The Garden Club of America
National Affairs and Legislation Committee
Barbara Geltosky, Vice Chairman Energy Sources
February 2013
Energy Policy for the Second Term

President Obama begins his second term facing a number of challenges as he refines and shapes the energy policy of this new administration. On January 21st 2013, in his second inaugural address, the president used words many of us were waiting to hear. “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition. We must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries. We must claim its promise. That’s how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure, our forests and waterways, our crop lands and snow-capped peaks.”¹ Conservationists hope he will indeed move forward on climate change and green energy policies. Former Vice President Al Gore hopes the president will use executive powers and regulations through the EPA, especially in regards to coal emissions, institute some sort of carbon tax, and veto the Keystone pipeline, which has the potential to offset many of the emissions reductions currently in place. Current policy already making an impact includes Rules through EPA put in place during the first Obama administration that curb emissions on new power plants and fuel efficiency standards that will eventually double.¹

Andrew Revkin believes that the only way forward is “is a stepwise policy, building from smart near-term steps that can be sold to many constituencies for many reasons (energy efficiency, boosting resilience to climate hazards in vulnerable places) toward the tougher ones.² “The centerpiece will be action by the Environmental Protection Agency to clamp down further on emissions from coal-burning power plants under regulations still being drafted — and likely to draw legal challenges. The administration plans to supplement that step by adopting new energy efficiency standards for home appliances and buildings, a seemingly small advance that can have a substantial impact by reducing demand for electricity. Those standards would echo the sharp increase in fuel economy that the administration required from automakers in the first term. The Pentagon, one of the country’s largest energy users, is also taking strides toward cutting use and converting to renewable fuels. Mr. Obama’s aides are planning those steps in conjunction with a campaign to build public support and head off political opposition in a way the administration did not the last time around. But the White House has cautioned activists not to expect full-scale engagement while Congress remains occupied by guns, immigration and the budget.”³

In a January 15th report from the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, findings included that fact that: “Policies to promote renewable energy are favored by the majority of voters across party lines. Majorities support eliminating federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, but oppose ending subsidies to the renewable energy industry. Instead, solid majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans support funding more research into renewable energy sources”⁴. Dan Lash of The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that “ emissions from current coal-fired plants could be reduced by more than 25 percent by 2020, yielding large health and environmental benefits at relatively low cost. Such an approach would allow Mr. Obama to fulfill his 2009 pledge to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by about 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.”⁵ The president has indicated he wants to target overly favorable treatment for gas and oil companies in his budget request, as well as prioritize energy and exporting energy out of the US. The kick the can fiscal cliff budget deal will result in some horse -trading to decide on budget cuts but there may be some hope down the road for a carbon tax. Bruce Nilles, of the Sierra Club, feels that “real action on energy policy is not in Congress. It’s happening through a mix of what EPA is doing and what’s happening at the state level. So gas has certainly played a role as the prices have come down over the last couple of years, but it’s one of three factors. One is the price of coal has gone up, essentially doubled in the last five years. Second, the prices of wind and solar have come down, making them much more competitive. And then last, the energy efficiency programs we put in place over the last few years, including with the stimulus, have really helped lower projections of energy demand. So if you don’t need as much electricity, then you certainly don’t need to build a bunch of new fossil fuel units.”⁶ While there will be appointments to replace Steven Chu, Energy Department Secretary, and Lisa Jackson at the EPA, vastly differing policies are not expected. “President Obama has announced that REI chief Sally Jewell will be nominated to become the 51st secretary of the Interior, an unconventional pick that has garnered early praise from conservation groups and some oil industry backers. Jewell, who has led the outdoor retailer since 2005, was considered a dark horse.”⁷

Action Items: U.S. Rep. Edward Whitfield (R, Ky.), who chairs the House’s Energy and Power subcommittee, has made it clear that he will block limits on greenhouse gases and a carbon tax, saying such measures would drive up energy costs. But Whitfield ignores that the public will pay for its failure to attack air pollution with higher health-care costs and damages due to extreme weather caused by the Earth’s rising temperature.”⁸ The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee kicked off its American Energy and Security Innovation hearing series on February 5, 2013, with stated goals of removing barriers blocking the path to energy independence. Tea Party Caucus members of this committee who get extremely low ratings on the League of Conservation Voters Environmental Scorecard include Steve Scalise, (LA), Michael Burgess and Joe Barton (TX) and Cory Gardener (CO). Please let members of this committee know of your concerns about the environmental impact of reducing regulation.⁹

• ¹ Stevenson, Richard and Broder, John, “Speech Gives Climate Goals Center Stage”, New York Times January 21, 2013 “The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change”, Radio Times, WHYY February 5, 2013
• ² Revkin, Andrew, “Obama’s Chance For a Fresh Start on a Climate-Smart Energy Quest”, NY Times Dot Earth, January 21 2013>
• ³ Stevenson, Richard and Broder, John, “ ibid.
• ⁴ “The Political Benefits to Taking a Pro Climate Stand”, Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, January 15, 2013
• ⁵ ibid, Stevenson, Broder
• ⁶ Trauzzi, Monica, “Sierra Club Nilles discusses the future of coal, EPA regulations”, On Point, E and E News December 11, 2012
• ⁷ Taylor, Phil, E and E New February 6. 2013
• ⁸ “Editorial:Must Fight For Cleaner Air”, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 25, 2013
• ⁹ www.energycommercehouse.gov, www.lcv.org