State Energy Activities: Innovative Solutions and Funding Issues
The Northeast/Midwest Senate and House Coalitions in conjunction with the Environmental and Energy Study Institute invite you to a briefing at which three state officials will present a summary of activities in the U.S. states on pressing energy problems and the impact of high energy prices on the American public. They will also discuss innovative energy programs that address the problems of all U.S. citizens and current federal funding for critical activities including the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the State Energy Program (SEP).
Panel- Tom Plant, Director, Governor’s Energy Office, State of Colorado, on behalf of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)
- Vaughn Clark, Director, Office of Community Development, State of Oklahoma and President, National Association for State Community Service Programs (NASCSP)
- Mark Wolfe, Executive Director, National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association(NEADA)
This briefing is open to the public, no RSVP required. For more information, contact Chris Hickling, Legislative Director, Northeast Midwest Congressional Coalition (202-224-4642) chris_hickling@reed.senate.gov
Regions: The Building Blocks to a Sustainable Nation
- Feature the regional role and federal outlook on significant policy areas that will dominate the 2008 legislative year, Presidential race and beyond.
- Explore, in detail, the federal fiscal future, SAFETEA-LU reauthorization, water infrastructure and resources, regional development in a global economy, and energy policy and innovations, as well as the possible outcome of the 2008 Presidential race.
- Address rural and urban coordination in federal legislation.
- Engage nationally recognized experts, Congressional members and staff, and other DC Associations to discuss important topics that are shaping regions.
- Set the 2008 NARC Legislative Agenda.
For more information, please email Shannon Menard (shannon@narc.org) or call 202.986.1032, x.217.
Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert Street, NW
Regulatory aspects of carbon capture, transportation, and sequestration and related bills, S.2323 and S.2144
The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the regulatory aspects of carbon capture, transportation, and sequestration and to receive testimony on two related bills: S. 2323, a bill to provide for the conduct of carbon capture and storage technology research, development and demonstration projects, and for other purposes; and S. 2144, a bill to require the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study of the feasibility relating to the construction and operation of pipelines and carbon dioxide sequestration facilities, and for other purposes.
Witnesses
Panel 1- Joseph T. Kelliher, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Krista Edwards, Deputy Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
- Benjamin Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- C. Stephen Allred, Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, U.S. Department of Interior
- James Slutz, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Oil and Natural Gas, U.S. Department of Energy
- Lawrence Bengal, Director, Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission
- Scott Anderson, Senior Policy Adviser, Environmental Defense
- Tracy Evans, Senior Vice President, Reservoir Engineering, Denbury Resources, Inc.
A report from the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission
Transportation for Tomorrow: Report of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, prepared by a specially convened Commission, meets the charge given under Section 1909 of the Safe Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The Report includes detailed recommendations for creating and sustaining a pre-eminent surface transportation system in the United States.
Focus the Nation Teach-In
Focus the Nation is a national teach-in on January 31, 2008, engaging millions of students and citizens with political leaders and decision makers about Global Warming Solutions.
We stand at a unique moment in human history. Decisions that are ours to make today – to stabilize global warming pollution and invest in clean energy solutions – will have a profound impact not only on our lives and the lives of our children, but indeed for every human being who will ever walk the face of the planet from now until the end of time. At this moment in time, we owe our young people one day of focused discussion about global warming solutions for America
More than just that one day, Focus the Nation: Global Warming Solutions for America is an unprecedented educational initiative, involving over a thousand colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools, faith groups, civic organizations and businesses. Focus the Nation is a catalyzing force helping shift the national conversation about global warming towards a determination to face this civilizational challenge.
A teach-in is a day when an entire school turns its attention to a single issue—when faculty, students and staff put aside business as usual, and focus the full weight of campus engagement on one topic.
The key to a successful teach-in is widespread faculty involvement. Focus the Nation challenges participating schools to engage at least fifty faculty members in their role as educators (as well as students, staff, alumni, and community members). With fifty plus faculty engaged from disciplines across the curriculum—art, science, politics, psychology, engineering, philosophy—the event will involve thousands of students on each campus, and millions of students nationwide.
Faculty will say yes to involvement for two reasons. First, the Focus the Nation model requires them to talk for only 10 minutes in a subject area close to their discipline, and then help lead a half an hour discussion. Faculty do not have to be climate change experts to participate, nor invest heavily in preparation. Second, faculty across the curriculum are eager to be asked. As educators and as parents, they understand the magnitude of the global warming challenge, and are looking for an opportunity to engage with students on this critical issue. And once 50+ faculty are involved, then Presidents and Deans will be supportive. Most critically, thousands of students will attend, because faculty will require them to go, or give them extra credit, because other faculty will “focus” their classes, and travel with them to attend the sessions, but primarily because global warming solutions will be the exciting focus of discussion that day. Using this model, we view 2 million students nationwide as a realistic participation goal.
For high schools unable to build a teach-in, and for faith organizations and civic groups, there is a second way to Focus the Nation: host a screening of our free, live interactive webcast, THE 2% SOLUTION, the night of Wednesday, January 30th. (Showing The 2% Solution is also the way to kick-off your teach-in)
The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 1
Modification Energy Package part of package passed by committee.
| Provision | Approx Cost (billions) |
| PTC (Sec. 45) | 3.0 |
| Solar (residential & business, including fuel cells, microturbines) | 0.13 |
| CREBs ($400m allocation) | 0.2 |
| Commercial buildings | 0.15 |
| Efficient homes (new) | 0.06 |
| (exp. 12/07) Efficient homes (existing) | 1.5 |
| (exp. 12/07) Efficient appliances | 0.32 |
| Percentage Depletion (marginal wells and stripper wells) | 0.25 |
| TOTAL | 5.57 |
1. Production Tax Credit (Section 45). Extends placed-in-service deadline for qualifying electric generating facilities (wind, biomass, geothermal, etc.) for one year. Estimated cost is $3b/10.
2. Solar, fuel cell, microturbine credits (Sections 48 and 25D). Extends Section 48 (30% investment credit for solar and fuel cell property, 10% credit for microturbines) and Section 25D residential solar credit for one year. Cost is approx. $130m/10.
3. Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs). Provides $400m in new CREBs issuance, at estimated cost of $206m/10.
4. Appliances Manufacturer Credit. Extends manufacturer credit for high-efficiency appliances for two years through 2009, at cost of approximately $323m/10.
5. Energy-Efficient Existing Homes. Extends 10% investment tax credit for energy-efficient home retrofits (windows, heating and cooling equipment, etc.) through 2009, at estimated cost of $1.5b/10.
6. Energy-efficient Commercial Buildings: Extends deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings for one year, at estimated cost of $153m/10.
7. Energy-efficient New Homes. Extends credit for energy-efficient new homes for one year, at estimated cost of $61m/10.
8. Percentage depletion for marginal wells. Extends suspension on the taxable income limit for purposes of depreciating a marginal oil or gas well through 2009, at estimated cost of $247m/10.
The threats and protections for the polar bear
Witnesses
Panel I- FWS Director Dale Hall
- Andrew Wetzler, Natural Resources Defense Council
- Margaret Williams, World Wildlife Fund
- Brendan Kelly, University of Alaska
- Richard Glenn, Alaskan Arctic resident and sea ice geologist
- J. Scott Armstrong, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School
Learning from a Laureate: Science, Security and Sustainability
This Wednesday, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will host Dr. Rajenda Pachauri, Chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in his first appearance before Congress. Last year, under Dr. Pachauri’s leadership, the IPCC produced the seminal review of the science of global warming, its current and potential future impacts and the positive strategies available to help address this looming threat.
Dr. Pachauri will share his views on the urgency of addressing global warming and the issues Congress and other political leaders must consider when crafting climate legislation this year.
Witness- Dr. Rajenda Pachauri, Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change