Congressional Budget Office http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdoc.cfm?index=12023&type=1 S. 3516 would codify certain reforms within the Department of the Interior (DOI) related to managing certain mineral resources on federal lands and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The bill also would authorize DOI to collect fees to cover the cost of inspecting offshore oil rigs and establish or modify certain … Continue reading »
Posted on December 15, 2010 …
Critical Materials Strategy
US Dept. of Energy http://www.energy.gov/news/documents/criticalmaterialsstrategy.pdf The report examines the role of rare earth metals and other materials used in four clean energy technologies: wind turbines, electric vehicles, solar cells and energy-efficient lighting… The strategy analyzes 14 elements and identifies five specific rare earth metals, dysprosium, neodymium, terbium, europium and yttrium, as well as indium, as … Continue reading »
Common Ground II: Why Cooperation to Reduce Accidents at Louisiana Refineries is Needed Now
United Steelworkers http://assets.usw.org/oil-bargaining/pdf/labbcommongroundiifin.pdf A study released today finds patterns between the frequent accidents at Louisiana refineries and the warning signs ignored by BP that led to the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. Addressing these warning signs now can make refineries safer, protect public health and create jobs and economic growth in Louisiana. … Common … Continue reading »
Statewide Transportation Planning: Opportunities Exist to Transition to Performance-Based Planning and Federal Oversight
Government Accountability Office http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-77?source=ra Through the statewide transportation planning process, states decide how to spend federal transportation funds–almost $46 billion in fiscal year 2009. Draft legislation to reauthorize federal surface transportation legislation would, among other things, revise planning requirements to recognize states’ use of rural planning organizations (RPO) and require performance measurement. As requested, GAO … Continue reading »
U.S. Department of Energy Critical Materials Strategy
US Department of Energy http://www.energy.gov/news/documents/criticalmaterialsstrategy.pdf [From Executive Summary] This report examines the role of rare earth metals and other materials in the clean energy economy. It was prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) based on data collected and research performed during 2010. Its main conclusions include: • Several clean energy technologies—including wind turbines, … Continue reading »
Jobs and Dollars Overboard: The Economic Case Against Dumping U.S. Naval Vessels at Sea
Basel Action Network / by Colby Self http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2010/101213_huge_bill_and_lost_jobs.html In a new report released today that examines the economic cost of the federal government’s practice of using ships as artificial reefs and for Naval target practice, the Basel Action Network reports that taxpayers are paying more for environmentally damaging practices in our ship disposal program, than … Continue reading »
Where Good Technologies Come From: Case Studies in American Innovation
The Breakthrough Institute / compiled and edited by: Jesse Jenkins, Devon Swezey and Yael Borofsky | original research and writing by: Helen Aki, Zachary Arnold, Genevieve Bennett, Chris Knight, Ashley Lin, Teryn Norris, Taj Walton and Adam Zemel http://thebreakthrough.org/blog/2010/12/american_innovation.shtml [From DotEarth by Andrew Revkin] The Breakthrough Institute has issued a report, “Where Good Technologies Come … Continue reading »
Extended Range Forecast of Atlantic Seasonal Hurricane Activity and Landfall Strike Probability for 2011
Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University /bBy Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/ Information obtained through November 2010 indicates that the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season has the potential to be quite active. We estimate that activity will remain well above average, approximately at levels that were experienced in the average of the … Continue reading »
Global Prospects for Utility-Scale Solar Power: Toward Spatially Explicit Modeling of Renewable Energy Systems
Center for Global Development / by Kevin Ummel http://tinyurl.com/2495w52 In this paper, Kevin Ummel provides high-resolution estimates of the global potential and cost of solar power technologies while identifying deployment patterns that minimize the cost of greenhouse gas abatement. His findings are based on a global simulation of providing 2,000 TWh of solar power (about … Continue reading »
