Environmental Economics

Something to do while you celebrate (grieve) the Waxman-Markey vote

Are we excited yet?

The House is expected to return to debate on the climate bill around 1 p.m. today with three hours of debate on the Democratic proposal, as well as a half hour dedicated to a Republican alternative (pdf). Aides say they are planning on a final passage vote after 4 p.m.

Environmental Capital provides some reading material for your weekend:

For Environmental Capital’s recent coverage of the bill, check out these posts:

• EPA Sees Limited Renewable Energy Growth under Waxman-Markey
• ACES High: Waxman-Markey Heads to a Vote
• Climate Debate: Government Report Sparks Some More Outrage
• Changing Climate: Government Report Details Climate Impacts to End ‘Dithering’
• Farm State Wish List Could Hold Key to Waxman-Markey Bill
• Texas Hold ‘Em: Gov. Perry Hates Climate-Change Bill, Loves Clean Energy
• Conoco’s Mulva: Waxman-Markey ‘Unfair’ to Refiners

Here’s what others are saying:

• Waxman-Markey: Action on climate change is overdue. But is this the best we can hope for? (WaPo)
• The House and Global Warming (NYT)
• 9 damned good reasons why some U.S. environmentalists should heartily oppose Waxman-Markey (Grist)
• Waxman-Markey and 77c gasoline increases (FT)
• House Prepares For Photo Finish On Climate Change Bill (CongressDaily)
• The Renewable-Energy Scam: New legislation would force Americans to buy costlier electricity. (Nat’l Review)
• How Popular Is Cap-And-Trade? It Depends. (New Republic)
• Cap and Trade = Predatory Taxation (Weekly Standard)
• Pelosi embarks on ‘tricky business’ of passing climate bill (CS Monitor)
• The farm lobby vs. the global warming bill (LA Times)

Because you had a bad day

E-mail server down from a storm last night (Computer guy out sick today). 95 degrees and humid this morning (Air conditioner in office isn't working.  Facilities won't replace it because we are supposed to get new windows and air conditioners IN THE FALL). Transmitter for the invisible fence for our 11 month old dog blew up in a storm (Yes we shock our dog into obedience--deal with it.  Have to fax receipt to company to get replacement shipped.  Fax machine is at work.  Left receipt on the counter at home).  Drove wife's car to work yesterday to take all of the softball equipment for daughter's team to game 45 minutes away last night (Team played terrible but were showing signs of life. Rainout after 3 innings. Official game.  Counts as a loss).  Left parking permit in wife's car this morning (Need a temporary parking permit.  Department office closed today so I can't get one.  Can you guess what I'm anticipating when I get back out to my car in the parking lot?). 

UPDATE:  Monitor has some weird, creepy, blob-like water-stain looking thing creeping in from the left side (Left the computer on during the storms last night.  Did I mention our computer guy is out sick today?)

Evidence that clean coal is really expensive

From the Columbus Dispatch:

Columbus-based American Electric Power has backed out of a plan to help build the world's first "clean" coal-fired power plant.

It joins Atlanta-based Southern Co. in dropping out of an alliance to build the FutureGen plan in Illinois. Both companies citied the bad economy and growing cost of the project.

AEP was a founding member of the FutureGen Alliance, a coalition of coal and power companies that formed in 2006 to build the plant. There are now nine members.

The proposed FutureGen power plant is supposed to test new technologies to filter out and capture carbon dioxide, a gas linked to global warming.

The project, whose price tag has grown from $1 billion to $2.4 billion, has teetered since its inception.

I'm shovel ready

My seemingly suspended impacts of offshore wind energy on coastal recreation study funded by the state energy office could use a few thousand dollars to pay for some data collection:

The N.C. State Energy Office was awarded $30.4 million today, the agency's first infusion of federal stimulus money to create jobs and promote energy savings. ...

The State Energy Office has earmarked six areas for spending stimulus funds awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. They include creating green jobs, improving government energy efficiency, promoting residential energy conservation and fostering renewable energy resources.

Link: http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/1583295.html

I'm thinking...

...the single enormous windmill blade on the back of that semi I blew by on my gas guzzling commute to work this morning sure burned a lot of gas to get to it's renewable-energy-producing destination.

The solution to a bursted housing bubble is more new houses? etc.

Isn't this the logic that got us in this trouble in the first place (House passes ...)?

[Kentucky] House and Senate leaders negotiated late Tuesday night $68 million in tax breaks for home buyers, new car buyers and active duty military members.

Non first-time homebuyers would be eligible for a $5,000 tax credit on the purchase of a home that has never been occupied.

The credit, which would be capped at $25 million, is intended to move homes that have already been built but have not been sold. If builders can sell some of those homes, they could begin building new ones, which would create construction jobs and increase the sales of materials, proponents said.

Also, the same budget process came up with $37 million in incentives to attract a NASCAR race to Gallatin County (between Louisville and Cincinnati). Last summer at the Hamburg sports mega-event conference I heard Rob Baade argue that mega-events, such as fast car races and important ball games, don't generate much of any economic impact (I also heard the same story where the measure was hotel tax revenue; Dennis Coates, 2008 SEA meetings). Sigh.

I've got a funny feeling that the WSJ doesn't like Cap'n Trade

From the WSJ (Review and Outlook):

Americans should know that those Members [of Congress] who vote for [the Waxman- Markey] climate bill are voting for what is likely to be the biggest tax in American history.

A rose is a rose

NOAA's getting busy with ITQs (PDF):

NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco today appointed members to a new Catch Share Task Force, which will assist NOAA and the regional fishery management councils as they consider and implement catch-share management programs. This initiative furthers NOAA’s commitment to the long-term prosperity of America’s commercial and recreational fishermen, and to ensuring healthy, productive and resilient oceans. ...

In fisheries managed with catch shares, individuals or groups of fishermen are allotted a share of the total allowable catch of a fish stock. These fishermen then decide how to catch their allotment when weather, markets and individual business conditions are most favorable, and they must ensure that they do not exceed their catch limits. The allocation of shares of the sustainable catch eliminates the biologically and economically wasteful race to capture a share of the total before the fishery-wide limit is reached. In this way, fishermen gain an incentive to conserve fish stocks, avoid market gluts, and catch their allocated share of the total at the least cost.

Catch shares that are well-designed and thoughtfully prepared are the best way for many fisheries to have healthy, profitable fisheries that are sustainable. Because of these scientific results, moving forward to implement more catch share programs is a high priority for NOAA.

"Catch shares" is the new term for individual transferable quotas.

On-campus wind turbine economics

ASU's wind turbine update:

The new wind turbine High Country Radio reported on over the weekend will soon be generating electricity that will be fed into New River Light and Power.

According to the Appalachian State University News Bureau, the turbine’s construction began on June 15.

The turbine stands 121 feet tall and is behind the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center on ASU’s campus.  The University News Bureau reported that each of its three blades is 34 feet long.

The project cost about $533,000 and was funded by ASU students through a $5 renewable energy initiative fee (which is collected each semester), a donation from the senior class of 2009, and about half the tab was picked up by New River Light and Power.

Officials told the ASU News Bureau the turbine has the potential to generate enough electricity to power 10-15 households per year.

ASU News: http://www.news.appstate.edu/2009/06/24/wind-turbine-on-campus/

Quote (and write your own joke) of the Day

From the NYTimes Green, Inc blog:

"Living more hours naked each day results in a dramatic drop in my laundry, which in turn reduces my water and energy use (along with my related bills).”

Kathy Blanchard, The Naturist Society