June 1, 2020- Today, Congresswoman Deb Haaland co-led the introduction of a bill that will establish a Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Commission to examine the effects of slavery and racism against people of color, on American history, and its impact on laws and policies we have today. The bill, led by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (Calif.-16) comes in the …
The powerful appeal of populism fills a void, says Fiona Hill. Populism provides a narrative for people who have lost their identities that were tied to meaningful work.
“When people lose that then they’re looking for something. There’s a feeling they’ve been robbed and deprived of a golden age, and they want that back and populist politics feeds upon that, and provides scapegoats for losing it.” –Fiona Hill See interview with Fiona Hill in The Guardian, June 12, 2020… Excerpts below. Liberal democracy hasn’t been delivering, in the …
Research Shows ‘Linking Climate Policy to Social and Economic Justice Makes It More Popular’: The public wants a Green New Deal. The public wants green stimulus. The public wants to address inequality
June 12, 2020, Common Dreams. by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Sunrise NYC, a climate activist group, rallies in front of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office in Midtown Manhattan demanding that he support the Green New Deal. (Photo: Gabriele Holtermann-Gorden/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) Amid persistent calls for a green and just recovery from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and nationwide protests against systemic racism and injustice, …
Virginia Clean Economy Act to retire most of Virginia’s coal-fired facilities by Dec. 31, 2024
Va.’s 100% clean energy shift: Part of a ‘bigger wave’? E&E News | David Iaconangelo A landmark legislative session for energy came to an end in Virginia last week, after the Democratic-controlled General Assembly mounted a late push to pass numerous new regulations on fossil fuels and promote zero-carbon sources of electricity. One of the measures, which Democratic Gov. Ralph …
US sees first combustion vehicle phase out legislation
Washington’s House Bill 2525 would require that all new vehicles run on electricity by 2030, effectively banning gasoline-powered cars and trucks. The bill, which I read about in E&E News, did not pass out of committee, so it’s almost certainly not going to become law. Below is model legislation designed around a 2025 phase out date. AN ACT Relating to …
Cross-state air pollution from the electric power sector continues to kill Americans. Decade’s coal plant closures saved 26K lives in US: study. Fracking bills introduced.
Midwestern states are the biggest exporters of air pollution, while Northeastern states are the leading importers. BY REBECCA BEITSCH, The Hill, 01/06/20 The decline of coal could be saving thousands of lives as power plants reduce air pollution by switching to natural gas, according to a study published Monday. More than 26,000 lives in the U.S. were saved over the course of …
‘Clean Energy First’ could play a big role in how Minnesota responds to climate change
MinnPost, Sept 2019. The centerpiece of DFL lawmakers’ plans to fight the climate crisis is a mandate that would make the energy grid carbon-free by 2050. But at the Minnesota Capitol, another climate measure, this one known as “Clean Energy First,” has drawn just as much attention — and may have better odds of becoming law. The policy, which has been …
Legislation establishing an Independent System Operator (ISO) to manage the electric transmission grid in Colorado
This document describes an idea of central importance to Colorado’s energy future: a statewide unified transmission grid managed by a non-profit Independent System Operator (ISO) under a common transmission tariff. The purpose of this document is to explain the concept and attract the attention of one or more legislators who are knowledgeable about energy and might appreciate how transformative a …
DOJ: In 2018 alone there were 25 race-based terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, each committed by an alleged white supremacist but new legislation focuses on nonviolent civil resistance and property
The Department of Justice reported, in 2018 alone there were 25 race-based terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, each committed by an alleged white supremacist. Immediate action is needed to address this crisis and tragedies like the Aug. 3 shooting in El Paso, Texas. So I read with interest a recent press release of Rep. Michael McCaul—the Republican incumbent in the Texas 10th Congressional …
Wide bipartisan support for bill promoting renewables
E&E News | Nick Sobczyk, Wide bipartisan support for bill promoting renewables A bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced legislation yesterday to ease the path for renewable energy development on public lands. H.R. 3794, the “Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act,” would speed permitting for projects in certain areas deemed ripe for renewable energy development. It would also set up a …