Podcasts about energy policy act

Send us a textGovernment regulation in the energy sector has created significant challenges for local power companies over the past two decades, while clean coal technology developments have been largely overlooked in policy decisions.• 2005 Energy Policy Act disrupted reliability projects in Washington County for almost 15 years• Modern coal plants in Utah operate at 90% below EPA emission standards using three-stage filtration technology• Coal power generates electricity at 2-3 cents per kilowatt-hour compared to 6 cents for natural gas• China building 1-2 coal plants weekly while US reduces production, effectively outsourcing emissions• Prosperity enables environmental protection while energy poverty forces dirtier alternatives like wood burning• Future energy mix likely includes maintained coal plants, natural gas, potential nuclear if licensing hurdles overcome• Innovative geothermal technology using fracking techniques shows promise as clean energy source• Small modular nuclear reactors could provide reliable power if regulatory barriers addressed• Washington County utilities working to build more distributed generation to improve reliabilityGuest: Colin JackLooking for a Real Estate expert? Find us here!https://realestate435.kw.com/www.wealth435.com https://linktr.ee/wealth435 Below are our wonderful friends!Find FS Coffee here:https://fscoffeecompany.com/Find Tuacahn Amphitheater here:https://www.tuacahn.org/Find Blue Form Media here:https://www.blueformmedia.com/#podcast #southernutah #stgeorgeutah #realestate #435podcast #energyefficiency #coal #nuclearenergy [00:00:00] Intro.[00:00:51] Introduction to Energy Policy and Dixie Power.[00:05:41] The 2005 Energy Policy Act's Impact.[00:16:12] Coal Power Plants and Emissions Controls. [00:30:14] The Climate Change Debate. [00:45:12] Coal vs. Natural Gas Economics.[00:59:46] The Future of Energy in Southern Utah. [01:12:12

What does a previous federal energy regulator have to say about markets, reliability, and the current state of the energy grid today? We got the scoop from Joseph T. Kelliher, former chairman and commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and former NextEra energy executive. Joe helped shape how competitive power markets function today, establishing structures that guard against market manipulation, encourage reliability, and protect consumers. He also oversaw the implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Listen as Joe sits down with EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler and highlights some of the key moments in his career at the Commission – and how they inform today's challenges. Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

On this episode of Know Power, Rob Gramlich discusses various aspects related to the renewable energy sector. He points out that residential rates in the Southeast are higher in four or five key states, and the idea that everything is working fine outside the RTOs is not true. Despite the Standard Market Design not working due to politics and lobbying, FERC nominees who would mandate RTOs are not favored by the Senate Energy Committee. Rob also emphasizes the need for a step-by-step approach towards a voluntary RTO development approach, citing SPP's successful model of operating the system and receiving 90% of their energy from renewables. The podcast highlights the importance of understanding rate pancaking in transitioning to cleaner, renewable resources, and the integration of utilities under a single RTO umbrella to create a more efficient pathway for moving power around the grid. He also discusses the potential for transmission infrastructure in different regions, both centralized and regional, and the need for renewables to support increased demands in load. The episode concludes with policymakers and Congress needing to encourage interregional transmission planning, which is a great investment with huge savings, and the idea of minimum transmission transfer being discussed by the President's negotiators.Guest bio: Rob Gramlich is President of Grid Strategies LLC, a Washington DC-based consultancy focused on transmission and power markets for a reliable, affordable, and sustainable power system. He co-founded Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, Working for Advanced Transmission Technologies (WATT Coalition), Advancing Modern Powerlines, the Macro Grid Initiative, and the Future Power Markets Forum. Rob has been invited to testify by both parties before Congress, FERC, and state agencies. He has earned awards from FERC as Exemplar of Public Service, the Energy Systems Integration Group for contributions to market design and transmission planning, The Hill Magazine for lobbying, and the American Wind Energy Association for Technical Achievement.Rob previously oversaw transmission and power market policy for the American Wind Energy Association as SVP and Interim CEO, served as Economic Advisor to FERC Chairman Pat Wood III, and was Senior Economist at PJM Interconnection.Rob has a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree from UC Berkeley and a BA with Honors in Economics from Colby College.[00:02:49] Joining FERC in 1995, Rob played a role in restructuring the energy industry[00:04:18] FERC embraced market-oriented policy, nationalized by Energy Policy Act, standardized electricity markets[00:06:01] Markets have changed a lot in 20 years, but some regions are still behind[00:10:07] Slow progress in Southeast, faster in West[00:11:50] Renewables driving regionalization through RTO proposals[00:18:31] California ISO proposes enhanced day ahead market (Edam), SPP offers Markets Plus[00:22:54] Slow RTO development, step by step approach.[00:26:02] RTOs enable efficient power transfer, cost savings, and enhanced reliability[00:29:44] Inter-regional transmission crucial for power reliability[00:33:34] Transmission investment is crucial for a modern and robust grid, but funding remains a challenge[00:37:06] Gates' initiatives and the Inflation Reduction Act provide incentives for transmission and renewable technologies[00:41:17] Advocating for choice in clean energy markets[00:44:34] Promoting competition, clean energy, and regional planning for a more efficient system[00:47:54] Regional markets will expand with transmission growth[00:52:32] Closing...

Troy Cross and Bitcoin Bassload Treble + Bass = Energy Grid Harmony   In this electrifying episode of BitBuyBit, Max and Jon speak with energy market expert and Pleb Miner Mafia Capo, Bitcoin Bassload as well as Philosopher and Bitcoin enthusiast Troy Cross from the Bitcoin Policy Institute.   The relationship between Bitcoin mining and the American energy industry is complex, nuanced, wrought with acronyms, oversight, and regulation. The purpose of this conversation is to find where we agree and disagree on the relationship between Bitcoin mining and the energy industry and what we as Pleb Miners can do when our energy is focused and pointed in the same direction. Troy and Bassload come from different perspectives when looking at the relationship between Bitcoin mining and energy, but their hearts and minds are focused on making sure that Bitcoin wins.   In this discussion Bassload defines terms like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO), and Independent Systems Operators (ISO) and explains how regulation and government policy steer energy markets. He discusses the Physical Grid versus Policy Grid, balancing authorities, generation fleet mix, and Meredith Angwin's fatal trifecta for the grid: over reliance on renewables, backing up the renewables with just in time resources, and overdependence on neighbors. Bassload offers advice on creating relationships with energy providers: 1. Print the load 2. Pay an invoice. Bitcoin Bassload's Energy Market Inflows can be found on his Substack in which he puts out frequent updates.    Troy discusses the unique characteristics of Bitcoin mining and its relationship with energy, particularly in the context of environmentalism and regulatory arbitrage. He highlights that Bitcoin's decentralized nature and algorithmically fixed production makes it resistant to local regulations and taxes. His point in conveying this, is that Bitcoin mining can take advantage of excess energy in regions with corrupt governments, it can bypass restrictions, and potentially disrupt the energy market. The discussion emphasizes that Bitcoin's fundamental value is tied to the cost of energy rather than fiat currency. Over the long term, government regulations and subsidies may not significantly impact Bitcoin mining, or its adoption. Troy expands on this theory in this recent article.   Treble and Bass = Grid Harmony   Terms and Definitions   FERC- FERC was originally called the Federal Power Commission to then become the Federal Regulatory Commission created on October 1 1977. The FPA was originally designed to coordinate federal hydropower development (in 1920) then in 1935 it was given the independent regulatory status to then regulate both hydropower and electricity.  Then in 1938 the natural gas act gave FPA jurisdiction over interstate NG pipelines and wholesale sales.  FERC was created due to a response to the oil crisis of 1973 and thus passing the Department of Energy Organization act of 1977 in an effort to consolidate agencies into a ‘department of energy'. DOE was born.  Congress insisted that the independent regulatory body be retained. FERC originally was to determine whether wholesale electricity prices were unjust and unreasonable  If so regulate the pricing and give some refunds to ratepayers FERC an independent organization that its commissioners are appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate Order 888 was issued in 1996 which created the RTO's (regional transmission organizations) in response to the Energy Policy Act in 1992.       RTO's- Organized by FERC to have what were the former power pools to ‘rebrand' themselves as independent transmission operators that would be able to compete in a wholesale electric market administered by RTO's.  PJM, NYISO and ISONE were first in line. Like an ISO they operate transmission systems and develop innovative procedures to manage transmission equitably.    ISO's- Independent System Operators were designed to consolidate and manage the operation of transmission facilities to provide nondiscriminatory open transmission service for all generators and transmission customers.   Traditional wholesale markets were in the SE, SW and NW and most were vertically integrated where they own generation, transmission and distribution systems to serve electricity consumers.  They also many include federal systems: Bonneville Power System Tennessee Valley Authority Western Area Power Administration   At the wholesale level, the RTO's and the ISO's is managing economic dispatch of generators and its auctions to the clearing price.  Less expensive power gets dispatched first.  RTO controls the bids, they know the cost of fuel, and they know the marginal cost of the next kwh your generator plant makes.  One can add a risk premium to the bids but the RTO's are checking. (Meredith Angwin)    TYPES of RTO's and ISO's CAISO- California Independent System Operator ERCOT- Electric Reliability Council of Texas SPP- SouthWest Power Pool MISO- Midcontinent Independent System Operator (15 states and canadian province of Manitoba)  SouthEast Power Pool PJM- Pennsylvania New Jersey and Maryland NYISO New York Independent System Operator ISONE Independent System operator of New England    Vertically integrated- this is where the same entity owns all of the generation, transmission and distribution to service electricity consumers in the given region that they are in.   PUC's- Public Utility Commission were designed to do a couple of things: Balance the needs of consumers AND utilities  Ensure safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates Protect public interest Educate consumers to make independent and informed utility choices Typically the PUC's were designed for the consumer, but they are also heavily “in bed' with the utilities Regulate electric, gas, telecommunications, water and wastewater facilities Typically appointed by the governor serving 4-6 year terms. Typically regulate all investor owned utilities in their state Municipalities and cooperative utilities are often exempt from PUC regulations    PUCs often use non-adjudicatory processes to address new and evolving issues. This would include traditional rulemakings, in addition to informal stakeholder collaborative processes. Over the past decade, the stakeholder process has become one of the mainstays of issue resolution. In these proceedings, professional facilitators are often used and the parties work toward a narrowing of issues or their complete resolution through a negotiated or shared agreement. Typical participants include utilities, ratepayer advocates, environmental advocates, and industry advocates.    Load Shape- the amount of energy consumption one uses, measured in watts or kilowatts over a period of time.  When looking at the curve of how that energy is consumed, the shape of that curve is what is monitored.  If flat, good.  If not and seeing spikes means that the shape is inconsistent with the amount of watts consumed over time   BTU- A British Thermal Unit, the base unit of measure for measuring energy in the US.  a btu is the amount of energy required to heat one pound of water    Joule- joule, unit of work or energy in the International System of Units (SI); it is equal to the work done by a force of one newton acting through one metre. Named in honour of the English physicist James Prescott Joule, it equals 107 ergs, or approximately 0.7377 foot-pounds.   Watt- the SI unit of power, equivalent to one joule per second, corresponding to the power in an electric circuit in which the potential difference is one volt and the current one ampere. 1 watt = 1J/s   Baseload- Baseload electricity generation creates 24/7 power to the grid to meet the base energy needs of the U.S. While peaking generation must follow the varying hourly electricity needs as demand rises and falls, base load generation operates constantly to support the increment of demand that is always there no matter the time of day or day of the week. https://energytransition.nema.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/NEMA-QuickFacts-Baseloadgeneration.pdf   Balancing Authority- The BA makes sure that the supply of power on the grid is exactly matched with the requirement for power always.  The BA must keep voltage within a narrow range and balance demand on the grid.  The BA must also make sure that the VARs (Volts Amps Reactive) are in balance. Refer to page 28-30 of shorting the grid.  “A well run grid is like a good bicyclist on a smooth road, while a more difficult grid (more sudden ups and downs in power or energy requirements) requires more of a balancing-type energy (Meredith Angwin).  60Hz or 60 cycles per second in the US 50HZ or 50 cycles per second everywhere else The responsible entity that integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange-generation balance within a balancing authority area, and supports interconnection frequency in real time.   Energy Auction House- mentioned above and see pages of Mereidth Angwins book shorting the grid pages 91-93   Generation Fleet Mix Nuclear  Coal Natural Gas Oil Hydro Solar Wind Geothermal   Renewable energy- Renewable energy is energy produced from sources like the sun and wind that are naturally replenished and do not run out. Renewable energy can be used for electricity generation, space and water heating and cooling, and transportation. Non-renewable energy, in contrast, comes from finite sources that could get used up, such as fossil fuels like coal and oil. (DOE definition) energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power. "the environmental benefits of renewable energy" (Oxford Dictionary)   Net Zero- net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests for instance. To ‘go net zero' is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or to ensure that any ongoing emissions are balanced by removals. (university of oxford) REC- Renewable Energy Credits A renewable energy certificate, or REC (pronounced: rěk, like wreck), is a market-based instrument that represents the property rights to the environmental, social, and other non-power attributes of renewable electricity generation. RECs are issued when one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity is generated and delivered to the electricity grid from a renewable energy resource. RECs include several data attributes, including:* Certificate data Certificate type Tracking system ID Renewable fuel type Renewable facility location Nameplate capacity of project Project name Project vintage (build date) Certificate (generation) vintage Certificate unique identification number Utility to which project is interconnected Eligibility for certification or renewable portfolio standard (RPS) Emissions rate of the renewable resource *Note: This list is not exhaustive and, depending on the market in which the REC is generated, other attributes may be associated with the certificate   Three buckets  o   financial- everything to do with pricing, hedging, derivative markets for energy, from wholesale to retail  o   physical- infrastructure related, engineering and design of the implementation and installation of large equipment o   regulatory- politics, rules and regulation from governing bodies aka FERC, DOE, PUC, ISO, RTO and alike.   We hope this to be the first of many discussions on Bitcoin's relationship with energy markets and energy providers. If you enjoyed the discussion in this episode, let us know by boosting on Fountain.    Ungovernable Misfits Socials https://www.ungovernablemisfits.com   Twitter  https://twitter.com/ungovernablemf   Ungovernable Misfits Socials https://www.ungovernablemisfits.com   Twitter  https://twitter.com/ungovernablemf     Show Sponsor - Foundation Devices   Foundation builds Bitcoin-centric tools that empower you to reclaim your digital sovereignty. As a sovereign computing company, Foundation is the antithesis of today's tech conglomerates. Returning to cypherpunk principles, they build open source technology that “can't be evil,”    Thank you Foundation Devices for sponsoring the show.  Use code BITBUYBIT at check out for $10 off your purchase.   https://foundationdevices.com   Show Sponsor: sx6.store   SECURE YOUR BITCOIN IN MARINE GRADE, 316L STAINLESS STEEL!  

In the second episode of the series, "Intersections: Energy and Environmental Issues in Law and Tech", D.C. Bar EENR Community Co-Chair Kathryn Caballero and Cathy Pagano of the Board of the Women's Bar of Association of D.C. (WBA) interview Ami Grace-Tardy, who is the Assistant General Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and Energy Efficiency at U.S. DOE. After the 2020 enactment of the Energy Policy Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, Ami's office is busier than ever. Ami describes how lawyers on this interdisciplinary team mitigate the impact of climate change through their work to implement recent legislation, and shares her advice for a successful career in energy law and policy. If you missed Part 1 of this series, posted on 4/26/23, you can listen HERE. Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

It is a remarkable story, and despite obvious political ramifications for lawmakers representing coal states, the U.S. has cut the use of coal for electricity generation from 50% in 2005 to 19.8% in 2021, and it's still falling.In fact, according to our podcast guest, scientist and energy expert Jack Kerfoot, renewables like solar and wind power are expected to overtake coal as the world's top energy source by 2025, just two years from now.In this extremely informative episode, Kerfoot walks us through those developments and explains what they mean for the future, including impact on the world's environment as we deal with climate change.Kerfoot begins the episode with an explanation of the various types of coal, how they are used, and their cost. He says that as we move away from coal to renewables, energy prices will dramatically decrease even as we reduce the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.Here are the costs associated with various types of energy generation, according to Kerfoot: 1) Onshore Wind – 2.6¢ to 5.0¢ per kWh 2) Onshore Solar PV – 2.8¢ to 4.1¢ per kWh 3) Natural Gas ($3.45 MMBTU) – 4.5¢ to 7.4¢ per kWh 4) Geothermal – 5.6¢ to 9.3¢ per kWh 5) Coal – 6.5¢ to 15.2¢ per kWh 6) Natural Gas Peaker Plants – 15.1¢ to 19.6¢ per kWh 7) Nuclear – 13.1¢ to 20.4¢ per kWh."Clearly, onshore wind and solar are significantly cheaper sources of electricity on a levelized cost basis than coal-fueled power plants. I anticipate that new technologies will allow the cost of electricity from wind and solar to continue to decrease over the next decade," Kerfoot says. Here's the breakdown of energy sources in the U.S.in 2021 compared to 2005: In 2005, utilities used Coal (49.6%), Nuclear (19.3%), Petroleum Gas (19.1%), Hydropower (6.7%), Oil (3.0%), and Renewable Energy (2.3%) (geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass) to generate electricity in America. In 2021, utilities used Petroleum Gas (38.8%), Coal (21.9%), Nuclear (18.9 %), Renewables (13.7%), Hydropower (6.2%), and Oil (0.5%).In 2021, all forms of renewable energy (hydropower, wind, solar, etc.) generated 19.9% of the nation's electricity.What caused this big shift to renewables?In 2005, there was growing concern across our nation over the impact of global warming, which results in climate change, Kerfoot says, adding that there was also concern over our nation's energy security. Moreover, the price of crude oil (WTI) was over US $56/Barrel and was forecast to go over $100/Barrel by 2008, which is what happened, he explains.Because of these developments, Congress passed the bipartisan “Energy Policy Act of 2005,” providing tax incentives to encourage domestic energy production including renewable energy like wind and solar, nuclear power, “clean coal”, and oil/gas technology."The legislation did Not have any significant impact on rejuvenating nuclear power development or the coal industry. The legislation Did have significant impact on the development of wind and solar technology and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technology in the oil/gas industry," Kerfoot says."The tax incentives encouraged entrepreneurs, like the late T. Boone Pickens to develop wind farms in Texas. In 2006, a wind farm boom commenced in many of the Great Plains states, which have strong consistent winds, an abundance of entrepreneurs, innovative power companies, and low population densities," he explains."Current data indicates that renewable energy (including hydropower) will greater than 50% of the nation's electricity before 2050. The times they are a changing."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

It is a remarkable story, and despite obvious political ramifications for lawmakers representing coal states, the U.S. has cut the use of coal for electricity generation from 50% in 2005 to 19.8% in 2021, and it's still falling.In fact, according to our podcast guest, scientist and energy expert Jack Kerfoot, renewables like solar and wind power are expected to overtake coal as the world's top energy source by 2025, just two years from now.In this extremely informative episode, Kerfoot walks us through those developments and explains what they mean for the future, including impact on the world's environment as we deal with climate change.Kerfoot begins the episode with an explanation of the various types of coal, how they are used, and their cost. He says that as we move away from coal to renewables, energy prices will dramatically decrease even as we reduce the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.Here are the costs associated with various types of energy generation, according to Kerfoot: 1) Onshore Wind – 2.6¢ to 5.0¢ per kWh 2) Onshore Solar PV – 2.8¢ to 4.1¢ per kWh 3) Natural Gas ($3.45 MMBTU) – 4.5¢ to 7.4¢ per kWh 4) Geothermal – 5.6¢ to 9.3¢ per kWh 5) Coal – 6.5¢ to 15.2¢ per kWh 6) Natural Gas Peaker Plants – 15.1¢ to 19.6¢ per kWh 7) Nuclear – 13.1¢ to 20.4¢ per kWh."Clearly, onshore wind and solar are significantly cheaper sources of electricity on a levelized cost basis than coal-fueled power plants. I anticipate that new technologies will allow the cost of electricity from wind and solar to continue to decrease over the next decade," Kerfoot says. Here's the breakdown of energy sources in the U.S.in 2021 compared to 2005: In 2005, utilities used Coal (49.6%), Nuclear (19.3%), Petroleum Gas (19.1%), Hydropower (6.7%), Oil (3.0%), and Renewable Energy (2.3%) (geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass) to generate electricity in America. In 2021, utilities used Petroleum Gas (38.8%), Coal (21.9%), Nuclear (18.9 %), Renewables (13.7%), Hydropower (6.2%), and Oil (0.5%).In 2021, all forms of renewable energy (hydropower, wind, solar, etc.) generated 19.9% of the nation's electricity.What caused this big shift to renewables?In 2005, there was growing concern across our nation over the impact of global warming, which results in climate change, Kerfoot says, adding that there was also concern over our nation's energy security. Moreover, the price of crude oil (WTI) was over US $56/Barrel and was forecast to go over $100/Barrel by 2008, which is what happened, he explains.Because of these developments, Congress passed the bipartisan “Energy Policy Act of 2005,” providing tax incentives to encourage domestic energy production including renewable energy like wind and solar, nuclear power, “clean coal”, and oil/gas technology."The legislation did Not have any significant impact on rejuvenating nuclear power development or the coal industry. The legislation Did have significant impact on the development of wind and solar technology and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technology in the oil/gas industry," Kerfoot says."The tax incentives encouraged entrepreneurs, like the late T. Boone Pickens to develop wind farms in Texas. In 2006, a wind farm boom commenced in many of the Great Plains states, which have strong consistent winds, an abundance of entrepreneurs, innovative power companies, and low population densities," he explains."Current data indicates that renewable energy (including hydropower) will greater than 50% of the nation's electricity before 2050. The times they are a changing."This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4719048/advertisement

Jen has been all over the internet lately telling the world that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework is a dumpster fire of a bill. In this episode, she backs that up by comparing the levels of investment for different kinds of infrastructure and examining the society changing effects the bill would have if it were to become law. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD218: Minerals Are the New Oil CD205: Nuclear Waste Storage Oil CD073: Amtrak Recommended Articles and Documents Benjamin J. Hulac and Joseph Morton. October 7, 2021. “With GOP sidelined, Manchin steps up to defend fossil fuels.” Roll Call. Connor Sheets, Robert J. Lopez, Rosanna Xia, and Adam Elmahrek. October 4, 2021. “Before O.C. oil spill, platform owner faced bankruptcy, history of regulatory problems.” The Los Angeles Times. Donald Shaw. October 4, 2021. “Criticizing Joe Manchin's Coal Conflicts is ‘Outrageous,' Says Heitkamp.” Sludge. Michael Gold. October 1, 2021. “Congestion Pricing Is Coming to New York. Everyone Has an Opinion.” The New York Times. Utilities Middle East Staff. September 13, 2021. “World's largest carbon capture and storage plant launched.” Utilities. Adele Peters. September 8, 2021. “The first commercial carbon removal plant just opened in Iceland.” Fast Company. Hiroko Tabuchi. August 16, 2021. “For Many, Hydrogen Is the Fuel of the Future. New Research Raises Doubts.” The New York Times. Robert W. Haworth and Mark Z. Jacobson. August 12, 2021. “How green is blue hydrogen?.” Energy Science & Engineering. Emily Cochrane. August 10, 2021. “Senate Passes $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill, Handing Biden a Bipartisan Win.” The New York Times. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. June 3, 2021. “2020 Fatality Data Show Increased Traffic Fatalities During Pandemic.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Nation Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). May 19, 2021. “What We Know—and Do Not Know—About Achieving a National-Scale 100% Renewable Electric Grid .” Michael Barnard. May 3, 2021. “Small Modular Nuclear Reactors Are Mostly Bad Policy.” CleanTechnica. Hiroko Tabuchi. April 24, 2021. “Halting the Vast Release of Methane Is Critical for Climate, U.N. Says.” The New York Times. Grist Creative. April 15, 2021. “How direct air capture works (and why it's important)” Grist. American Society of Civil Engineers. 2021. “Bridges.” 2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. Open Secrets. “Sen. Joe Manchin - West Virginia - Top Industries Contributing 2015-2020.” Savannah Keaton. December 30, 2020. “Can Fuel Cell Vehicles Explode Like ‘Hydrogen Bombs on Wheels'?” Motor Biscuit. Dale K. DuPont. August 6, 2020. “First all-electric ferry in U.S. reaches milestone.” WorkBoat. Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser. 2020. “CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” Our World in Data. Jeff Butler. January 27, 2019. “Norway leads an electric ferry revolution.” plugboats.com Our World in Data. Annual CO2 Emissions, 2019. Hydrogen Council. 2019. Frequently Asked Questions. Mark Z. Jacobson et al. September 6, 2017. “100% Clean and Renewable Wind, Water, and Sunlight All-Sector Energy Roadmaps for 139 Countries of the World.” Joule. Kendra Pierre-Louis. August 25, 2017. “Almost every country in the world can power itself with renewable energy.” Popular Science. Chuck Squatriglia. May 12, 2008. “Hydrogen Cars Won't Make a Difference for 40 Years.” Wired. Renewable Energy World. April 22, 2004. “Schwarzenegger Unveils ‘Hydrogen Highways' Plan.” United States Department of Energy. February 2002. A National Vision of America's Transition to a Hydrogen Economy -- to 2030 and Beyond. The Bill H.R. 3684: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act August 10, 2021 Senate Vote Breakdown July 1, 2021 House Vote Breakdown Jen's Highlighted Version Bill Outline DIVISION A: SURFACE TRANSPORTATION TITLE I - FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS Subtitle A - Authorizations and Programs Sec. 11101: Authorization of Appropriations Authorizes appropriations for Federal-Aid for highways at between $52 billion and $56 billion per year through fiscal year 2026. Sec. 11117: Toll Roads, Bridges, Tunnels, and Ferries Authorizes the government to pay up to 85% of the costs of replacing or retrofitting a diesel fuel ferry vessel until the end of fiscal year 2025. Sec. 11118: Bridge Investment Program Authorizes between $600 million and $700 million per year through 2026 (from the Highway Trust Fund) for repairs to bridges If a Federal agency wants grant money to repair a Federally owned bridge, it "shall" consider selling off that asset to the State or local government. Sec. 11119: Safe Routes to School Creates a new program to improve the ability of children to walk and ride their bikes to school by funding projects including sidewalk improvements, speed reduction improvements, crosswalk improvements, bike parking, and traffic diversions away from schools. Up to 30% of the money can be used for public awareness campaigns, media relations, education, and staffing. No additional funding is provided. It will be funded with existing funds for "administrative expenses." Sec. 11121: Construction of Ferry Boats and Ferry Terminal Facilities Authorizes between $110 million and $118 million per year through 2026 (from the Highway Trust Fund) to construct ferry boats and ferry terminals. Subtitle D - Climate Change Sec. 11401: Grants for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Creates a new grant program with $15 million maximum per grant for governments to build public charging infrastructure for vehicles fueled with electricity, hydrogen, propane, and "natural" gas. The construction of the projects can be contracted out to private companies. Sec. 11402: Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Establishes a program to study and test projects that would reduce emissions. Sec. 11403: Carbon Reduction Program Allows, but does not require, the Transportation Secretary to use money for projects related to traffic monitoring, public transportation, trails for pedestrians and bicyclists, congestion management technologies, vehicle-to-infrastructure communications technologies, energy efficient street lighting, congestion pricing to shift transportation demand to non-peak hours, electronic toll collection, installing public chargers for electric, hydrogen, propane, and gas powered vehicles. Sec. 11404: Congestion Relief Program Creates a grant program, funded at a minimum of $10 million per grant, for projects aimed at reducing highway congestion. Eligible projects include congestion management systems, fees for entering cities, deployment of toll lanes, parking fees, and congestion pricing, operating commuter buses and vans, and carpool encouragement programs. Buses, transit, and paratransit vehicles "shall" be allowed to use toll lanes "at a discount rate or without charge." Sec. 11405: Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program Establishes the "PROTECT program", which provides grants for projects to protect some current infrastructure from extreme weather events and climate related changes. Types of grants include grants for "at-risk coastal infrastructure" which specifies that only "non-rail infrastructure is eligible" (such as highways, roads, pedestrian walkways, bike lanes, etc.) Sec. 11406: Healthy Streets Program Establishes a grant program to install reflective pavement and to expand tree cover in order to mitigate urban heat islands, improve air quality, and reduce stormwater run-off and flood risks. Caps each grant at $15 million TITLE III: RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY, AND EDUCATION Sec. 13001: Strategic Innovation for Revenue Collection Provides grants for pilot projects to test our acceptance of user-based fee collections and their effects on different income groups and people from urban and rural areas. They will test the use of private companies to collect the data and fees. Sec. 13002: National Motor Vehicle Per-mile User Fee Pilot Creates a pilot program to test a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee. DIVISION B - SURFACE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT ACT OF 2021 TITLE I - MULTIMODAL AND FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION Sec. 21201: National Infrastructure Project Assistance Authorizes $2 billion total per year until 2026 on projects that cost at least $100 million that include highway, bridge, freight rail, passenger rail, and public transportation projects. Authorizes $1.5 billion total per year until 2026 (which will expire after 3 years) for grants in amount between $1 million and $25 million for projects that include highway, bridge, public transportation, passenger and freight rail, port infrastructure, surface transportation at airports, and more. TITLE II - RAIL Subtitle A - Authorization of Appropriations Sec. 22101: Grants to Amtrak Authorizes appropriations for Amtrak in the Northeast Corridor at between $1.1 billion and $1.57 billion per year through 2026. Authorizes appropriations for Amtrak in the National Network at between $2.2 billion and $3 billion per year through 2026. Subtitle B - Amtrak Reforms Sec. 22201: Amtrak Findings, Mission, and Goals Changes the goal of cooperation between Amtrak, governments, & other rail carriers from "to achieve a performance level sufficient to justify expending public money" to "in order to meet the intercity passenger rail needs of the United States" and expands the service areas beyond "urban" locations. Changes the goals of Amtrak to include "improving its contracts with rail carriers over whose tracks Amtrak operates." Sec. 22208: Passenger Experience Enhancement Food and beverage service: Amtrak will establish a working group... Sec. 22212: Enhancing Cross Border Service Amtrak must submit a report... Sec. 22213: Creating Quality Jobs Amtrak will not be allowed to privatize the jobs previously performed by laid off union workers. Sec. 22214: Amtrak Daily Long Distance Study Amtrak would study bringing back long distance rail routes that were discontinued. Subtitle C - Intercity Passenger Rail Policy Sec. 22304: Restoration and Enhancement Grants Extends the amount of time the government will pay the operating costs of Amtrak or "any rail carrier" that provides passenger rail service from 3 years to 6 years, and pays higher percentages of the the costs. Sec. 22305: Railroad Crossing Elimination Program Creates a program to eliminate highway-rail crossings where vehicles are frequently stopped by trains. Authorizes the construction on tunnels and bridges. Sec. 22306: Interstate Rail Compacts Authorizes up to 10 grants per year valued at a maximum of $ million each to plan and promote new Amtrak routes Sec. 22308: Corridor Identification and Development Program The Secretary of Transportation will create a program for public entities to plan for expanded intercity passenger rail corridors, operated by Amtrak or private companies. When developing plans for corridors, the Secretary has to "consult" with "host railroads for the proposed corridor" Subtitle D - Rail Safety Sec. 22404: Blocked Crossing Portal The Administration of the Federal Railroad Administration would establish a "3 year blocked crossing portal" which would collect information about blocked crossing by trains from the public and first responders and provide every person submitting the complaint the contact information of the "relevant railroad" and would "encourage" them to complain to them too. Information collected would NOT be allowed to be used for any regulatory or enforcement purposes. Sec. 22406: Emergency Lighting The Secretary of Transportation will have to issue a rule requiring that all carriers that transport human passengers have an emergency lighting system that turns on when there is a power failure. Sec. 22409: Positive Train Control Study The Comptroller General will conduct a study to determine the annual operation and maintenance costs for positive train control. Sec. 22423: High-Speed Train Noise Emissions Allows, but does not require, the Secretary of Transportation to create regulations governing the noise levels of trains that exceed 160 mph. Sec. 22425: Requirements for Railroad Freight Cars Placed into Service in the United States Effective 3 years after the regulations are complete (maximum 5 years after this becomes law), freight cars will be prohibited from operating within the United States if more than 15% of it is manufactured in "a country of concern" or state-owned facilities. The Secretary of Transportation can assess fines between $100,000 and $250,000 per freight car. A company that has been found in violation 3 times can be kicked out of the United State's transportation system until they are in compliance and have paid all their fines in full. Sec. 22427: Controlled Substances Testing for Mechanical Employees 180 days after this becomes law, all railroad mechanics will be subject to drug testing, which can be conducted at random. DIVISION C - TRANSIT Sec. 30017: Authorizations Authorizes between $13.3 billion and $14.7 billion per year to be appropriated for transit grants. DIVISION D - ENERGY TITLE I - GRID INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY Sec. 40101: Preventing Outages and Enhancing The Resilience of the Electric Grid Creates a $5 billion grant distribution program to electric grid operators, electricity storage operations, electricity generators, transmission owners and operators, distribution suppliers, fuels suppliers, and other entities chosen by the Secretary of Energy. The grants need to be used to reduce the risk that power lines will cause wildfires. States have to match 15%. The company receiving the grant has to match it by 100% (small utilities only have to match 1/3 of the grant.) Grant money be used for micro-grids and battery-storage in addition to obvious power line protection measures. Grant money can not be used to construct a new electricity generating facility, a large-scale battery facility that is not used to prevent "disruptive events", or cybersecurity. The companies are allowed to charge customers for parts of their projects that are not paid for with grant money (so they have to match the grant with their customer's money). Sec. 40112: Demonstration of Electric Vehicle Battery Second-Life Applications for Grid Services Creates a demonstration project to show utility companies that electric car batteries can be used to stabilize the grid and reduce peak loads of homes and businesses. The demonstration project must include a facility that "could particularly benefit" such as a multi-family housing building, a senior care facility, or community health center. TITLE II - SUPPLY CHAINS FOR CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES Sec. 40201: Earth Mapping Resources Initiative The US Geological Survey will get $320 million and ten years to map "all of the recoverable critical minerals." Sec. 40204: USGS Energy and Minerals Research Facility Authorizes $167 million to construct a new facility for energy and minerals research. The facility can be on land leased to the government for 99 years by "an academic partner." Requires the USGS to retain ownership of the facility. Sec. 40205: Rare Earth Elements Demonstration Facility Authorizes $140 million to build a rare earth element extractions and separation facility and refinery. Does NOT require the government to retain ownership of the facility. TITLE III - FUELS AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS Subtitle A - Carbon Capture, Utilization, Storage, and Transportation Infrastructure Sec. 40304: Carbon Dioxide Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authorizes $600 million for 2022 and 2023 and $300 million for each year between 2024 and 2026 for grants and loan guarantees for projects for transporting captured carbon dioxide. Each project has to cost more than $100 million and the government can pay up to 80% of the costs. If the project is financed with a loan, the company will have 35 years to pay it back, with fees and interest. Loans can be issued via private banks with guarantees provided by the government. Sec. 40305: Carbon Storage Validation and Testing Creates a new program for funding new or expanded large-scale carbon sequestration projects. Authorizes $2.5 billion through 2026. Sec. 40308: Carbon Removal Creates a new program for grants or contracts for projects to that will form "4 regional direct air capture hubs" that will each be able to capture 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Authorizes $3.5 billion per year through 2026. Subtitle B - Hydrogen Research and Development Sec. 40313: Clean Hydrogen Research and Development Program Changes a goal of an existing research and development plan for hydrogen fuels (created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005) from enhancing sources of renewable fuels and biofuels for hydrogen production to enhancing those sources and fossil fuels with carbon capture and nuclear energy. Expands the activities of this program to include using hydrogen for power generation, industrial processes including steelmaking, cement, chemical feestocks, and heat production. They intend to transition natural gas pipelines to hydrogen pipelines. They intend for hydrogen to be used for all kinds of vehicles, rail transport, aviation, and maritime transportation. Sec. 40314: Additional Clean Hydrogen Programs Creates a new program to create "4 regional clean hydrogen hubs" for production, processing, delivery, storage, and end-use of "clean hydrogen." At least one regional hub is required to demonstrate the production of "clean hydrogen from fossil fuels." At least one regional hub is required to demonstrate the production of "clean hydrogen from renewable energy." At least one regional hub is required to demonstrate the production of "clean hydrogen from nuclear energy." The four hubs will each demonstrate a different use: Electric power generation, industrial sector uses, residential and commercial heating, and transportation. Requires the development of a strategy "to facilitate widespread production, processing, storage, and use of clean hydrogen", which will include a focus on production using coal. The hydrogen hubs should "leverage natural gas to the maximum extent practicable." Creates a new program to commercialize the production of hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The overall goal is to identify barriers, pathways, and policy needs to "transition to a clean hydrogen economy." Authorizes $9.5 billion through 2026. Sec. 40315: Clean Hydrogen Production Qualifications Develops a standard for the term "clean hydrogen" which has a carbon intensity equal to or less than 2 kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalent produced at the site of production per kilogram of hydrogen produced." Subtitle C - Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Sec. 40323: Civil Nuclear Credit Program Creates a program, authorized to be funded with $6 billion per year through 2026, that will provide credit from the government to nuclear reactors that are projected to shut down because they are economically failing. Subtitle D - Hydropower Sec. 40331: Hydroelectric Production Incentives Authorizes a one-time appropriation of $125 million for fiscal year 2022. Sec. 40332: Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives Authorizes a one-time appropriation of $75 million for fiscal year 2022. Sec. 40333: Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives Authorizes a one-time appropriations of $553 million for repairs and improvements to dams constructed before 1920. The government will pay a maximum of 30% of the project costs, capped at $5 million each. Sec. 40334: Pumped Storage Hydropower Wind and Solar Integration and System Reliability Initiative Authorizes $2 million per year through 2026 to pay 50% or less of the costs of a demonstration project to test the ability of a pumped storage hydropower project to facilitate the long duration storage of at least 1,000 megawatts of intermittent renewable electricity. Subtitle E - Miscellaneous Sec. 40342: Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mine Land Creates a new program, authorized to be funded with $500 million through 2026, to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of putting clean energy projects on former mine land. There will be a maximum of 5 projects and 2 of them have to be solar. Defines a "clean energy project" to include "fossil-fueled electricity generation with carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration." TITLE X - AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR ENERGY ACT OF 2020 Sec. 41001: Energy Storage Demonstration Projects Authorizes $505 million through2025 for energy storage demonstration projects. Sec. 41002: Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program Authorizes between $281 million and $824 million per year through 2027 for advanced nuclear reactor demonstration projects. Sec. 41004: Carbon Capture Demonstration and Pilot Programs Authorizes between $700 million and $1.3 billion through2025 for advanced nuclear reactor demonstration projects. Sec. 41007: Renewable Energy Projects Authorizes $84 million through 2025 for geothermal energy projects. Authorizes $100 million through 2025 for wind energy projects. There is a clarification that this is definitely NOT in addition to amounts wind gets from another fund. Authorizes $80 million through 2025 for solar energy projects. DIVISION E - DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE DIVISION F - BROADBAND DIVISION G - OTHER AUTHORIZATIONS DIVISION H - REVENUE PROVISIONS DIVISION I - OTHER MATTERS DIVISION J - APPROPRIATIONS DIVISION K - MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

HollyFrontier Cheyenne Refining, LLC v Renewable Fuels Association, (2021), was a United States Supreme Court case dealing with exemptions from blending requirements for small refineries set by the Renewable Fuel Standard program. The case dealt with the statutory interpretation of the congressional language for extending the exemption, if this allowed a lapse in the exemption or not. In a 6–3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that by the majority's interpretation of the law, the congressional law did allow for refineries to seek extensions after their exemption period had lapsed. Background. Congress established the Renewable Fuel Standard program as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to promotion the production of renewable fuels. The program, managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), requires oil refineries to blend in renewable fuels, such as ethanol, into their products produced from fossil fuels. The amount to blend increased each year. As the program progressed, Congress recognized that the blending requirements created potentially disproportionate economic hardships for smaller refineries, those that produced less than 75,000 barrels per year, and created an temporary exemption in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 for smaller refineries lasting through 2010. Congress instructed the Department of Energy (DOE) to study if there were disproportionate impacts of this blending requirements on the smaller refineries from which then the EPA could then grant extensions to the original exemption for smaller refiners. DOE did conclude that such hardships did exist, leading the EPA to begin issuing extensions of the original exemption, requiring the refinery to annually reapply for further extensions. The case at hand involves three small refineries who had either failed to file for an extension in 2011 or failed to renew their extension with the EPA: HollyFrontier Woods Cross Refining LLC, HollyFrontier Cheyenne Refining LLC, and Wynnewood Refining Company. After their exemption period has expired, the three refineries separately sought a new extension to the exemption from the EPA, which the EPA granted. As more exemptions were being passed during the Trump administration, the EPA's decisions to allow for these three refineries to have disrupted extended exemptions was challenged in court by several renewable fuels associations. The associations argued that the congressional language around the Renewable Fuels Program meant that once a small refinery's exemption extension had expired, the exemption could no longer be prolonged. The refineries argued that the language of the law suggested an extension may be applied for "at any time” and did not require a continuous exemption period. The consolidated suit was brought directly to the Tenth Circuit, where the court overturned the EPA's decision, stating the agency exceeded its authority, and agreed with the renewable fuel associations' assertion that by interpretation of "extension", there had to be an exemption to extend in place already. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/law-school/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/law-school/support

HollyFrontier Cheyenne Refining, LLC v Renewable Fuels Association, (2021), was a United States Supreme Court case dealing with exemptions from blending requirements for small refineries set by the Renewable Fuel Standard program. The case dealt with the statutory interpretation of the congressional language for extending the exemption, if this allowed a lapse in the exemption or not. In a 6–3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that by the majority's interpretation of the law, the congressional law did allow for refineries to seek extensions after their exemption period had lapsed. Background. Congress established the Renewable Fuel Standard program as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to promotion the production of renewable fuels. The program, managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), requires oil refineries to blend in renewable fuels, such as ethanol, into their products produced from fossil fuels. The amount to blend increased each year. As the program progressed, Congress recognized that the blending requirements created potentially disproportionate economic hardships for smaller refineries, those that produced less than 75,000 barrels per year, and created an temporary exemption in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 for smaller refineries lasting through 2010. Congress instructed the Department of Energy (DOE) to study if there were disproportionate impacts of this blending requirements on the smaller refineries from which then the EPA could then grant extensions to the original exemption for smaller refiners. DOE did conclude that such hardships did exist, leading the EPA to begin issuing extensions of the original exemption, requiring the refinery to annually reapply for further extensions. The case at hand involves three small refineries who had either failed to file for an extension in 2011 or failed to renew their extension with the EPA: HollyFrontier Woods Cross Refining LLC, HollyFrontier Cheyenne Refining LLC, and Wynnewood Refining Company. After their exemption period has expired, the three refineries separately sought a new extension to the exemption from the EPA, which the EPA granted. As more exemptions were being passed during the Trump administration, the EPA's decisions to allow for these three refineries to have disrupted extended exemptions was challenged in court by several renewable fuels associations. The associations argued that the congressional language around the Renewable Fuels Program meant that once a small refinery's exemption extension had expired, the exemption could no longer be prolonged. The refineries argued that the language of the law suggested an extension may be applied for "at any time” and did not require a continuous exemption period. The consolidated suit was brought directly to the Tenth Circuit, where the court overturned the EPA's decision, stating the agency exceeded its authority, and agreed with the renewable fuel associations' assertion that by interpretation of "extension", there had to be an exemption to extend in place already. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Matt is joined by Liza Reed of the Niskanen Center to talk about energy policy, electricity transmission, and how America's complex system of power grids really function. Resources: "Transmission Stalled: Siting Challenges for Interregional Transmission" by Liza Reed (April 14) Summary of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPA) Guest: Liza Reed (@LizaBevin), Research Manager, Low Carbon Technology Policy, Niskanen Center Host: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.com Credits: Erikk Geannikis (@erikk38), Producer Ness Smith-Savedoff, Engineer As the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter. The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production. Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Follow Us: Vox.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the difference between E10, E15, and E85 gas? From the U.S. Energy Information Administration https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=27&t=10 and Popular Mechanic https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/car-technology/a25135/guide-to-fuel/All gasoline engine vehicles can use E10. Currently, only flex-fuel and light-duty vehicles with a model year of 2001 or newer are approved by the EPA to use E15. Flex-fuel vehicles can use any ethanol-gasoline blends up to E85.Pros• Ethanol helps the fuel meet federal air-pollution regulations. It reduces tailpipe emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, and fine particulates.• Ethanol contributes to fulfilling the national energy independence goals presented in the 2005 Energy Policy Act and extended under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.• Ethanol is a powerful octane booster—a fuel additive that prevents the fuel charge from preigniting in the cylinder, which leads to engine knocking and poor performance.Cons• With 33 percent less energy content than gasoline, ethanol actually lowers your gas mileage.• Ethanol is known to ruin small engines, especially two-stroke, because of its tendency to separate from the gasoline.• By growing corn for ethanol, farmers reduce the land being used to grow corn for food, raising the consumer price of corn.• Ethanol is highly corrosive, forcing auto manufacturers to use more expensive stainless-steel components.When should you use premium vs. regular gas? From the U.S. Department of Energy https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/octane.shtmlIf your car manufacturer requests higher octane gasoline - use it!Is your car under recall? https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

House and Senate Bills this Week . H.R. 8900 – Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021, and Other Extensions Act (Rep. Lowey – Appropriations) This bill provides a one-week extension of government funding and expiring health care programs to allow for additional negotiations on fiscal year 2021 appropriations and emergency coronavirus relief. Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 295 – 125 (Roll no. 152). Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S6723-6974) Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 6395 – William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Rep. Smith (WA) – Armed Services) Conference report agreed to in House: On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 335 – 78, 1 Present (Roll no. 238). Conference Report to accompany H.R. 6395 (National Defense Authorization Act), post-cloture. Yeas and Nays ordered. Passed with a vote of 84–13. This bill authorizes $732 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense, including approximately $69 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), to maintain military readiness, bolster national security and technological advancements, support our service members, respond to our current health crisis, make key investments in military infrastructure, and promote accountability and transparency. PASSED 335-78,1 H.R. 3797 – Medical Marijuana Research Act, as amended (Rep. Blumenauer – Energy and Commerce) This bill would facilitate research with marijuana for medical purposes by streamlining the registration process under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) for researchers and directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure a supply of marijuana for research purposes.  Agreed to by voice vote. H.Res. 549 – Reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity (Rep. Demings – Energy and Commerce)  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 7898 – To amend title XXX of the Public Health Services Act to provide for a technical correction to provide the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Service certain authorities with respect to investigations of information blocking, and for other purposes, as amended (Rep. Burgess – Energy and Commerce) Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 3361 – RIVER Act (Rep. McKinley – Energy and Commerce) This bill extends through FY2036 authorization and eligibility for the program of hydroelectric production incentives and incentive payments to the owners or operators of hydroelectric facilities at existing dams to make capital improvements directly related to improving efficiency. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5541 – Tribal Power Act, as amended (Rep. O’Halleran – Energy and Commerce)  To amend the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to reauthorize programs to assist consenting Indian Tribes in meeting energy education, planning, and management needs, Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 1426 – Timely Review of Infrastructure Act (Rep. Olson – Energy and Commerce)  This bill authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to address insufficient compensation of its personnel without regard to civil service laws  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5758 – Ceiling Fan Improvement Act of 2020 (Rep. Guthrie – Energy and Commerce) his bill revises the energy conservation standard for ceiling fans.  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 1570 – Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2020, as amended (Rep. Payne – Energy and Commerce)  This bill waives Medicare coinsurance requirements with respect to colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of the code billed for a resulting diagnosis or procedure. Agreed to by voice vote. S. 906 – Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act (Sen. Feinstein – Natural Resources)  Currently, the use of large-scale drift gillnets with a total length of 2.5 kilometers or more is prohibited in the United States. The bill expands the definition of large-scale driftnet fishing to prohibit the use of gillnets with a mesh size of 14 inches or greater. This expanded prohibition does not apply within the U.S. exclusive economic zone for five years. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 970 – Robert E. Lee Statue Removal Act, as amended (Rep. Brown – Natural Resources) This bill directs the National Park Service to remove and appropriately dispose of the monument to General Robert E. Lee at the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 1240 – Young Fishermen’s Development Act, as amended (Rep. Young – Natural Resources)  This bill directs the National Sea Grant Office in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a Young Fishermen’s Development Grant Program to provide training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5040 – AIR Safety Act of 2020, as amended (Rep. Curtis – Natural Resources) This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management to study the effects of drone incursions on the suppression of wildfires concerning lands managed by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture.  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5458 – Rocky Mountain National Park Boundary Modification Act (Rep. Neguse – Natural Resources)  This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to acquire, by donation, approximately 40 acres of specified nonfederal land for inclusion in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Upon acquisition, Interior shall (1) modify the boundary of the park to include the acquisition, and (2) administer the acquired land as part of the park. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5459 – Rocky Mountain National Park Ownership Correction Act (Rep. Neguse – Natural Resources)  This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to acquire, by donation, approximately 40 acres of specified nonfederal land for inclusion in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Upon acquisition, Interior shall (1) modify the boundary of the park to include the acquisition, and (2) administer the acquired land as part of the park. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 7098 – Saguaro National Park Boundary Expansion and Study Act of 2020, as amended (Rep. Grijalva – Natural Resources) his bill modifies the boundary of Saguaro National Park in Arizona by adding approximately 1,232 acres to the park, Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 7489 – Long Bridge Act of 2020, as amended (Rep. Wittman – Natural Resources)  This bill authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to convey to Virginia or the District of Columbia any federal land or interest in federal land under the jurisdiction of the NPS that is identified by Virginia or the District as necessary for the Long Bridge Project, a project to expand commuter and regional passenger rail service and provide bicycle and pedestrian access crossings over the Potomac River. Agreed to by voice vote. Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on motion to discharge S.J.Res.78: providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the United Arab Emirates of certain defense articles and services (F-35).  Not agreed to: 47-49. Support the show: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Q2PZ6NSMG7X7N&source=url See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the show we've got two Senior Policy Advisors from Holland & Knight's Regulatory & Government Affairs practice - Shawna Watley and Beth Viola. Holland & Knight's government affairs practice been recognized among the top 10 federal lobbying and law firms in Washington, D.C., by Influence, National Journal, Roll Call and Washington Business Journal. Shawna Watley is a senior policy professional and strategist with more than 16 years of experience in public policy, political, legislative and regulatory counseling, and creative solutions to corporate, nonprofit and governmental issues at the federal level. She has cultivated working relationships on the federal, state and local levels of government. This includes professional relationships with leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate, moderate Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Shawna was the principal owner of the Francis Group LLC, where she was retained by clients to lead efforts in government relations and develop strategy, programming and implementation for federal policy initiatives. She also previously served as director of congressional affairs for the Democratic Leadership Council and the Public Policy Institute, where she was responsible for the development of strategy, programming and implementation for the Congressional Affairs Department. Shawna has a podcast - WIILD Courageous Conversations - for women invested in leadership development. She was also part of the team that produced "Colored My Mind," a film that won "Best Documentary" in the Emerging Filmmakers showcase at Cannes Film Festival 2013.  Beth Viola is a senior policy advisor in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office where she is among the leadership team for the firm's Energy and Natural Resources Industry Sector Group. Ms. Viola focuses on energy and the environment, tax, trade, appropriations and public relations. Beth has helped her clients impact federal energy legislation including the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and the Energy Policy Act of 2005. She has also guided clients through regulatory matters including the Clean Power Plan and implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.  In addition to her domestic policy work, Ms. Viola has guided clients through major international climate negotiations, including United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings and development of the Paris Agreement, as well as Arctic climate issues and the Arctic Council. She frequently speaks on domestic and international energy and climate issues and has been quoted extensively in the media. Previously, Beth served as a senior advisor to the White House Council on Environmental Quality. In this role, she advised the president, vice president and senior government officials on environmental and energy issues, concentrating on climate change, natural resources and smart growth. She was also the primary White House liaison on these issues to elected officials, industry, environmental, religious and labor leaders, as well as the media. Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe! Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net  Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

Welcome to the Audible Café Radio Show/podcast!  Today, I’m happy to share my interview with Jane Winn of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (or BEAT) and Rosemary Wessel of No Fracked Gas in Mass (a program of BEAT). We talked about a lawsuit that BEAT and the Food & Water Watch have brought against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in approving a fracked gas infrastructure project without meeting the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requiring FERC to meaningfully evaluate greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel production and transportation projects. The project in question is known as the “261 Upgrade Project” — a proposed Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (“TGP”) gas-fired compressor station expansion and proposed new pipeline construction. Both the compressor station and the pipeline portion of the project are detrimental to the health of nearby residents (greater noise, air, and water pollution), will increase greenhouse gas emissions, and will contribute to climate change. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is intended to be “an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil. FERC also reviews proposals to build liquified natural gas (LNG) terminals and interstate natural gas pipelines as well as licensing hydropower projects. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 gave FERC "additional responsibilities” which are too numerous to list here. Check out the FERC website for more info at www.ferc.gov. This is far from the first time FERC has not met this requirement; in fact, it would be difficult to find an example where FERC meaningfully evaluated the greenhouse gas emission of any project. FERC is known among environmentalists as a “rubber stamp” commission, far from being an independent agency without undue influence by the fossil fuel industry, it is quite the opposite. One Commissioner, Richard Glick, is a notable exception in voting against unfavorable projects and issuing dissenting opinions that make sense. Energy projects and the morass of regulations and agencies that oversee them are extremely complicated, but it’s important to pay attention. While COVID-19 is overshadowing our day-to-day lives and distracting us from other things, the current administration is taking advantage of that tor ram through fossil fuel projects and remove protections in ways that will have serious negative repercussions for the environment and our climate. Thank you, Jane and Rose, for talking with me about this important lawsuit, and for your dedication in working tirelessly to protect the environment and our health, and for standing up for what is right and just. As always, you can learn more and access archives and show notes with lots of resources at audiblecafe.com, or visit the FB page – just search for Audible Café, or follow us on Twitter @audiblecafe. If you listen on iTunes, please subscribe, and leave us a review. We appreciate your feedback. So if you’d like to get directly in touch with us, email listenup@audiblecafe.com. Thanks again, and have a great week!Judy   SHOW RESOURCES Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) website No Fracked Gas in Mass website Food and Water Watch website Food and Water Watch and BEAT v. FERC Petition for Review Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) website EEPittsfield website

  Episode Summary In this episode Benoy Thanjan, Patrick Morand, and Victoria Zelin present about Developing Renewable Energy In Opportunity Zones at the Opportunity Zone Bootcamp hosted by Brownfield Listing Event in NJ in October 2019. Benoy presents a high-level recap of current federal solar incentive programs and the NJ solar market.  Patrick provides details on qualified opportunity zones investments and outlines project financing for solar investments. Victoria gives an in-depth overview on the success of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) and Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program financing in the renewable energy market.   Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Patrick Morand Patrick practices in the area of energy regulatory law and renewable energy development. Mr. Morand counsels energy clients, including electric utilities, electric distribution companies, regional transmission organizations (RTOs), renewable energy developers, and financial institutions before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state public utility commissions and other federal and state agencies.  Mr. Morand has extensive experience in a wide range of energy regulatory matters involving the Federal Power Act (FPA), Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA) and Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005). Mr. Morand also counsels clients in the development of power purchase agreements (PPA); engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreements; interconnection agreements; and other project development agreements. Mr. Morand is a graduate of The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, and a graduate of Michigan State University.   Victoria Zelin Victoria is the Co-Founder of the Center for Regenerative Community Solutions (CRCS) and Director of Development for New Jersey PACE (NJPACE). She speaks publicly and has been published on the subject of sustainability; “Who Will Be the Rock Stars of Corporate Sustainability?” Science, Wisdom, and the Future: Humanity’s Quest for a Flourishing Earth, Collins Foundation Press, 2012. Most recently, she sold Deloitte’s sustainability consulting services to major corporations. Previously, she sold organizational change consulting services to F500 companies. She is masterful at  getting to the heart of the issue, articulating a compelling case for change, and inspiring people to take action. Earlier, she co-founded the Sustainable Leadership Forum, a peer network in Central NJ that empowers people in their own sustainability initiatives. Victoria has an MBA from Yale’s School of Management with a specialization in organizational development and a BA in cultural anthropology from Duke University.   Insights from this episode: Details on Benoy's start in the solar industry, his role within Reneu Energy, and what types of projects Reneu Energy is working on. Benefits of current and upcoming solar incentive programs in NJ and the growth of community solar. Detailed overview on the solar industry, changes that are taking place, and the future of renewable energy. Benefits of qualified opportunity zone business. Details on safe harboring of solar panels to qualify for the 30 percent ITC. Details on how to structure tax benefits in the solar market.  Benefits of using a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program to fill in gaps in solar project financing.  Strategies on employing a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) in a qualified opportunity zone. Details on alternatives in states that do not offer Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing. Benefits to property owners when they employ Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing.     Quotes from the show: On the Investment Tax Credit (ITC): “It’s very difficult, actually, to find solar panels because people are actually using that 5% harboring (of the Investment Tax Credit) for panels.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #60 On state level incentives in New Jersey: “The great thing about New Jersey is that it has very high electricity costs … but it also has a very strong state-level incentive, the Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC).” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #60 On safe harbors in qualified opportunity zones: “There’s something very critical to developing a renewable energy project … in particular a community solar project, that is helped by (those) safe harbors.” – Patrick Morand, Episode #60 On Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing: “It’s really low-cost, long-term financing that is for renewables, energy efficiency, and in some states, resiliency.” – Victoria Zelin, Episode #60   Resources Mentioned: Opportunity Zone Boot Camp on Oct 2019 in NJ New Jersey Clean Energy Program Investment Tax Credit (ITC) Solar Energy Renewable Credit (SREC) New Jersey Property Assessed Clean Energy Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)   Sponsor: We would like to thank our sponsor for this podcast episode Infiniti Energy Services. Infiniti Energy Services is a turn key solar development company with the focus on origination of opportunities between Maine and Virginia. They use their ability to structure financing and EPC projects as a value add with their partners. To learn more about Infiniti go to their web-site www.infinitienergyservices.net or contact Tom Loredo- Director of Project Origination at 732-370-2446 We interviewed Michael Kushner who is the President at Infiniti Energy Services on Episode 49 of the Solar Maverick Podcast. Stay Connected:   Benoy Thanjan   Email: info@reneuenergy.com LinkedIn: @bthanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Patrick Morand   LinkedIn: Patrick Morand Website: Duane Morris LLP Email: PLMorand@duanemorris.com   Victoria Zelin   LinkedIn: Victoria Zelin Website: NJPace Twitter: @VictoriaZelin   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.   This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com) 

Today on Extraordinary Women Radio, I'm excited to bring you the very extraordinary Gale Norton: First woman elected to Attorney General of Colorado & First woman appointed as Secretary of the US Department of the Interior. Gale is also the first of six 2020 Colorado Women's Hall of Fame Inductees who will be featured here on Extraordinary Women Radio! In this episode: Discover how Gale’s path was meaningfully opened up to politics and law Gale’s momentous journey as the first woman elected as Attorney General of Colorado Running for office and how to raise your voice as a woman Gale’s experience as the first woman appointed Secretary of the US Department of the Interior Learn how collaborative decision-making can be a very effective leadership style The challenge of partisan-based politics and how to remedy the same How to cope with pressure, conflict, and political scrutiny Gales’ significant accomplishment that she is most proud of The importance of practicing women’s right to vote and Gale’s hope for women in the future Gale become the first woman elected Attorney General of Colorado – at a time when only two women had previously held the office of state Attorney General anywhere in the country.  She achieved another first when she was appointed Secretary of the US Department of the Interior – the first female leader in the Department’s 150-year history.  In that role, Norton was responsible for managing over 20% of the land area of the United States, a Fortune-500-sized budget, and a workforce of 70,000 employees. Norton led efforts that resolved 70-year-old interstate disputes on the Colorado River and instituted a west-wide water conservation program. She championed the President's Healthy Forest Initiative and Cooperative Conservation. As an attorney, Norton has handled multi-billion-dollar and high-profile litigation, including arguing cases before the US Supreme Court and negotiating one of the largest lawsuit settlements in history.  Norton has a B.A., J.D. and honorary Ph.D. from the University of Denver, and an honorary Dr. Eng. from the Colorado School of Mines.  In 2014, DU Law School honored Norton with the Outstanding Alumni Award. Norton is now president of Norton Regulatory Strategies.  She serves on the boards of directors of American Transmission Company, which operates electric transmission facilities, and Liberty Oilfield Services.  She resides in Colorado with her husband John Hughes. As Secretary of the Interior, 2001-2006, Gale Norton played a key role in shaping national energy policies. In the face of crises including the September 11th attacks and the War on Terror, increasing domestic energy production became a major focus for Norton’s term.  She oversaw lands and offshore areas that produced a third of America's domestic oil, natural gas, and coal. She was actively involved in consideration of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, offshore and onshore oil and gas production, coal mine leasing and reclamation, hydroelectric generation, as well as biomass, wind and geothermal development. Norton was General Counsel for Royal Dutch Shell Unconventional Oil, 2007-2010, and Attorney General of Colorado, 1991-1999.   She is currently President of Norton Regulatory Strategies and serves on the Board of Directors of American Transmission Company, which operates electric transmission facilities across the US. “What I found worked the best with a team is if you focus not on who’s making the suggestion but focus on the substance of the decision that has to be made.” - Gale Norton Connect with Gale Norton on LinkedIn and check her out on this website: Norton Regulatory Services. Let’s meet Gale Norton! Gale Norton Show Notes *** The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame mission is to inspire by celebrating and sharing the enduring contributions of Colorado’s distinctive women. To achieve this, the Hall educates the people of Colorado about the stories of th...

* Use coupon code PODCAST25 for 25% off this webcast * Webcast URL: https://www.theknowledgegroup.org/webcasts/solar-energy-and-tax-credits/ The Energy Policy Act of 2005 instituted the federal solar tax credit or investment tax credit (ITC) that deducts 30% of the cost of solar energy system to a person's federal tax regardless of the energy system's nature – be it residential or commercial. The original ITC requirement for the system to be operational before claiming the tax credit has been revoked and updated with the recent legislation where it allows taxpayers to claim the tax credit as soon as the construction starts. Thus, mitigating the risk of missing the deadlines set by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and creating better financing mechanisms for project sponsors. With the series of extensions and recent updates in regulatory guidelines and requirements set by the IRS, in-depth understanding of the legal know how's and how to's is imperative to ensure effective tax planning and maximized opportunities presented by the ITC. In this LIVE Webcast, a panel of distinguished professionals and thought leaders will help taxpayers, project sponsors, financers and solar energy system advocates, understand the important aspects of this significant topic. They will provide an in-depth discussion of the Federal Solar Tax Credit and the IRS' guidelines. Speakers will also offer best practices in developing and implementing an effective tax planning guide. For anymore information please click on the webcast url at the top of this description.

The recent passing of President George H.W. Bush has spurred an interest in his energy and environmental policy and its legacy. In the latest Columbia Energy Exchange podcast, host Jason Bordoff sat down with William Reilly, who was the EPA Administrator during President George H.W. Bush’s Administration.   Bill recounts the significance of the environment in Bush’s presidential campaign, which led to landmark environmental policies, and discusses the challenges, opportunities, and significance of the Clean Air Act of 1990. He describes what it was like working for the Administration, including internal divisions on the environment. Jason and Bill discuss other notable milestones like the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Jason and Bill also cover carbon pricing, climate policy, and what needs to happen to encourage both sides of the aisle to work together in solving these pressing issues. In addition to his time with the Bush administration, Bill served as a senior staff member at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, under President Nixon. President Clinton appointed him as a founding Trustee of the Presidio Trust of San Francisco.  President Obama appointed him co-chair of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and the Future of Offshore Drilling. Bill served as president of World Wildlife Fund and later chairman of the board. He has also served in the U.S. Army. He’s currently on a number of private sector and non-profit boards. Bill holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Yale University, a Law Degree from Harvard, and a Master’s Degree from Columbia University.  

In this episode we discuss... Corey’s background in nuclear engineering and personal journey from Los Alamos to Canada Nuclear Labs The history of US nuclear including the Nuclear Renaissance and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 Corey’s contributions to nuclear startup NuScale Power Challenges in nuclear across India and Asia including infrastructure, training, and corruption Corey’s work for an electrical supplier of cabling and the safety systems involved International issues with CFSI (Counterfeit Fraudulent Suspect Items) and their toll on public trust Canada Nuclear Lab’s world class hot cells The future of Canada Nuclear Lab and its work surrounding light water reactors and sustainability A deep dive into fuel qualification Canada’s new build market and the significant role it plays in the global industry

What's the difference between E10, E15, and E85 gas? From the U.S. Energy Information Administration https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=27&t=10 and Popular Mechanic https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/car-technology/a25135/guide-to-fuel/All gasoline engine vehicles can use E10. Currently, only flex-fuel and light-duty vehicles with a model year of 2001 or newer are approved by the EPA to use E15. Flex-fuel vehicles can use any ethanol-gasoline blends up to E85.Pros• Ethanol helps the fuel meet federal air-pollution regulations. It reduces tailpipe emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, and fine particulates.• Ethanol contributes to fulfilling the national energy independence goals presented in the 2005 Energy Policy Act and extended under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.• Ethanol is a powerful octane booster—a fuel additive that prevents the fuel charge from preigniting in the cylinder, which leads to engine knocking and poor performance.Cons• With 33 percent less energy content than gasoline, ethanol actually lowers your gas mileage.• Ethanol is known to ruin small engines, especially two-stroke, because of its tendency to separate from the gasoline.• By growing corn for ethanol, farmers reduce the land being used to grow corn for food, raising the consumer price of corn.• Ethanol is highly corrosive, forcing auto manufacturers to use more expensive stainless-steel components.When should you use premium vs. regular gas? From the U.S. Department of Energy https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/octane.shtmlIf your car manufacturer requests higher octane gasoline - use it!Is your car under recall? https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In 2001, the non-profit Virginia Clean Cities, Inc. was created to manage the Coalition. In 2009, Virginia Clean Cities formed a partnership with James Madison University enabling both organizations to leverage resources, current initiatives, and future opportunities. Virginia Clean Cities has an office at James Madison University, and serves as a cornerstone program in the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER). The Clean Cities program is sponsored by the Department of Energy in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 1992. This legislation's express intent is to ensure national energy security by reducing dependence on imported petroleum products. The Clean Cities program was chartered to help achieve this objective by promoting alternative fuel use in the transportation sector. Mission Statement We advance air quality improvement, economic opportunity, and energy security through deployment of alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure, education programs, and other petroleum reduction activities.

In the first 1/2 hour of The Tami Jackson Show* I will be talking to Tim Constantine. Tim is a radio host and the spokesman for Rethink Ethanol, a coalition of environmentalists, small business, and industry that advocate to relax or repeal completely the Renewable Fuel Standard. Tim Constantine hit the airwaves at age 13. At the time, his deep voice didn't match his skinny frame and sneakers, but through the magic of radio, it really didn't matter. As a young man he worked in Rock and Top 40 Formats. Later, while serving in elected office, Constantine returned to broadcasting, this time in the Talk Format. Today Constantine broadcasts from Washington DC to listeners all across the United States. He combines his background in TV and Radio, his experience in public office, his controversial fall from grace and his hard-nose business approach with his understated sense of humor for one of the most entertaining radio programs anywhere. Tim and I will be talking about the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): Congress created the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand the nation's renewable fuels sector while reducing reliance on imported oil. This program was authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and expanded under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Some important points we'll cover: Thanks to the swamp, Americans pay more and more for food each year. This is because of a government mandate called the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) written by and lobbied for by special interest groups. RFS mandates that 10% of gasoline be mixed with ethanol, a product of corn. As gasoline companies complied with the mandate, the price of corn skyrocketed affected livestock farmers who depend on corn to feed chickens, cows, and pigs. Farmers were forced to increase their prices dramatically, and American consumers are left to pick up the bill. Even environmentalists who originally advocated for the ethanol-gasoline mix are now advocating against the mandate, saying the the huge influx of corn productive is extremely harmful to the environment with excess nutrient running off from Midwest states to flow down the Mississippi river to the Gulf of Mexico, where dead zones affect commercial and recreational fishing and tourism - huge industries for Gulf States. This is a conversation that affects each one of us and our daily lives -- don't miss one word and be sure to check out the Rethink Ethanol website for constantly updated articles, research and legislation! *********************** My guest for the second 1/2 hour will be Gary Byrne Gary J. Byrne served in federal law enforcement for nearly thirty years, in the U.S. Air Force Security Police, the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service, and most recently as a Federal Air Marshal. While serving as a Secret Service Officer, Gary protected President Bill Clinton and the First Family in the White House. Gary has received letters of commendation and praise from Bill Clinton's Chief of State, the Secret Service, and the acting director of the Federal Air Marshal Service. Gary Byrne authored the Hachette Book Group bombshell, Crisis of Character: A White House Secret Service Officer Discloses His Firsthand Experience with Hillary, Bill, and How They Operate. Byrne has a brand new, revealing book out, Secrets of the Secret Service: The History and Uncertain Future of the U.S. Secret Service, that enumerates the failings within the Secret Service itself: lack of leadership, lack of financial budgeting and accountability, and most importantly, critical failures in protecting presidents and other protectees. Gary and I will talk a bit about his tenure in the Clinton White House, which gives Gary a unique viewpoint on the challenges facing Secret Service detail with President Trump. We'll also talk about any inside baseball on Hillary's opinion and treatment of the Secret Service. But most importantly, we will talk about his new book and what must be done to make the U.S. Secret Service great again! Don't miss a minute of my conversation with Gary Byrne! Follow Tim Constantine on Twitter at @TimConstantine1, Gary Byrne at @GaryByrneAuthor, and me at @tamij AND tweet your questions/comments during the show. *Sponsored by Rentacomputer, your premier source for Sound System rentals , by ROBAR® Companies, a True Custom firearms and firearms finishing shop located in Phoenix, AZ, and found online at RobarGuns.com, and by Dispatches, your site for the BEST conservative resources to fight and win the information war.