In the news today…
Climate:
- Fox News cites a report from junkscience.com saying that dire climate predictions have failed to materialize. For example, Glacier National Park has removed warnings that its glaciers will disappear by 2020. Other reports relayed failed predictions such as “Snowfalls are now just a thing of the past” (The Independent in 2000), “Snows of Kilimanjaro to Vanish by 2020” (The Vancouver Sun in 2008), and “Arctic summers may be ice free by 2020” (Lancaster Eagle-Gazette in 2013).
Emissions:
- Inside EPA reports future fossil fuel production planned by the United States and other countries is more than double the limit needed to restrict global warming 1.5°C or 2°C to prevent damaging climate change from occurring, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other climate policy organizations.
- E&E Daily reports Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) yesterday suggested the Senate vote on the Paris climate agreement after President-elect Joe Biden rejoins next year.
Energy:
- Politico Pro reports two appellate judges on Wednesday appeared skeptical of a lower court’s order for the Missouri utility Ameren to install pollution controls at one power plant to offset illegal emissions from another.
- E&E News PM reports on a timetable that will punt a final decision to the Biden administration, EPA is belatedly moving to address a call from ozone-plagued Northeastern states for tighter controls on Pennsylvania’s coal-fired power industry.
- Argus reports renewable electricity generation continued to advance in the US this quarter, supplanting some coal, natural gas and nuclear power.
Coal:
- Twin Falls Times News reports Wyoming continues to value coal, despite the movement of other states away from the fuel.
- Argus reports about $2bn in tax credits will soon be available for advanced coal-fired generation projects in the US, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said this week.
- E&E Energywire reports speeding up the retirement of coal-fired power plants in West Virginia and replacing that power with renewable energy could reduce electric utility costs in the Mountain State by up to 5%, according to a new report from West Virginia University College of Law.
- Japan Times reports that China will expand its coal power fleet 10% by 2025. Consumption of coal currently accounts for nearly 58% of China’s energy mix.
WOTUS:
- Inside EPA reports environmental economists are outlining several concerns with the Trump administration’s economic analysis to support its narrowed definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS), criticisms that they hope will aid the incoming Biden administration in “correcting” the rule and other Trump policies that used similar analyses.
- E&E Greenwire reports Democrats in both chambers of Congress are urging a district court to hear a case challenging the Trump administration’s controversial rule determining which waters are afforded protections under the Clean Water Act.