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The Battle Lines Are Forming in Biden’s Climate Push
As President Biden prepares an ambitious effort to confront climate change, powerful and surprising forces are arrayed at his back. Automakers are coming to accept that much higher fuel economy standards are their future; large oil and gas companies have said some curbs on greenhouse pollution lifted by former President Donald J. Trump should be reimposed; shareholders are demanding corporations acknowledge and prepare for a warmer, more volatile future, and a youth movement is driving the Democratic Party to go big to confront the issue. [ read more … ]
Wind Energy
Commerce nominee talks offshore wind
Commerce Secretary nominee Gina Raimondo was vague Tuesday about how she would handle tariffs that former President Donald Trump imposed on imported solar panels from China, which domestic installers want removed. Raimondo repeatedly voiced her support for offshore wind power. NOAA, housed under Commerce, oversees the review of how offshore wind facilities affect fisheries and other marine life. By streamlining that process, Raimondo said the agency could “help create thousands of jobs in offshore wind.” [ read more … ]
Maine fishing groups still skeptical of offshore wind plans
Members of the fishing industry in Maine said they remain skeptical of plans to develop offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine in the wake of a moratorium proposed by the state’s governor.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat who supports offshore wind, has proposed a 10-year moratorium on offshore wind projects in state waters. She also pledged Monday to continue involving members of the fishing industry in plans for offshore wind off Maine. [ read more … ]
NextEra announces historic renewable plan
NextEra Energy Inc., the world’s largest renewables developer, is expecting unprecedented growth under President Biden’s aggressive climate agenda that promises to speed up the nation’s shift to wind, solar and other low-carbon energy. The White House’s laser focus on tackling climate change, combined with growing public pressure on companies to focus on environmental, social and corporate governance standards, will increase demand for renewables among NextEra’s traditional customers and open up new markets and business opportunities along the way, Jim Robo, NextEra Energy’s CEO, told Wall Street analysts on a call yesterday. [ read more … ]
Biden Administration
Biden launches historic, governmentwide climate action
President Biden raced toward fulfilling his gargantuan climate promises with a sweeping effort to create clean energy jobs and begin phasing out fossil fuels one week into his presidency. The executive orders signed by Biden focus on helping front-line communities affected by pollution, address job losses in coal mining regions and bring climate science back to federal agencies after facing isolation during the Trump administration. [ read more … ]
Granholm vows to protect workers as GOP fumes
Energy secretary nominee Jennifer Granholm looked to alleviate concerns about potential fossil fuel job losses from the Biden administration’s clean energy push. The former Michigan governor made the case yesterday that her “obsession” with job creation qualifies her to lead the new administration’s clean energy employment goals, an effort with the potential to create more energy jobs than existed before. “I believe that I was nominated by President Biden because I am obsessed with creating good-paying jobs in America,” Granholm said. [ read more … ]
What Biden’s ‘climate day’ means for 100% clean electricity
The Biden administration has dubbed yesterday “climate day” and is prepared to unveil details of the president’s strategy for removing carbon emissions from the U.S. electric power generation by 2035, the first step to decarbonizing the nation’s economy by midcentury. A steering committee of senior power-sector executives was briefed on possibilities and risks of the level of grid reconstruction President Biden is calling for, at a web conference called by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC). While the enormity of the challenge was recognized, along with the need to assess its risks, no one said “stop.” [ read more … ]
States
Massachusetts lawmakers to vote again on climate change bill
Massachusetts lawmakers are planning to vote this week on a sweeping climate change bill and ship it back to Gov. Charlie Baker (R) just weeks after he vetoed the measure.
The bill had been approved during the waning hours of the last legislative session that ended earlier this month, leaving lawmakers no time to address Baker’s veto.
[ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.