President Bush signed the 2007 federal energy bill into law today. The new legislation will boost fuel economy standards for vehicles and increase renewable fuel production, but is actually a major step backward for the renewable electricity industry, particularly solar and wind.
National Public Radio takes an in-depth look at the provisions of the new legislation, including an interview with Tom Carnahan (mp3), president of the Wind Capital Group. Mr. Carnahan discusses the likely impact of the failure to extend the production tax credit for renewable projects.
Meanwhile, on a related issue, EPA has just rejected California's request for a Clean Air Act waiver to implement tighter carbon dioxide emissions standards for vehicles. EPA's justification? We like the fuel economy standards in the new energy legislation better:
National Public Radio takes an in-depth look at the provisions of the new legislation, including an interview with Tom Carnahan (mp3), president of the Wind Capital Group. Mr. Carnahan discusses the likely impact of the failure to extend the production tax credit for renewable projects.
Meanwhile, on a related issue, EPA has just rejected California's request for a Clean Air Act waiver to implement tighter carbon dioxide emissions standards for vehicles. EPA's justification? We like the fuel economy standards in the new energy legislation better:
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday slapped down California's bid for first-in-the-nation greenhouse gas limits on cars, trucks and SUVs, denying a request for a waiver that would have allowed those restrictions to take effect.
``The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution - not a confusing patchwork of state rules,'' EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson told reporters on a conference call. ``I believe this is a better approach than if individual states were to act alone.''
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In explaining his decision, Johnson cited energy legislation approved by Congress and signed into law Wednesday by President Bush. The law requires automakers to achieve an industrywide average fuel efficiency for cars, SUVs and small trucks of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 - the first increase in the federal requirement in 32 years. That law``achieves the greatest greenhouse reductions in the history of the United States,'' Johnson said, and is preferable to a state-by-state approach.
Governor Schwarzenegger has already indicated that California will appeal the determination.
UPDATE: The L.A. Times has more on EPA's waiver request denial as does Green Car Congress. EPA's explanation of its decision is here.
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3 comments:
I just read some information that The Sierra Club sent out. I was disappointed to learn that John McCain was the only Senator who two weeks ago chose to skip a crucial vote on the future of clean energy in America -- dooming the measure to fail by just a single vote.
I feel our presidential candidates should make America's clean energy a priority. After further reading I found that this is a pattern with Senator McCain. On the League of Conservation Voters scorecard he received a 0 for missing the 15 most important environmental votes in 2007. McCain's score of 0 is lower than members of Congress who died last year.
John McCain's LCV score exposes the real record behind the rhetoric: a lifetime pattern of voting with polluters and special interests and ducking the important votes.
Green energy is definitely the best solution in most cases. Technology like solar energy, wind power, fuel cells, zaps electric vehicles, EV hybrids, etc have come so far recently. Green energy even costs way less than oil and gas in many cases.
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