MU Environmental Network News
June 2009
Editor,
Jan Weaver Vol. 15 No. 6
208
Tucker Hall, MU Columbia 65211
Congress
Copes with Climate Change by Jan Weaver
In spring of
2007, the Supreme Court decided that the EPA did indeed have the authority to
regulate carbon dioxide and other heat trapping gases as "air
pollutants" under the Clean Air Act. The number of congressional bills
with the phrase Ògreenhouse gasesÓ jumped from 44 in the 109th congress
(2005-2007) to 159 in the 110th (2007-2009), and this year congress has already
filed 42 bills with the phrase. Clearly our elected representatives are not
keen on letting the executive branch decide how and when to regulate greenhouse
gases, so they have stepped in with a wildly diverse menu of legislative
solutions of their own. Below is a sampling of the bills that mention
Ògreenhouse gases that have been filed since 2007, along with a summary of
House bill 2454, the Waxman / Markey ÒCap and TradeÓ bill.
At
least a dozen bills seem focused on maintaining business as usual. House bills
391 and 2300 say greenhouse gases are not "pollutants" and therefore
are not subject to the Clean Air Act or EPA regulation. Senate bill 724 and
House bill 2300 prohibit considering warming as a factor in the disappearance
of species. House bills 2227, 2250 and 2300 among themselves lift the
moratorium on offshore drilling, define nuclear as a renewable fuel, open
federal lands to exploration, encourage coal to liquid fuel research, and
prohibit lack of a long term disposal site as a reason to deny a nuclear power
plant permit. House bill 2409 and Senate bill 943 call for waiving life cycle
greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels for their evaluation as renewables, and
House bill 1438 excludes agriculturally generated greenhouse gases from any fee
based emissions program. I am sure I missed some bills, and some of the ones I
listed above did have serious greenhouse gas reduction ideas in them. On the
whole however, it would be wise to be wary of any bill with the words
"energy independence" or "energy innovation" in them, or
any bill purporting to "improve" an existing environmental
regulation, if your goal is really to reduce greenhouse gases.
A
couple of bills focused on ensuring transparency, integrity and stability in
greenhouse gas markets or commodities trading of greenhouse gas permits.
Who says we can't learn from past mistakes?
Around
two dozen bills took warming seriously, addressing it from a variety of
perspectives. House bill 1698 sets up a Green Bank to assist with
financing qualified projects. House bill 2211 promotes a secure national energy
grid, House bill 445 and Senate bill 679 call for heavy duty hybrid research,
and House bill 803 and Senate bill 575 recommend making the transportation
infrastructure in metropolitan areas more efficient. Some focused on the global
aspects. House bill 1790 seeks to reduce deforestation in developing countries,
and Senate bill 840 establishes a development and commercialization committee
within the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate Program.
There are also bills giving states the rights to set tougher standards,
requiring the health department to develop a national strategic plan to deal
with climate change, to revitalize street cars, and to set up a National
Climate Service to provide timely and accurate information about climate
change.
One
bill was just poignant. The representative from the US Virgin Islands
proposed a resolution urging the US Fish and Wildlife Service to consider
global warming and sea level rise in conservation plans for national wildlife
refuges. So far the only co-sponsors are the representatives from American
Samoa and Guam.
The
bill that is likely to generate the most heat is the Waxman/Markey American
Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, aka House bill 2454. What follows is
my summary of the summary of the bill that I read. The whole bill,
all 648 pages, is at http://www.waxman.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=116749.
Title
I deals with Clean Energy. It sets percentages (6% by 2012 and 25% by 2025) of
renewable generation (wind, biomass, solar and geothermal) that electric
utilities must meet, allowing 1/5 to be met by efficiency measures; creates
incentives and standards for carbon capture and sequestration; sets standards
for low carbon fuels with grants and loans for large scale demonstration
electric vehicle fleets and provides support to help car companies build
electric vehicles; supports deployment of a 'smart grid"; and requires federal
agencies to enter into long-term contracts to purchase renewable energy.
Title
II addresses Energy Efficiency. It provides training and funds to states
that improve building codes for energy efficiency, and directs the EPA to
develop rating standards; provides funds for families living in pre-1976
manufactured homes to upgrade to more efficient homes; codifies already
negotiated efficiency standards for lighting and appliances and provides
incentives to retailers who sell high volumes of "best-in-class
appliances; harmonizes fuel efficiency and emissions standards to simplify
compliance for auto companies (I guess we
can check this as done), and requires states to set goals for emission
reductions from transportation; requires each distributor of electricity to
show its customers have achieved set improvements in efficiency; sets standards
for industrial energy efficiency and promotes thermal electricity generation;
and makes nonprofit health facilities eligible for grants and loans to improve
efficiency.
Title
III covers Reducing Global Warming Pollution and is modeled on the US Climate
Action Partnership's recommendations. There is a market based cap and trade for
entities that emit over 25,000 tons of CO2 per year (no specifics yet on how these would be allocated) - their
aggregate emissions must be reduced by 3% below 2005 levels by 2012, 20% by
2020, 42% by 2030 and 83% by 2050. Additional provisions require the EPA to
prevent deforestation (and count it towards reductions); set standards for
offsets split evenly between domestic and international sources; allow
"banking" of emission allowances for future years and a two year
rolling compliance period; set up a strategic reserve of allowances to cushion
against rapid price rises; put FERC (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
in charge of the market; set additional standards for HFCs, soot and other
pollutants; and exempts greenhouse gases from classification as hazardous
pollutants.
Title
IV is Transitioning to a Clean Energy Economy. Its provisions provide
rebates to companies that use large amounts of energy, or produce globally
traded commodities, and imposes carbon allowances on foreign manufacturers;
award grants for curriculum development and training, along with a yet to be
figured out worker transition program; will work out a consumer assistance
program; assist with widespread deployment of clean technology to developing
countries; and establishes an interagency council to ensure coordinated
responses to warming impacts.
US
Climate Action Partnership - http://www.us-cap.org/
Special
Events and Activities
May 30 - Tiger Treasures Rummage
Sale - Mizzou Football Stadium, Columbia - an MU year-end recycling event - www.cf.missouri.edu/tigertreasures
June 3 - Advancing Renewables in the
Midwest: Fourth Annual 1 Day Conference - Anheuser Busch Natural Resources
Building, MU Campus, Columbia - www.AdvancingRenewables.org
June 6 - Community Rain Garden
Workshop - Jefferson Institute Farms and Gardens, 9 am, hands on,
pre-registration required- http://www.moriver.org/
June 6 - National Trails Day - MKT
Trail at Stadium entrance, 5K Walk/Run/Hike and Nature Expo -
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Activities_and_Programs/special_events.php#may
June 9 - Big Muddy Session: Are
Chemicals Contaminating our Missouri River? - Bryant Cabin, 7 pm -
http://www.riverrelief.org/updates/entry/monthly-big-muddy-sessions/ for
directions and details
June 10 - Explorers: Leave No Trace
- Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - for kids 10-12, learn 7 principles of leave
no trace - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
June 13 or 17 - Nature Detectives,
an outdoor experience for preschoolers and caregivers - Devil's Icebox Parking
Lot, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, 9:30 or 10:30 am - registration required
- mjdonlsn@aol.com to register
June 13 - Gans Creek Adventure -
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
June 17 - Family Fun Night/Stream
Extravaganza- 6 to 8 pm, Flat Branch Park -
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Activities_and_Programs/special_events.php#may
June 18 - Native Plant/Quail Field
Day - Bradford Farm - http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/events/
June 20 - Kids Go Batty - Rock
Bridge Memorial State Park - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
June 20 - Big Canoe River Float -
Katfish Katy's to Cooper's Landing - Shuttle from Cooper's Landing to Katfish
Katy's, departs at 11 am - Presentations by DNR, MDC, USFS, USGS and more - $30
(does not include canoe rental), pre-registration required - rain date July 11-
www.moriver.org/float.html or polanswe@gmail.com
June 20 - Flicker, Flicker Firefly -
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
June 25 - June 28 - Boonville
Heritage Days - Downtown Boonville -
http://www.boonvillemochamberofcommerce.com/-
June 27 - Water Quality Monitoring
Level 2 Training - Conservation Credit Union, Jefferson City, 8:30 am to 5:00
pm - http://mostreamteam.org/online_level2.htm
July 11 - Devil's Delight: Bats in
Flight - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
July 11 or 15- Nature Detectives, an
outdoor experience for preschoolers and caregivers - Devil's Icebox Parking
Lot, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, 9:30 or 10:30 am - registration required
- mjdonlsn@aol.com to register
July 14 - Big Muddy Session: Beyond
Catfish - The Diversity fo Fish Life in the Big Muddy - Les Bourgeois Bistro,
Rocheport, 7 pm - http://www.riverrelief.org/updates/entry/monthly-big-muddy-sessions/
July 17 - Bats: Living on a Wing and
a Prayer - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
July 18 - Devil's Delight: Bats in
Flight - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
July 19 - Interfaith Care for
Creation: Off the Grid Urban Homestead - 406 Sanford Avenue, 2:30 - 4:30 - mntwelch@yahoo.com
July 22 - 24- Explorer Days - Rock
Bridge Memorial State Park - kids ages 9 - 11 can earn a Missouri State Parks
and Historic Sites Explorer patch - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
July 24 - Devil's Delight: Bats in
Flight - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm
----Missouri Department of
Conservation Central Region events - http://mdc.mo.gov/areas/central/
Organization Meetings and Contact Information
AUDUBON
SOCIETY: 874-3904 / columbia-audubon.missouri.org Meet 3rd Wed 7:30 pm,
Unitarian Church, 2615 Shepard Blvd.
BOONE COUNTY SMART GROWTH COALITION:
http://smartgrowth.missouri.org/, 1st Weds 7:15 Boone Co Govt Ctr.
CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING:
875-0539 or http://www.midmopeaceworks.org/sustainableliving.php
CHOUTEAU GROTTO:
http://chouteau.missouri.org/, Meet 1st Wed, 7 pm, The Casteel Building, 1518
Business Loop 70 East
COLUMBIA CLIMATE CHANGE
COALITION: 573-529-9273, Meet 3rd
Thu
http://www.columbiaclimatechangecoalition.org/
COLUMBIA FOOD CIRCLE: 882-7463 or
http://foodcircles.missouri.edu/sources.htm
COLUMBIA PUBLIC WORKS VOL. PROGRAMS:
874-6271 or http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Volunteer/Opportunities/#PW
COMMUNITY GARDEN COALITION: 875-5995
or cgardenc@yahoo.com or http://cgc.missouri.org 3rd Thursdays 7 pm Columbia Public Library
ENV EDUCATION WORKSHOPS AND
CONFERENCES: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/teacher/workshops/
FRIENDS OF BIG MUDDY:
friends@friendsofbigmuddy.org or www.friendsofbigmuddy.org 2nd Tues, 7 pm, Bryant Cabin
FRIENDS OF ROCK BRIDGE M. S. P.: 815-9255 or
http://rockbridge.missouri.org/ Outdoors Bldg, 200 Old 63 S.
GET ABOUT COLUMBIA:
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/GetAbout_Columbia/index.php
GREEKS GOING GREEN: new group for
fraternities and sororities at MU sauzp5@mizzou.edu
GREEN SANCTUARY: 1st Fridays, 7:00
pm UU Church 2615 Shepard Blvd alternates green movies and discussions
g_baka2002@yahoo.com
GREENBELT LAND TRUST OF
MID-MISSOURI: 442-4789, greenbelt.land.trust @gmail.com or
http://greenbelt.missouri.org
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE:
815-9836, drop off/ buy 1906 Monroe St. Columbia Mon to Fri 8:30 to 3:30, Sat
8-1 1pm,
MISSOURI ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION:
www.meea.org
MO NATIVE PLANT SOC.:
http://columbianativeplants.missouri.org/, 2nd Mon, odd months, 7 p.m., UU
Church, 2615 Shepard
MISSOURI RIVER COMMUNITIES NETWORK:
573-256-2602 or
www.moriver.org or
moriver@coin.org
MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE ENERGY:
http://www.mosafeenergy.org/Content/ first Tuesdays, 7:15, Peace Nook on
Broadway
PEDNET COALITION: email:
pednet@pednet.org or http://www.pednet.org
RIVER RELIEF:
http://www.riverrelief.org/
ROCK BRIDGE MEMORIAL STATE PARK:
449-7402 or http://rockbridge.missouri.org
SHOW ME CLEAN STREAMS COALITION:
(573) 751-4115 ext 3169 or www.mostreamteam.org
SIERRA CLUB: 875-2916,
http://missouri.sierraclub.org/osage/index.htm 3rd Tuesdays 7:30 pm Hillel Found., 1107 University Ave
SUSTAIN MIZZOU: http://students.missouri.edu/~sustainmizzou/
WILD ONES: 573 882-9909, ext 3257 or
email wildonesmo@yahoo.com, http://wildones.missouri.org Meetings 2nd
Saturdays.
Feedback - Got an opinion? If we have space, we will consider publishing it. Submit it by
email (weaverjc@missouri.edu).
MU
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