March 7, 2011 by Citizen Carol
Senator John Carona (R-Dallas)
For many who want to add more rooftop and other on-site solar generating devices on homes and even commercial properties, there have been concerns about the prospect of being regulated as utilities. This concern has been seen as an overly burdensome barrier to the industry, however Senator John Carona (R-Dallas) filed legislation that would make clear that retail electric customers who install generation devices such as solar panels on their property are not regulated as generating companies as long as they don’t produce more than 2,000 kilowatts. To see the text of the SB 981, click here.
The legislation also would direct the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to conduct a study that would help to establish a fair market price for retail electric customers who generate surplus power that could be sold back to the grid.
Posted in Energy, Renewables, solar | Tagged Electricity generation, Energy, renewable, solar power, Texas |
March 6, 2011 by Citizen Carol
As the administration and Congress get down to brass tacks in slashing the federal budget, one would think that President Barack Obama’s proposal to cut $1.3 billion from EPA’s budget would be well-received by Republicans who have spent a lot of time this year criticizing the agency. In fact, according to a story by Politico, that is in fact not the case. Click here to read the Politico story:
For all their talk about the “job-killing” EPA, Republicans have a dirty little secret: They actually like many of the agency’s efforts, particularly bread-and-butter programs aimed at cleaning up drinking water and air pollution in their districts.
Posted in Air Quality | Tagged air pollution, Obama administration, republican, Texas, United States Environmental Protection Agency |
March 6, 2011 by Citizen Carol
According to a new report from the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), a fully sustainable and renewable global energy system is possible by 2050. The Energy Report, researched for the WWF by Ecofys, a leading energy consulting firm in the Netherlands, shows that humanity could meet 95 percent of energy needs with renewables utilising today’s technologies, and that in four decades we can have a world of vibrant economies and societies powered entirely by clean, cheap and renewable energy, with a vastly improved quality of life.
Click here to check out the report.
Posted in Renewables | Tagged Energy, renewable energy, sustainable energy, Texas |
March 5, 2011 by Citizen Carol
Congressman Joe Barton’s (R-Ennis, TX) office says he might introduce Texas-specific legislation to limit the reach of the Environmental Protection Agency, but for now he’s signing on as a co-sponsor to a measure filed yesterday aimed at stopping the federal regulation of greenhouse gases.
Barton is putting together a coalition of government officials at all levels along with business and industry groups to present a united front against EPA policies that he and other Texas Republicans say are strangling the state’s economy.
If Barton does file a Texas-specific measure, it would likely seek to rollback the EPA’s decision last year to halt the state’s flexible permitting program, which Texasrefineries have been relying on for some 15 years to get around federal pollution laws.
The legislation Barton has signed on to is sponsored by Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe, would effectively undo EPA’s decision to regulate greenhouse gases under the federal Clean Air Act. In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the agency has the authority to issue such a regulation.
Texas Republican John Cornyn is a co-sponsor of the Senate version of the bill. Several Democratic congressmen from industrial states are also co-sponsoring the bills, even though many expect President Obama to veto any legislation that might reach his desk.
Texas is challenging the agency’s ruling in court on grounds that the state’s industries and refineries would be disproportionately harmed. At this time all other states have either adopted or put forth a plan to meet the current EPA standards.
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged clean air act, greenhouse gas, public citizen texas, Texas, United States Environmental Protection Agency |
March 5, 2011 by Citizen Carol
The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced $27 million in projects to advance solar development and manufacturing through its SunShot Initiative whose goal is to achieve cost competitive solar energy by 2020.
The hope is that the SunShot initiative can reduce the total costs of photovoltaic solar energy systems by about 75 percent so that they are cost competitive at large scale with other forms of energy, without subsidies, before the end of the decade. This level of cost reduction would make the cost of solar roughly $1 a watt – which would correspond to roughly 6 cents per kilowatt-hour – spurring the broad deployment of solar energy systems across the country and, at these price points, helping regain American economic competitiveness in the global market for solar photovoltaics.
The SunShot program builds on the legacy of President Kennedy’s 1960s “moon shot” goal, which laid out a plan to regain the country’s lead in the space race and land a man on the moon. The program hopes to aggressively drive innovations in the ways that solar systems are conceived, designed, manufactured and installed.
In addition to investing in improvements in cell technologies and manufacturing, the SunShot initiative will also focus on steps to streamline and digitize local permitting processes that will reduce installation and permitting costs. To achieve the SunShot goal of reducing the total installed cost of large scale solar electricity by about 75 percent, DOE will be working closely with partners in government, industry, research laboratories and academic institutions across the country.
For more information and to follow the initiative’s progress, visit the SunShot Initiative webpage.
Posted in Renewables, solar | Tagged Energy, Renewables, solar energy, Texas, united states department of energy |
March 4, 2011 by Citizen Carol
Several bills filed this session, which included some heard at Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate Intergovernmental Relations Committee would preclude homeowners’ associations from restricting installation of solar energy devices. These are:
Compromises may be in the works to tweak bills for smooth passage. At the hearing, West, who chairs the committee, reached out to the Homeowners Associations (HOA) in hopes of striking a balance and avoiding an impasse.
Homeowners have complained that HOAs are unfairly, and sometimes arbitrarily, preventing them from making their abodes more energy efficient using solar technology. The HOAs want to preserve their ability to protect property values from unsafe and unattractive equipment. The green energy industry, environmentalists, some developers and some realtors want to see more solar power used in Texas.
In the House, compromise language already is being crafted. One potential sticking point is whether to give HOAs any discretion over approval of the design or appearance of solar devices. Some members believe the issue has gone beyond property rights to include energy sufficiency, electricity conservation and grid stabilization.
West said he hopes that if he can convince his colleagues in both houses to ease HOA restrictions on solar energy, they may be more likely to pass SB 142, his latest attempt at comprehensive HOA reform. He has not yet set it for hearing.
Posted in Efficiency, Energy, Renewables, solar | Tagged Energy, solar energy, Texas |
March 4, 2011 by Citizen Carol
According to a Wall Street Journal/NBC News public opinion poll released yesterday morning, cutting subsidies for new reactors is the single most popular possible budget cut, with 57% finding such cuts either completely or mostly acceptable. No other program got more than 52% support for budget cuts, and most programs slated for cuts received far less than 50% public approval for such cuts. You can read the entire poll here (the program comparison is on page 15 of the documents).
Page 15 of the March 3rd Wall Street Journal Poll
The existing Department of Energy loan “guarantee” program has $10.2 Billion in unspent money for new reactor construction and another $2 Billion for uranium enrichment plants. Why should Congress be cutting programs like legal services for the poor, public broadcasting, college loans, and dozens of other programs when that money is sitting there and should never be used anyway?
The budget as approved by the House of Representatives, while slashing many worthwhile programs, at least does not include new loan money for nuclear reactor construction. But there is a chance that the Senate will try to add, with Department of Energy support, billions to the program (called Title 17). And, if this attempt is made, it will likely be in the next two weeks.
So act now. America has spoken and a large outpouring right now could make a difference.
Let’s tell Congress now: no new taxpayer subsidies for nuclear reactors and cut all of the existing subsidies once and for all. We won’t accept massive budget cuts in programs that matter in order to give our money to wealthy nuclear utilities and foreign reactor manufacturers.
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged Nuclear, subsidy, Texas |
March 3, 2011 by Citizen Carol
Better yet, be a governor. That's what Arnold did!
Phillip Martin has been writing for Burnt Orange Report since he was a wee young thing, and while I wouldn’t call him jaded, he is far from naive about politics and not an overly sentimental sort. Yet, his post on last night’s testimony by the Dream Activists certainly brought out the idealist in him. His post starts out:
They were born in Honduras and Mexico, Guatemala and America. They overcame human trafficking and shootings, physical borders and cultural boundaries that told them at every step of the way, “you do not belong here.” But last night, with tales and testimony that brought smiles and laughter to Republicans and Democrats in the House State Affairs Committee, over thirty Dream Act students — better known as Dream Activists — from universities across Texas refused the notion that they do not belong here.
Click here to read Phillip Martin’s blog on last night’s immigration bill hearing.
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged burnt orange report, Immigration bill, Texas |
March 3, 2011 by Citizen Carol
Corporations aren’t people and elections shouldn’t be for sale.
If you agree, you’ll love “The Story of Citizens United v. FEC,” a new 8-minute animated short by Annie Leonard, of The Story of Stuff fame.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5kHACjrdEY]
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling, we have overwhelming evidence of the damage done to our democracy. Leonard explains the ruling, its fallout and why we need to overturn it.
Watch the video then help rescue democracy by clicking here and taking action.
Posted in Campaign Finance, Good Government | Tagged Annie Leonard, citizens united, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, democracy, Texas, The Story of Stuff |
March 3, 2011 by Citizen Carol
In a three part series, Elizabeth McGowan of Solve Climate News writes how some U.S. landowners along the Keystone XL route say they are being ‘pushed around’ and ‘intimidated’ by TransCanada, an accusation the energy giant denies. To read Ms. McGowan’s story “Is Keystone XL Impervious to Lawsuits?” click on the parts below.
Part I, Holding Out in Oklahoma – Monday, February 28th
Part II, Defining Good Faith – Tuesday, March 1st
Part III, Why Is TransCanada a ‘Common Carrier? – Wednesday, March 2nd
This should be of concern to Texans along the Keystone XL pipeline proposed route as Texas lawmakers this session are considering emergency legislation that would strengthen the position of private companies in eminent domain cases. If the legislation is passed (SB 18 – click here to read a copy of the legislation), we could see a whole network of new pipelines snaking across areas of northeast and east Texas as natural gas companies expand their fracking projects and the Canadian Keystone XL company pushes the tar sands pipeline from Western and Central Canada, down through the middle of the country on its way to crude refineries in the Houston area.
Check out our earlier blog, Eminent Domain: Coming to Your Town Soon? , to see what is happening in Texas that could impact Texas landowners.
Posted in Air Quality, Tarsands | Tagged Eminent Domain, Keystone Pipeline, Texas, transcanada |
March 2, 2011 by Citizen Carol
Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), chairman of the panel’s Energy and Power subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, agreed to schedule a hearing next Tuesday on two new studies that link climate change to severe weather at the request of Democrats.
Full committee ranking Democrat Henry Waxman (Calif.) and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), who chairs the subcommittee, along with eight other Democrats, sent a letter to Whitfield Tuesday requesting a hearing on climate science, as the Republicans on the committee are moving legislation forward that would permanently block the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.
Whitfield reluctantly agreed to hold the hearing Tuesday after Waxman criticized Republicans for not allowing more testimony from scientists at yesterday’s hearing, which boasted a witness list dominated by industry groups, while Republicans on the panel expressed frustration that Whitfield agreed to hold the hearing at the Democrats’ request.
Posted in Climate Change, Global Warming | Tagged climate change, EPA, Texas, United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce |
March 2, 2011 by Citizen Carol
Texans for Lots of Radiation bring attention to Harold Simmons' donations to Texans for Lawsuit Reform
Texans for Lots of Radiation (TLR too) brought attention to the record donations raised by Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) PAC ($6.9 million in the 2010 election cycle) with help from its No. 1 donor: nuclear-waste kingpin Harold Simmons. To reduce the cost of negligently harming other people, the PAC took 12 cents of every dollar it raised from Simmons. Not coincidentally, this billionaire is imposing unprecedented liabilities on Texans by importing staggering volumes of toxic and radioactive waste into West Texas.
TLR too is an ad hoc coalition of concerned organizations that include Texans for Public Justice, Public Citizen and the Sustainable Energy and Econimic Development (SEED) Coaliton.
Lobby Watch also finds that many of TLR’s biggest new donors are righteously litigious dudes.
Click here to read the Lobby Watch report on this PAC’s contributions and its biggest contributor. You can also
check out the TLR too website for more information.
Posted in Nuclear, Radioactive Waste | Tagged Harold Simmons, Nuclear, Public Citizen, radioactive waste, texans for public justice, Texas, TLR |
March 2, 2011 by Citizen Carol
The following post is a guest contribution by Citizen Richard of Audits in the Public Interest.
In late spring of 2010, Austin residents woke to the grand news their city had been selected as the host city for Formula One racing in the United States. Amidst the hype, and not immediately noticed, was the price tag hanging off the back of their new community award: an invoice in the amount of $250,000,000 to Formula One World Championship, Ltd, for the sanctioning fee.
A 25 followed by seven zeros is one quarter of a billion dollars and this was not all: the City of Austin would be on the hook for another $40,000,000. The incentive, from the Texas Major Events Trust Fund (METF), would supposedly be paid from increased retail taxes. The METF is administered by the Comptroller of Public Accounts, Susan Combs.
An extensive review by Audits in the Public Interest reveals a different picture about Formula One. Continue Reading »
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged austin texas, Formula One, Texas, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts |
In December of 2008 (interestingly the same month as the TVA Kingston Coal-Ash Disaster) a 27-year-old Tim DeChristopher repeatedly bid up 12,000 acres of land intended for oil and gas exploration to a nice, winning number of $1.79 million. The problem? He didn’t have $1.79 million.
Tim is now on trial in Utah – facing up to 10 years in prison for… raising a bid paddle. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Hitchcock classic North By Northwest, where Cary Grant disrupts an auction specifically so that he would be arrested – getting placed in police custody to gain protection from the spies that were out to kill him. Continue Reading »
Posted in Energy, Global Warming | Tagged 10 years, auction, Civil Disobedience, Gas, Global Warming, oil, Texas, Tim DeChristopher, trial, utah |
The Texas Progressive Alliance would like to thank the Academy for this week’s blog roundup.
Off the Kuff published an interview with Chris Barbic, founder and CEO of the YES Prep charter schools, which included a discussion of what the looming budget cuts will do to charter schools.
Doing My Part For The Left is having a greeting card event. Refinish69 thinks it is time to Send Republican Senators and Representatives a Greeting Card to thank them for the work they are doing.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson points out that the he GOP’s wish is coming true – the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, Plutocracy, or the 30 year class war on working and middle class Americans.
Nat-Wu analyzes the Tucson shootings and the guns on campus bill before the Texas legislature.
From Bay Area Houston: “Teabaggers are the most dangerous, ignorant, disrespectful bunch of people on the planet.”
No one fails quite like Mucous.
The Texas Cloverleaf speaks out against concealed firearms on Texas campuses.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme calls out the Dallas Morning News for siding with the Koch brothers against hard working people.
Lightseeker over at TexasKaos thinks he knows what game the Republicans are playing at and what the Democrats are trying in reply. Check out Shock and Awe and The Democratic Strategy Going Forward.
Redistricting endangers several Texas House representatives, Democratic as well as Republican. The mapmakers may need long knives instead of sharpened pencils (since we can all do maps online now). PDiddie at Brains and Eggs summarizes the opening of “negotiations”.
Neil at Texas Liberal discussed the fact that he will soon be taking an airplane trip.
Posted in News Roundup | Tagged Chris Barbic, Texas, texas cloverleaf, Texas Legislature, Texas News Roundup, texas progressive alliance |
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