Tag Archives: energy

Will they listen to what the science says?


Union of Concerned Scientists

For decades, coal dominated American energy. Now that’s beginning to change.

With many of the oldest, dirtiest coal-fired power plants due for retirement, our nation is at a crossroads: do we invest in renewable energy, or do we keep generating electricity by burning fossil fuels that are not only expensive but threaten our planet?1

We’ve launched a campaign to make sure we head down the right path. Our groundbreaking Ripe for Retirement report identified 353 of the worst, most out-of-date coal-fired plants, and since its publication, 45 of the plants we named have been slated for closure!

We’ve mobilized thousands of UCS supporters to contact key power companies, urging them to switch to cleaner, renewable sources of energy. It’s working, but we’ve got to do more. With over 300 plants left to close, we can’t let up.

www.ucsusa.org

The fossil-fuel industry wants you to think that wind and solar aren’t dependable or economical, but we know the truth: renewable energy is already powering homes and businesses across the country—and we’ve only just begun to see the benefits.2

With your support, we’ll move past fossil fuels to a clean energy future. Together, we can make clean energy a reality by:

  • Protecting and expanding state-based clean energy policies. We’re inspiring voters and lawmakers to support requirements that utility companies generate a certain amount of their electricity from renewable sources. Since March, we’ve delivered 40,000 letters to over 4,000 state lawmakers nationwide!
  • Building momentum to cut the nation’s projected oil use in half. We’ve developed a realistic, science-based plan that shows how we can cut our dependency on oil in half in just 20 years. Now we’re getting thousands of people working to support our strategies—meeting with concerned citizens and officials, producing videos and webinars, and mobilizing scientists to educate the public and policy makers.
  • Fighting to make nuclear power safer. In March, we released our latest nuclear safety assessment while Congress began working on a comprehensive nuclear safety bill. Dozens of news outlets across the country covered it, ensuring that lawmakers heard about the critical issues at stake.

We’re building momentum for a clean energy future—the wind is at our backs. The question is: will we forge ahead with science, or accept the misleading claims that fossil fuels can’t be beat? It’s up to us, Carmen, and we can’t turn back now.

www.ucsusa.org

When we work together, we get tough things done. We’ve won critical whistleblower protections for government scientists, helped craft game-changing vehicle emissions standards, and pushed companies like Pfizer to stop funding the anti-science Heartland Institute.

I hope you’ll stand with us today so we can pull out all the stops to win this next fight.

Sincerely, Kevin Knobloch President

1. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2013/03/13/coal-to-gas-moves-are-generating-economic-waves 2. http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/smart-energy-solutions/increase-renewables/ramping-up-renewable-energy-sources.html

Bills & Hearings in the House 3/21


9:00 am Hearing: Administration Perspectives on Innovation and Regulation     Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
9:00 am Hearing: CLOSED-Ongoing Intelligence Activities     House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee
9:00 am Hearing: Cyber Attacks: An Unprecedented Threat to U.S. National Security     Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats
9:30 am Hearing: Members of Congress and Outside Witnesses Hearing      Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
9:30 am Hearing: POSTPONED: Oversight Hearing – Environmental Protection Agency     Committee on Appropriations: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
9:30 am Hearing: Our Nation of Builders: The Strength of Steel     Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade
10:00 am Hearing: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 910 and H.R. 1080     Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs
10:00 am Hearing: Protecting Small Businesses Against Emerging and Complex Cyber-Attacks     Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Health and Technology
10:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing on “America’s Mineral Resources: Creating Mining and Manufacturing Jobs and Securing America” and Legislative Hearing on H.R. 1063, H.R. 687, H.R. 697, H.R. 761, H.R. 767, H.R. 957 and H.R. 981     Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
10:00 am Hearing: Update on Military Suicide Prevention     Committee on Armed Services: Select…
10:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing – Department of Agriculture Inspector General     Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
11:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing – Federal Transit Administration     Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

Weekly Address: Time to Create the Energy Security Trust


Weekly Address: Time to Create the Energy Security Trust
President Obama discusses the need to harness American energy in order to reduce our dependence on oil and make the United States a magnet for new jobs. He highlights his all-of-the-above approach to American energy — including a proposal to establish an Energy Security Trust, which invests in research that will help shift our cars and trucks off of oil.

Bills & Hearings in the House 3/14


 

9:30 am Hearing: POSTPONED: Oversight Hearing – Impact of Litigation on Resource Management BudgetsCommittee on Appropriations: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
9:30 am Markup: Markup of: H.R. ___, H.R. ___, H.R. 258Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee
9:30 am Business Meeting: Business Meeting – Open in secure spaces, may closeHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:
9:30 am Hearing: Public and Outside Witnesses HearingCommittee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
10:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing – Department of JusticeCommittee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
10:00 am Hearing: Budget Hearing – Department of Energy – Applied Energy FundingCommittee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
10:00 am Hearing: U.S. Energy Security: Enhancing Partnerships with Mexico and CanadaCommittee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
10:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing – Supreme Court of the United StatesCommittee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
10:00 am Hearing: POSTPONED: Oversight Hearing – United States Customs and Border Protection Budget and ManagementCommittee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security
10:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing – Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition ServiceCommittee on Appropriations: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
10:00 am Hearing: RESCHEDULED: Budget Hearing – Addressing Social Security Administration’s Management Challenges in a Fiscally Constrained EnvironmentCommittee on Appropriations: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
10:00 am Hearing: The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards -CFATS- Program: A Progress UpdateCommittee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy
10:00 am Hearing: Examining Legislative Improvements to Title VII of the Dodd-Frank ActCommittee on Agriculture:
10:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing – Management Issues at Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban DevelopmentCommittee on Appropriations: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
10:00 am Hearing: Hearing entitled “Who is Too Big to Fail? GAO’s Assessment of the Financial Stability Oversight Council and the Office of Financial Research” Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
10:00 am Hearing: Regulating the Regulators- Reducing Burdens on Small BusinessCommittee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations
10:00 am Hearing: Johnson Announces Hearing on the Financing Challenges Facing the Social Security Disability Insurance Program Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security
10:00 am Hearing: “Examining the Role of Lower-Skilled Guest Worker Programs in Today’s Economy”Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
10:00 am Hearing: Ongoing Intelligence Activities – CLOSEDHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee
10:00 am Hearing: Implementing MAP-21: Progress Report from U.S. DOT Modal AdministratorsCommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
10:00 am Hearing: Lowering the Rate of Unemployment for the National Guard and Reserve: Are We Making Progress?Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
10:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing – Immigration EnforcementCommittee on Appropriations: Homeland Security
10:00 am Hearing: Oversight Hearing on “America’s Onshore Energy Resources: Creating Jobs, Securing America, and Lowering Prices”Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
10:00 am Hearing: Understanding the Administration’s Decisions on Spending Cuts and FurloughsCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee
10:00 am Hearing: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 588, H.R. 716, and H.R. 819Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation
10:30 am Hearing: Oversight of the First Responder Network Authority -FirstNet- and Emergency CommunicationsCommittee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
11:30 am Hearing: Abusive Patent Litigation: The Impact on American Innovation and Jobs, and Potential SolutionsCommittee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, And The Internet
1:00 pm Hearing: Waiting for Care: Examining Patient Wait Times at VACommittee on Veterans’ Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
1:30 pm Hearing: The Separation of Nuclear Families under U.S. Immigration LawCommittee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security
2:00 pm Hearing: Top Challenges For Science Agencies: Reports from the Inspectors General – Part 2Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Oversight
3:00 pm Hearing: TSA’s Efforts to Advance Risk-Based SecurityCommittee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security
3:30 pm Hearing: Is Base Realignment and Closure -BRAC- Appropriate at this Time?Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness

President Obama’s Energy and Environment Achievements


Oct 19, 2012 by

Learn more: http://OFA.BO/UFY1XF
President Obama has made record investments in clean energy, and refuses to let polluters play by a different set of rules than everyone else. He’s implementing new standards to keep our air and water clean and our children safe.
Under President Obama’s watch we have more than doubled production of renewable energy from wind and solar, while investing in over 15,000 clean energy projects across the country.
Mitt Romney would cut funding and incentives for clean energy, including ending the tax incentive for wind energy, which could cost 37,000 American jobs. Meanwhile, he would continue providing billions in subsidies to Big Oil companies.