Downtown intersection, originally uploaded by Complete Streets. Building local capacity to plan for growth and development in ways that cut traffic congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect rural areas and green space, revitalize urban centers, and create more affordable homes just makes sense. Today, the Senate moved forward a bill that would provide federal resources … Continued
Senate Lawmakers Working on New Climate and Energy Bill
LEGISLATION EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED MID-APRIL
After months of meetings with congressional members, stakeholders and industry leaders, Senators John Kerry (D-MA) Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) have decided to wait to release their climate and energy bill for a few more weeks to ensure they have broad support for the proposal. Senator Kerry has indicated that the bill could be introduced the week of April 19, although any concrete timeline for its passage remains uncertain.
There’s an old problem in government — probably at all levels, but most notably at the federal level — of agencies working at cross purposes with each other. For example, new transportation investments in unneeded highways in exurban areas works against the EPA’s effort to reduce emissions and satisfy the Clean Air Act. Sometimes this … Continued
You may have seen oilman T. Boone Pickens around lately. If not, then you haven’t turned on your television, radio, or opened a newspaper in the last few weeks. He’s been touting his new Pickens Plan nonstop to nearly any outlet that will listen, taking out full-page ads in newspapers from coast to coast and … Continued
As we mentioned earlier, SGA communications director David Goldberg testified earlier this morning before the House Select Committee on Global Warming and Energy Independence. If you are so inclined, you can download the testimony of all the presenters on the committee’s home for this hearing. David’s testimony is available to download here (pdf). Some highlights: … Continued
The hearing before the House Select Committee on Global Warming and Energy Independence just wrapped up on Capitol Hill a few minutes ago. SGA’s David Goldberg, along with Steve Winkelman of the Center for Clean Air Policy, did a superb job in their testimony before the committee. They made a good case for how better … Continued
In regards to the news stories about people adjusting their behaviour in light of high gas prices, we’ve been wondering: What will people in metro areas do when they’ve squeezed all the efficiency they can out of their car, combined all the trips they can, and elminated as much driving as they can, but still … Continued
[UPDATE: 12:33 p.m. Do read Andrew Revkin’s post on the NYT’s Dot Earth Climate blog for some other thoughts about the debate and political wrangling going on with the bill.] After many months of behind-the-scenes work, the first piece of comprehensive climate legislation reached the floor of Congress this week. The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act … Continued
I quickly mentioned the Capitol Hill policy briefing on Growing Cooler that was put on by the Urban Land Institute and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute a few weeks ago. SGA’s Geoff Anderson joined authors Steve Winkelman, Reid Ewing, and others in a discussion on where we live and how much we have to … Continued
A few months ago, I was in Baltimore for a summit conducted by the Regional Plan Association on the Northeast Megaregion maintaining its economic competitiveness while addressing climate change. Rep. Earl Blumenauer had one bit of narrative that stuck with me about our nation’s history of rising to the challenge of infrastructure with visionary plans … Continued