Over the second half of the 20th century, the advent of digital technologies and telecommunications dramatically increased interdependencies among U.S. critical infrastructures. Disruptions in a single infrastructure can generate disturbances within other infrastructures and over long distances, and the pattern of interconnections can extend or amplify the effects of a disruption. The energy infrastructure...
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America’s New Energy R&D Strategy
Statement by Dr. Robert Marlay
U.S. Department of Energy
With the recent administration change and economic downturn, the US priorities in energy, environment, science, and the economy have been altered or strengthened. The current baseline goal is to reduce GHG emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Within ten years, the US plans...
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy announced the launch of the State Energy Efficiency Action Network last week, which aims to accelerate deployment of energy efficiency policies and programs at the state level.
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The United States Senate is planning to consider legislation raising the United States debt limit tomorrow. As part of the agreement to bring this issue to a vote, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has promised to propose an amendment that would strip the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of its authority to regulate the emissions of...
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After enduring nearly a decade on the political margins, climate-change policy has returned to mainstream politics in the United States rapidly with the election of President Barack Obama. While advocates of pro-active federal climate-change policy undoubtedly helped galvanize this dramatic reversal, they are unlikely to sustain popular political support without adjusting the strategies they...
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A price on carbon could yield substantial government revenues, and careful recycling of these revenues could offset the regressive nature of a national greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions policy, according to a new paper, Who Pays a Price on Carbon?, by Corbett Grainger and Charles Kolstad. The principal conclusion: the burden as a percent of annual income is...
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has raised the standard for large U.S.- flagged ships with harmful marine diesel emissions. The new regulation will bring the U.S. into accord with international standards and result in susbtantial air-quality improvements for the nation.
“There are enormous health and environmental consequences that come from marine diesel emissions, affecting both...
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President Barack Obama’s remarks Friday at the U.N. climate summit in Copenhagen:
“Good morning. It is an honor for me to join this distinguished group of leaders from nations around the world. We come here in Copenhagen because climate change poses a grave and growing danger to our people. All of you would not be...
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