Skip to content

Monthly Archives: November 2015

Moniz Says Clean Energy Technologies are Accelerating in the U.S.

Ahead of the International Energy Agency’s Ministerial in Paris, which serves as a lead-up to the COP21 UN Climate Negotiations, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) this week released the 2015 Revolution…Now report, which details the state of several clean energy technologies in the U.S. that provide technology solutions to climate change.

MORE »

E&C Advances Two Resolutions to Disapprove CPP

The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed two resolutions, H.J. Res 71 and H.J. Res 72, to “keep electricity affordable and reliable for ratepayers across the country.” The resolutions, introduced by Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), would provide Congressional disapproval on two final rules issued by the EPA for new and existing fossil fuel-fired power plants, and that the rules shall have no force or effect.

MORE »

Congress takes on CPP

The US Senate has voted 52-46 for a measure that would block President Barack Obama’s highest-profile climate regulation, a symbolic rebuke less than two weeks before he is due to travel to Paris for negotiations on a major global warming deal.

MORE »

HERO BX Purchases Alabama Biodiesel Refinery

Erie biodiesel producer Lake Erie Biofuels LLC d/b/a HERO BX announced this week that it has acquired the assets of the former Veros Energy biodiesel refinery in Moundville, Ala.. The plant will be operated under the name HERO BX Alabama LLC.

MORE »

Coal Caucus Holds its own Hearing on Clean Power Plan

Last week, the DEP concluded its series of public hearings for reactions and comments on the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. DEP Secretary John Quigley said the state is close to writing a first draft of its proposal to meet the requirements of the Clean Power Plan. He noted that Pennsylvania’s plan will be better than the model federal plan EPA presented in Pittsburgh last week, one that takes away state flexibility.

MORE »

Draft recommendations for pipeline infrastructure released for public comment

The DEP last week released the 355-page first draft of the Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force report and opened a 30-day public comment period that ends December 14. The draft report is the first product of Governor Wolf’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force (PITF), chaired by DEP Secretary John Quigley.

MORE »

Budget Framework …time to build?

WARNING – EXTENDED ANALOGY: An architect wants to build a house in a new development, but is told two contractors must be hired to complete the job.

MORE »

PA Supreme Court to Hear Act 13 Arguments

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments related to its December, 2013 decision regarding the state’s Act 13. In an order just published, the court determined that it would take up several unresolved issues, but it would not revisit its interpretation of article 1, section 27 of the state constitution, also known as the Environmental Rights Amendment. In the Court’s 2013 decision, it ruled that it would be unconstitutional for the state to preempt local zoning decisions.

MORE »

Budget “Update”

Senate Republicans last week attempted another override of Governor Wolf’s veto of the Emergency Funding Budget, but fell three votes short on a 30-19 vote.

MORE »

Supreme Satisfaction for PA Democrats

State Democrats are gleeful after winning all five statewide judicial races this week. The State Supreme Court, which has been controlled by Republican judges by a 4-3 majority for most of the last decade, will now be controlled by Democrats who have a 5-2 majority now, and apparent control of the court for at least ten years. But Republicans picked up a State Senate Seat, expanding their control in the upper chamber to 31-19.

MORE »