The House Energy and Commerce Committee has advanced legislation that would restrict EPA authority to finalize power plant emissions regulations. On January 28, 2014, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Electricity Security and Affordability Act (H.R. 3826) designed to provide a reasonable alternative to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) impending carbon dioxide…...
A federal appeals court ruled that DOE’s 2008 oil lease sale offshore Alaska was based on a flawed production estimate. On January 22, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the Department of Interior’s (DOI) 2008 lease sale (Lease Sale 193) for oil and gas development in the Chukchi Sea…...
DOE will provide $1B financial assistance for the FutureGen 2.0 Project, the world’s first commercial-scale, oxy-combustion electric generation project with CCS technology. On January 15, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced its decision to provide approximately $1B in cost-shared funding to FutureGen Industrial Alliance for its $1.68B FutureGen 2.0 Project, a private-public partnership established…...
U.S. Commerce Chamber’s new energy advocacy platform proposes actionable recommendations to capitalize on the nation’s energy potential. On January 15, 2014, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy launched its new energy advocacy platform titled “Energy Works for US,” a comprehensive plan with recommendations for 2014 and beyond. The plan, an update…...
EIA estimates a two percent increase in 2013 energy-related emissions over 2012 due to increased coal-fired electricity generation. On January 13, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report estimating that U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2013 were approximately two percent above 2012 levels mainly due to a slight increase in the use…...
Alaska Governor’s latest plans to advance Alaska’s long-sought natural gas pipeline calls for state ownership share in the state’s LNG export project. On January 10, 2014, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell announced a proposal to establish state equity partnership in the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project. To this end, the state will terminate its 2008…...
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia represent the three highest natural gas producing states in the Marcellus Shale Region. While state legislation has complimented production levels, increased local scrutiny over industry methods could impact future production. Overview The Marcellus Shale Region is rich in natural gas reserves and underlies southern New York, much of Pennsylvania and…...
President Obama has ordered a comprehensive energy strategy review to ensure federal policies continue to address changing energy requirements. On January 9, 2014, President Obama signed a memorandum establishing a Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) to enhance the federal government’s capability to provide a comprehensive and integrated energy strategy to meet challenges posed by rising energy…...
An EIA report highlights that 2013 U.S. crude oil production reached its highest level in 24 years, contributing to global oil price stability. On January 9, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that U.S. crude oil production witnessed a record annual growth of 1.0 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2013,…...
Governor Cuomo’s 2014 State of the State agenda includes new clean energy and climate initiatives with a grid resiliency and distributed generation focus. In his State of the State (SOS) address on January 8, 2014, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo reaffirmed his commitment to clean energy, proposing significant initiatives to address energy and…...
EPA has published its long-anticipated proposed carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions standards for new power plants, setting separate limits for new coal- and natural gas-fired plants. On January 8, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published proposed New Source Performance Standards to regulate CO2 emissions from new fossil fuel-fired electric generating units (EGUs). EPA also published…...
Federal and State guidelines stemming from the Clean Air Act are positioned to change the electricity generation landscape, mainly for coal-fired plant operators in the U.S. Many power plants are finding that closure is more economical than retrofits. Overview The EPA is drafting standards and guidelines for states to implement action plans for regulating emissions…...
