intensive services and manufacturing, improve its energy efficiency and reduce its emissions. For example, China's current five-year plan includes the goal of reducing the energy intensity of the economy 20% by 2010, and the aim of increasing the share of renewable energy in the primary energy supply to 15% by 2020. China has implemented increasingly stringent auto emissions standards, stronger than our own, and its domestic stimulus package contained substantial clean energy investments. And there are many other initiatives underway, including an intensive focus on producing electric vehicles, and a new commitment to develop solar power. Already, China is one of the world's leading producers of both wind and solar technology.

Select Committee Hearing (testimony and video) on efforts by other nations to create clean energy jobs

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6.2.09 • Focus: Jobs

Momentum Building for Clean Energy Jobs Plan

More than 100 events took place last week

Last week communities across the nation came together to support clean energy jobs. From manufacturing jobs in wind and solar to green buildings and weatherization projects, moving to a clean energy economy will put people back to work today and provide a healthy environment for our future. These events supported measures in the Recovery Act and called for an American clean energy jobs plan.

Stories/Opinion Pieces

MSNBC Morning Joe clip on moving to a clean economy

Excellent clip from Morning Joe featuring Green for All, Tom Brokaw, Donny Deutsch and Joe Scarborough all expressing support for a clean economy.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel (FL): Clean Energy: Bold action needed at national level now

Tourism and agriculture, the two largest industries in Florida, are both threatened by the effects of global warming. If we want to have a sustainable environment and grow our economy, then we need to take bold action now – particularly at the national level.

President Obama has made building a clean energy economy one of his priorities. Along with Congress, the President has made a significant down payment on creating a clean energy future by passing an economic recovery plan with more than $80 billion in green spending and a budget plan that prioritizes clean energy and funds important environmental initiatives. The next step is for Congress to pass a comprehensive clean energy and climate plan.

Detroit News: House energy bill will increase green jobs

While Michigan struggles with a 12 percent unemployment rate -- one of the highest in the nation -- great strides are being taken to retrain our work force for the green jobs of the future and get us back to work. And these efforts will have lasting impacts on the quality of our land, air and water.

Driving investment in clean energy technologies will create tens of thousands of high-paying American jobs -- jobs that can't be outsourced. And we need those jobs now more than ever.

Michigan's recently released Green Jobs Report shows we already have 109,067 green jobs. In fact, green job creation is far outpacing the rest of our economy with more than 350 green firms creating more than 2,500 jobs in our state -- an employment expansion of 7.7 percent. Our manufacturing sector is in dire straights, but investing in a clean energy economy, retraining workers and retooling manufacturing plants to enter the green marketplace will get our economy moving forward again while decreasing our nation's dangerous dependence on carbon-based fuels.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act, which the House Energy and Commerce Committee has approved, will continue this trend and expand our burgeoning green jobs economy -- breathing new life into Michigan's withering manufacturing sector.

Reuters: Philadelphia creates green jobs to weatherize row houses

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The City of Brotherly Love is tackling rising unemployment and improving the energy efficiency of homes by training people to weatherize its estimated 400,000 low-income row houses.

WTAE Pittsburgh: Allegheny Co. Announces Money for 'Green' Jobs for Youth

PITTSBURGH -- Officials in Allegheny County have announced close to $2 million in funding to create hundreds of "green" jobs for area youth.

According to a news release from County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, the $1.87 million grant from the Workforce Investment Act will fund a summer jobs program for 600 young people.

BusinessWeek: NY governor: Grants to spur clean energy jobs

New York Gov. David Paterson says state grants will leverage $95 million in federal economic stimulus funds to create as many as 400 research jobs for clean energy projects statewide.

The grants will bring together top scientists in fields ranging from solar energy and electricity storage to materials sciences, biofuels, advanced nuclear systems, and reducing carbon emissions.

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The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

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Waxman-Markey ACES Resource Packet

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Nearly $200 Billion for Research & Development in Waxman-Markey

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Read more on the Huffington Post.

Cash for Clunkers

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The wildly successful Cash for Clunkers program was a win for the economy, a win for energy independence and an overwhelming win for consumers.

Details of the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program
Text of the Cash for Clunkers bill as passed by the House of Representatives

Cash for Clunkers Facts:

According to reports nearly 700,000 Cash for Clunkers purchases:

The average fuel economy of new vehicles purchased under the program was 24.9 mpg while the average fuel economy of trade-ins was15.8 mpg. The average increase in fuel economy was 9.2 MPG, a 58% improvement.
Cars purchased under the program are an average of 19% above the average fuel economy of all new cars currently available.
84% of trade-ins under the program are trucks, and 59% of new vehicle purchases are cars.
In July, Ford’s hybrid vehicles (Fusion, Milan, Escape and Mariner) posted combined sales of 5,353, a record for any month and up 323% versus a year ago.
During the week that the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program was launched, GM’s small car sales increased 54.8% over the preceding week. GM Compact car sales were up 36.9% during the same period. Specifically, the Chevy Aveo – one of GM’s most fuel-efficient vehicles at 30 mpg (EPA) – saw a sales increase of 58.9% during the week that the CARS program was launched.
Ford and General Motors announced production increases for both the third and fourth quarters of 2009 as a result of the demand generated by the program, while Honda said it will be increasing production at its U.S. plants in Ohio and Alabama.

The economic up-side doesn’t end in the auto industry:

Companies that produce sodium silicate, the substance used to ‘kill’ the clunkers, experienced record sales.
Sirius XM stock value experienced a surge because its units were being installed in the new vehicles purchased under the program.
Some economists see more major impacts: "The blowout response to the cash-for-clunkers incentive program has been far stronger than we expected," wrote Morgan Stanley economist Richard Berner. He now thinks GDP will grow 3% to 4%, up from his firm's earlier forecast of 1%.
According to the chief executive of steelmaker Nucor Corp, steel demand began to pick up again after eight months and should benefit from the program.

Clunker Success Proves Clean Energy Legislation Is a Win for Consumers and the Economy

The Huffington Post | July 31, 2009 | By Rep. Ed Markey

Generally it's a sports car that turns heads on the highway. This week it was all those jalopies headed to the dealership.

The overwhelming success of the Cash for Clunkers program, which provides rebates for those who want to upgrade to more fuel efficient, new vehicles, shows Democratic Congressional action on clean energy is good for the economy, energy independence and consumers.

Today we voted to extend the Cash for Clunkers program with $2 billion in additional funding. And I spoke on the House floor with my colleagues to ensure that these funds will not be permanently drawn away from other important clean energy initiatives.

Here in Congress, creating a successful program usually takes a while to get up to speed, but the Cash for Clunkers program is like a race car that went from zero to 60 in three seconds -- showing the pent-up demand for more fuel efficient vehicles is huge.

This program -- the first part of the Waxman-Markey Bill to become law -- has exceeded even the highest expectations. Consumers are trading in old gas guzzlers, large SUVs and pickup trucks for new vehicles that are 69 percent more fuel efficient than their clunker, saving $750 a year on gasoline on average. That means less carbon pollution and less foreign oil from the Middle East.

By empowering consumers, the program is racing past our expectations for fuel economy improvement. Here are just a few of the early returns:

Roughly two thirds of deals have resulted in consumers receiving $4500 credit, which applied to only the most fuel efficient trades.
During the week that the 'Cash for Clunkers' program was launched, GM's small car sales increased 54.8 percent over the preceding week.
Toyota moved 78 percent of their Cash for Clunkers volume on vehicles that together average 30 mpg, and 39 percent of volume on the Corolla and Prius, which together average 39.5 mpg.
Ford has seen an average of 7 mpg improvement on Clunkers trades, which represents an estimated annual fuel savings of 228 gallons per customer. The 28 mpg (EPA) Ford Focus is nearly 30 percent of all Ford's Clunker sales.
Mazda, as of yesterday, saw 57 percent of transactions reported by dealers to be for the purchase of the MAZDA3, the brand's most fuel efficient model at 27 mpg (EPA).

With Clunkers in the win column, now is the time to move on other provisions in the Waxman-Markey Clean Energy Jobs legislation that will stimulate other areas of the economy. The steel industry will see a bump from wind turbine construction. Manufacturing workers will be needed back on the line for solar production. And contractors will be put back on the clock making efficiency retrofits for building and homes. As Clunkers demonstrates, smart energy policy is what the U.S. economy needs to get back on its feet.

Markey: Obama leading the way to Copenhagen

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Jeff Sharp, Select Committee, 202 225 4079
Dan Reilly, Cong. Markey, 202 225 2836

Markey: Obama Leading the Way to Copenhagen