The latest news in energy and environmental politics & policy — must-know stories and candid insights from POLITICO’s energy team and journalists across our newsroom. All in just five minutes each morning.
The Biden administration wants to use tax credits to help renewables grow in America. The Biden administration also wants to tie these credits to all- American-made products. Can the Biden administration have it both ways? POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino explains.
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Fireworks at FERC’s Senate hearing
Yesterday, FERC commissioners testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee for the first time in years and there were plenty of fireworks. The two GOP members of the commission didn’t hold back their disdain for a Clean Electricity Performance Program Democrats are pushing as part of their reconciliation package while Democratic FERC commissioners defended plans to take climate impacts into consideration in future permitting decisions from continued attacks from Ranking Member John Barrasso. Today, POLITICO’s Catherine Morehouse has details on the hearing.
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Where do solar panels really come from?
Biden’s Commerce Department is set to decide on Thursday if it should probe whether Chinese solar panels are being shipped to Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam to circumvent U.S. tariffs on Chinese solar goods. The dispute, which is pitting American solar power developers against U.S. manufacturers, is also testing the administration’s pledge to promote domestic manufacturing. POLITICO’s Gavin Bade has more details on the dispute and on how the administration may move forward.
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California sees the forest for its trees
As California continues battling catastrophic wildfires that threaten much of the state, including the famous trees that make Sequoia National Park a mecca for nature lovers, Gov. Gavin Newsom signs new climate bills expanding the state’s already aggressive plans to prepare for a worsening climate and lower its environmental footprint. Today, POLITICO’s Colby Bermel has more on California’s new suite of climate policies.
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Biden’s low HFC diet
Since the Montreal Protocol was signed to help restore the Ozone layer, a different kind of gases was popularized in the use of refrigeration. But since that time, we’ve learned that these gases, known as HFCs, have an impact on global warming exponentially higher than carbon dioxide. Now, the Biden administration has a plan to drastically reduce America’s use of these gases. Today, POLITICO’s Alex Guillen has the juicy details.
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China’s ambitious and ambiguous coal promise
On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced his country would stop building foreign coal power plants. And while the announcement was welcome news to environmentalists and world leaders, POLITICO’s Zack Colman reports that no one really knows what exactly China is committing to.
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What’s the Civilian Climate Corps?
In the middle of the Great Depression, President Roosevelt founded the Civilian Conservation Corps, a group responsible for hiring hundreds of thousands of white men to develop trails and build infrastructure that is still standing today. Now, Democrats want to create a similar, but more divers, group to build a new Corps to help the economy recover from the pandemic and fight climate change at once. POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna has the details on the plan for a Civilian Climate Corps.
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OSHA brings down the heat
Climate change is driving temperatures higher across the world, and making heatwaves in the country increasingly frequent. The record temperatures are a risk for millions during hot months, and in most of the country, workers have no legally enforced protections from heat stress. Now, the Biden administration has decided to step in. Today, POLITICO’s Zack Colman reports on the administration’s plan to tackle heat stress protections, and the challenges ahead.
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Digging into Big Oil’s Dark Side
This summer, one of Exxon’s top lobbyists broke the first rule of lobbying: don’t give away the game plan, especially to an undercover environmentalist. Since the dramatic interview aired on British TV, House Democrats have been investigating whether American oil giants’ have deployed a disinformation campaign casting doubt on the science on climate change and their climate commitments. Today, POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre, on what could come out of this investigation.
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Two committees, one reconciliation bill
After marathon committee markups, the Democrats’ reconciliation package made it out of two huge. Committees unscathed: Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means. But, what exactly made it through, and does it stand a chance in the Senate? POLITICO’s Alex Guillen and Kelsey Tamborrino report.
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Corporate America’s put up or shut up moment
American companies have spent months promoting their climate pledges and their environmental commitments. But now, with the reconciliation bill tagging on big tax hikes to climate proposals and possibly threatening to hurt bottom lines, they face the real test of whether they'll stand by their climate plans over how much they really back their climate plans is on. Today, POLITICO’s Zack Colman explains the companies’ dilemma.
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Why some greens feel burnt by Biden’s FERC pick
Last week, President Biden announced the nomination of Willie Phillips to the vacant seat at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If confirmed, Phillips’ vote could finally tip the scales at the commission in favor of the Democrats, and potentially help enact the president’s ambitious green agenda. But POLITICO’s Catherine Morehouse reports that not all environmentalists believe Phillips was the right pick for the position.
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House Dems aim high on clean energy, climate
House Democrats outlined hundreds of billions of dollars in climate and energy initiatives for their portion of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, including a national clean electricity program and a national green bank, funding the replacement of lead water pipes and building out the country’s electric vehicle infrastructure. POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna reports.
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Canada burns and the election heats up
The summer of 2021 is changing the way Canadians think about climate change, but both main parties are struggling to define their message — and uphold Canada's international commitments. POLITICO’s Zi-Ann Lum explains.
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Ida churns up tension on infrastructure package
Hurricane Ida’s lashing of Louisiana is supercharging a fight in Washington over spending tens of billions of dollars to protect the U.S. from future storms. POLITICO’s Zack Colman explains.
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Schumer’s big climate promise
With the Senate’s infrastructure bill waiting on the House floor and both parties ready to begin discussing a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, Democrats are hoping to get many of President Biden’s priorities across the finish line. And today, POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna reports that includes a big part of the administration’s climate goals.
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Attributing disasters to climate change
Scientists have known for a long time that climate change affects natural disasters. But now a new branch of science claims to be able to pinpoint how much responsibility climate change holds for specific events within weeks of the disasters taking place. Today, POLITICO’s Karl Mathiesen discusses how attribution science works, and how it can help prepare cities and countries in the face of a changing climate.
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The Corn in Biden’s side
Presidential candidates follow certain traditions: eggs at a New Hampshire diner, ice cream on a hot summer day… and support for ethanol if they’re campaigning in Iowa. But once a candidate gets to the White House, a complicated reality will dawn on them: keeping both oil refiners and corn producers happy is an almost impossible task. Today, POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino, on how the Biden White House is trying to balance both interests and manage the Renewable Fuel Standard.
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Want farmers to fight climate change? Give them...
The president wants farmers to help fight climate change by joining carbon capture and sequestration programs. The problem? Most of the requirements for these programs are online, and thousands of farmers lack broadband access at their farms. Today, POLITICO’s Tatyana Monnay explores the internet barrier keeping farmers from helping fight climate change.
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Democratic infighting in the House
The House comes back into session today to deal with a packed agenda that includes both the massive Senate-passed infrastructure bill and an even bigger budget resolution. But the future of both bills is threatened by a standoff between House leadership, progressives and the White House who all want significant climate action and moderates who fear the price tag is just too big. Today, POLITICO’s Tanya Snyder explains the challenges ahead for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in getting her caucus in line.
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Is clean hydrogen an illusion?
Some scientists looking for clean energy solutions have spent years researching the capabilities of hydrogen. Earlier this month, the Senate included funding for clean hydrogen technologies in hopes that it will be part of America’s net-zero emissions future. But is hydrogen actually net zero? Today, POLITICO’s Matthew Choi explains how complicated this question is.
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Turmoil at the Sierra Club
When the executive director of the Sierra Club abruptly left late last week, many wondered what was going on behind the scenes at the storied environmental organization. Today, POLITICO’s Zack Colman has some answers, and they get at the core of Sierra Club founder John Muir’s racial legacy and memory.
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The Colorado River’s drastic water cutoffs
The Colorado River is a critical water source for millions of people in both cities and farms across seven states and Mexico. But extremely dire temperatures in the last decades are now set to force some states to cut their use of the river for water access. Today, POLITICO’s Annie Snider explains the extreme conditions brought to the river by climate change, and the federal government’s extreme measures to protect it.
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A hot planet still freezes the GOP
The UN’s report on the state of climate change shook most of America’s politicians and leaders. But despite the dire warnings, POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna and Ben Lefebvre report that most Republicans opted to deflect and punt on the question.
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The case for (and against) carbon capture
Carbon capture and sequestration is a technology that can suck the carbon out of high-emitting facilities and bury it underground. Sounds like a great way to fight climate change, right? In reality, the technology is more complicated and far more controversial. Today, POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre explains why some climate-friendly senators are willing to deploy billions of dollars to make CCS happen even though some environmental groups oppose it.