Re-energize America News

Summer 2007

This spring saw historic action in the judicial, executive, and legislative branches to reduce global warming pollution. On April 2, in the most important environmental decision in many years, the Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency had the authority -- and indeed, the responsibility -- to regulate carbon dioxide emissions and other gases that contribute to global warming. In its 5 to 4 decision in Massachusetts vs. EPAsachusetts vs. EPA, the court ruled that heat-trapping gases are air pollutants under the Clean Air Act and ordered the EPA to reconsider setting standards for reducing emissions. The decision reverses the federal agency's own 2003 ruling that it had no authority to regulate such emissions.

In the wake of the decision, President Bush directed the EPA, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Energy to create regulations aimed at reaching the "20 in 10" goal he proposed in his State of the Union address: cutting America's gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next 10 years. The Executive Order set into motion the first regulatory steps to reduce global warming pollution; however, it does not require new regulations until the end of Bush's presidency nor does it guarantee reduced emissions. Additionally, Bush and the other G8 leaders announced an agreement to pursue "substantial" reductions in global warming emissions, but with neither targets nor timetables as had been proposed by German Prime Minister Angela Merkel.

Congress
With gas prices reaching record levels just before the start of the summer driving season, the House and the Senate are currently working through energy legislation that will put a down payment on reducing our dependence on oil and cutting global warming pollution. Leaders in both chambers have stated that a comprehensive climate package will move later this fall or winter.

While the twin goals of oil savings and climate protection are entirely compatible, measures that do one without the other move America in the wrong direction. America needs policies that promote a portfolio of clean and affordable energy solutions including greater efficiency, renewable power, and research, development and commercialization for advanced clean energy technologies.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid and Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (NM) took the lead in passing a package of energy bills including a landmark CAFÉ provision that increases fuel efficiency standards for the first time in 30 years. The package hit the floor last Tuesday and includes provisions that will raise vehicle efficiency standards to an average of 35 mpg by 2020, boost biofuels production to 36 billion gallons by 2022, institute tough penalties for price gouging, and increase efficiency standards for appliances, lighting and buildings. An amendment that sets an oils savings target equal to the amount we currently import -- 2.5 million barrels per day -- passed overwhelmingly. Three other amendments that would have required nuclear generation, boosted coal-to-liquid technology and allowed drilling off our coasts were defeated. Senate leaders have promised to address two of the missing pieces -- a standard for renewable energy generation and the energy tax provisions and incentives that includes a $36 billion tax on the oil industry.

A House bill, chiefly constructed by Energy & Commerce Chairman John Dingell )MI) and Representative Rick Boucher )VA) was marked up in the Energy & Air Quality subcommittee this week. An early draft two weeks ago was declared a nonstarter by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for moving backward on vehicle efficiency standards and promoting liquid coal that would double global warming pollution compared to gasoline. Consequently, the bill, as it stands, is comprised mostly of energy efficiency standards and does not incorporate renewable technology, alternatives fuels or vehicle efficiency standards, all of which are scheduled to be introduced as amendments in the Energy & Commerce committee markup next week.

While is it unlikely that Congress will meet its goal of passing energy independence legislation in time for Independence Day, energy will be a topic that will continue throughout the long hot summer and beyond.

Leaders in the national faith community are increasingly mobilizing and pressuring the federal government to take serious action on global warming. In an open letter published on May 22 in two Capitol Hill newspapers, Muslim, Jewish and Christian religious leaders urged both the Bush administration and Congress to take swift and decisive action to curb global warming. The letter was signed by representatives of the National Council of Churches, the Islamic Society of North America, the Jewish Reform Action Committee, and the National Association of Evangelicals.

Although the NAE as a whole has not taken a public stance on global warming, the Evangelical Climate Initiative, which represents more than 100 evangelical leaders, released a paper in late May that outlines its guidelines for the creation of global warming policies. The document, entitled "10 Principles for Federal Policy on Climate Change," calls upon policy makers to "respond with moral passion and concrete action" to global warming. The principles include concern for public health, global poverty, national security, and the American economy. (See http://www.christiansandclimate.org/ for a downloadable PDF.)

On June 7, the National Council of Churches, a Christian coalition comprised of more than 20 different denominations, released a set of faith based principles on global warming. The principles emphasize the devastating impacts global warming will have on the countries and people who are least able to cope and adapt, and they call on constituents to be faithful stewards and caretakers of God’s creation by limiting global warming pollution.

These efforts by American religious leaders follow new activity by faith leaders on the international scene. In April, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace convened the first Vatican conference on global warming. Eighty scholars from more than 20 countries attended the meeting. In a telegram to the conference, Pope Benedict XVI urged world leaders in religion, politics and science to make respect for creation a guiding principle in their work.

Can global warming make the world a more dangerous place? New data suggests that it can. In the highest profile statement about the national security threat of global warming to date, the nonprofit CNA Corporation's Military Advisory Board released a report in April entitled "National Security and the Threat of Climate Change". The report, authored by 11 retired military leaders, calls on the United States to "become a more constructive partner" in responding to global warming, not only in the interest of mitigating instability in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, but in its own national security interests.

"Climate change is a national security issue," said retired General Gordon R. Sullivan, chairman of the Military Advisory Board and former Army chief of staff, upon the report's release. The report warned that climate change acts as a "threat multiplier" for instability in some of the most volatile regions of the world. And even in stable regions, projected climate change will add to existing tensions.

Following the release of the report, the House authorized intelligence agencies to conduct a threat analysis of global warming in the form of a National Intelligence Estimate. The measure passed, but not before some Republicans argued that the study would divert resources from more pressing threats. The matter was settled with a letter from the Director of National Security, Michael McConnell, who found the study to be "entirely appropriate", though stipulated that other agencies with climate expertise work with the agency. A Senate intelligence panel also cleared such a study.

The recent blizzard of Congressional activity on energy issues reflects the widespread recognition that we can no longer afford our addiction to oil, either environmentally or economically. But can we trade off one security threat for another?

Many legislators are touting gasoline and diesel derived from coal as an alternative energy source that reduces our dependence on foreign oil. But liquefied coal produces nearly twice the global warming pollution of gasoline in addition to resulting land degradation and water contamination from coal mining. Furthermore, the production of liquid coal is expensive. One study estimated that it would cost $70 billion to build enough liquid coal plants to replace 10 percent of the gasoline Americans consume. A single plant can cost as much as $6.5 million and take 7 years to bring into service.

So if global warming is a national security threat, and liquid coal intensifies global warming, are we really safer with this technology? Rather than saddling taxpayers with this costly and destructive fuel, the federal government should find the lowest cost and least-polluting ways to reduce our dependence on oil. America can more effectively reduce its oil dependency through efficient cars and trucks, smart growth and urban development and in filling up the tank with biofuels.

Re-energizing Detroit
Re-energize America rolled into the Detroit area last month for its seventh town hall meeting dedicated to ending the country's dependence on oil and combating global warming. The event in Taylor, Michigan featured R. James Woolsey, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency and Reverend Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, as well as state leaders in energy conservation. Mr. Woolsey urged leaders to "develop a portfolio of approaches to breaking oil's strategic hold on us," approaches that simultaneously address environmental, economic, and national security concerns.

Reverend Dr. Edgar framed global warming as a moral imperative and emphasized that everyone is "called by our faith to serve and protect God's creation. The health and well being of too many people, including our children, is at stake for global warming to be merely a political or even just an environmental issue.".

Michigan senator Raymond E. Basham synthesized the local threat of global warming in Michigan before he highlighted the state's unique opportunity, as a leader in automotive and agricultural production: "Michigan has the industry, brains, and workforce to lead the world in the design and production of cars and alternative fuels that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil." The event garnered significant attention from major media sources in Michigan, including an NPR affiliate and local talk radio.

Energy at the Crossroads
On June 11 the Natural Resources Defense Council along with the Western Resources Advocates and the Pembina Institute released a report entitled, Driving It Home: Choosing the Right Path for Fueling North America's Transportation Future. The report highlights the importance of investing in cleaner-burning transportation fuels over dirtier, fossil fuel-based fuels like liquid coal, oil shale and tar sands and warns potential investors of looming liabilities and steep financial risks if project developers continue to ignore the prospect of new emission rules. The solutions presented offer an environmentally and economically sound path forward to meet our future transportation fuel needs without the use of unconventional fuel sources. This path includes moderating demand, increasing energy efficiency and commercializing clean and renewable fuels.

The report, Driving It Home, is available online.

Big Energy Gains Begin at Home
In May, the McKinsey Global Institute released a report on energy savings in U.S. homes. The report argued that simple measures such as the installation of compact fluorescent light bulbs, water heaters, and better room insulation could dramatically reduce energy consumption. In order to put more efficient products into the market and reduce electricity consumption, the government should mandate more rigorous efficiency standards for appliances, building materials, and other household products.

Spain Brings Wind Power to Iowa
Acciona, a Spanish business group, has announced plans to build a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Iowa by the end of 2007. The company will become the sixth to plan or build wind turbines in the United States. Acciona has built 6 percent of the world's total wind power capacity. Wind power currently generates less than 1 percent of the United States' energy, but it is increasing at a rapid rate of 26 percent each year.

Green Auto Dealers
At $3.22 per gallon, U.S. gas prices have reached their highest level in more than 25 years, according to Energy Information Administration data. Prices have risen $1.05 per gallon since February. The cost of doing too little to reduce our oil dependency has never been greater.

AutoNation, one of the largest chains of auto dealers, is helping to promote more responsible consumption. AutoNation and its partner, Edmonds.com, have developed a new strategy for encouraging consumers to purchase fuel efficient cars. The E-Vehicle program reports detailed information on vehicle efficiency rankings and identifies the most fuel-efficient vehicles in every class with a leaf-shaped logo. This initiative is a useful tool for consumer education and indirectly highlights increasing competition among the major auto companies to make cleaner-burning cars.