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Gov. Inslee says fund education, transportation, clean energy
Gov. Jay Inslee says Washington state has a moral obligation to address carbon pollution and used his State of the State address Tuesday to tout his recent proposal for a cap-and-trade program that requires the largest industrial polluters to pay for every ton of carbon they release. “We face many challenges, but it is the growing threat of carbon pollution that can permanently change the nature of Washington as we know it,” Inslee said in prepared remarks. Inslee said the state must meet a 2008 legislative mandate to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. The requirement sets an overall limit on heat-trapping gases similar to a program that California launched nearly three years ago. [ read more … ]
Turbines create more jobs, energy than drilling rigs — group
A new report from Oceana makes the case for offshore wind development along the East Coast, asserting it would create more jobs and energy than offshore drilling. The nonprofit hopes to influence the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management as it decides whether to open the Atlantic Ocean to oil and gas leasing in its 2017-22 leasing plan. The agency already allows companies to conduct oil and gas surveys, which use air gun blasts to narrow down the location and quantity of mineral deposits [ read more … ]
Charlie Baker appoints controversial new energy team
On Monday, Baker announced three appointments in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs: Robert Hayden as commissioner of the Department of Public Utilities, Angela O’Connor as chairwoman of the DPU and Ron Gerwatowski as assistant secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Gerwatowski will serve under Secretary Matthew Beaton, a former Republican state representative.
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Energy storage business poised to explode — study
Rapid innovation and deployment of advanced batteries and other technologies that store wind, solar and other forms of distributed energy are expected to drive a 33-fold increase in the energy storage market over the next 10 years. It will expand from roughly $452 million last year to more than $16.5 billion in 2024, according to new findings from Navigant Research. [ read more … ]
Podesta to join Clinton camp
John Podesta is preparing to join Hillary Clinton’s political team as she considers jumping into the 2016 race for the White House. Podesta — President Obama’s counselor and top energy and environmental aide — anticipates playing a lead role in a possible Clinton campaign after he leaves the White House next month, a source familiar with Podesta’s plans told Greenwire today. [ read more … ]
Interests line up to spend cap-and-trade fund that could top $2.3B
California’s cap-and-trade program to cut carbon emissions should bring in more than $2.3 billion in the next fiscal year, not just the $1 billion that Gov. Jerry Brown budgeted, the state’s spending watchdog said yesterday. California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office reviewed the Democratic governor’s proposed spending plan for fiscal 2015-16. The LAO stipulated that revenue from cap and trade is “subject to substantial uncertainty.” It depends on how many allowances the state sells and their price at auction. Businesses buy those permits to cover their greenhouse gas pollution. [ read more … ]
Obama’s methane curbs split gap between industry, greens
The Obama administration announced plans today to regulate methane emissions from new and modified oil and gas operations — but not from existing pollution sources. U.S. EPA plans to propose new source rules for methane this summer and finalize them in 2016. The agency will follow the same timeline to expand its rules for ozone-forming emissions at existing oil and gas wellheads, which will reduce smog and leaking methane. States would have to address those sources as part of their plans for curbing ozone. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.