Articles by Kate Sheppard

Obama visits Ohio plant that manufactures parts for wind turbines

President-elect Barack Obama took his "American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan" on the road Friday, talking up his clean energy plans at an Ohio factory that manufactures nuts and bolts used to build wind turbines.

Obama toured the Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Company in Bedford Heights, Ohio, which he cited as evidence that "a renewable energy economy isn't some pie-in-the-sky, far-off future."

"It's happening all across America right now," he said. "It's providing alternatives to foreign oil now. It can create millions of additional jobs and entire new industries if we act right now."

The visit and his speech afterward were meant to highlight his stimulus plan, which calls for doubling the production of renewable energy in the next three years, doing energy-efficiency retrofits on 75 percent of federal buildings, and weatherizing 2 million homes.

Obama said his plan, if enacted, would "put nearly half a million people to work building wind turbines and solar panels; constructing fuel-efficient cars and buildings; and developing the new energy technologies that will lead to new jobs, more savings, and a cleaner, safer planet in the bargain." A stronger economy, he said, "starts with new, clean sources of energy."

He also warned that without significant investments, renewable industries like Cardinal could go under. "I'm told that if we don't act now, because of the economic downturn, half of the wind projects planned for 2009 could wind up being abandoned," said Obama. "Think about that. Think about all the businesses that wouldn't come to be, all the jobs that wouldn't be created, all the clean energy we wouldn't produce."

The green aspects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Enviros are heartened by much of what they see in the newly released summary of the House's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the stimulus package. But they're also concerned about how the transportation funds will be spent.

The bill includes a section focused on "clean, efficient, American energy." The summary states, "To put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow, we will strengthen efforts directed at doubling renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient." Another section of the bill aims to "modernize roads, bridges, transit and waterways." Here's the broad breakdown of those portions:

• $32 billion to transform the nation's energy transmission, distribution, and production systems by allowing for a smarter and better grid and focusing investment in renewable technology
• $16 billion to repair public housing and make key energy-efficiency retrofits
• $6 billion to weatherize modest-income homes
• $30 billion for highway construction
• $31 billion to modernize federal and other public infrastructure with investments that lead to long-term energy cost savings
• $19 billion for clean water, flood control, and environmental restoration investments;
• $10 billion for transit and rail to reduce traffic congestion and gas consumption

There's also $4 billion for training and employment services through grants for worker-training programs in "high growth and emerging industry sectors." Priority for these funds would be placed on green jobs and jobs in healthcare. "Green jobs training will include preparing workers for activities supported by other economic recovery funds, such as retrofitting of buildings, green construction, and the production of renewable electric power," says the summary.

The Sierra Club praised the bill, saying it "makes an important down payment on solutions that will transform America's economy and lead to a clean energy future that will benefit generations to come."

Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder pointed out both the good and the bad. "This proposal demonstrates a serious commitment to clean energy with a number of smart and much-needed investments that can create green jobs and be instrumental in our transition to a clean energy economy," he said. "Unfortunately, the transportation spending doesn't take the same forward-thinking approach. The stimulus as it currently stands doesn't do enough to create green jobs through clean transportation investments, and it doesn't prevent spending from going to unnecessary new roads that increase pollution and oil consumption."

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Waxman calls for climate bill by May, despite grumbling from Energy Committee members

In his first hearing as chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on Thursday pledged to act "quickly and decisively" on climate change, and said he wants a bill ready to go by Memorial Day recess in May.

"Our environment and our economy depend on congressional action to confront the threat of climate change and secure our energy independence," Waxman said. "U.S. industries want to invest in a clean energy future, but uncertainties about whether, when, and how greenhouse-gas emissions will be reduced is deterring these vital investments."

But not everyone is on board. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said there are "many different views on this committee" as to whether climate change is caused by humans.

The committee heard from representatives of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership about its new blueprint for a cap-and-trade climate bill. President-elect Barack Obama and Waxman have both called for cap-and-trade programs, though considerably stronger ones than USCAP proposed.

But some committee member suggested that cap-and-trade is not the way to go. Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) said he prefers a carbon tax, though it may not be as politically palatable. "It's probably the cleanest and most transparent thing Congress can do is to put a tax on something we shouldn't be putting in our atmosphere," said Green. His fellow Texan, Republican ranking member Joe Barton, also indicated that a carbon tax might be preferable to cap-and-trade.

Today's hearing illustrated that despite the leadership change in the committee -- climate advocate Waxman replacing automaker-friendly John Dingell -- it's going to be a tussle to move climate legislation this year. "Be prepared for a battle," warned Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.).