Common Resources

Realistic Expectations for Carbon Policy - A Response

This is a guest post by Brian Potts, a partner at law firm Foley & Lardner, LLP in Madison. Yesterday I (Nathan) critiqued some arguments he’s made recently regarding prospects for EPA’s future carbon performance standards for power plants. I’m happy to offer Brian space here to respond to that critique. -Ed First, I would […]

Realistic Expectations for EPA Carbon Policy

Brian Potts says EPA existing-source performance standards (ESPS) for power plant carbon emissions won’t matter much since they can’t or won’t be very stringent. This is partly true, if a bit overstated. You’re certainly kidding yourself if you’re counting on ESPS to take care of US climate policy on their own - though I know […]

Economic Challenges for New Nuclear Power

Along with increased reliance on wind and solar, a shift toward more nuclear power has frequently been cited as a way of lessening the carbon “footprint” associated with society’s dependence on fossil fuels. Alas, the likelihood of such a scenario appears to be dimming. For more than two decades, the nuclear share of total U.S. […]

Technology Flexibility and Stringency for Greenhouse Gas Regulations

The Clean Air Act provides the current regulatory framework for climate policy in the United States. A key component of US policy as called for in President Obama’s recent memorandum to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be the use of flexible approaches in achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. EPA is expected to […]

Cap and Trade in California: Cost Management

California’s cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions took effect in January 2013, and as the period of enforcement unfolds, both regulated entities and the California Air Resources Board (which is responsible for the implementation and management of the program) are considering how best to manage costs within the system. Several cost containment measures are outlined […]

The Global Cost of Carbon Emissions: A Lingering Quandary For Policy

The federal government has a new estimate for the global social cost of carbon emissions. A recent “Technical Support Document” prepared by an interagency working group bears the more elaborate and dispassionate sub-title: “Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis—Under Executive Order 12866.” That Executive Order, among other things, allows “agencies […]

What the President’s Climate Plan Means for Natural Gas

If the President’s Plan can ever get out of the blocks—by no means a given with the legal challenges coming—natural gas is likely to be the big winner in the electricity fuel mix at the expense of coal, and may also make further inroads against oil in our transportation fleet. Because of the much lower […]

Obama’s Biggest Climate Move Wasn’t in His Speech

President Obama spoke yesterday at Georgetown, announcing (sort of) new climate policy moves independent of a Congress that remains unwilling to seriously consider reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The biggest of these moves is a commitment to EPA-issued performance standards for existing power plants under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The standards are to be […]

Comparing the Clean Air Act and a Carbon Price

Though President Obama is set for a major address on climate tomorrow, US policy faces an uncertain future. EPA is moving haltingly ahead with regulations under the Clean Air Act (and may redouble its efforts after the speech), but some in Congress are pushing to revoke its authority. Others in Congress support new legislation setting […]

Climate Policy in California: What It Means for the State and Beyond

I recently testified before a California Senate Select Committee on the state’s climate policies about California’s interactions in the development of policy across the country and internationally. I highlighted the four main points below in my remarks, and you can read the full testimony here. California is not alone. It is joined by many other […]