Inside Energy (https://insideenergy.org/tag/obama/)
The Clean Power Plan is our country’s most ambitious attempt yet to fight climate change, and it’s causing quite the legal stir. But what does it mean for you, and how big of a deal is it, really?
Consultation, the formal process of communication between tribes and the federal government, has become a central issue in the fight over the Dakota Access Pipeline. But this is not the first time tribes have sued over consultation violations. These lawsuits are becoming more and more common thanks, in part, to actions taken by the Obama Administration.
To many, it seems the fall of the coal industry has happened almost overnight. Inside Energy’s Leigh Paterson looks at the perfect storm of factors behind coal’s decline.
Inside Energy contributor Stephanie Joyce speaks with NPR Morning Edition host Renee Montagne about what the new moratorium on federal coal leasing means for states like Wyoming.
The federal government has temporarily halted coal leasing on public lands while it reviews its coal program. Forty percent of the coal mined in the United States comes from publicly-owned minerals beneath federal land, mostly in Wyoming. The government review will address whether taxpayers are getting a fair return on that coal, as well as how to square the coal program with the country’s new climate goals.
As part of a series of listening sessions held across the country, representatives from the Bureau of Land Management recently came to Gillette, Wyo., to meet with residents about the agency’s federal coal program. The meeting quickly turned into an impassioned discussion about the future of the coal industry. Janice Schneider, with the Department of the Interior, said the agency was looking for comments on “how the Bureau of Land Management can best manage its coal resources.” The other issue was whether or not the BLM should charge coal companies higher royalties for coal mined on federal land. Independent studies have found that coal companies may not be charged enough for federal coal.
The Obama Administration announced final rules Monday for its plan to limit carbon emissions from U.S. power plants. While some concessions were made to critics, the final rules actually increase the carbon cuts demanded from states and will have long-lasting impacts on the way power is produced.
The New Climate Economy | A new paper outlines the costs and benefits of using natural gas as a bridge fuel to a zero-carbon future.
In 2009, President Obama promised to modernize the electric grid, using stimulus money. The new power grid would be smart and efficient, bringing the tech revolution to electricity. It would incorporate more renewable energy. It would have the ability to fix blackouts more quickly. And, it would save customers a whole lot of money. So whatever happened to that plan? (Blackout: Reinventing the Grid #3)
