In The News
Investor's Business Daily: Climate Of Control
Wednesday July 15, 2009
During Senate hearings last week on cap-and-trade legislation, Republican James Inhofe of Oklahoma produced a chart generated by the Environmental Protection Agency that shows it makes little difference what developed countries do to limit greenhouse gas emissions if undeveloped countries such as China and India don't do the same.In response, and to her credit, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson acknowledged that unilateral limits on carbon dioxide emissions "would not impact CO2 levels." But Energy Secretary Steven Chu, without elaboration, simply said he didn't agree with the chart. Which says a lot about how global warm-mongers react these days when confronted by facts.For the record, the EPA isn't alone in its finding. A recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology study also concluded that "the different U.S. policies have relatively small effects on the CO2 concentration if other regions do not follow the U.S. lead."
NYTIMES: Barrasso makes a name for himself fighting EPA, climate bill
Wednesday July 15, 2009
"This is a smoking gun," the senator declared.
Such moments have become commonplace whenever EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson appears before the EPW Committee. But it is not Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the former committee chairman and leading congressional skeptic on the science of global warming, asking the questions.
Instead, it is Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, who in his third year on Capitol Hill has made a name for himself fighting Jackson and other top Obama administration officials over the White House environmental policy.
Just last week, as the EPW panel dove into hearings on the climate bill, Barrasso grilled Jackson on allegations that the agency attempted to silence the views of EPA employees who warned against finalizing the agency's proposed finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare.
Farmers Lose Big in Climate Bill, Farm Bureau Warns
Tuesday July 14, 2009
“Let’s face it: as anyone familiar with agriculture knows, farming is an energy-intensive business with high-costs and low profit margins,” Senator Inhofe said in his opening statement. “So when the price of diesel, electricity, or natural gas goes up, farmers really feel the pinch. So it’s not surprising that a significant portion of the agricultural community opposes cap-and-trade, the purpose of which is to raise prices on the energy that farmers use.”
In Case You Missed it . . .
Voinovich Cites 'Flaws' in Climate Analysis, Slaps 'Hold' on Nominee
Monday July 13, 2009
House Democrats widely trumpeted EPA's study of the legislation -- released just days before the floor vote -- that shows the bill would cost American households $80 to $111 a year (E&ENews; PM, June 23).
But Voinovich argues that EPA's work contains a number of shortcomings, starting with the lack of any analysis on provisions establishing a nationwide renewable electricity standard and other requirements to reduce energy demand. "By excluding major portions of the legislation from analysis, EPA's assessment is of limited value in determining how families and workers could be affected by the legislation," Voinovich wrote.
Ag Opposes Cap-and-Trade
Monday July 13, 2009
Inhofe: Put Nuclear Energy in the Energy Mix
Monday July 13, 2009
The Oklahoman Editorial: Warming Debate Simmers as Obama Poses in Europe
Friday July 10, 2009
Posted by: Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov
The Oklahoman Editorial
Warming Debate Simmers as Obama Poses in Europe
Published: July 10, 2009
Link to EditorialYou’ve got to hand it to Greenpeace. It takes moxie to scale Mount Rushmore and unfurl a global warming banner the size of Abe Lincoln’s granite head — all before the National Park Service moves in to make arrests.
The group’s South Dakota stunt offered a snappier message than one from the Group of 8 in Italy this week that aims at cutting global carbon emissions. Sort of.
The Italian communique — calling for a 50 percent cut by 2050, hoping to keep the world’s temperature from rising more than 3.6 degrees — fell short of the hard pledge climate change groups like Greenpeace demand.
It also lacked interim targets for 2020 and funding. The meeting did produce a cheesy photo of the heads of state, lined up tall (President Barack Obama) to small (Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev). Fitting, because the climate change act is so much stagecraft.
Al Gore and others have dragged the planet’s governments this far by declaring human-caused warming an established fact. But it isn’t — part of the reason cap-and-trade legislation is getting a chilly reception in the U.S. Senate.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, says the bill is dead because of scientific uncertainty and because, even if the science was concrete solid, efforts to reduce emissions don’t include two of the biggest emitters: China and India.
During the next few weeks, lots of hot air will be emitted in the Senate chamber on legislation the White House knows is probably doomed. But it will look good to the Europeans, allowing administration officials to attend the next big climate change conference in December with heads held high.
There’s too much dissent from earlier, dire forecasts to risk wrecking the U.S. economy with carbon emissions legislation. Inhofe, who’s as authoritative on this as one can be without a white lab coat, says more than 700 scientists now refute the claim that people are the key cause of warming.
It gives a "ready, fire, aim” quality to the Italy summit and the Obama Team’s push to use taxes to force U.S. emissions reductions — best illustrated by the treatment of Environmental Protection Agency analyst Alan Carlin, who earlier this year wrote a report questioning the science underlying climate policy objectives. Carlin was told to be quiet and go away.
It’s a foolish and potentially dangerous approach. The science isn’t settled, and an emerging Senate majority is right to oppose cap and trade.
The administration better listen. Otherwise, it’s going to have a bigger problem than a bunch of kooks with a banner running rings around the rangers at Mount Rushmore.
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E&E; News: Senate EPW panel won't take up climate bill until September
Thursday July 9, 2009
Posted by: Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov
E&E News: Senate EPW panel won't take up climate bill until September
Darren Samuelsohn, E&E senior reporter
July 09, 2009
Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer said today that she would delay until September the markup of a comprehensive global warming bill.
The California Democrat told reporters that many senators are focused this month on health care reform legislation, prompting the delay from her original plan to hold a vote before the August recess.
"We don't have to rush it through," Boxer said. "We'll do it as soon as we get back, and we'll have it at the desk when Harry wants it, when the leader wants it."
Boxer was referring to the new Sept. 28 deadline set by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for all six Senate committees to complete work on the climate bill. Senate Democrats are still trying to pass the climate legislation before December, when U.N. climate negotiations continue in Copenhagen. But sponsors face an uphill climb to win over 60 votes, given steady opposition from Republicans and moderate and conservative Democrats.
Asked if the change in markup plans threatens prospects for Senate passage this year, Boxer replied, "We'll be in until Christmas, so I'm not worried about it."
Boxer also said she would probably wait until September to release her climate legislation, a change from the schedule that her aides said could entail a bill out within the next two weeks.
As for legislative details, Boxer said the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Finance Committee would write provisions detailing distribution of valuable emission allowances.
"At the end of the day, as you know, all the bills will be merged," Boxer said.
Reid has said he wants to hold a climate debate on the floor by October, though he is also juggling health care and federal appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the ranking member of the EPW Committee, said today that with the delay in the Senate "the public should expect more arm-twisting and backroom deals -- or, in other words, more business as usual in Washington.
"The American public can rest assured that I will be here, as I have done over the past 10 years, to expose the details of this devastating bill every step of the way," Inhofe said.
Foundry Blog - Morning Bell: EPA Admits Cap and Trade Will Fail
Thursday July 9, 2009
Also at the hearing, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said he did not agree with chart which is interesting since all the best science confirms Inhofe’s and Jackson’s conclusions. For example, a recent study [2] of cap and trade by MIT concluded: “The different U.S. policies have relatively small effects on the CO2 concentration if other
regions do not follow the U.S. lead. … The Developed Only scenario cuts only about 0.5 °C of the warming from the reference, again illustrating the importance of developing country participation.”
