Tuesday, April 21, 2015

White House sneaks out two new climate-related programs

The Obama administration snuck in two new climate change-related programs when it rolled out a major new study on the nation's challenged energy system.
Photo - President Obama is slated to visit the Everglades on Wednesday to discuss his climate change strategy. (AP Photo) The first installment of a major four-part energy analysis, dubbed the Quadrennial Energy Review, was issued Tuesday morning after several months of persistent delays. Included with the 350-page review, which focused on the nation's energy infrastructure hurdles, were two new executive actions: one addressing climate change resilience, and another for clean energy improvements in rural America.
The administration hinted that the new initiatives may be part of a speech the president plans to deliver Wednesday in Florida on climate change.
The Energy Department will lead a climate change resilience partnership with a mix of the largest municipal, investor-owned and rural cooperative utilities in the country to address the energy problems caused by global warming.
Many scientists say that manmade emissions from the burning of fossil fuels is causing the Earth's climate to warm, resulting in extreme weather, flooding and drought. The increase in severe weather and its effect on electricity infrastructure is what the "Partnership for Energy Sector Climate Resilience" will examine, according to the White House.
In a fact sheet elaborating on the Quadrennial Energy Review, the White House says the new partnership will ramp up quickly. The first meeting is slated for April 30.
The partnership will comprise of 17 companies and the Energy Department. The fact sheet says it "will improve U.S. energy infrastructure resilience against extreme weather and climate change impacts with the leading providers of electricity services."

No comments:

Popular Posts