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Changes to extenders bill unlikely, Hatch says, in encouraging sign for wind credit
The top Republican on the Senate’s tax-writing committee says he does not expect many changes to a “hard-fought” package of tax break renewals that members from both parties want to see enacted before the end of the year — an assessment that is good news for supporters of a key renewable energy tax break. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who is ranking member on the Finance Committee, said yesterday that he would look at calls from conservative groups to eliminate the production tax credit, which primarily benefits wind energy, but he echoed earlier sentiments suggesting that lawmakers should not meddle with the overall package of “tax extenders,” of which the PTC is a part. [ read more … ]
In Climate Deal With China, Obama May Set 2016 Theme
President Obama’s landmark agreement with China to cut greenhouse gas pollution is a bet by the president and Democrats that on the issue of climate change, American voters are far ahead of Washington’s warring factions and that the environment will be a winning cause in the 2016 presidential campaign. A variety of polls show that a majority of American voters now believe that climate change is occurring, are worried about it, and support candidates who back policies to stop it. In particular, polls show that majorities of Hispanics, young people and unmarried women — the voters who were central to Mr. Obama’s victories in 2008 and 2012 — support candidates who back climate change policy. [ read more … ]
Obama flexes his muscle with emissions-reduction plan
President Obama last night reasserted his power to act on climate change without Congress, using a trip to China to announce new U.S. emissions-reduction obligations that he said could be achieved under authorities he already has. Obama pledged that the United States would cut its heat-trapping emissions to between 26 and 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. His announcement — which came together with a new promise by China to cap its own emissions no later than 2030 — is the first and perhaps most significant U.S. contribution toward an international climate agreement to be finalized in Paris next year. [ read more … ]
Industry says agreement would help China, ruin U.S. economy
The agreement calls on the U.S. to cut its emissions by between 26 and 28 percent compared with 2005 levels by 2025. China’s emissions must stop growing no later than 2030. But while the announcement is the first firm commitment by China to stop increasing its carbon dioxide output, opponents of CO2 restrictions say it will lead to an uneven playing field that places U.S. industry at a crippling disadvantage. Returning to the Senate floor for the first time since last week’s election all but assured that he would become Senate majority leader next year, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Obama seemed to be ignoring the voters’ demands for more cooperation across branches of government. [ read more … ]
Overseers flag concerns as system shifts to gas, renewables
A national surge toward natural gas and renewable energy driven by cheap gas and new government rules and policies is creating reliability concerns — especially in the Midwest, New York and Texas — and weakening buffers for blackouts, grid overseers warned today. And those problems loom even before considering the impact of U.S. EPA’s power plant initiative, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. said. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.