Energy Legislation in the USA
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Transcript of Energy Legislation in the USA
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Energy Legislation in the USA
Richard Wilson
Presentation to Permanent Monitoring Panel on Energy
August 19th 2010
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1946 Atomic Energy act
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy
1975 AEC split to NRC and ERDA
~1980 DOE
Brief History
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1956 - 1970 Eisenhower and Kennedy encouraged plentiful cheap energy
1958 Admiral Strauss “electricity will be too cheap to meter”
1970 popular push for “environment”
1973 Arab Oil Embargo
1973 NIXON proposes an energy policy to reduce dependence on foreign oil
1973 Mike Lubell (APS): “Presidential energy proposals met with a Gigantic Yawn from Congress”
2009 House of Representatives passes Waxman-Markey bill
2010 US Senate fails to pass Kerry Lieberman bill
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Basic Issue
Fossil fuels are cheap if environmental and military issues are ignored
Energy sector is large
Subsidy of Desired fuels impractical
Taxing and restriction of undesired fuels only possibility
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The Stern report
This proposes a cap and trade systemThings wrong
(1) Cap is on emissions of CO2 not carbon
(2) A sector by sector approach
(3) Industry sets its initial cap too high (give away to polluters)
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Problems with the Waxman-Markey bill
1300 pages, How many have read it?
All problems with Stern report apply
Plus too much “pork barrel”
Even Hansen (NASA) opposes
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Problems with the Kerry Lieberman bill
So many to read, 987 pages.
Address three issues at once.(a) energy independence(b) energy shortages(c) climate change
Similar to Waxman-Markey but less pork-barrel
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INTERNET SEARCHES1) http://energytopic.nationaljournal.com/2010/06/epa-kerry-lieberman.php
2) http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2010/0517_climate_bill_muro.aspx
3) http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/05/kerry-lieberman-20100521.html
4) http://www.glgroup.com/News/The-Effects-of-the-Kerry-Lieberman-Bill-on-Employment-48361.html
5) http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20100721/pl_usnw/DC38585
6) http://www.ucimc.org/content/billions-new-nuke-giveaways-kerry-lieberman-bill-exposed
7) http://energytopic.nationaljournal.com/2010/06/epa-kerry-lieberman.php
(8) http://www.thebreakthrough.org.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-5 argue details6 and 7 oppose nuclear power price guarantee provisions.
8 Michael Schellenberger and Ned Nordhaus argue that the cost differential is too great.
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The Cantrell-Collins Bill
49 pages
Addresses control at the source of carbon
No historical cap
Automatically all sectors included
BUT
Ignored by US Senate
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Indirect Legislation
Auto fuel efficiency standards
Labeling of energy for appliances
Mandating efficient use
Proposal under clean air act
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Hidden Subsidies
Oil – cost of military activity in the Arabian/Persian Gulf exceeds the cost of the oil!
“The purpose of Nuclear Power is to run our Aircraft Carriers to defend “our” oil supplies from the Gulf”
Admiral Zumalt about 1975
Coal – no pollution charge
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Possible Indirect Action
Use of military bases for development and test of new systems
Use of clean air act to control large emitters of CO2
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Local Actions that Could be Effective
(1) Solar water heating is cost effective in the front range of Colorado with clear weather and high UV
content. But it is NOT in Massachusetts.
(2) Small hydro, abandoned by big electric utilities 80 years ago may be cost effective in some location
if combined with water management
(3) Other???