With the historic passage of climate legislation through the House of Representatives, many concerns have trickled forth. Does the climate legislation do enough? Will it even work? Does it have the right aim? With the issuance of similar concerns have come proposed solutions and substitutions. The republicans have proposed that 100 nuclear power plants be built by 2030 in place of the proposed cap-and-trade climate bill. I’ve recently written two articles on the republican “solution” to both the climate and [...]
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved by a vote of 15 to 8 a piece of legislation that would open up huge areas of the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere for drilling of oil and natural gas. It also contains requirements for increases in renewable energy generation, and a number of other energy-related measures, but it seems a sad and regressive alternative to Waxman-Markey, which may reach a floor vote in the House by next week.
Late in the Bush administration, the president lifted an executive order banning offshore drilling. A few months later, facing skyrocketing gas prices, Congress allowed a congressional moratorium, dating back to 1982, to lapse. Offshore drilling has been blatantly polarizing national politics ever since.
After revising estimates, Cuba now claims it has double the amount of oil in its offshore reserves than previously thought. If the estimates are accurate, Cuba would have just as much oil as the U.S.
This discovery, coupled with initiatives to develop alternative energy projects, such a brand new biogas factory, will put Cuba on the fast track to achieving energy independence.
After a hefty long debate over offshore drilling and new energy policies, the House passed the ever unpopular Comprehensive American Energy Security & Consumer Protection Act. The bill which will open up new areas of the country to oil drilling, but it also comes with increased support for renewables. The bill - weighing in at 290 pages (PDF) - was not formally introduced until 9:45pm on Monday night, but Pelosi had released an outline of it early last week.
“The energy bill puts us onto that path of independence by having a comprehensive legislation which is the result of a bipartisan compromise in favor of sweeping innovation solutions for America’s energy future,” said Pelosi in a press conference today. “It is imperative that we are energy independent, so we can enhance the prospect for a great future of renewables and creating good paying jobs.”
The bill passed in the House by a vote of 236-189, with ten Republican’s supporting the bill and thirteen Democrats opposing it. It includes measures to “extend the tax credits for renewables, curb energy speculation, establish a national renewable electricity standard, release 10 percent of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, repeal subsidies to oil companies, and force oil companies to explore on the land already under lease (”use it or lose it”).” It also comes with provisions on efficiency and public transit. And there are even incentives for “clean coal.”
The act allows drilling 100 miles off the Atlantic coast and Florida’s Gulf coast, but that buffer zone could be reduced if a state’s government allows. It will also let state’s decide on whether or not to permit oil-shale development on federal lands within their borders. Here are some videos from the floor debate:
The Gang-of-20 bill severely limits offshore drilling to a handful of Southeastern states that must opt in to allow increased drilling, and moves the drilling boundary to 100 miles offshore.
This week is going to be big for American energy policy. By week’s end, it is likely that we will see the US Congress vote on any number of energy bills.
