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For the third time since 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing the EPA’s regulation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) under the Clean Air Act. Overview On February 24, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments over the case Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on whether EPA is ultimately legitimized…...
The House has approved the Electricity Security and Affordability Act aimed to provide a reasonable alternative to EPA’s pending power plant regulations. On March 6, 2014, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Electricity Security and Affordability Act (H.R. 3826), a bipartisan bill aimed to provide guidance to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) pending carbon…...
The FY 2015 budget plan proposes $27.9B in DOE funding, reiterating President Obama’s commitment to a low-carbon future and energy infrastructure resilience. President Barack Obama’s FY 2015 budget plan released on March 4, 2014 allocates $27.9B for the Department of Energy (DOE), a 2.6 percent increase from the 2014 enacted level. It reflects DOE reorganization…...
EPA’s finalized Tier 3 vehicle emissions and fuel standards will lower gasoline sulfur content by more than 60 percent in 2017. On March 3, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its Tier 3 Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Standards program, reducing gasoline sulfur levels by more than 60 percent – from 30 to 10…...
Alternative power producers continue to turn to the YieldCo model to find lower costs of capital and residual value. Investors benefit from low risk exposure to renewable energy development, high yield and more favorable tax rates, however, risks do exist. Since January 1, 2014, two new YieldCos have been announced, SunEdison and Hannon Armstrong Sustainable…...
The Office of Inspector General found that the State Department followed proper conflict-of-interest guidelines in selecting the contractor for the proposed Keystone XL project’s environmental review. On February 26, 2014, the State Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its Compliance Follow-up Review weighing the State Department’s selection of third-party contractor Environmental Resources Management (ERM)…....
To date, the 2009 Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has invested $900M for innovative projects leveraging $625M in private funding. On February 25, 2014, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) announced that it has advanced 22 innovative projects over the past five years, leveraging approximately $625M private funding following its…...
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has released its final environmental review identifying mitigation measures to advance energy exploration activities off the Mid- and South-Atlantic coast. On February 27, 2014, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released its Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for geological and geophysical (G&G) survey activities in the Mid-…...
BLM has released a draft environmental analysis of the first proposed commercial oil production project in the Alaska National Petroleum Reserve. On February 21, 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a notice seeking public input on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the proposed Greater Mooses Tooth Unit 1 (GMT1),…...
Con Edison’s new multi-year rate plan keeps electric, gas, and steam delivery charges unchanged for 2 to 3 years and includes $1B for climate resiliency measures. Consolidated Edison Company’s (Con Edison) new multi-year, rate-stabilizing agreement approved by the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) on February 20, 2014 will keep its base electric rates…...
On January 28, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to receive testimony on S. 1600, the Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2013. This Act that would enable domestic production of critical minerals necessary in the manufacturing of many clean energy technologies. Overview Critical minerals play and important role in…...
A Nebraska District Court declared that a 2012 law which authorized Nebraska Governor Heineman to approve the proposed Keystone XL route is unconstitutional. On February 19, 2014, the Lancaster County District Court struck down Legislative Bill (LB) 1161, the 2012 legislation which authorized Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman to approve the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route…...